Suggestions for building my first pedalboard

[Ulevi]

Hello,

So I'm building my first pedalboard and I would like some suggestions on pedals, pedalboard itself, cables, power supply and so on. I'm playing guitar and bass with the same effects so they don't have to be bass spesific though I think bass spesific works better on guitar than vice versa. I'm currently playing bass in a post-punk band with heavy noise rock and psychedelic rock influences (at least that's the direction we're headed) and guitar on post-punk influenced hardcore punk band.

I currently have: EHX Bass Clone, EHX Battalion, Peterson StroboStomp mini, EQD Blumes and EQD The Warden. I was aspiring to just get a board full of EQD pedals, but I feel that maybe they are too expensive for basically a hobby and I'm not a pro or semipro player what comes to my skills either. I like their stuff though. EHX is okay, but I'm not completely satisfied with the Battalion and I have had Bass Big Muff before, but I didn't like that one either. I'm going to most likely return the Peterson tuner to shop as it has too many functions for me. My power is 1spot and I don't currently have a pedalboard. I live in EU so US stores are not an option for me.

So I think that I need a preamp with direct out, compressor (if not included in the preamp), overdrive (if not included in the preamp), distortion/fuzz, chorus and/or phaser, reverb and/or delay. If you have any other suggestions on effect types I am open to suggestions. I don't neccessarily need the cheapest options but I need suggestions on decent pedals with good bang on a buck. Used gear is completely fine too.

Thank you in advance.

 

[bassbrad]

my 2 cents would be:

Get a board at least 25% larger than current need so you can add and try different pedals, must come with a case or bag.

Get an assortment of good quality cables in various lengths - all one brand if you have ocd for such things OR learn how to make your own custom length cables.

While a 1spot and daisy chain will work a quality isolated power supply can help to keep the noise down. Don't skip here and be sure it has options like reverse polarity and various power levels like 12,15,18 v.

Staying with a brand you like is often a good practice but not a must EQD has a wide range of quality pedals.

Buying / selling used is a way to keep your losses to a minimum but maty take patience, perseverance and ready funding for those surprise finds. Think twice or thrice before selling a pedal that might become difficult or expensive to replace.

For a preamp DI consider what amp sound you like or desire and let that guide you, Ampeg SVT is a classic that fulfills a lot of players needs (not mine) and there are many choices there.

A decent price multi effect can be a valuable purchase for practice, gigs and usually include essentials like a tuner, aux in, headphone out drum or beat loops as well as a selection of effects. Those various effects can help you decide which effect chute to jump into.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Mixing a board for both guitar and bass will become a massive headache. You want totally different sounds and settings, and a lot of those cool trashy guitar pedals do not have true bypass so your bass signal is going to suffer even with the pedal turned off.

You might consider exploring options like the Line 6 HX Effects or similar units, which have both bass and guitar-focused digital pedal options but, more importantly, let you program banks of effects with their own settings. That way you could have a bank of effects dialed in for your bass and another one set up for your guitar sound.

If you are going to mash everything you own onto a single board at least look into some kind of effects loop so you can bypass all that stuff when running your bass dry.

 

[Ulevi]

How important is a preamp with DI or separate DI if my amp is portable one, has DI and a decent eq? Do I even need a compressor pedal if I were to purchase a Orange Little Bass Thing or Markbass etc?

 

[Ulevi]

The set that I'm currently GASsing for is: Mono pedalboard, Cioks power supply, Pigtronix chromatic pedal tuner, EQD The Warden, EQD Blumes, EQD Hoof, EQD Sea Machine, EQD Grand Orbiter, EQD Dispatch Master and some preamp with DI. But that would cost a fortune.

 

[OnlyFlats]

+1 to building separate guitar and bass boards. Otherwise you'll be changing your knobs and settings every time you swap over, it'll bug you quickly. So work gradually towards that outcome.

For now I recommend the unsexy option. I suggest you buy a decent isolated power supply (fender engine rooms, cioks, voodoo, Strymon, truespot cs, etc), enough power cables (including 2way and 3way), and a multi pack of patch cables (generic brand from online delivery mega mart of your choice).

Then just use what pedals you have already. You've already got good enough stuff. This order: Tuner, warden, blumes, bass clone, into battalion (set clean). Set it up for bass first.

Use scrap wood to build a pedal board, don't make it fancy or buy anything yet. You'll change your mind about size down the track.

While you wait for it all to arrive, label all the mv power ratings on your pedals. You need to keep the cumulative total less than each output of your power supply (eg 15mv chorus plus 150mv compressor connected to one 200mv output of the isolated power supply).

 

[Ulevi]

+1 to building separate guitar and bass boards. Otherwise you'll be changing your knobs and settings every time you swap over, it'll bug you quickly. So work gradually towards that outcome.

For now I recommend the unsexy option. I suggest you buy a decent isolated power supply (fender engine rooms, cioks, voodoo, Strymon, truespot cs, etc), enough power cables (including 2way and 3way), and a multi pack of patch cables (generic brand from online delivery mega mart of your choice).

Then just use what pedals you have already. You've already got good enough stuff. This order: Tuner, warden, blumes, bass clone, into battalion (set clean). Set it up for bass first.

Use scrap wood to build a pedal board, don't make it fancy or buy anything yet. You'll change your mind about size down the track.

While you wait for it all to arrive, label all the mv power ratings on your pedals. You need to keep the cumulative total less than each output of your power supply (eg 15mv chorus plus 150mv compressor connected to one 200mv output of the isolated power supply).

That sounds like a reasonable move. Does that mv power rating mean that I can use a 300mv outlet to power as many pedals as I want if the total rating doesn't exceed the outlets given mv rating? This is valuable information to me. I had not heard about it before.

 

[Ulevi]

Is there any reason to choose the Peterson Strobostomp mini over Korg Pitchblack X or the mini version?

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

Is there any reason to choose the Peterson Strobostomp mini over Korg Pitchblack X or the mini version?

They look cool : )

 

[Ulevi]

They look cool : )View attachment 7442491

Does the screen scratch easily and/or how durable it is overall? I have the mini version, but I still have the option to take it back to store. Other options that I'm considering are the TC Polytune 3 mini, Korg Pitchblack X mini and Pigtronix 2NR. The latter doesn't have buffer though.

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

Does the screen scratch easily and/or how durable it is overall? I have the mini version, but I still have the option to take it back to store. Other options that I'm considering are the TC Polytune 3 mini, Korg Pitchblack X mini and Pigtronix 2NR. The latter doesn't have buffer though.

I think they are very well made and durable, I also have the mini version, either one is great, it just depends on your pedalboards available real estate.

There is youtube video of a pedalboard built up that allows you to play guitar on bass, I will try to find the right link for you, it is worth reviewing!

 

[Ulevi]

Does someone know if there's a way to shut down the screen on strobostomp? I'd want the screen to turn on when I push the footswitch.

 

[OnlyFlats]

That sounds like a reasonable move. Does that mv power rating mean that I can use a 300mv outlet to power as many pedals as I want if the total rating doesn't exceed the outlets given mv rating? This is valuable information to me. I had not heard about it before.

Yes
However the more pedals chained, the higher likelihood of weird hum and buzz. Same with cheap clone pedals, but your gear is not that.

I tend to use a max of 3 pedals per isolated outlet

 

[newfuture]

It's a trap. Don't do it!

 

[Ulevi]

Yes
However the more pedals chained, the higher likelihood of weird hum and buzz. Same with cheap clone pedals, but your gear is not that.

I tend to use a max of 3 pedals per isolated outlet

I'm starting to realise that as I've feverishly been browsing the internet for effects pedals and every option that I come up with seems to be more expensive than the last. I think I have to do somekind of a summary on what I have, what are my options and what I actually need.

 

[Aric Bjorn]

Accept that it will be an iterative process, not one and done, and that the journey matters as much as the destination. Go with the (signal) flow, listen with your ears not your eyes, and know that there is no right answer that works for everyone, so the point is to find what works for you because you are a unique individual.

Now, repeat after me: "We are all individuals!"

 

[Ulevi]

I think that for now I need to hold my horses. First step is to make the decision if I'm going to keep the strobostomp. Then I need to get a decent power supply and after that I need to find a reverb and delay pedals. Preferably something like the Dispatch Master as it has both to the extent that I reckon I'm gonna need 'em.

So then the chain would be Strobostomp mini (or some alternative), The Warden, Blumes, Bass Clone, Dispatch Master, Battalion. I'd like to get rid of the Battalion as it's quite large and mehh. MXR M81 could be a potential preamp as it doesn't take much space.

 

[dbflats]

I've got a dual-use board for bass and guitar. Most of the stuff on it is for guitar. There's a really good compressor on there ( Retrospec Squeezebox ) that's too good not to use on both. There's a loop switcher. Kinda big and I somewhat feel silly having that big board sitting there on a bass gig where only a couple items in it are actually engaged, but no big deal. It works out.

 

[RedHotFuzz]

Then I need to get a decent power supply

Cioks DC7.

 

[74hc]

So I'm building my first pedalboard and I would like some suggestions on pedals, pedalboard itself, cables, power supply and so on.

I take it you want to buy a pedal board rather than build one from scratch. I've done both ways, but ended up buying a Temple Audio board. All my attempts at garage building ended up being too heavy. The advantage of the Temple board may not be that much of an advantage for you. It's great when I can walk into my gig, connect easily, and go because of the modules. Temple is not the only one that uses modules.

The other reason why Temple may not be for you is it's not a velcro board. It uses plates that stick on the back of pedals and mounts in the holes on the board. I would recommend staying with a cheaper velcro board until you are sticking with a set of pedals.

For cables, I use Ernie Ball ones that look like a popular, but expensive cable frequently used and shown here. Never a problem.

I was aspiring to just get a board full of EQD pedals,

Don't be one of those brand fan boys found here on TB. If you use your ears, not your eyes, it's very unlikely you'll end up with just one brand. I'll disclose that I do have one EQD pedal on my board.

So I think that I need a preamp with direct out, compressor (if not included in the preamp), overdrive (if not included in the preamp), distortion/fuzz, chorus and/or phaser, reverb and/or delay.

You definitely will need a compressor. As to the other stuff, it will depend on what genre you are playing. Honestly, that list you gave above made me question whether you are putting together a guitar pedal board or bass.

My board is minimalist. I have to go this morning and play at a funeral. I'll take a photo of it and paste it here later today.