There comes a time in every guitar player’s life when they realize they need a pedalboard. It starts off innocent enough—you take a tuner and a Tube Screamer to the jam down at the bar, or a multi-effects pedal to the annual work barbecue. But soon you find yourself swimming in a sea of pedals. “Just one more fuzz, because I don’t have a Big Muff yet,” you tell yourself. “I have three delays, but I don’t have one that’s specifically a copy of an Echoplex,” you reasoned. Look, I’m not here to judge. Pedals are great. Buy them all. But if you’re that guy that fills a duffel bag with a dozen pedals and takes 20 minutes to set them up with a daisy chain at the show, I’m here to tell you that you need a pedalboard. Stop it! Just stop it already. The benefits of having a clean, organized board are worth whatever hassle or cost it takes to put one together. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the stellar pedalboard options available today.
Blackbird Pedalboards
Blackbird boards change things up by ditching the Velcro and using a proprietary pedalboard tape. Having used the tape myself, I can confirm its Herculean strength, and if you apply the adhesive properly, you shouldn’t have any trouble removing it from your pedals when you want to switch up your sounds. Various boards are available in different Tolex colors or patterns, and you can custom order a particular size if need be. You can also order a hard or soft case to protect your investment.
The Blackbird Featherboard is the perfect solution for the player that needs a small, functional pedalboard that looks cool. There’s room for around five pedals on top, a power supply underneath, and convenient slots and holes allow for precise placement of cables. It’d be a great grab and go board to put your desert island pedals on.
Chemistry Design Werks Holeyboards
Love pedals, but hate trying to scrub sticky residue off of them? Have no fear, the Holeyboard is here. At first glance, the masterful boards from Chemistry Design Werks resemble large pieces of Swiss cheese, but they are the perfect option for anyone looking to go Velcro-free. Using the many holes, you can strap your pedals down tight with zip ties, so you never have to worry about trying to peel something off of your beloved Klon when you decide to leave it at home for the gig. A Holeyboard is a must for anyone who changes their pedals frequently, or just wants to keep them clean, whether for resale value or just because they like their pedals to look shiny and neat. Holeyboards are durable, functional, and have an intuitive two-tier design, allowing players to place their favorite pedals up top so they can reach them for tweaking mid-song. Zip ties may not be the sexiest-looking way to fasten pedals to a board, but they double as stage security. I still remember when the guitarist in my junior high band (I was on drums for that one) came back from a Bela Fleck show and bragged that he stole Mr. Fleck’s envelope filter right off the stage. Had Holeyboards been around then, he would have been caught red-handed, and he could think about his dastardly deed in juvenile hall while Bela kept playing sweet, swirly banjo licks. For the record, our band dissolved shortly thereafter due to creative and ethical differences.
Pedaltrain
Pedaltrain boards have long been the working man’s pedalboard. They are lightweight, portable, come in various sizes, are available with a hard or soft case, and are very straightforward. Included mounting brackets on some models ensure you’ll have a place for your favorite power supply. If you couldn’t care less about velcro being permanent on your pedals, and you want a board that’s super easy to update when you want to try something different, a Pedaltrain is the way to go. As far as durability goes, the only way you’ll destroy your Pedaltrain is if you drop it into the hot lava pit from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. In other words, it’s not gonna quit on you. Pedaltrains are also very reasonably priced, and there are many variations to choose from so you can get the exact size you need.
Salvage Custom
Few words send guitar players into a salivating frenzy than “custom.” The idea of handcrafted gear made to order is enough to cause sweaty palpitations that can only be identified as a symptom of G.A.S. Salvage has several customizable models to choose from, with everything from African mahogany to figured maple. You can also spec out your dream board, in any design or theme you want, complete with XLR jacks and a built in power supply and a fancy hard case. When they say custom, they mean business. If you do plan to put in a custom order, do it wisely. Have your dream board all drawn up, but also leave a little room to play with. Once a custom order is done, it’s done, so you’ll want to be sure you’ve dreamed up something that will last a lifetime… or make someone else very happy when you decide to sell it six months later.
Temple Audio Templeboards
Temple Audio changes things up with their unique pedal plates. Like the Holeyboard, a Templeboard somewhat resembles a piece of Swiss cheese, but there are no zip ties involved. Instead, pedals are fastened onto a space on the board by putting a pedal plate onto stompboxes, then securing the plates anywhere on the board via a screw that goes through the board and onto the back of the pedal plate. Temple calls it their Quick Release system, and they offer pedal plates in a variety of sizes to make sure they have all of your pedals covered. It looks to be easier than Velcro for players that like to rearrange their boards, and the folks at JHS Pedals love the design so much that they’ve built their upcoming See-Saw modular volume pedal to be compatible with Templeboards.
Trailer Trash Pedalboards
If you’re the guy that goes all-out on Christmas decorations every year, a Trailer Trash board is right up your alley. Tons of custom options are available, including super-cool glow tops. The company will make your dream pedalboard, so it’s important you know what you want. If you opt for the glow top, be sure you have everything you need, because it’s designed as a permanent arrangement. Need a custom wiring job? No problem. Want a pair of power supplies mounted underneath with a simple outlet to plug into on the side? You got it. A loop switcher mounted on your board so you don’t have to tap dance? You get the idea. If you want your pedalboard to be a work of art, Trailer Trash can make that happen.
What do you use to hold your pedals? Whether it’s a technologically-advanced glow-in-the-dark rig, a streamlined classic Velcro job, or a cool suitcase you found at a thrift store, your pedalboard is uniquely you. Like your guitar and amplifier, it says a lot about your personality and approach to music. Please note that this is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of pedalboard builders today. It’s simply highlighting some of the fantastic options available on the market. There are many more excellent pedalboard builders out there, and we as guitarists benefit from having so many quality choices. I hope you’ve enjoyed this examination of pedalboards, and I hope all of your pedals are safe, sound, and in working order. Rock on!