"Rehearsal" Pedalboard

[Troubleman]

I feel kinda goofy for doing so:o, but I'm thinking of building a small pedalboard for rehearsal/practice/sitting at home. My gig board is hugh and weighs 45lbs. I hate draggin' it around. (Yeah, I actually do use all of the effects in it during a gig!) I'm thinking of building a small pedalboard - small velcro board in a plastic case, with a compressor (lowest priced decent one on evilBay I can find - well used but functional analogman maybe?), a distortion with both clean and scream channels (FDII or Barber Burn Unit II), a boost (tubescreamer or Xotic RC will do), and maybe a cheap delay (Ibanez DE-7), and probably a One-Spot to power the whole thing.

Anybody else out there do somethin' dumb like this? My gig pedalboad has become as cumbersome as my ever expanding "rack-of-doom" was back in my shred days... :crazy

Peace,

jb

[PeelingPaint98]

Yep large pedalboards can be deadly, I'm currently putting together a small pedalboard for taking around quickly and affordably, to see me full pedalboard(s) check out the big pedalboard thread on the next page of threads.
Right now my mini board goes: Line 6 Uber Metal->Ibanez WD-7->Line 6 Liquaflange->Ibanez DE7

I'm still looking to add one or both: Ibanez SB7 or a digitech Synth Wah
all that should about get me a scaled down version of my big rig.

[Hamer95USA]

Hey Troubleman,

I have a couple of pedalboards myself. I have 2 with a DMC Ground Control MIDI controller, either a modded Vox wah or Area 51 wah, an Xotic AC & RC Booster and a Korg DT-7 tuner or a DMC Ground Control MIDI controller and an Area 51 wah. I'll be adding a volume pedal as a continuous controller for the delay settings and a tap tempo switch.

I recently assembled an analog pedalboard using an SKB PS-45 pedalboard, a bunch of old Boss pedals, newer MXR pedals, an Area 51 wah, a Korg DT-7 tuner and the Xotic AC & RC Booster pedals. It's my grab and go rig along with my Omega Amps modded Hot Rod Deluxe. I recently just got a Visual Sound H2O chorus/echo pedal that I'm trying out as part of a minimalist setup.

Guitar George

[isaactmeyer]

I was going through the same thing. I had a 40x16 board with the huge case. I just recently purchased a trailer trash board and it comes with a soft shell case. It is so great. I can still have my full board and it is like 30 pounds less with the sweet gig bag. So that is something to consider.

[Lolaviola]

Typical board would be: a tuner, a thing to boost the amp, a phaser and a delay...or less.

I always keep my board small because set-up time, ease of transportation and floorspace are all important to me. It's usually a big band, or a small stage!

I want to dance, party, and connect with the audience. If I could, I'd have a helper offstage stepping on the boxes on cue! In my new group, we have dance steps to memorize!

If it's convienient, I put effects on top the amp, or in front of the amp, away from front of stage.

[lookslikemeband]

Embarassingly enough - I have THREE pedalboards currently in use:

My JUMBO board - for most gigs - with ATA road case

My "custom" board - boutique styled , expensive pedals - for practice and recording.

My "small" board - a Trailer Trash board - for small stages where I can't fit my larger boards - it just has the "I've-gotta-have-these-pedals-for-tonite" on there: Tuner / Wah / Flanger / Overdrive / Delay

I know... I know.... :NUTS

But it's fun! :AOK

[whoismarykelly]

I just have a big fancy board and a big more generic board. Each one serves its purpose based on where Im going or what Im doing.

[drolling]

Oh yeah! Any hardened gearpage regular must surely have enough stuff to put together 1/2 a dozen pedalboards, and I'm no exception..

My brother's a photographer who's gone over to the digital side & he just gave me one of those aluminum camera cases which I'm converting to a lightweight mini-board for practice/jams & small coffeeshop/bar gigs.

I'm trying to create a modular system in there, so I can swap pedals in/out as needed (digital reverb instead of 'vibe for electro-acoustic jobs, etc.).

He was a bit choked when he first saw how many holes I'd drilled in the thing - pretty ugly, but it gets the job done!

[Troubleman]

Man I love you guys. This is a place where I feel normal. My wife looks at me with "that look" when I mention building another pedalboard. She was helping me load my gear into my car before a gig one day, when she tried to lift the ATA case that houses my pedalboard. She almost ripped her arm off - it really does weight 40lbs, but is about the size of a thick attache case. She thought she'd discovered that her husband was making suitacase nukes. Okay - tons of pedals on the board, and she put up with my whining about wiring it, etc; now I'm amassing pedals for my "peadalboard lite"? I tried to explain it, but I might as well have been speaking Plutonian slang... Yet here, the answer is "of course"....

YOU GUYS RAWK!!!:D

jb

[jbird327]

I use a small board (pedaltrain jr) that I use for rehearsals. We practice at a studio and the amps there are always in disrepair/changing, ect. With that type of setup, all I try to do is give myself some basic generic sounds. My main boards have been fairly stable for a few years, the practice board is always being changed around.

[Thazy]

I went from one big board to three smaller boards, one for each amp. Much easier to haul around.

[radcliff]

I would only use one board.....I find the less practice I have with my real board, the less likely I am able to pull the sounds I want from it spur of the moment.

[TR-100]

You are not the first and won't be the last!!!
If you gig alot and practice alot, it makes total sense.
I did the same thing when I was in Dallas and in 2 bands at the same time.
I left my "live" board and amps all cased up and ready for shows.
I had duplicate pedals so I made a stripped down board for the room and left a vox in there. I also had so many cables over the years, that I had a
gig bag with all my live cables. So, in the corner was my pedalboard cased up, my ac30, my cable/ebow/bag. Worked like a champ!!!

So, try it if you got xtra pedals laying around.
:)
not:BITCH

[slacker]

I have two EH board/bags. One is the 'main' one with a tuner AB Mojo vibe FD2 and Echotap. The other is my 'experimental' board which has a Blackstone Fuzz Factory DMM and DD3. I mix and match this board. I did have a Meatball on it but that's sold and I'm looking for a more usable filter.

[POD Buster]

This is my pedalboard in a laptop case. What started out as my practice board turned into my main rig. If the set list calls for wah, chorus, etc..I just add it off to the side.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/CYarborough/pedalboard2.jpg

[davidmullis]

Hi Troubleman,
I am in the same position as you. I have a Pedaltrain Pro loaded with 16 pedals (all of which get used at a gig) and which weighs a ton. I have also put together a "quick go to board" for practice - a BOSS BCB60 with a HBE Wah>Keeley compressor>ZVEX Fuzz Factory>Monkey FX VeletVervet>Modified Boss TR2>Modified MXR Phase 90>T-Rex Replica>Arion SCH1 Chorus. Still a lot of pedals but way more manageable.

[jimmyc84]

my 'rehersal board':


http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n59/jimmy84_2006/fuzz001.jpg

[alanbass1]

I have my big pedal board and for a few years now I also just carried a Keeley modified TS808 to rehearsals and for home. I now occassionally use just the TS808 at gigs for a change, although I don't think I will give up my pedal board for the majority of gigs.

[James Knox]

Yep, I do too....

I have my "Less is More" Pedaltrain Junior with Soft Case board for grab-n-go, basic tones and effects and a "More is More" Pedaltrain Pro with Flight Case for the "any sound I could possibly want" gigs :AOK

Peace,

James

[Ed Alvarado]

I made this with a cutting board I got at Bed Bath and Beyond and it fits perfect in the case that I picked up at Lowe's. Check out the clock. I have one on my gig board also.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/ekrockit/IMG_0749.jpg

[aleclee]

I would only use one board.....I find the less practice I have with my real board, the less likely I am able to pull the sounds I want from it spur of the moment.+1. I have a "lightweight" board but believe in practicing the way you play. Seems to me that pedalboard tapdancing is as much part of the rehearsal as most anything else.

[Brett Valentine]

I made this with a cutting board I got at Bed Bath and Beyond and it fits perfect in the case that I picked up at Lowe's. Check out the clock. I have one on my gig board also.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/ekrockit/IMG_0749.jpg

HEy Ed, I did something similar but with some good press board. Got the same case (in red) and all the parts at Home Depot (have enough blanks left for 2 or 3 more boards).

I've got a big, heavy board with as many different things as I can fit on it, and a smaller board that is basically compression, boosts and gain pedals with a good sounding reverb and a decent chorus.

With the "left over" pedals (the ones currently out of rotation), I can make a board that is small, and quick and easy. A decent practice board makes good sense. Can't help you with the crazy looks you get 'cause I get 'em too, but everybosy likes the sound, so. . .:dude

Brett

[Brett Valentine]

This is my pedalboard in a laptop case. What started out as my practice board turned into my main rig. If the set list calls for wah, chorus, etc..I just add it off to the side.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/CYarborough/pedalboard2.jpg

That is a great board! I just got a TZ and will have to try it with my Direct Drive SS. I was looking for a trem pedal guickly and ended up with the Marshall over the Boss. How does AnalogMike make it better?

Brett

[GAT]

I would only use one board.....I find the less practice I have with my real board, the less likely I am able to pull the sounds I want from it spur of the moment.

That's what I do too. I need to practice my tones, my singing and the only way to do this is to use everything that I would bring to a gig. I use my two amp system at rehearsal too.

[Brett Valentine]

The way I tend to handle that is to place the new pedals on my smaller board and once I get used to them, they eventually find their way onto the big board and something there goes into the "floating" pool and on to the"practice board). From time to time I take out the big board and spend some time with it, but for me, most of the familiarization work is done with it on the small board.

Brett

[paulydangerous]

My practice board years ago had a wah, TS-9, Yamaha DG stomp, Boost pedal, direct into our little practice P.A. ...V drums and the Bass player went direct. We could play at a decent volume and not bother the neighbors. It was a cool little setup.

[Stressfest]

+1. I have a "lightweight" board but believe in practicing the way you play. Seems to me that pedalboard tapdancing is as much part of the rehearsal as most anything else.

Tapdancing's the only exercise i get...too old for groupies these days. :p

[Stressfest]

Man I love you guys. This is a place where I feel normal. My wife looks at me with "that look" when I mention building another pedalboard. She was helping me load my gear into my car before a gig one day, when she tried to lift the ATA case that houses my pedalboard. She almost ripped her arm off - it really does weight 40lbs, but is about the size of a thick attache case. She thought she'd discovered that her husband was making suitacase nukes. Okay - tons of pedals on the board, and she put up with my whining about wiring it, etc; now I'm amassing pedals for my "peadalboard lite"? I tried to explain it, but I might as well have been speaking Plutonian slang... Yet here, the answer is "of course"....

YOU GUYS RAWK!!!:D

jb

Ya know...when i've just bought 'yet another' pedal for board #4 and my wife gives me 'that' look whilst handing me this months credit card statement. It's great to know there's a place to come where you do feel normal...also good to to know you have a laptop with a wireless setup so you can still hang here when you're living in the back of the four wheel drive until she cools off. :AOK

[kaseri]

I also believe that you should use the same board for rehearsal as you would for an actual gig. My board is small as well, 3 pedals. Tuner, Centaur & a COT50 red. I have other pedals I sometimes fool around with but my board stays mostly unchanged.

http://www.darides.com/images/pedals.jpg

[Ed Alvarado]

[quote=Brett Valentine]HEy Ed, I did something similar but with some good press board. Got the same case (in red) and all the parts at Home Depot (have enough blanks left for 2 or 3 more boards).

Press board sounds like a great idea,
Ed

[doctorx]

I recently went to a jam session with some buddies and didn't want to take my big board, so I cut a small chunk of plywood big enough to hold three pedals. I spray glued some Veltex to it, attached some press-fit rubber feet I had in my junk box, and BAM, quick and easy pedalboard big enough to hold a TS, a Tuner, and a chorus or echo.

[Larry Mitchell]

Hello,

I wanted to share my travel board on this thread. It's 11 x 17 and fits in my lap Top case with my Lap Top. I can get on a plane with it and a gig bag with my guitar. I fly to most of my gigs So this came in handy. It's powered by a 1-spot and I check a Fulton Clyde Wah or an Ibanez Weeping Demon Wah and A volume pedal in my regular Lugagge. By the way most of my new found pedal knowledge has come from right here on this forum. I have been trying to shrink my gear for years. I have found plenty of useful reviews and comments on pedals here that I would have never known about. I thank you guys for that.

I say go for it and save your back. :-)

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p255/larrymitchellmusic/LMTravelBoard12.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p255/larrymitchellmusic/LMTravelBoardincase14.jpg

[Troubleman]

Hello,

I wanted to share my travel board on this thread. It's 11 x 17 and fits in my lap Top case with my Lap Top. I can get on a plane with it and a gig bag with my guitar. I fly to most of my gigs So this came in handy. It's powered by a 1-spot and I check a Fulton Clyde Wah or an Ibanez Weeping Demon Wah and A volume pedal in my regular Lugagge. By the way most of my new found pedal knowledge has come from right here on this forum. I have been trying to shrink my gear for years. I have found plenty of useful reviews and comments on pedals here that I would have never known about. I thank you guys for that.

I say go for it and save your back. :-)

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p255/larrymitchellmusic/LMTravelBoard12.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p255/larrymitchellmusic/LMTravelBoardincase14.jpg

Doooood!
Welcome to the forum. Back in the early 90's (i think) I caught one of your shows, followed up by Steve Vai a few days later. Between the two of you.... Daaaayum. I put my guitar down for a week.

Nice to see you here

Peace,

jb

[Thazy]

Welcome about Larry. Very cool to have you on the forums.

For those looking for a lower cost alternative, Gator cases makes a small board with a soft case for around $50.00. I have one and there's enough room for 8 MXR sized pedals on it. Can get the board with a power supply too for around $100.00.

[whoismarykelly]

zombie thread

[Brett Valentine]

. . .back from the dead. . .

[Grap]

Spooky... :)

I suppose all three of mine count as small boards by most standards (see sig).

I started taking my POD 2.0 & Floorboard rig to rehearsals instead of any of them, which got me into using the Floorboard's volume pedal for a couple of songs. So I decided I needed a wah/volume to add to the side of the Pedal Tote board (#2) and the BCB-60 board(#1). I picked one of those up yesterday.

I also recently got an old Korg G3 multi-effects to use as a back-up for the back-up. :)

[Sikor]

Wow, it is really good to hear that there are other people like me in the world :AOK

I was recently thinking a lot about my new pedalboard. The old one was to small (EH Pedalboard Bag) and could not decide do I want to have one big or maybe 2 pedalboards (one for effect in front of my amp and smaller only for fx-loop pedals). Finally I decided to go 1-big-pedalboard route. But now ofc this pedalboard is to big to take it always to rehearsals. So i got the idea: hm, maybe I need the second, small one? But part of me was always saing: man, 2 pedalboards, are You crazy? :nono
But now I am relieved! :drool

Thank You guys! :D :BEER

[jaywalker]

I just use an EHX gig bag with a stereo vol pedal, Vwah, and 2 magicstomps, one for drive and sims/one for mod/del etc
Run stereo into the PA.

To add to my laziness I usually just take a piezo equipped stienberger headless that gives me acoustics too meaning I can carry everything on the bus.

This annoys our drummer a lot - he needs to bring his whole kit along....

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd173/jtdale/100_0108.jpg

[johnh]

I used to bring my full pedal board to church, but it really was overkill, and everyone was pointing and laughing, so I downsized for church. That way I can leave my oboard set up after the mid week practice and it doesn't get in the way of taking my main board to gigs on Friday's or Saturdays.

[Aj_rocker]

I have a board i can carry on my back and has 6 pedals on the board, also its powered by a daisy chain so if i want more pedals i can just add another chain! i normally bring more than 6, cus i like have a compressor but theres no room on the board at the moment. Also i carry it in a back pack which has a front pocket for more pedal and cables, which keeps everything safe.


Also i have a pedaltrain II (HC), loaded with 10 pedals (soon to be 11) and i have a tap tempo for that board which can sit in the case along with the power supply (one spot)

Both have great tones and allow me to get some great sounds. Also both can be updated very easily and can also be added to or taken away from.

good luck with it


AJ

[thiscalltoarms]

I've been thinking about trying to see how many pedals I can fit in a NYC Lunchbox case for my tuesday night gigs. Tuesdays, I have a gig at 7 and then another one at 10pm every week. its a pain to transport/set up two medium sized boards at both places every night.

i bet i could fit... TU2, DD5 w/ small tap, DE7, HBOD, and Zendrive all in there. and i would have room for one more BJF/EHX Nano sized enclosure... i bet an ehx small stone nano would fill that out nicely. or a Tonefactor/mojo hand nebula. or... AM mini chorus... or... hmmm... and a 1spot to power it all...

Tu2>Zendrive>HBOD>some small modulation>DD5w/TAP>DE7

maybe a wah off to the side... completely do-able!

[blackjack davey]

My "practice" board has now become my full-time one.

Right now, I have a Big Muff, NYC --> EQ --> Wah --> Analogman Delay

And the only thing I may swap out from time to time is the Muff with either a Fuzz Factory or my SoulBender. But the way it is right now is :dude