DIY suitcase/briefcase pedal board

Eggman

Have any of you ever made a pedalboard from an old suitcase? Got any pictures?

Roland

I made one for our singer. No pictures I’m afraid. It’s a piece of plywood cut slightly smaller than the case. Spray painted black. Cheap B&Q cupboard handles screwed near the sides (ends) so it can be lifted out of the case. Layer of foam in the case so it doesn’t rattle around in transit. He uses Velcro to attach his pedals.

Eggman

If you were to turn the suitcase upside down (so that the original lid becomes the pedalboard) you wouldn't need to remove it.

Winny_Pooh

Not worth the hassle. Cases are usually too deep and the old ones that aren't have handles and latches that are crap. I've done two DIY boards and wont do so again. First was all wood, looked cool but big and heavy. 2nd was an Ikea Gorm wood board but I never found a really good bag, had one made from roqsolid at a high cost which was never quite what was needed. Both ditched in favour of a Palmer 60 & Pedaltrain nano+

Gagaryn

Eggman said:

Have any of you ever made a pedalboard from an old suitcase? Got any pictures?

I also reckon it's more trouble than it's worth. Keep an eye on Amazon for Warehouse deals on the Palmer Boards - i picked up a Palmer 60 with case for £40 about a month ago.

steer

I made a small homemade board out of MDF for about 4 pedals which was good, and just stuck it into a laptop bag. Then I wanted room for about 8 pedals, copied my old design but just bigger, but I never found a good bag / case for it, plus it weighed a lot. 

I bought a palmer pedalboard and have never regretted it. They are not too expensive. 

Eggman

I made one that still has the lid on (open) when in use. The band name is sprayed on this lid. I think it is very handy and easy to use, also easy to transport.

skunkwerx

I made one that held 4 boss style pedals out of several strips of D shape pine slats from B&Q, stained it a dark brown, glued velcro strips on. Cost me all of about £24. 

Didnt weigh a thing, but probably wasnt as hardcore as you’d want for touring, though its 2 years old and still here at home! 

Eggman

Mine holds a mosky power supply, Boss fw3, Big Muff Pl, Donner yellow fall delay, Boss CE3, Behringer Tu300, and my fender amp footswitch. It is big enough to hold all the pedals I need, and I gig it all the time.
From the outside, it doesn't look like a pedal board at all, which is good.
It cost me hardly anything, as I was given the suitcase for free, and I got the velcro for free. I already had paint as well.

Roland

Here’s a picture of our singer’s board at last night’s gig. The metal rod is the leg of his mic stand, and helps stop the board sliding on the carpet. (No, I wouldn’t have that carpet in my house.)

Pedals are Velcro’d on. The handles are used to lift it out of the briefcase. 

Eggman

Roland said:

Here’s a picture of our singer’s board at last night’s gig. The metal rod is the leg of his mic stand, and helps stop the board sliding on the carpet. (No, I wouldn’t have that carpet in my house.)

Pedals are Velcro’d on. The handles are used to lift it out of the briefcase. 

That's cool. Those metal handles look quite heavy-duty. Have you considered those little adhesive pads that stop furniture moving around?

Eggman

I'll put a picture of mine. I'm quite new on the fretboard. How did you upload that picture?

Roland

Eggman said:

That's cool. Those metal handles look quite heavy-duty. Have you considered those little adhesive pads that stop furniture moving around?

It’s got a carpet tile glued to the bottom of the board. 

Eggman said:

I'll put a picture of mine. I'm quite new on the fretboard. How did you upload that picture?

Imgur. http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/54246/how-to-post-pics-imgur

meltedbuzzbox

You can buy these kind of things

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-25016289-Guitar-Effect-Flight/dp/B000NZKGEM/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1537092804&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=pedal+board&dpPl=1&dpID=41I+PaWnJDL&ref=plSrch

Eggman

I'll try uploading a picture.

Eggman

joetele

meltedbuzzbox said:

You can buy these kind of things

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-25016289-Guitar-Effect-Flight/dp/B000NZKGEM/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1537092804&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=pedal+board&dpPl=1&dpID=41I+PaWnJDL&ref=plSrch

I've got one of those for my 'floor' pedals - basically ones with treadles like Volume and Whammy pedal. I find if they're flat, it's easier to get back to the zero position. But the rest of mine are on a slanted metal board which goes in a bag. 

pintspiller

I bought a Focusrite messenger bag to carry the interface to rehearsals for recording purposes. They didn't turn out well, so I painted a fence board offcut with blackboard paint and used some of those bike chain things that Speedfreak used to sell to attach four pedals onto it.