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Suggestions and tips for my first pedalboard build
- Thread starter Sasu Juntunen
- Start date
EBS Flat Patch Cables from the start... You'll be glad you did
What if you use different gtr cable than the patch cables does it have an effect on sound?
No sir, any cable that is of decent quality will convey the notes properly. The big plus about using EBS Flats is their flexibility (their flexibility can turn 90° corners, and even fold back on itself to do a 180°!
Plus the tips are small enough (silver is small, gold is smallest) to fit into the smallest gaps between pedals and are very helpful on a crowded board.
Lastly, they come in. 4" (10mm), 7" (18mm), 1' (28mm), and 3' (84mm.) When most other non flexible brands come in 4", 6"... That extra 1" plus the smaller plug ends have saved me a lot of swearing and re calculating!!!
Surprisingly sturdy too... I haven't had one fail in over a year that I've been using them, after plugging, unplugging, and re plugging them about a dozen times so far
Yeah, don't skimp on patch cables. Or power cables for that matter.
I used to be a fan of solderless patch cables, but even on my more or less stationary boards I've had failures. So pre-built or DIY-SOLDER patch cables...
Keep your power cables separate from your patch cables, run them perpendicular to each other.
I used to be a fan of solderless patch cables, but even on my more or less stationary boards I've had failures. So pre-built or DIY-SOLDER patch cables...
Keep your power cables separate from your patch cables, run them perpendicular to each other.
Interesting, I didn't know that could lead to negative results. Would it cause a hum or what?
My instrument cables are almost all above board with the powers below, but there are some spots on top where a patch may run right over or under where the power plugs in... especially using the EBSs where they're very flat and can easily cram right in there.
Add a couple inches to your board....room for expansion
I usually recommend finding/buying a case before I build a board. It's often much easier to build a board to fit a case than it is to find a case that fits your already-built board.
You should definitely affix the pedals w something permanent because you'll likely be very satisfied and never want to change a thing...
Bicycle chain links screwed into wood (or even metal with sheet-metal screws) is good for those permanent pedals.
@BartmanPDX SOLID advice, man. Seems so obvious, and yet I forget...
HAAHAH! The bigger board meme! I put together one of those on some Meme site once.
Probably my favourite meme.
Cables...
Of course stuff has to criss-cross, but try to keep the power and audio separated as much as possible. Above and below might be enough separation, I don't know, but there also might be that one venue...
I've never had a problem, my gig board is basic and all the main toys stay at home. However, I've heard/read/seen other people's boards with hum, static, signal bleed, RFI, weird intermittent problems etc that all went away when they rewired their boards for "best practice cable-routing" — it's a pre-emptive preventive strike.
"I've never had to do that with my board and never had a problem" — *goes to a never-been-before dive-bar with dodgy mains and throughout the gig, hums and squeels all night no matter which way facing no matter where standing...*
Reminds me of helmetless riders or seatbelt refusers... "I've never been in an accident in my life!" Ahhh good for you, bully for you, there's still time then...
"This one time, on the band-stand..."
@BartmanPDX SOLID advice, man. Seems so obvious, and yet I forget...
HAAHAH! The bigger board meme! I put together one of those on some Meme site once.
Probably my favourite meme.
Cables...
Of course stuff has to criss-cross, but try to keep the power and audio separated as much as possible. Above and below might be enough separation, I don't know, but there also might be that one venue...
I've never had a problem, my gig board is basic and all the main toys stay at home. However, I've heard/read/seen other people's boards with hum, static, signal bleed, RFI, weird intermittent problems etc that all went away when they rewired their boards for "best practice cable-routing" — it's a pre-emptive preventive strike.
"I've never had to do that with my board and never had a problem" — *goes to a never-been-before dive-bar with dodgy mains and throughout the gig, hums and squeels all night no matter which way facing no matter where standing...*
Reminds me of helmetless riders or seatbelt refusers... "I've never been in an accident in my life!" Ahhh good for you, bully for you, there's still time then...
"This one time, on the band-stand..."
One thing I normally screw up is wiring because if I have my board out I just have to get to the point where I’m playing through it and tend to rush the details. I’m not saying plugging things in the wrong way. But keeping your cables nice and organized is something that separates a decent board from a great one imo.
Leave yourself extra space... I'm in the middle of building a new board because I'm maxed out.
My new design will be bigger with a sliding board beneath incase I need more room later without having to fo much to it.
My new design will be bigger with a sliding board beneath incase I need more room later without having to fo much to it.
