Pedalboards are an essential part of any bass player’s rig, but building your first board is often easier said than done. There’s a lot to consider beforehand, from personal preferences and quality of life features to your actual needs as a player, and without a proper plan, your board could be doomed from the start.
So, if you’re wondering how to build a bass pedalboard, here is everything you need to know.
The foundation of any bass pedalboard is intention.
Before you think about brands or signal chains, you need to know what role pedals play in your sound. Are you just looking to dial in your tone, or are you looking to create a sound that’s a bit more experimental? Regardless of what sound you want to make, figuring out the answer to the question beforehand gives you the solid foundation you need to build your bass pedalboard off of.
You also need to think about the situations you will be putting your board into. Are you jamming by yourself in your room, traveling around to different rehearsals and gigs, or are you recording in a studio? All of these situations present different challenges for your board to meet, and without knowing beforehand, it’s likely that your new board will come up short.
When it comes to creating a solid basic bass pedalboard, we recommend starting with the pedals that make your board the most functional and efficient.
Essentials like a tuner pedal, compressor, and EQ will help your sound stay consistent as you play, and should be a top priority for every bass player.
Depending on the sound you want to create, you can then start thinking about overdrives or tasteful distortion pedals to add that extra boost of tone without overwhelming the low end. Then you can bring it all together with a DI or preamp stage to keep the signal stable and guarantee the tightest and most consistent tone possible.
A professional bass pedalboard setup should include all of the following (in order):
Most bass players overestimate the amount of space they actually need on their boards. The best bass pedalboard is often a compact one, as these offer enough space for all of the necessary basics, while keeping everything within reach, discouraging lugging around unnecessary pedals, and making setup and teardown as easy as possible.
Smaller boards are almost always easier to transport and offer fewer potential points of failure. Troubleshooting problems stays simple and easy, and unless you’re a certified experimental shoegazer, it’s probably best to keep things as compact and functional as possible.
When it comes to building a bass pedalboard that’s compact, efficient, and functional, there’s really no better starting point than the Pedal Pad AXS Mini. This compact board offers just enough space for all the essentials while also being compatible with a wide variety of optional quality of life features that make setting up, playing, and tearing down again a breeze.
All of these features, combined with its ample below-deck storage area and built-in hard carrying case, make this board the best and most versatile bass pedalboard choice for any player looking to build their first board.
Inconsistent power is one of the fastest ways to compromise a bass pedalboard. Background noise and signal loss often come down to poor, inconsistent power distribution, meaning that figuring out how to properly power your board is one of the most essential challenges you’ll need to overcome.
The best way to get consistent power is to use an isolated power supply. These types of power supplies are the best when it comes to providing consistent isolated power to each pedal on your board, preventing all of that pesky humming and signal loss that can ruin your tone in an instant.
There are plenty of isolated power supply options to choose from, but all that matters is that the power supply you choose has the right voltage and enough output ports to power each pedal without relying on less effective methods like pedal chains.
When thinking about how to build a bass pedalboard, pedal placement is something that many overlook. However, that doesn’t mean it’s any less important. The layout of your pedalboard will have a big effect on how quickly and easily you can switch effects on and off, so you should always put the pedals you use the most as close to you as possible.
Ergonomics isn’t the only issue here, though. A clean, well-planned layout can also make wiring and cable routing much easier and more organized, ensuring that setup and teardown are quick and troubleshooting problems is as easy as possible.
Velcro is by far the best way to secure your pedals without risk of damage. All you need is some adhesive velcro tape and some scissors, and you’ll be able to keep your pedals safe and secure while also ensuring that your board remains flexible and open to future changes down the road.
Are you ready to bring your dream custom bass pedalboard to life?
Our team of expert board builders is always here to help you design the perfect custom bass pedalboard for you, and can walk you through all of our amazing customization features. With so many options to choose from, the possibilities are truly endless, so don’t settle for some boring basic bass pedalboard when you don’t have to.
Contact Pedal Pad and start designing your new custom bass pedalboard today.
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