Pedalboards - Pedaltrain vs Mono vs Amazon cheapo

[Aric Bjorn]

I wanted to add this in because I’m quite protective of my equipment

Thanks, mom, but no, you can't have my Punchline.

 

[InkCow]

I wanted to add this in because I’m quite protective of my equipment and only buy high quality, so I need to add this. If you buy a cheap Amazon pedalboard make sure all of your pedals are $50 or under and from from Amazon. They deserve each other.

I repeat: what in the world is going to happen that will cause a pound of steel to fail while some other pedal board would miraculously spare my pedals?

Like what is this event that you’re predicting?

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I wanted to add this in because I’m quite protective of my equipment and only buy high quality, so I need to add this. If you buy a cheap Amazon pedalboard make sure all of your pedals are $50 or under and from from Amazon. They deserve each other.

The pedalboard won’t matter at all- nothing’s gonna happen to a metal pedalboard that’s going to endanger the pedals no matter their value. The bag likely won’t offer much protection at all, but then again almost no bags do, including Pedaltrain.

 

[Rocksolid]

I'm looking to build a new pedalboard, and for the first time I'm looking outside of the Pedaltrain universe.

I need something solid, light, and the ideal dimensions are about 18" x 12.5". I also need a good amount of clearance under the board, and the ability to attach power (Cioks DC7), I/O ports, and maybe even a pedal or two on the underside of the board. I also want a light, protective carrying case with storage for cables etc.

The size I want seems to match the Pedaltrain Classic Jr as well as a Mono small. Mono has 2 designs: rail and the one with holes, I don't understand the functional differences.

Both weigh about the same. The Mono design is slicker looking. I *think* both have the same amount of clearance underneath. I don't know if they are equally easy to mount things on. Mono is more expensive. The Mono Club case is much better than the crappy Pedaltrain ones.

And then there are super cheap aluminum boards from various semi-generic makers on Amazon, and of course other makers like Rockboard etc.

I don't want to spend a ton for a brand name, but I want a well thought out solution that is easy to work with.

My current thinking (to stay with what I know will work) is to get the Pedaltrain Classic Jr and Mono Club case.

Any advice for me?

I saw your recent post about the in out jacks issue you were having on the boutique board you had with the inbuilt sockets. At the time I thought you would love a Rockboard with a module in it, but I didn't want to derail your thread.

I would be considering the Rockboard Quad 4.1. About the same (a bit bigger) that a Classic junior, lots of room underneath for power. You aren't limited to a Cioks DC7 if you are looking at other things. IEC connection through the module, DI out TRS connectors for in/out or other patching.

I didn't like the look of the RB stuff initially for some reason, but once I got over that I was 100% on board. I have a Duo 2.1 and 2.0.

RB boards aren't expensive comparatively and the hardcases are really robust without being too heavy.

 

[Pep]

You are correct about a steel or aluminum pedalboard. It’s what's on it that needs protection.

Here you go. Pedaltrain offers these packages in various sizes.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...c-24-inch-by-8-inch-pedalboard-with-hard-case

 

[Pep]

Thanks, mom, but no, you can't have my Punchline.

 

[Pep]

I repeat: what in the world is going to happen that will cause a pound of steel to fail while some other pedal board would miraculously spare my pedals?

Like what is this event that you’re predicting?

My bad. What I was referring to are the packages that Pedaltrain offers which include a hardshell case.

 

[Pep]

The pedalboard won’t matter at all- nothing’s gonna happen to a metal pedalboard that’s going to endanger the pedals no matter their value. The bag likely won’t offer much protection at all, but then again almost no bags do, including Pedaltrain.

True, but read my reply about protection.

 

[Clark W]

I have a Pedaltrain Metro (24”) and bought the CIOKS S07. I also bought the bracket to mount it under the Pedaltrain and it was a “piece of cake” to mount and it works great!

The Grip and miniGrip mounts from Cioks work great when mounting their power supplies to Pedaltrain boards. A phillips head screwdriver and couple of minutes and it's done.

I’ve always bought used so for me they have always been totally worth it. I’ve never seen the need to buy something like that brand new when there are so many examples on the used market...

Yep, there's plenty of used ones out there for sure. I got my used Pedaltrain with an older Voodoo Lab, 12 output, pwr supply already mounted for 200 bucks. I swapped out the pwr supply this past summer with a Cioks DC7 & Crux converter because I'm running a couple of tube pedals from Sushi Box FX and need two outputs putting out a minimum of 400mA & 500mA. Plus the Cioks is thinner & lighter than the old Voodoo Lab Power brick that is literally the size of a brick and weighs like one too. It was actually mounted to a thick aluminum plate that was then mounted to the underside of the Pedaltrain. The Cioks stuff doesn't need all of that.

Couldn't be happier. Even the carry bag is decent except there's no storage pockets on it at all. Who makes a soft bag carry case with no storage pockets, internal or external? I do want a lightweight aluminum or plastic carry case for more protection.

Don't know which Pedaltrain I got, but all of this fits on it.

 

[TaySte_2000]

For pedalboards, I highly recommend shopping by size and features. 10 years ago it was pretty much just Pedaltrain and I still gravitate towards them but now there are so many choices at so many price points, various carry cases available etc etc.

I currently have a Pedaltrain Nano, Mono Lite, Ghostfire (mono clone) and a D’addario XPND. All of which fit in a Pelican iM2306 and a Mono Tick (along with the cases I have that came with the Nano and the Ghostfire).

I’ve been downsizing these for months and still can’t decide which is best, the D’addario is heavy but expands, can just about fit a Cioks4 under it but not much else, the Ghostfire is lighter and tall enough I can get a Darkglass Element under it (along with any power supply or patchbay I want), the Mono is…… silver and to be fair to it, quite light and the Nano has a nice bag.

I have bags I can carry any of these separately and fit some extra cables in, a bag that clips to my gig bag, or a pelican hardcase I can chunk in a van.

I recently sold a Boss BCB1000 which is an incredible size and weight, bigger than a JR but smaller than a Pedaltrain 2, I just didn’t need something that held 10 pedals. But rolling in with a small suitcase that you just take the top off and plug in, was glorious.

But this is how I plan a board currently. So I’m just using a Darkglass Anagram so most of this is redundant, but I’m about to receive a Darkglass midi controller, so if I wanted to put a board together I’m looking at a Pedaltrain Metro or a Rockboard Tres, something that can take a full row of normal pedals and then something small across the front (midi controller). Similarly I don’t like these options for a normal pedalboard because you have to have pedals turned sideways and I can’t abide that.

All of this done with hours of Pedal Playground and Pedaltrain's Pedalboard Planner determine the size and then go see if one exactly that size exists on amazon or ebay as an off brand chinese model.

I’ve put boards together specifically to make use of Temple Audio or Rockboard patchbays, but it’s always going to come down to size and what you want to put on it. The difference in quality of the boards these days is negligible and good 3rd party case can always be sourced.

 

[MtManiac]

Pedaltrains have always worked for me, but yeah they are not perfect. Last night I ordered the Classic Jr and the Mono case.

But, the Fender actually looks pretty nice! I don't know if there is as much room underneath as I would want, but the little cable management slots/clips are cool. And the case does look good. Maybe next time.

There’s more room underneath than the Classic Jr.