Every guitarist needs a good pedalboard to house all of their favorite effects pedals, but not all pedalboards are created equal. If you’re serious about your playing, few options come close to matching the versatility and style of a custom wood pedalboard.
While mass-produced metal or plastic boards can certainly get the job done, if you’re looking for a board that’s tailored to your specific sonic needs, there’s no better option than a wooden pedalboard. Here’s everything you need to know about creating the board of your dreams.
Tips For Designing the Perfect Custom Wood Pedal Board
There are tons of things to consider when designing your own custom pedalboard, and making sure you get them right is essential if you want to bring your dream board to life. No matter whether you have designed custom wood pedalboards in the past or are just getting started for the first time, here are some of the most important things to consider when designing your next one.
Think Carefully About Your Wood Pedal Board’s Size
The primary function of every pedalboard is to provide a space where you can keep all the effects pedals you need, all in one place. So, naturally, the first thing you should think about is exactly how much deck space you might need.
If you prefer to use only a few go-to pedals to dial in your tone, you will probably be content with a smaller board, On the other hand, if you are a full-blown shoegazer who loves experimenting with new and different pedals to create heavily effects-driven walls of sound, you will want to make sure that you have enough space to house every pedal you need to do that.
Make sure to also consider how the pedals you use may change over time. For example, if you think you might want to add pedals to your board down the road, you need to make sure that you have the extra space to accommodate them. For some players, something as big as a 30-inch wood pedalboard might be necessary, while for others, a mini board may do the trick.
Integrate Your Pedalboard Into a Hard Case
A pedalboard should also make it as easy as possible to transport your pedals safely, and there is no better way to do this than by integrating it into a hard case. While there are plenty of hard and soft case options that are separate from the board itself, integrating your board into a hardshell case makes setting up, tearing down, and transporting your rig that much easier.
Build In Your Power Supplies
Powering your pedals efficiently is one of the biggest challenges when building any pedalboard. However, this is much easier if you have space on or under the board to integrate your power supply. With a built-in power supply, you will never have to worry about plugging in and packing away unruly daisy chains again.
Include Extra Space For Storage
Storage is one of the most overlooked aspects of pedalboard design and is another reason why integrating your pedalboard into a wooden case is a great idea. With plenty of space available under the board for extra supplies like cables, velcro, and even backup pedals, you can rest easy knowing that you are always prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Add Some Extra Features
The best part about designing your own custom wood pedal board is that you can make it your own by adding unique features that make your life easier. From aesthetic choices like LED lights that can really make your board pop, or features like built-in input/output jacks that make setup and teardown fast and easy, you should always take advantage of the full range of customization available to you.
Highlight Your Pedalboard’s Natural Wood Finish
Building a custom pedalboard wooden design is also a great opportunity to express yourself and give your board its own unique look and feel. This is especially true for wooden pedalboards, as the warm, natural look of wood can really pop with the right finish. Why settle for a boring board that looks like all the others when all it takes is a bit of creativity to design a unique board that no one else will mistake for their own?
Why Pedal Pad Leads in Custom Wood Pedalboards
Here at Pedal Pad, we specialize in building custom wood pedalboards that are fine-tuned to meet the unique needs of every guitarist. We handcraft all of our boards from the highest quality Baltic birch wood, which looks great and also provides long-lasting durability and sound integrity that other boards simply can’t beat. Each of our custom wooden pedalboards can feature:
- Built-in I/O jacks and AC power ports
- Below-deck cable storage
- Custom deck heights and layouts
- ATA-approved case fittings
Unlike factory boards, every single custom wood pedalboard that we make is designed with our customers’ vision in mind, ensuring that every guitar player who designs one gets the dream board they’ve always wanted.
The Craftsmanship Behind Pedal Pad
Here at Pedal Pad, we’re far from spitting out identical mass-produced wooden pedalboards like what you’ve seen before. Instead, our team of expert craftsmen and board builders brings every design to life by hand from the ground up.
We aim to understand every detail of what each guitarist needs to guarantee that our custom wood pedalboards turn out exactly as each musician imagines. We believe that the details matter most, and our meticulous dedication to craftsmanship means every joint, edge, finish, and feature reflects our passion for giving guitar players everywhere the tools they need to craft their own unique sound.
Contact Pedal Pad Today
Are you ready to design your own custom wood pedalboard? It’s as simple as giving us a call or ordering online. We are always here and happy to help you design a board that meets all your guitar-playing needs, no matter how big or small they may be.
Contact Pedal Pad and start designing your dream pedalboard today!