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10 Best Guitar Pedal Boards [That Actually Work]

10 Best Guitar Pedal Boards [That Actually Work]

There is a time in every guitar player’s journey when purchasing a pedalboard becomes a need; this typically happens around the purchase of a third guitar effects pedal, but some people may realize that there are only a few pedals that a single power adapter can cover.

A guitar pedalboard is a basic need for electric guitarists, as a pedalboard provides protection, transportation, and organization of all of your guitar’s pedals when moving around with them, using them, or storing your pedals.

In many situations, a pedalboard can also double as a power source for your guitar’s pedals.

Essentially, a pedalboard is a case to store all of your favorite pedals in. The most important of a pedalboard is the electronics department, as the pedalboard contains a lot of detailed wired that allows you to connect a selection of pedals within the device, before plugging the entire thing into a single power socket.

Individual pedals sometimes require more than one power source to power each device, which is why pedalboards are so successful and so essential.

In this guide, we’re going to talk about the ten best pedalboards through a variety of price tags and picked out the top ten best pedalboards that are on the market today.

Bottom Line Up Front Summary: These are the best pedalboards to get started with…

  • SKB PS8 Powered Pedal Board (Shop Amazon / eBay) – Best Overall Guitar Pedal Board
  • Boss BCB 90 Deluxe (Shop GuitarCenter / Amazon) – Most Customizable Guitar Pedal Board
  • ENO Ex Pedal Board (Shop Amazon / eBay) – Most Durable Guitar Pedal Board
  • Donner DB 2 (Shop Amazon) – Most Lightweight Option
  • Gator GPB BAK  (Shop Amazon)
  • Stagg UPC 424 (Shop Amazon)
  • Gator G Tour (Shop GuitarCenter / Amazon
  • Behringer PB 600 (Shop Amazon)
  • CNB PDC 410 E BK (Shop Amazon)
  • Mooer FC M6 FireFly Series (Shop Amazon)

Best Overall
SKB PS8 Powered Pedal Board | Amazon
$149.99

Portable, versatile, safe and well-constructed, the SKB PS8 is everything you need to get started with a great pedalboard.

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But before we get into that, let’s talk about some commonly asked questions about pedalboards!

What is a guitar pedalboard?

pedal board 1

 

Basically, a pedalboard (commonly referred to as a pedalboard) is a flat board that serves to hold your effect pedals for your guitar in place.

Guitarists usually have a selection of pedals, from tuners, to drive pedals, to reverb pedals, and much more.

If you think about your effect pedals as a type of puzzle, the pedalboard is the table that you build your puzzle on.

A pedalboard allows musicians to set up and switch up their pedals, chain them together, power them on, and ensure that they stay safe.

Why do you need a pedalboard for your guitar?

A pedalboard has so many things to offer to you and your musicianship, such as:

Stability – Even if you only have two effects pedals or have dozens of collections, you are still going to want to have a sturdy and portable surface where you can change them out and not have to worry about re-configuring them if you’re looking to move your pedalboard.

Kicking your effects pedal across the room, losing one, or having your pedals moving all over the place isn’t an ideal situation to have if you’ve spent a lot of money on your effects pedals.

Portability – Having all of your effects pedals together in one place makes transferring your pedals around extremely easy. Even if you’re not someone who is playing any gigs, your home studio will become much more organized when you use a pedalboard.

All of your pedals can be arranged in aesthetically pleasing angles, you only need one singular outlet, and you won’t be tripping over power cables anymore!

If you do happen to start playing gigs or play with friends, you can set up a pedal on your pedalboard to make you set up extremely portable, compact, and easy to set up.

Versatility

Pedalboards come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, which means that you have the ability to start out with a small pedalboard and as your collection of pedals grow, you can upgrade to a larger pedalboard! Pedalboards are extremely easy to find; you can find them at your local guitar store, eBay, Amazon, and even Walmart (if your store has a music section).

Power supply

All your pedals need to be powered, but without a pedalboard, there’s a large chance that you are using a collection of different power supplies. Using a pedalboard usually comes with their own power supplies, which means that you’re only going to need one power outlet to power up your entire board!

Protection

Effects pedals for your guitar aren’t cheap, as the average price for a single pedal starts out at $150 but can go all the way up to $1,000 for a unique, rare, custom-made pedal. No matter the number of pedals you have in your collection, you’re more than likely looking at hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars in equipment.

There are some pedalboards on the market that were built to withstand a lot of abuse and be extremely tough, but a pedalboard with a cover or a case can provide you with a little bit of protection, as well as peace of mind.

However, you should be made aware that not all pedalboards come with a case or a cover, so you may have to purchase one separately. Some pedalboards come with Velcro strips to hold your effects pedal in place. Be careful of these types of pedalboards, as they won’t last you a long time.

Effects pedals can be extremely heavy ad Velco loses its gripping power over time, leaving your expensive pedals at a high risk of danger at becoming detached from the surface of your pedalboard.

Can you make your own pedalboard?

 

Guitar Pedalboard

This is one of the most commonly asked questions among musicians, which makes sense because pedalboard is one of the most basic forms of guitar gear that you can have. A lot of people believe that having a basic knowledge of electronics and how to build with their hands is enough to be able to build a successful pedalboard.

While it’s not totally impossible to build a homemade pedalboard, you will be a lot more successful if you know exactly what you’re doing in the electronics department. No matter what your decision is, you should still consider buying a high-quality pedalboard power supply.

If you’re truly interested in building your own guitar pedalboard, making one is an extremely interesting activity and there’s nothing wrong with giving it a try. Just make sure you’re being safe when working on the electric part of the pedalboard!

What should you look for when buying a pedalboard?

When it comes to purchasing a pedalboard, there are a lot fewer factors and criteria that you should look for compared to purchasing a guitar or even any pedal that you plan on using on your pedalboard.

You’re just going to need to look for a pedalboard that has a sturdy build, enough room to store all of your pedals, solid electronics in the system, an appealing cosmetic appearance to the device (according to your own preferences), and a good dollar amount attached to the device.

When looking for a sturdy pedalboard, look for a pedalboard with a metal design, as they are more sturdy than plastic models. Also, look for devices with electronic sections and jacks that are well protected. You are going to want to look for boards that are easy to carry, disassemble, and assemble.

The electronic section of the pedalboard stands out as the most difficult part to be practical with, so make sure that the power option that is offered on the pedalboard you’re interested in fits into your pedals’ requirements and that there isn’t any sort of crackling sound when you plug in your pedals.

It is also important that you know how many pedals that you plan on using, how many pedals you currently have in your selection, and what your ultimate dream number of pedals is. Pedalboards come in different sizes and can typically fit anywhere from four to twelve pedals.

Write down how many pedals you have, how much room you’ll need for these pedals, and pick your best option based off on those numbers.

As for the aesthetics of your pedalboard, most pedal boards have a similar appearance, but there are a few select options that have a bit of a wilder appearance. Essentially, these are all of the factors that you should base your ultimate decision-off of and we based our selections of pedalboards for this list off of this criteria.

How much money should you spend on a good pedalboard?

Gator Pedalboard

The number of pedals that you plan on storing on your pedalboard really is the biggest influence on how much you should plan on spending on a pedalboard.

The price point of your pedalboard is strongly influenced by the pedal boards’ ability to hold more or fewer pedals; the price point of a pedalboard grows with the more pedals that you plan on storing on your pedalboard.

However, don’t lose hope yet! There are a few basic price point limits that can be set and we can say that for $50, you can purchase yourself a peal board that can hold four pedals. For $75, you can purchase yourself a pedalboard that houses up to six pedals, while if you need to store ten pedals, $100 will be your price point.

If you’re interested in storing up to twelve pedals, your price tag will run you about $150. The above-listed price tags are the number you should be paying for a decent, sturdy pedal that will get the job done. If you are looking for some extra qualities and perks, you should expect to pay more.

Do you need to get any accessories with a pedalboard?

Yes, you’re going to need to find yourself some additional pieces of gear if you purchase your pedalboard that doesn’t come with these pieces.

You’re going to need a power adapter, two standard cables to go from your pedal board’s one end to connect to your guitar and from the other end of the pedalboard to your amplifier, and you’re going to need a small set of cables to connect your pedals.

There are a lot of pedalboards that just happen to have the adapter included with the purchase, while some other pedalboard purchases will get you a set of small cables, but this isn’t as common as getting an adapter with your purchase.

Pedalboards are one of the items for a guitar that require the least amount of extra money for necessary extra gear. A pedalboard is a necessary investment for guitarists who have the desire to have multiple pedals.

Do I need to buy a brand new pedalboard?

Custom Pedal Boards

Pedalboards are not super expensive pieces of equipment, especially when comparing them to how much you may have spent on your guitar. However, the option of saving some money is possible if you’re buying a used pedalboard.

If you are considering buying a used pedalboard, you need to watch out for two things: any physical damage to the pedalboard, especially on the fragile parts such as the handles and the hooks.

The harder part to look out for is the electronic section of the pedalboard, as it’s tricky to tell the state of the wiring and internal connections just by looking at the pedalboard or even by testing the pedalboard.

These reasons are why we believe that it’s the best option to get yourself a new pedalboard. It will not only save your time, but it’ll save you the extra hassle and frustration of trying to fix a possibly broken pedalboard.

Most brand new pedalboards come with a warranty that’s typically no shorter than year-long but can go as long as five years or even a lifetime warranty.

What’s the best order to place my pedals in on a pedalboard?

There are so many guitarists out there that are constantly asking, so prepare yourself for a bit of a lengthy response to this question. How do you organize your pedals and what is the best way to order the pedals?

The order in your place your guitar pedals isn’t the most important thing you need to worry about, as it all comes down to personal preference and personal taste. There is a pretty basic ‘rule book’ that guitarists follow in order to get the best sound that they possibly can from their pedalboards.

While this ‘rule book’ isn’t the definite answer for your experience, it’s a combo that a lot of musicians use and that many belief works the best.

pedalboard

Gain drive and overdrive pedals first

When we say drive pedals, we aren’t just talking about the basic overdrive effect, as we are also talking about anything that is related to this pedal; this list includes distortion pedals, boost pedals, fuzz pedals, and again driven pedal.

The main reason why you should place your drive pedals upfront is that the distortion should be as close to your instrument’s original clean output as you can possibly get it.

This goal of keeping your drive pedals close to your instrument is to distort the cleanest form of your sound, which is ultimately achieved by placing the drive pedals first. If you happen to be using both a drive and a boost pedal, place the boost pedal first, so that the drive pedal receives the strongest possible signal.

EQ and Wah pedals second

Equalizer and was pedals are next in line; these pedals operate extremely well when plugging into a sonic signal that has been affected only by overdrive, boost, or distortion.

The wah pedal is a very simple effect that sounds top of the line when it has distortion backing it up, while the EQ pedal will provide the overdrive pedal with a bit of brightness and will add a bit of overall clarity to the audio output, which will provide you with a cleaner sound.

If you also want to use a compressor pedal, if you decide that you want a more rock-sounding, natural tone. You’re going to want to place this pedal right after the EQ effects of the distortion pedal. On the other hand, if you are out for more of a classic country sound, the compressor pedal should be placed right at the very end of your pedalboard lineup.

Modulation effects are in third place

The word modulation effect is a term that we are using, to sum up, the vibrato pedals, phaser pedals, flanger pedals, and chorus pedals. The reason why the modulation effects are in third place is that their sound is much richer and complex when they are placed after drive pedals, wah pedals, and EQ Pedals

It’s a very common belief in the music world that modulation effect pedals should not be placed at the end of the signal chain because they can very easily overpower any effects that were placed before them.

Time-related effects pedals are at the end

Time-related guitar pedals are delay pedals and reverb pedals. Putting time-related pedals at the end of the signal ensures that there is a more natural echo to your signal, which is exactly what you should be looking for instead of a more mechanical-sounding echo.

If you are someone who uses both a reverb pedal and a delay pedal, placing the reverb pedal and the very end of your pedalboard is the way you want to go because it brings above a natural echo to all of the effects that come before the reverb pedal.

If you’re looking for a different option, using a built-in reverb pedal from your amp, which will give your sound more of a twing/twang in the final attack.

Best Guitar Pedal Board Options

SKB 8 Port Powered Pedal Board

Best Overall
SKB PS8 Powered Pedal Board | Amazon
$149.99

Portable, versatile, safe and well-constructed, the SKB PS8 is everything you need to get started with a great pedalboard.

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Some staring-out musicians are extremely budget-conscious, which is why the SKB 8 port pedalboard is such a great option. This pedalboard has an eight-pot board with separate inputs for each of the pedals you want to use; this will ensure to keep your signal clearer and loud.

Your purchase will also get you a set of standard 9VDC output jacks, as well as a high-quality gig bag for musicians that are traveling or touring.

The board on this pedalboard is molded from a rubber modified styrene, which does an amazing job of keeping your pedals in place, while also keeping them safe during transporting them.

Boss BCB 90 Deluxe

Most Customizable
BOSS (BCB-90X) Large Guitar Effects Board | Amazon
$234.99

Lots of space to configure your pedals just the way you want them. The BCB 90 Deluxe has more than enough room to accommodate even the most complex setups.

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If you’re in the market for a lightweight pedalboard that’s entirely customizable for a large variety of devices, you’re going to want to get the Boss BCB 90 deluxe!

The BCB 90 is a pedalboard that has all of the necessary adapters and cables that are included with your purchase, so you don’t have to go around and spend extra money on other accessories.

There are a handful of people who will complain about the plastic casing of this pedalboard, but this pedalboard is just as sturdy as other metal models.

Not only is the adaptor included in your purchase, but you’re also going to get three ore cut inserts, five short L-L cables, three long L-L cables, one spare insert, and aN 8-A pin parallel DC cord. All of these items are included in the original price tag of your purchase of the Boss BCB 90 deluxe!

ENO Ex Pedal Board ENO EX

Most Durable
ENO Ex Stompbox Guitar Effects Pedalboard Mini | Amazon
$26.99

Features solid construction, nice black finish, and sturdy rubber feet. Comes with a very generous amount of velcro and zip ties to put it all together. Velcro is of good quality, and even holds the larger pedals just fine. Highly recommend pedalboard.

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If you are in the market for the absolute best pedalboard for your micro pedals, the ENO EX model from EX Pedal Board is a basic and stable pedalboard that has a sleek and classy cosmetic appearance.

While the aesthetics of this pedalboard may make it seem to be an extremely delicate pedalboard, the ENO Ex is extremely sturdy, with a total size of 21.6 inches x 9.8 inches x 4.7 inches and a total weight of 3.9 pounds. With your purchase of the ENO Ex pedal board, you’re going to get a board that can fit five micro pedals and a waterproof gig bag!

Donner DB 2

Most Lightweight
Donner Guitar Pedal Board Case DB-2 | Amazon
$39.99

Donner Pedalboards Using Portable aluminum alloy material, lightweight aluminum pedalboard allow you to show without pressure.

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This pedalboard is one that has been released more recently, gaining a lot of popularity in 2016. The Donner DB 2] has been created from a lightweight, yet extremely durable aluminum with dimensions of 20 inches by 8 inches by 1.2 inches.

With very minimal effort, you can fit eight standard-sized pedals, but if you put in a little more effort, you can fit twelve mini-sized pedals on this pedalboard. There is no crackling or noise produced from this device, which means that the circuitry works extremely well on this pedalboard.

In total, this pedalboard weighs about 2.6 pounds, which is extremely lightweight and there is a 40-inch professional-grade adhesive that is backed hook and loop for securing pedals. Donner DB 2 even includes a gig bag for free.

Gator GPB BAK

Gator Cases Aluminum Guitar Pedal Board | Amazon
$179.99

The Gator Cases GPB-BAK guitar pedal board mixes style, durability, and efficiency all into one innovative product. The GPB-BAK series pedal boards are made of lightweight aluminum and has a usable surface area that measures 23.75” X 10.66”.

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In case you didn’t know, Gator is the leading manufacturers in the pedalboard industry, which is why we’ve included several of their pedalboards in this list. All of Gator’s pedalboards are created in the USA and feature enough room to hold twelve standard stompboxes.

The measurements of Gator GPB Bak ARE 23.75 inches x 10.66 inches and the angled design was featured to make this Gator case that much easier to use.

Stagg UPC 424

Stagg UPC-424 Guitar Effect Pedals Case | Amazon
$84.00

Rugged, medium-weight, plastic moulded ABS case with strong, extruded aluminium edging. High density foam padded interior for extra protection.

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This is a budget-friendly and compact domain, that can stack up to four pedals inside the pedalboard. The Stagg UPC has chrome hardware and a high-density foam padded interior, weighing in a total of 3.5 pounds and measuring 17 inches x 9 inches x 4 inches!

Gator G Tour

Gator Cases G-TOUR Series Gutiar Pedal board | Amazon
$319.99 $249.99

Large TOUR Grade pedal board for 10-14 pedals with 3M "Dual Lock" pedal fastener. Removable 24"x11" board surface & inline wheels.

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The Gator G Tour is one of the most popular pedalboards on the market today, with top-notch electronics, high-quality construction, with a classic look at an incredibly fair price range. You can fit twelve standard stop box pedals into this box, or use the 24 inches by 11-inch board surface that suits your needs the most.

With the Gator G Tour, you’re going to be looking at a pedalboard that has been fabricated with plywood with an aluminum valance, as well as a 3M dual lock faster for your pedal’s installation. The manufacturer of Gator G Tour left users plenty of room to store cables, as well as adapters, with a few extra handles for storage.

These is extremely heavy-duty pedalboards that are very hard to damage, which is why it’s so highly recommended for anyone who is touring!

Behringer PB 600

If you happen to be someone who uses stomp boxes on the regular, we recommend the PB 600, especially if you happen to use a lot of Behringer stompboxes. This pedal box has been optimized for the company’s pedals, with all of the electronics sorted out in an extremely useful and efficient way.

Your purchase of Behringer PB 600 will provide you with a strong adapter cable that has the ability to power up to twelve pedals but can comfortably fit six pedals, as well as a six-way daisy chain cabling system, and a three-year warranty.

Behringer PB600 Universal Effects Pedal Floor Board | Amazon
$448.23

A universal effects pedal floor board with a 9 V DC power supply and patch cables, the Behringer PB600 Pedal Board is great for any musician who wants to add or group effects pedals. 

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03/08/2024 02:37 pm GMT

CNB PDC 410 E BK

CNB PDC 410 E BK

Maybe you’re someone who is skilled with electronics and can sort out the electronics part of a pedalboard by yourself. If so, the CNB PDC 410 E BK is a pedalboard that just provides you with a case for your pedals that has been crafted from lightweight but extremely durable plywood.

This case comes with enough room to fit six pedals of different sizes, although you could squeeze in a mini pedal to make this pedalboard fit seven pedals in total. The interior dimensions of this pedalboard go as 27.5 inches x 11.75 inches x 4.25 inches with aluminum reinforced edges, double-stick tape, and steel locking latches with two keys.

While the price of this pedal board s significantly cheaper than other pedalboards that are this size, you’re still buying an extremely durable and high-quality pedalboard.

CNB PDC 410 E BK Pedal Case / Pedal Board | Amazon

Made of lightweight, durable plywood this case is designed to fit a variety of effect pedals or any small item you wish to safely transport.

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Mooer FC M6 FireFly Series

Mooer FC M6 FireFly Series | Amazon

Moore firefly series FC-m6 case, Case with built-in pedal board, aluminum construction, removable lid, foam padding, space for Thomann 6 Moore micro series effect pedals, including preinstalled power outlet strips.

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If you’re really into using micro pedals, you’re probably looking for a compact pedalboard. The Mooer FC M6 FireFly series is a classy, compact, and efficient pedal that measures out to be 6.7 inches x 21.5 inches x 3.9 inches. With the ability to store up to six micro pedals, you’re also going to get a set of pre-installed power outlet strips with your purchase.

While the Mooer FC M6 offers a sturdy build along with high-quality electronics, we also found the physical appearance of this pedalboard to be extremely professional looking and elegant

Guitar Pedal Board Comparison Table

ModelPriceSpecificationsType of Pedal
SKB 8 Port Powered Pedal Board$103.94 (Check out the latest prices here!)23 x 16.5 x 5 inches
Boss BCB 60 Deluxe$169.99 (Check out the latest prices here!)
ENO Ex Pedal Board ENO EX$35.99 (Check out the latest prices here!)21.6 inches x 9.8 inches x 4.7 inches
Donner DB 2$52 (Check out the latest prices here!)20 inches by 8 inches by 1.2 inches.
Gator GPB BAK$134 (Check out the latest prices here!)23.75 inches x 10.66 inches
Stagg UPC 424$39.99 (Check out the latest prices here!)17 inches x 9 inches x 4 inches
Gator G Tour$219.99 (Check out the latest prices here!)24 inch x 11 inch
CNB PDC 410 E BK$149.38 (Check out the latest prices here!)27.5 inches x 11.75 inches x 4.25 inches
Mooer FC M6 Fire Fly Series$68 (Check out the latest prices here!)6.7 inches x 21.5 inches x 3.9 inches
Behringer PB 600$99.99 (Check out the latest prices here!)

Conclusion: Finding the Right Guitar Pedal Board

Before completing any online shopping, you should be well aware that pedals are not included with pedalboards and they need to be purchased separately. Producing a great tone is something that’s totally worth a few extra dollars, but the journey to getting that amazing tone isn’t always an obvious one.

If you’re wondering why your gear always seems to be changing tone whenever you pick it up, you don’t need to buy new gear: you need to learn your gear. The ten pedalboards that we have listed above all have an equally earned spot as the best pedal boards on the market for guitar!

Best Overall
SKB PS8 Powered Pedal Board | Amazon
$149.99

Portable, versatile, safe and well-constructed, the SKB PS8 is everything you need to get started with a great pedalboard.

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03/08/2024 04:52 pm GMT

Further Reads on Guitar Pedal Board & Effect Pedal Options: