Pedalboards: flat or angled?

[JakobT]

If you only have one row of pedals, flat is perfectly fine. If you have two or more, an angled pedalboard comes into its own, with easier access to the back row and room for a larger power supply underneath.

 

[Grahams Groove]

I like angled/tiered, but I don’t like wah pedals angled. I started using this last year, and it blended my needs - tiered, pocket for flat wah placement, and a little overlap and storage underneath to fit more in the same footprint as a Novo18. That said, it’s heavier than my Novo 18…

 

[2saddleslab]

Angled for my home studio, flat for atop my amp on stage.

 

[joel the bass player]

Angled for me (flat is ok for single row/compact). I'd give a tiered board a shot someday if somebody makes a smaller one with a bag or something that wasn't too heavy/big. I like the simplicity of a Pedaltrain that comes with it's own bag/case.

 

[amper]

I'm debating moving up in pedalboard size from a mini (24x7, flat) to either a classic Jr or metro 24. The metro is only slightly larger than my current board, which I like and may be enough. But it got me wondering:

Is there an advantage of a flat board over the larger angled board, or visa versa?

Im open to either, especially if I can find a deal on one, but what aspects would you all consider between these two types of boards? Help me spend my money!

I prefer a flat board, because I detest having to raise my toe up an additional 2+” in order to activate or deactivate a pedal, plus it is easier to pack into my luggage and transport. I always have my boards set up so that the pedals which may need to be switched during a song are in the front row, and the pedals which only get switched between songs go in the back row. That way, I don’t have to pick my heel up off the floor in order to hit a switch while playing. I use daisy chain power and all wiring sits on top, so I don’t need room underneath. The total height of my flat board is about 5/8”, because it’s made out of 1/8” aluminium sheet with 1/2” feet on the bottom.

I have decided to limit all future pedalboards to what will fit in a standard airline underseat flight tote, which means 390 mm x 290 mm, or about 15.5” x 11.5”, and still leave enough room for a change of clothes, toiletries for a weekend, personal electronics, and in-flight snacks.

You see, if you fly with an instrument as cabin baggage, it counts as your one allowable piece of cabin baggage, so you are otherwise limited to a “personal item”, which must fit under the airline seat. This is generally the size of a large briefcase or common flight tote. If I have a fly gig, then I will have my bass or guitar in its flight case (with cables and tuner), and my flight tote with my pedalboard and everything else I need to last a 2-3 day weekend on the road. So, my pedalboard can’t take up more than about half my flight tote, and that means it has to be a flat board, and with pedals mounted, will be perhaps 2.5-3” thick x 15.5” x 11.5”.

Besides my pedalboard, my flight tote has to carry my destination handbag, iPad & iPhone with chargers and headphones, quart bag of toiletries and makeup, a spare set of clothes for the gig (light travel dress, bralette, panties, and tights will do just fine, a very compact package), and the ripstop silk sleeping bag liner I have that doubles as a surprisingly elegant wrap and/or in-flight blanket, plus my travel towel, and water bottle and snacks for the flight.

My current flat board is made from a Hammond Mfg. 7U 19” equipment rack panel (19” x 12.25”). I just need to find a fabricator to make me a smaller version, since I don’t have a shop, anymore. Here’s the plan, with the effects layout for the guitar version:

 

[Rich48]

Has anyone taken a flat board like a nano and replaced or shimmed the back feet? This would allow a little more room for a power supply and let you control the angle of the board.

 

[Grahams Groove]

Has anyone taken a flat board like a nano and replaced or shimmed the back feet? This would allow a little more room for a power supply and let you control the angle of the board.

I've got a Nano+ and had a Metro 20 previously for my 'small' board. I just snagged some $4 rubber feet that slip over the existing ones. You can glue or electrical tape them in place. This provides enough clearance for slimmer power supplies to fit below, and the board will still fit in the stock soft case unless you have pedals with unusually high knobs or tall enclosures. Have to do front and back risers though - if you only did the rear, the power supply would be bearing the weight on the front edge.

 

[WG Plum]

Angled.

 

[amper]

Has anyone taken a flat board like a nano and replaced or shimmed the back feet? This would allow a little more room for a power supply and let you control the angle of the board.

Mick Taylor has. There’s several TPS episodes in which his modified Pedaltrain Nano makes an appearance.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

The one I made is a two-row one and is angled and stepped. If it's just one row then it can be flat.