Pedalboard planning

stickyfiddle

After my recent decision to go back to a regular board I've been on my usual MS Powerpoint strategy to work out layouts and what size board I'll need, but I'm wondering how other people plan boards. 

I've used pedalboardplanner.com before, but that's not been updated in a while so there are a lot of pedals not on there. I've just come across www.pedalplayground.com which looks very good and has a lot more pedals. 

What does everyone else do? Meticulously plan with paper cutouts? Throw everything onto the board and hope for the best? 3D CAD models? 

JDE

I used to use pedalboard planner, but since I ditched having a pc at home, I've not bothered because trying to use it on a phone or a tablet was like being kicked in the balls over and over again. Never heard of Pedal Playground but just had a quick look - works on a phone, therefore I love it!
I think these sites tend to make me get obsessive and buy more stuff, though, so the best option for me is just laying it all out and measuring it.

dindude

I useually do a rough scale drawing in excel then build a board to suit (natch!). But this way you could get your absolute minimum dimensions then there will be a Pedaltrain (or similar) to suit. 

Other way is lay out the pedals (or cut outs if you don't yet have the pedals) and then masking tape around the parameter to get board dims.

Ive never used an internet board planner, don't know why, just never trusted them.

professorben

I put my pedals on the board then try to figure out how to wire them up and then get cross and grumpy. 

Sassafras

I normally form a committee which reports back to central planning before seeking approval in Parliament.
If I'm in a rush, I just stick them all on a board and hope for the best.

cbellanga

I use omnigraffle and have a library of pedal sizes and boards to play with:

John_P

I still use pedalboardplanner,   it had an update recently to include a few more modern pedals but if the one I want isn't there then there is usually a box the same size I can use to check it will fit. 

Sassafras

Seeing how well organised some of you are has been an education.
Of course, I had to do all this before computers and the internet when all this were fields and you could go for a night out, a fish supper and a hansom cab home and still have change from a sovereign.

Teetonetal

pedalplayground for me. Dead easy.

digitalscream

professorben said:

I put my pedals on the board then try to figure out how to wire them up and then get cross and grumpy. 

This, but with a small preparatory step of getting the tape measure out.

Eventually, I get tired of the merry-go-round and buy a modeller, then we all go round again.

GavRichList

I use pedalboard planner, but I'm also a massive nerd about it and do separate power and midi maps. What a Melvin. It has allowed me to use every last mm of space effectively on my board though, and it makes the assembly job far easier as it removes any kind of thought. 

PolarityMan

stickyfiddle said:

. 

What does everyone else do? 

Run my wah off board because my board is about 2cm too narrow to have it on with the jack plugs in (even pancake ones).

I feel it may not be the optimal solution.

the_jaffa

Mine's kinda built the other way round. I built myself a board that fits in a case I was given. Then I fit my pedals on to the board. I don't have a massive board though so it's not too bad. I have used some CAD (cardboard-aided-design)though to help

ewal

I take an agile iterative approach to pedalboard construction - slap all the pedals on - try it - adjust - try it - etc

stickyfiddle

ewal said:

I take an agile iterative approach to pedalboard construction - slap all the pedals on - try it - adjust - try it - etc

If that's working for you I can only assume you don't have enough pedals..!

Cirrus

ewal said:

I take an agile iterative approach to pedalboard construction - slap all the pedals on - try it - adjust - try it - etc

Me too. For all the planning in the world, at some point you're going to have an empty board and a pile of pedals next to it. If the pedals you want on the board don't fit, you'll need a bigger board. If there's space left over after you've got what you need on there... victory! You have the moral right to go and buy a new pedal!

Sassafras

Can those pedalboard planners tell you how it will all sound as well?

Philtre

Is it just me or does http://pedalboardplanner.com just not work? Adding a pedal does diddly squat.

MrMusic

Maybe try out:-

http://www.pedalplayground.com/

Personally I think its actually better to use 

Slimbert

MrMusic said:

Maybe try out:-

http://www.pedalplayground.com/

Personally I think its actually better to use 

That site was mentioned in the first post but it's definitely a good shout.

I've had a bit of fun with it today. Dead easy to use and worked fine on my phone.

I'd never even thought of mapping out a pedal board but this really has made my next build easier. Certainly beats ripping pedals off the board time and time again trying to get it right!

DesVegas

Mine is the same system as @the_jaffa . Made a board to fit the case I had. It was no good me using a planner as I could only work out which order they went in by trial and error of the sounds they make together. Oh and thinking about it every waking second : )