How to Plan Your First Pedalboard

The most important step in any endeavour is to clearly define what it is you're trying to achieve, so it's useful to decide what this pedalboard is supposed to do. Maybe you only need a few quality-of-life pedals to get the most out of your guitars and amps. Perhaps you want to sculpt your ultimate bass tone for the studio and stage. Or it might be you're creating a living organism that is an instrument unto itself. Whatever your vision, having it clearly defined will make planning your pedalboard that much easier.

Choose pedals you use most of the time. These are what make up the basis of 'your sound'. It might be tempting to have a sprinkle of effects you only use some of the time, but every extra box on your board is going to add to the cost, weight, and complexity of your system.

A compact multi-effects unit that can change roles depending on the situation might be a better solution for adding that little bit extra without needing to devote too much space.

Think about how often you'll need to travel. A smaller, lighter board will allow you to carry it on your back, on a plane, or in the back of a taxi when the boot is full of heavier gear. If you're mostly going to be playing in a studio with just the occasional local gig, then you can go large as weight won't be as much of a consideration. Bags are lightweight, padded covers that usually include a handy shoulder strap, while cases will protect your pedals from the rigours of road, rail, and air travel.

Now comes the time to look at our pedalboard options. There should be a number of boards that suit your layout, but this is also the time to refine your choices to match an existing product. You'll likely find that the rectangle (or square) that you've positioned your pedals in doesn't exactly match a specific board. You may also find you have one pedal too many or too few for a board you like the look of. Rearrange, substitute, and add/subtract pedals to taste.

Finalise your layout and power supply choice. Ultra-compact pedalboards can often be powered by a single 'wall wart' power supply and a 'daisy chain' power cable. This will introduce some hum to your signal however. Single-row pedalboards can mount low profile power supplies underneath, allowing more room for pedals above.

Double-row boards are typically angled, which gives ample space for mounting larger power supplies below the rear of the unit.

Measure up for audio and power cables. With your pedal and power supply layout finalised, you can now see how far you need to run audio and power cables. Try to keep audio 'patch' cable lengths as short as possible to conserve your high frequencies. Flat patch cables with right-angled plugs can help to squeeze devices together if you're short on space. Consider running cables underneath the board to keep the top as clean as possible. Remember to build in a bit of extra length for when you inevitably swap something around.