DIY Pedalboard build

AlanRatcliffe · 2011-11-27T18:53:59+00:00

OK, Here we go... ? I decided I needed a (much) bigger pedal board... Indeed, that I needed a "pedal board worthy of the stars". The hope is that one day, i...

DIY Pedalboard build

AlanRatcliffe

I'll be finishing it in the next few days. I'll update then.

AlanRatcliffe

OK, getting somewhere now...

Added in the locking jack sockets. On top is the 5m roll of 50mm self-adhesive Velcro tape I bought from RS components (stock # 4239533, R371.60 - if anyone's interested):

Velcro stuck to the top:

Wired in the cables for in and outputs. I've started buying the Neutriks again. Yes, they are a little bulkier, yes, they are expensive, but damn, they are confidence-inspiringly solid. The Amphenol feel and look like lightweights against them:

Also notice I've removed the fixing bracket from the PSU and Velcroed it down so it does not interfere with the gap - that was turning out to be a problem with so many cables going through on that side of the board.

Starting to populate the board and lay in the patch cables:

Tomorrow I'll wire in the power and do some cable tidying. I'll also pick up my compressor from the P.O. (T-Rex Comp-Nova - I picked one up at a great price thanks to a headsup from Mr. T). I'll take some daylight pics too (maybe even dusting it before taking them ?).

Over the next month or two I'll get a Strymon Lex and Bluesky. And then I'm done...

...but will still have space for one more pedal, and "who knows what happens next?")!

Riaan

Really nice Alan! Makes me want to build another pedalboard...

AlanRatcliffe

Riaan wrote: Really nice Alan! Makes me want to build another pedalboard...

Oddly enough, it makes me want to build another one too! ? To fix all the things I did wrong and upgrade the woods a bit...

nick

Where and how much for the locking jacks?

AlanRatcliffe

nick wrote: Where and how much for the locking jacks?

I got mine from Nick at Bothner's Plumstead - R95 each retail, so about R70 each street. They are Neutrik (model # NJ3FP6C) and Wild and Marr are the distributors, so they should have too.

I've been using those on my guitars for 20 years... (and the first ones I bought are still going strong).

Gearhead

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: And then I'm done...
...but will still have space for one more pedal

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Oddly enough, it makes me want to build another one too!

You know better than most people here you are never done, one pedal more never is enough and you will only build a new board once the old one is way past its sell-by date.. ?

rikus

Looks great Alan!

Your wiring is so neat. That's the only thing that bugs me about my one. The space between the wooden slats are to thin to run wire through... I'll probably fix then if when I get to version 2.0. ?

nick wrote: Where and how much for the locking jacks?

Nick, I picked mine up from Musiekwereld in Bellville for about the same price, if that's maybe closer to home.

AlanRatcliffe

rikus wrote: Your wiring is so neat. That's the only thing that bugs me about my one. The space between the wooden slats are to thin to run wire through...

I made sure of that by not only making the spacing a little wider than needed, but also spacing the slats so the plugs on a lot of the pedals would hang right down to the underside (specifically the Octaswitch, the wah and volume pedals). It worked out really well. I actually had to file away the rear lip on the Boss volume so the angled plugs would hang straight down.

But if you fit your power supply to the underside and run as many cables as possible under the board, it already works out neater than 90% of boards.

AlanRatcliffe

OK... Finished for now...

From player's perspective:

The Small Stone isn't being used at the mo, and yes, I have plans for the spaces. The Wah might come out in favour of my old Ibanez AF-9 (auto filter) - I'm new to foot wahs and am still not convinced they are for me.

Input jacks on the right hand side:

Output jacks and power on the rear ('scuse the blurred pic):

And the quick and dirty wiring job underneath:

I'll clean that up properly when I get another pedal or two and some more Neutrik plugs.

Signal chain is as follows (disregarding the Octa-Switch):
Mag pickups -> Tuner -> Wah -> Compressor -> Vibe -> LTD -> OD11 -> Blonde -> Volume left -> Delay Left -> OUT LEFT
Piezo Pickups -> DI -> Volume right-> Delay right-> OUT RIGHT

Gearhead

Notice the power leads at 90degr angle to the patch cables... Howzthis a dirty wiring job that should get done properly later on? Ah well nothing like perfectionism ?

AlanRatcliffe

Gearhead wrote: Notice the power leads at 90degr angle to the patch cables... Howzthis a dirty wiring job that should get done properly later on? Ah well nothing like perfectionism ?

You of all people should know how it is. ? In a perfect world the cables (both audio and power) will all be made to the exact length needed and the longer runs will be as far apart as possible. I'd like to run the main power bundle centred on the back board and all the audio cables on the middle board. I am picking up a little more hum than I was before, so I know it's not 100%.

rikus

Gearhead wrote: Notice the power leads at 90degr angle to the patch cables... Howzthis a dirty wiring job that should get done properly later on? Ah well nothing like perfectionism ?

My thoughts exactly!!

Very nice Alan!

Nicholas-L

I think you need to re-do the whole board to add that new acquisition ? ?

AlanRatcliffe

Well, the beauty is the board is modular. Unplug, rip the pedal off the velcro and stick the next one down. ?

Gearhead

Yeah but where is the 19" rack space? you could actually mount the new acquisition back to front at the bottom if you were to move the power socket to some other place...

AlanRatcliffe

Gearhead wrote: Yeah but where is the 19" rack space? you could actually mount the new acquisition back to front at the bottom if you were to move the power socket to some other place...

Quite frankly, I haven't looked at the physical logistics yet, but removing the side panels and mounting the brain underneath my board is one option.

nick

Your board has inspired me to update mine, how wide are the slats? also the angled side bits, whats the height in the front (lowest part) and the back (highest part) if that makes any sense ?

AlanRatcliffe

nick wrote: Your board has inspired me to update mine, how wide are the slats? also the angled side bits, whats the height in the front (lowest part) and the back (highest part) if that makes any sense ?

Height at front is basically the thickness of the wood - 22mm in this case. Height at the back is 110mm, slats are about 135mm wide (they started out wider, but I cut them down a bit to fit the width of the Octa-Switch and volume pedal better). Gap between the slats is 20mm, which is wide enough to get almost any plug through with ease.

AlanRatcliffe

OK. As Gearhead predicted, it looks like this won't really work out with the G-System I'm now using, so I'll have to make something else or go rack again. Anyone want a BIG pedalboard? ?