Pedalboard Chronicles PT. 1

Pedalboard Chronicles - Part 1

I'm going to be doing an ongoing chronicling of my pedalboard building process which will be fully available to the public. You will find detailed information about how to build your own pedalboard as well as where to get the proper materials for your pedalboard build.
Feel free to post questions below or email me anytime at mason@vertexeffects.com
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The best rigs require great pre-planning. Below are the first steps I take when beginning any pedalboard build:

STEP 1
Lay your pedals out on a flat surface in the order and arrangement that you want for your finished pedalboard. Leave open space around all sides so that you can tape off the dimensions of your pedalboard.

 STEP 2
Before taping and measuring your pedalboard, put 1/4" male jacks in all the inputs and outputs of your pedals as well as a DC power connector (if applicable) so you can account for the entire surface area each pedal.

STEP 3
Get an X-Acto Knife and Painter's Tape (I like 1/2" width), and tape off the dimensions of your pedalboard. Make sure that your pedals don't hang over the tape as this could be problematic if you are going to have it fit in a case. Make sure that all connectors and pedals stay within the taped area so that there is not chance for pedals to get hit or bumped once they're on your pedalboard.

STEP 4
Once your board is taped off, measure the dimensions so that you can determine the exact size so that you can make or have a custom pedalboard made. Also account for any pedal lifts or risers that you may need for a second or third row of pedals. I generally measure the length and width of each pedal for the risers and use 1/2" lifts on the second row of pedals, and 1" lifts on the third row of pedals (if needed). Some pedals are higher than others, so you may need to adjust the heigh of you lifts/risers accordingly.

Want more Pedalboard Chronicles?  See the next entries here:

Pedalboard Chornicles Pt. 2 - www.vertexeffects.com/blog/vertex-pedalboard-chronicles-2

Pedalboard Chronicles Pt. 3 - www.vertexeffects.com/blog/vertex-pedalboard-chronicles-3