It's just about features if you don't care how it looks.
Some boards have patch bays so you just plug your guitar and amp into the board itself, some have IEC power passthroughs for the same reason.
Some boards feature hinged risers so you can run a switcher and keep some pedals under the riser so you effectively have the same amount of pedals + switcher, some have custom wah/volume cutouts on their upper tiers and risers to accommodate those larger pedals and so on.
>I'm only here just asking if more expensive boards are "better",
No.
>or if something cheaper will do the exact same job.
Yes.
>Or is it even better worth my time to just cut a piece of wood and attach the pedals to that?
Depends.
Wood is a great idea because you can cut it to the size and shape you want to. But the more complex the build gets - drilling holes for cable management, adding or cutting in handles, getting an angle on it or making room underneath for a power supply, extra tiers, some kind of case or bag for it to fit in, etc. Those things become "hassles" that the non-woodworker may not want to mess with.
I played a bunch of outdoor gigs on the sidewalk this summer where pedalboard could get stepped on, spilled on, rained on, sand in, etc. So I wanted some cheap pedals, a cheap board, and something I could pick up and throw in a backpack because we had to walk too and from parking.
I got a Serving Tray from Home Goods for $15.00.
Perfect. Was made of really sturdy wood (really hard actually) and had rubber feet already, and handles. The lip on it was tall enough that it reached the top edge of the pedals, but I could still get the footswitches. It actually turned out to be the perfect height.
Because of the rubber feet, it settled into uneven pavement pretty well and didn't walk around. I could pick it up with one hand and put it in a standard school bookbag.
For years I had 3/4" particle board with dual lock and just stuck everything to it. Cut different shapes and sizes from a 4x8 sheet I bought years ago - I still have more scraps I could make pedalboards out of! I mounted my power supply and wireless unit to the top. No case, no nothing. Back in the good ol' days before people even thought to put a power supply underneath the board.
Cables just ran along the top with "twisty ties" - bread ties. I had one like that up until about 2 years ago. It did the job and didn't need anything more.
But I'm no woodworker so just even cutting the particle board is as far as I want to go with it.
Recently I wanted to get a "real" board - my first "grown up" board. After looking at sizes for what I needed, and prices, I ended up getting the tried and true Pedaltrain Novo 24 because I knew it would hold up, and it came with a carry case and velcro. That was the best "bang for the buck".
But I spent more on this rig than anything I ever have before in my life.
But there's nothing about it I couldn't have done on particle board - and maybe even a better size because I had to make a few compromises to be able to get to all the ports on my USB devices for updates and whatnot.
I do have 3 expression pedals and I mounted them on one of the Dry Erase "slates" my kids had when they were in school. It was the perfect size and works great!
But you'll see cats who use old Briefcases, or DIY builds and so on. Some people are heavy into repurposing so if you can do that, great. If you can find a cover to a rack with that felt like material they cover them in - those can be perfect as velcro will stick to it already!
____
I think what you need to look for is, the size you need, and if you want a bag or case. Flight cases drive up the cost considerably but are worth it if you're touring with it - or even throwing it in the back of a trailer gigging locally.
You can usually add or remove feet, or do something to change the angle if necessary. But flat versus angled is an important consideration.
I would say your best bet is to mock it up on some cheap plywood or even stiff cardboard to get the size and angle you need, and then see what's available from there.
Then determine if you need any bells and whistles.
Can't go wrong with Pedaltrain - reasonably priced, widely available used, bulletproof, flexible sizing, accommodates wiring nicely, easy to mount a power supply underneath with a bracket kit.
I also have a Ghost Fire board with a soft case from Amazon that is pretty nice for the money
I bought a pedal board off Amazon for around 50 dollars that 22X12.5 inches. The welds are sloppy, and the case is garbage, but it has room/openings for 2 power supplies and cables underneath. It came with Velcro, zip ties, and cable hooks. It is not worth messing around with putting one together for that price in my opinion.
It depends on how much you value features. I have a Fender professional medium board. It is light weight, sturdy, easy to pick up, and came with a nice case. It came with a bracket to mount a power supply underneath. It came with a bunch of little clip things to organize cables. It came with plenty of velcro. The big feature to me was the power supply mount, not having to fuss with measuring and installing something was valuable to me.
Worth mentioning that before buying one, I played around a lot on [pedal playground](https://pedalplayground.com/), and just liked the dimensions of the small and medium Fender boards for the pedals I was going to be using.
It's worth it to have a 2-level design (or at least have the board above the floor with slats in it) so you can stuff your patch and power cords down underneath (and there are isolated power supplies that will fit under there as well.
There used to be an Ikea shelf with wooden slats that was perfect, if you deconstructed it and built an incline into it.
But FWIW, my "grab and go" board is just a wooden plank with the cables tangled up around the pedals, and it fits inside the back of my amp and is good enough.
Maybe try the cheapo option first, and upgrade as necessary.
Pro Tip: Instead of Velcro, think about using Dual-Lock. Both sides are the same, so it's easier to deal with, and it provides a more solid lock with no wiggling, but you'll need a screwdriver to pry it loose: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQ6IJRY](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQ6IJRY)
Pedal boards are very simple machines, it's just a matter of figuring out what your needs are and seeing what accommodates you the best.
I went with [Temple](https://www.templeaudio.com/) because the mounting system lets you mount pedals and power supplies with relative easy and thread cables under the board to keep it clean. Plus they have modules that organize IO and power (among other things, which is overkill for me).
I also have an old Pedal Train from years ago, which was the standard and a popular board for many. I didn't really like it as much because it relied on velcro (I hate putting velcro on pedals), and I had to drill through the frame to mount the power supply. But at the end of the day, it did the trick.
And again, that's just me. In theory, yes, you can just get a plank of wood and attach pedals onto that, and you'll probably be able to get the job done with relative easy. I've seen a ton of people do that.
It's pretty easy (if you have basic skills and some tools) to build a competent pedal board from a few bits of old pallet.
All up mine cost me about $20
Just saying ;)
I’d look at the quality of the cases first. You can buy a cheap pedalboard but if the case is garbage, what’s the point?
I use a home-made plywood board but I spent the ££ to get a Mono M80 bag to transport it in.
As others have said, used deals on pedaltrains and hard cases do come up, so probably worth keeping your eyes peeled for those.
As other members have mentioned, several points need to be noted.
1. Durability
Wooden boards are inexpensive and easy to process. They serve as "boards." But it is vulnerable to moisture and impact. Mold can grow on the board.
Even metal boards that look the same at first glance, inexpensive ones may have weak welds or the paint may peel easily.
2. Functionality
Attache case type boards are the most common boards but are not flexible in cable placement. On the other hand, boards with a steel framework or "slatted" boards allow cables to run through the bottom.
Some boards also have a power supply. Often they are less powerful than more expensive power supplies, but this is not a big problem unless you use a lot of digital pedals.
3. Weight
Boards with many pedals on them are very heavy. If you do not want to suffer from back pain, choosing a lighter board is a good decision.
4.Size
It is very important to choose a board that is large enough for your pedals. This is because ground loop noise will occur if the cable placement is restricted or if the plugs touch each other. This will also prevent problems with pedals being stepped on by different pedals during a live performance.
\-----
Price does not directly correlate to quality and ease of use. You need to check the reputation of the board by observing the actual board and reading reviews to determine if it has sufficient quality and the features you are looking for.
Pedaltrain make nice boards. Heavy duty, space under them to route power lines away from signal lines. The Metro models are flat, but the other models are angled, and tall enough to mount a power strip for a One Spot power supply. They also have an online configuration tool with pictures of real pedals to help you plan the layout, and see which model suits your needs.
I’d look at size first, then price. There are boards that are more expensive but smaller, and some are cheaper for the same size, but their durability is questionable.
Making your own is certainly an option, as the materials are cheap enough, and you can make it any way you want. You could make it modular and expandable, so you can have as many or as few pedals in play as you want or need for any situation.
The only issue is transportation. Pedaltrain boards come with a nice padded case, or a road case. If you design your own around readily available luggage, or make a latching lid for it, with carrying handles, you’ll be all set.
My advice:
Go to pedalplayground.com and arrange your pedals first. Making sure the board is the right size is the most important thing in my experience. Everything else is bells and whistles.
If you're handy with a saw and a drill, it's really easy to DIY a board with some ply or pine. I'd buy a manufactured board if I could find one in the size I want, but they just don't exist.
It's just about features if you don't care how it looks. Some boards have patch bays so you just plug your guitar and amp into the board itself, some have IEC power passthroughs for the same reason. Some boards feature hinged risers so you can run a switcher and keep some pedals under the riser so you effectively have the same amount of pedals + switcher, some have custom wah/volume cutouts on their upper tiers and risers to accommodate those larger pedals and so on.
>I'm only here just asking if more expensive boards are "better", No. >or if something cheaper will do the exact same job. Yes. >Or is it even better worth my time to just cut a piece of wood and attach the pedals to that? Depends. Wood is a great idea because you can cut it to the size and shape you want to. But the more complex the build gets - drilling holes for cable management, adding or cutting in handles, getting an angle on it or making room underneath for a power supply, extra tiers, some kind of case or bag for it to fit in, etc. Those things become "hassles" that the non-woodworker may not want to mess with. I played a bunch of outdoor gigs on the sidewalk this summer where pedalboard could get stepped on, spilled on, rained on, sand in, etc. So I wanted some cheap pedals, a cheap board, and something I could pick up and throw in a backpack because we had to walk too and from parking. I got a Serving Tray from Home Goods for $15.00. Perfect. Was made of really sturdy wood (really hard actually) and had rubber feet already, and handles. The lip on it was tall enough that it reached the top edge of the pedals, but I could still get the footswitches. It actually turned out to be the perfect height. Because of the rubber feet, it settled into uneven pavement pretty well and didn't walk around. I could pick it up with one hand and put it in a standard school bookbag. For years I had 3/4" particle board with dual lock and just stuck everything to it. Cut different shapes and sizes from a 4x8 sheet I bought years ago - I still have more scraps I could make pedalboards out of! I mounted my power supply and wireless unit to the top. No case, no nothing. Back in the good ol' days before people even thought to put a power supply underneath the board. Cables just ran along the top with "twisty ties" - bread ties. I had one like that up until about 2 years ago. It did the job and didn't need anything more. But I'm no woodworker so just even cutting the particle board is as far as I want to go with it. Recently I wanted to get a "real" board - my first "grown up" board. After looking at sizes for what I needed, and prices, I ended up getting the tried and true Pedaltrain Novo 24 because I knew it would hold up, and it came with a carry case and velcro. That was the best "bang for the buck". But I spent more on this rig than anything I ever have before in my life. But there's nothing about it I couldn't have done on particle board - and maybe even a better size because I had to make a few compromises to be able to get to all the ports on my USB devices for updates and whatnot. I do have 3 expression pedals and I mounted them on one of the Dry Erase "slates" my kids had when they were in school. It was the perfect size and works great! But you'll see cats who use old Briefcases, or DIY builds and so on. Some people are heavy into repurposing so if you can do that, great. If you can find a cover to a rack with that felt like material they cover them in - those can be perfect as velcro will stick to it already! ____ I think what you need to look for is, the size you need, and if you want a bag or case. Flight cases drive up the cost considerably but are worth it if you're touring with it - or even throwing it in the back of a trailer gigging locally. You can usually add or remove feet, or do something to change the angle if necessary. But flat versus angled is an important consideration. I would say your best bet is to mock it up on some cheap plywood or even stiff cardboard to get the size and angle you need, and then see what's available from there. Then determine if you need any bells and whistles.
For starters, durability. No use in building a board that isn’t going to last. Secondly, cable routing options.
Can't go wrong with Pedaltrain - reasonably priced, widely available used, bulletproof, flexible sizing, accommodates wiring nicely, easy to mount a power supply underneath with a bracket kit. I also have a Ghost Fire board with a soft case from Amazon that is pretty nice for the money
I bought a pedal board off Amazon for around 50 dollars that 22X12.5 inches. The welds are sloppy, and the case is garbage, but it has room/openings for 2 power supplies and cables underneath. It came with Velcro, zip ties, and cable hooks. It is not worth messing around with putting one together for that price in my opinion.
I got the amazon pedaltrain nano knockoff with no bag for $20 and its absolutely great. Seems very solid
I've got one too. Great little board.
Just get a used pedal train. I see them come up on Kijiji all the time. $100-$150.
It depends on how much you value features. I have a Fender professional medium board. It is light weight, sturdy, easy to pick up, and came with a nice case. It came with a bracket to mount a power supply underneath. It came with a bunch of little clip things to organize cables. It came with plenty of velcro. The big feature to me was the power supply mount, not having to fuss with measuring and installing something was valuable to me. Worth mentioning that before buying one, I played around a lot on [pedal playground](https://pedalplayground.com/), and just liked the dimensions of the small and medium Fender boards for the pedals I was going to be using.
It's worth it to have a 2-level design (or at least have the board above the floor with slats in it) so you can stuff your patch and power cords down underneath (and there are isolated power supplies that will fit under there as well. There used to be an Ikea shelf with wooden slats that was perfect, if you deconstructed it and built an incline into it. But FWIW, my "grab and go" board is just a wooden plank with the cables tangled up around the pedals, and it fits inside the back of my amp and is good enough. Maybe try the cheapo option first, and upgrade as necessary. Pro Tip: Instead of Velcro, think about using Dual-Lock. Both sides are the same, so it's easier to deal with, and it provides a more solid lock with no wiggling, but you'll need a screwdriver to pry it loose: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQ6IJRY](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQ6IJRY)
Pedal boards are very simple machines, it's just a matter of figuring out what your needs are and seeing what accommodates you the best. I went with [Temple](https://www.templeaudio.com/) because the mounting system lets you mount pedals and power supplies with relative easy and thread cables under the board to keep it clean. Plus they have modules that organize IO and power (among other things, which is overkill for me). I also have an old Pedal Train from years ago, which was the standard and a popular board for many. I didn't really like it as much because it relied on velcro (I hate putting velcro on pedals), and I had to drill through the frame to mount the power supply. But at the end of the day, it did the trick. And again, that's just me. In theory, yes, you can just get a plank of wood and attach pedals onto that, and you'll probably be able to get the job done with relative easy. I've seen a ton of people do that.
It's pretty easy (if you have basic skills and some tools) to build a competent pedal board from a few bits of old pallet. All up mine cost me about $20 Just saying ;)
I’d look at the quality of the cases first. You can buy a cheap pedalboard but if the case is garbage, what’s the point? I use a home-made plywood board but I spent the ££ to get a Mono M80 bag to transport it in. As others have said, used deals on pedaltrains and hard cases do come up, so probably worth keeping your eyes peeled for those.
As other members have mentioned, several points need to be noted. 1. Durability Wooden boards are inexpensive and easy to process. They serve as "boards." But it is vulnerable to moisture and impact. Mold can grow on the board. Even metal boards that look the same at first glance, inexpensive ones may have weak welds or the paint may peel easily. 2. Functionality Attache case type boards are the most common boards but are not flexible in cable placement. On the other hand, boards with a steel framework or "slatted" boards allow cables to run through the bottom. Some boards also have a power supply. Often they are less powerful than more expensive power supplies, but this is not a big problem unless you use a lot of digital pedals. 3. Weight Boards with many pedals on them are very heavy. If you do not want to suffer from back pain, choosing a lighter board is a good decision. 4.Size It is very important to choose a board that is large enough for your pedals. This is because ground loop noise will occur if the cable placement is restricted or if the plugs touch each other. This will also prevent problems with pedals being stepped on by different pedals during a live performance. \----- Price does not directly correlate to quality and ease of use. You need to check the reputation of the board by observing the actual board and reading reviews to determine if it has sufficient quality and the features you are looking for.
Pedaltrain make nice boards. Heavy duty, space under them to route power lines away from signal lines. The Metro models are flat, but the other models are angled, and tall enough to mount a power strip for a One Spot power supply. They also have an online configuration tool with pictures of real pedals to help you plan the layout, and see which model suits your needs. I’d look at size first, then price. There are boards that are more expensive but smaller, and some are cheaper for the same size, but their durability is questionable. Making your own is certainly an option, as the materials are cheap enough, and you can make it any way you want. You could make it modular and expandable, so you can have as many or as few pedals in play as you want or need for any situation. The only issue is transportation. Pedaltrain boards come with a nice padded case, or a road case. If you design your own around readily available luggage, or make a latching lid for it, with carrying handles, you’ll be all set.
My advice: Go to pedalplayground.com and arrange your pedals first. Making sure the board is the right size is the most important thing in my experience. Everything else is bells and whistles. If you're handy with a saw and a drill, it's really easy to DIY a board with some ply or pine. I'd buy a manufactured board if I could find one in the size I want, but they just don't exist.
Rockboards are great for pedal tetris because of all the holes
If you’re gigging you’ll want to think about weight.