Pedalboard
Buyers Guide

Guitar pedalboards have one simple but vital job: keep your assortment of guitar pedals, preamp pedals, multi-FX units, and whatever else you might use in your instrument signal chain securely attached to a compact and portable panel. Most pedalboards are layered with strips of Velcro, which you can use to stick your stompboxes onto the frame. They’re also usually constructed of a light and sturdy aluminium alloy, so even if you bash your board about a bit during transport, your gear should remain intact exactly as you place it.

 

And there really isn’t much more to it! Some pedalboards made by the likes of Boss contain a power supply fixed in place, but most you’ll come across from Pedaltrain, Pedaldeck and Rockboard provide you with the simple framework, a strip of Velcro and cable ties.

Pedalboards are extremely convenient, regardless of the instrument you play or whether you play at home, in clubs, or in a studio environment. By keeping all your pedals in one smaller footprint, you can pack them away and set them up much more efficiently than if they were all kept separate.

 

They’re also super useful for organising your pedals in formation, allowing you to group them by type as your electric signal runs along the effects chain. If there were any downside to using a pedalboard, it might be that it’s a bit more hassle if you’re someone who regularly experiments with pedal placement in your signal chain. But in any other circumstance, and if you’re set on the order of your pedals, your setup will hugely benefit from using a pedalboard.

 

So, which pedalboard is right for you? In truth, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. The ‘right’ pedalboard will depend on things like your playing style, the number of pedals you use, travel needs, and your budget. Here are the main things to consider when choosing the perfect board:

 

Size

 

Don’t just think about how many pedals you use now, think about how many you might want to use further down the line. Are you a minimalist who uses a tuner, overdrive, reverb, and not much else, or are you planning to dive into complex and experimental multi-effect signal chains? It’s always a safe bet to choose a board that’s slightly larger than your current setup, so you’ve got space to grow without needing to replace the whole board later on.

 

Shape & Layout

 

Flat boards are lightweight and easy to store, whereas angled boards offer better accessibility by tilting your rear pedals towards your foot. Some players also prefer tiered or two-level boards that make it easier to reach specific high-traffic pedals during a performance. If you use certain effects frequently, this can make a massive difference, especially when you’d rather concentrate on nailing your performance instead of trying to locate your chorus pedal for that rapidly approaching solo!

 

Portability

 

It might be tempting to buy a huge pedalboard that could comfortably accommodate more pedals than the combined rigs of every shoegaze guitarist in a 100-mile radius. But before you do, think about how often you’ll be moving your board around. If you’re just playing at home, weight and durability might not be a huge issue. But if you’re gigging regularly, touring, or rehearsing in different places, you’ll want something robust and a bit more lightweight, ideally with a good case or bag too.

 

Power Supply Compatibility

 

It’s no good having a killer board if there’s nowhere to mount your power supply. Some boards come with pre-drilled holes or custom brackets, while others may need more of a DIY solution. Check that your power supply will physically fit underneath your board and think about airflow if your supply runs on the warm side. Bonus points if the board hides all your cables and keeps everything tidy too!

 

Material & Build Quality

 

Most modern boards are made from aluminium, which strikes a great balance between weight and durability. Wooden boards can offer a more vintage look, and often with a lower cost, but they tend to be heavier and less suited to touring life. Think about how much abuse your board will need to put up with and choose your pedalboard materials accordingly.

 

Accessories

 

Look for boards that include a few essential accessories, like Velcro tape, cable ties, or even a carrying case. These extras don’t seem like much, but they’ll save you time and money, especially if you’re putting your first board together.

Comfortably one of the most popular pedalboard brands for players of all backgrounds, Pedaltrain provide a simple but super reliable aluminium chassis and leave all the creative stuff up to you. The biggest advantage of Pedaltrain pedalboards is their raised design. This allows you to keep all your pedal and power supply connections nicely tucked away under the board, out of sight and out of mind. Pedaltrain also work with several power supply brands to make appropriately sized PSU mounting brackets. It might take a bit of DIY drilling, but it’s well worth it.

 

Pedaltrain make boards of varying size with the option of a hard case, soft case, or no case at all. The smallest is the parallel-to-floor design Nano that fits up to six standard-sized guitar pedals. Next up is the three-rail Metro, ranging from 16-24 inches in width, followed by the medium-sized Classic, which has enough room for larger volume and expression pedals. The impressive Novo has plenty of space to spare for switching systems that are best placed closest to your feet, while the gargantuan Terra is aimed at players who want to set up a complex floor-based amp rig.

 

Temple Audio pedalboards use a unique perforated design and quick release mounting system, so you can secure your pedals without the need for Velcro. The modular system is super clever, letting you attach side panels with patch bays, power connectors, and more.

 

All in all, it's one of the cleanest and most professional-looking setups available. And while they may come in at a premium price, the flexibility and tidy cable routing are a worthwhile investment for players who like to tweak their setup on the regular.

 

A stylish competitor to Pedaltrain and a modern-day favourite, RockBoard (by Warwick) delivers sturdy metal boards with a clean, flat surface and clever cable routing. Their innovative slot-based design works great with customised pedal layouts and various PSU brackets, and there’s a wide range of RockBoard patch bays and accessories available.

 

The slot-based system works especially well when dealing with pedals that use different jack placements, or for players opting for a simple cable tie connection. There’s a host of tray mounting solutions for all different PSU sizes, and the large open slot on the back of the board can be used for neatly running all your external cables into the pedalboard or for housing the Mod 1 Rockboard patch bay, which acts as a central point to your setup and groups all your cable connections.

 

If you love Boss pedals (like we do) and plan on making them the core component in your setup, then a Boss pedalboard could be the perfect choice. Boards like the BCB-90X are designed to fit Boss compacts and multi-FX units, as well as pedals from other manufacturers, including larger wahs and funky effects. It also includes a daisy-chain cable and PSB-1U adaptor, so you can power up to 10 pedals.

 

Because of its all-encompassing design, you can just close the lid on top of the BCB-90X, and you’re ready to take it away with you. The same applies to the smaller BCB-30X, which can accommodate three Boss compact pedals.

 

Gator pedalboards are all about portability. Their G-TOUR series includes rugged cases that are perfect for the regularly gigging musician. The boards themselves are simple but solid, and their soft gig bags and hard cases are some of the best in the business.

 

Gator also offers carry cases for other brands, including multi-FX units like the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, so even if you're not using one of their boards, they could still have the perfect protection solution for your rig.

 

 

Once you’ve picked out your pedalboard, it’s time to put your rig together! Here’s a step-by-step overview to help you assemble your board:

 

Plan Your Signal Chain

Start by deciding the order you want to put your pedals in. The classic layout is:

tuner → gain/drive pedals → modulation effects (chorus, phaser, flanger) → time-based effects (delay, reverb).

That said, there are no strict rules here; you can experiment to find the arrangement that works best for your sound. Some players prefer placing modulation before overdrive for a more pronounced swirl, or putting delay before reverb to avoid washouts.

 

Arrange Your Pedals

Before sticking anything down, place your pedals on the board and play around with the layout. Make sure you can comfortably reach all the footswitches, especially during quick changes. Remember to leave enough space between pedals to access jacks and power inputs - cramming everything too close together can make setup awkward later.

 

Mount Your Pedals

Use hook-and-loop tape (Velcro), cable ties, or your board’s mounting system. Make sure each pedal is stable and won’t shift if it gets bumped. Clean the bottom of your pedals before applying Velcro for better adhesion. If you’re using a bracket-based system, make sure you take the time to properly align everything.

 

Connect with Patch Cables

Link your pedals using short, high-quality patch cables. It’s always worth investing in low-noise, durable cables – poor quality ones can (and very likely will) introduce unwanted hum or signal loss.

 

Power It Up

Now it’s time to mount your power supply and connect your pedals. Make sure each pedal receives the correct voltage (usually 9V, 12V, or 18V) and sufficient current (measured in milliamps). Remember to double-check polarity, especially on boutique or digital pedals.

 

Tidy Up

Finally, take a little time to keep everything looking presentable! Use cable ties, adhesive clips, or your board’s built-in routing slots to secure power and audio cables. And that’s it – you’re done!

 

Once your pedalboard is up and running, don’t forget to test everything before taking it out to a gig or rehearsal. It’s much easier to troubleshoot issues at home than under stage lights with a restless crowd waiting!

 

For more information, check out our dedicated guides:

 

• Ultimate guide to pedal power supplies
• Ultimate guide to Pedaltrain pedalboards
• Ultimate guide to Boss pedals
• How to set up your first pedalboard