how to have a neat looking pedal board?

[LoveLostShuffle]

I know this is a bit of a odd queston. However I was wondering what everyones methods to keeping a neat looking pedalboad are? I have the new furman board. I just up sized from the boss bcb-60. It currently looks like a mess any suggestions to making it look a little better and neater? Thanks!

[skulletwhip]

I know cutting your own cables helps.... Personally, my board isn't super clean, but I can hit the switches cleanly.

[lowfreq33]

Zip ties help.

[MatticusMania]

My old pedalbaord was a big bulky mess, but it didnt bother me because everything was velcro'd down, I just lifted the cover and away I would go.

I took the back rider out of it, put a few pedals in the closet, and tightened the spacing up, so now I have a much cleaner looking board. The daisy chain power supply cords are woven through patch cables in a way that they arent all over the place.

[G.Bisson]

1. Short cables

2. Velcro pedals to board. Keeps them from shifting around in transit and resist the pull of the cables.

3. Power brick with removable plugs (Dunlop, Voodoo Labs, Gator, TRex). Have only as many power plugs as you need. Avoid wall warts altogether.

4. Twist ties or zip ties. Bundle wires together.

5. Route wires and cables below the surface of the board.

6. Pedal tetris. There is always another way to position a pedal to allow for more room. Velcro helps alot here.

7. Parallel lines with footswitches all lined up greatly improves stage ergonomics. Place similar shaped pedals side-by-side.

[Rocky55]

I'm just putting together my 1st pedalboard. I'm halfway there and it will be extremely clean. I bit the bullet and ordered a Trailer Trash board (28x16) from Rooster. I had him install a male AC connector on the left and a courteousy female on the right. I also bought a spare courteousy plug that I will install in the hole currently used to route cable in the middle/top of the board. I ordered a few kits of Lava cables and will drill holes for all the cables and run them all to a Loop-Master (the 5-loop w/bypass & tunner out is currently on sale for $129). Rooster also install 2 - 1/4" female connectors on the left of my board (my signal is coming from wireless in a rack behind me). I hard-wired my Pedal Power to the AC (in), use the courteousy outlet on the PP2 for the M9 and will use the one on top of the pedalboard for the MarkBass SS.

The cables are held in place under the board with various size C-clamps which were included by Trailer Trash.

I'll post pictures when completed (6-8 week wait for Loop-Master ). Until then, the board is a bit messy with short cables going from pedal to pedal.

Lesson learned over the years: Clean = $

[groooooove]

working with the pre-made short cables can make your board a mess. mine works though. dont want to cut my own since i change it all the time.

sometimes being willing to lay it out and do it over and over to make things sit right is the key (and tying to utilize all your space while doing it.)

i remember laying out the pedals i wanted to use and the power supply and all my cables and spending a whole afternoon redoing it 3-4 times. the cables are still all over, but its plenty neat enough to "work"

[CHILDISHGAMBINO]

Instead of zip ties I use the little pieces of velcro. I wrap on piece around the cables and stick the other piece where ever it needs to be to make things neat. It works pretty well and it's handy if you're a frequent rearranger.

edit: I don't take the paper backing off of the piece that is wrapped around the cables. I just wrap the velcro around and use the other piece of velcro to hold it shut.

[Steveaux]

Originally Posted by CHILDISHGAMBINO

Instead of zip ties I use the little pieces of velcro. I wrap on piece around the cables and stick the other piece where ever it needs to be to make things neat. It works pretty well and it's handy if you're a frequent rearranger.

edit: I don't take the paper backing off of the piece that is wrapped around the cables. I just wrap the velcro around and use the other piece of velcro to hold it shut.

Velcro is great for top-side anchoring/cover-ups. I bought some black loop without adhesive.

[Bassmanbob]

You may want to make a platform to place your pedals on with holes drilled to place your cables through, thus hiding the spagetti look most boards have.