Any ideas for a practical pedalboard design for pedal steel?

Kristen Bruno · Post by **Kristen Bruno** » 2 Apr 2018 9:21 am

Just started playing with a band. I have many pedals that I have used from playing (six string) guitar on a homemade pedal board on the floor. Pedals velcroed down and powered by a power supply. Occasionally I use it for pedal steel effects in a song. But the board sits on the floor next to the pedal steel. I have to reach down to the floor and switch on the effect with my hand.
I am looking for solutions you have used to access your effects. Preferably "higher up off the floor" and easy to access with my hand, and move around, and if possible ,enclose in some kind of carrying case. Maybe some kind of stacked shelves? I am looking for things that you guys have done that work for you.

Thanks
K

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 2 Apr 2018 10:22 am

For how many pedals?

Mike Petryk · Post by **Mike Petryk** » 2 Apr 2018 11:32 am

Hi Kristen,
I have a pedal board next to my volume pedal. Two delays, an overdrive and a phaser I work with my foot. The pedal board also has power supply, Steel Guitar Black Box and a Peterson tuner on it. The board fits between the legs of my steel & it sits partially under it. I use a MatchBro too but that clips right on to the steel above the pedal board. If I need to tweak settings I try to do it between sets.
Regards,
Mike

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 2 Apr 2018 1:38 pm

Mine sits on top of itâ€™s hardcase. That raises it enough so I can reach everything with my right hand. Easy-peezy. I run PSG, lap steel & mando thru this, thus the A/B/C selector box.

Rick Kreuziger · Post by **Rick Kreuziger** » 2 Apr 2018 3:18 pm

Before I got my Telonics with a midi control, I made a pedal board that hung off the left side of my pack seat.
Just a simple velcro covered board with 2 aluminum angle to create a channel that fits down on the seat side and is held in place by the seat when closed. Easy to reach for adjustments and activation.

Kristen Bruno · Post by **Kristen Bruno** » 2 Apr 2018 5:21 pm

I have about six pedals side by side, not including volume pedal which is separate.
Currently my setup is:
Guitar - Compressor - Rat - EH B9 - Volume Pedal In -
Volume Pedal Out - Chorus -Tremolo - RV3 - Amp

They are currently on a long board about 30 inches long.

K

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 2 Apr 2018 5:37 pm

Here is mine . I use it with a Moyo volume pedal , this gives it the extra room required . I don't think it would work on a D10

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 2 Apr 2018 7:55 pm

Itâ€™s not something I have tried, but what about something like this?
https://www.songwriter.com/bradshaw/tab_rack.php
You could talk to Tom and see if it might work for your fx board.

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 2 Apr 2018 9:31 pm

Joe Naylor at Steelseat.com builds a real nice pedal board with legs.

Patrick Ickes · Post by **Patrick Ickes** » 2 Apr 2018 10:27 pm

How's this set up??

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix ... 86F4_1.jpg

Kevin Fix · Post by **Kevin Fix** » 3 Apr 2018 4:43 pm

I bet you have to get to the job at least 2 hours early!!!!

Greg Gefell · Post by **Greg Gefell** » 3 Apr 2018 5:23 pm

This is what I use. It could be enlarged to two rows, in fact I'm thinking of making that version soon. Its a clamp on mic clip holder attached to a flat piece of aluminum. The pedals are then held on with separated bicycle chain links used as ears. Puts everything within easy reach and sets up really fast.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 4 Apr 2018 2:57 am

I'm glad I executed this. It was an idea festering in my head for a long time and it addresses several issues:

-- smallish footprint on small bandstands
-- fingertip access for tweaking on the fly
-- activation of effects without having to wrestle with stompbox on/off buttons
-- taking all FX out of signal path unless switched in
-- legs folded into itself and standard lid latched closed

It was my Spruce Goose. Folly that proved itself and was retired.

Of the useful ideas, the home made multi-bypass loop box (with toggles instead of stomp switches) was worthwhile for its dual function of keeping the signal path clean and for easy fingertip control while seated.
It has been dismantled (painful!).

Daniel Morris · Post by **Daniel Morris** » 4 Apr 2018 8:43 am

The piano bench in Fred's photo?
I use one like that (on my right) for my pedal board.
Works quite well, and it's adjustable.

Skip Ellis · Post by **Skip Ellis** » 4 Apr 2018 1:39 pm

I guess I'm weird -I don't use anything but reverb.

Ben Greene · Post by **Ben Greene** » 4 Apr 2018 4:10 pm

I use a Stage One laptop table that screws onto an instrument stand. Itâ€™s a good height and fits into a lap top bag. Works for me and itâ€™s was cheap and easy to set up.

Kristen Bruno · Post by **Kristen Bruno** » 4 Apr 2018 6:27 pm

The stage one laptop table looks pretty good. How high does it adjust to? What is the footprint of the flat tray that I can attach a piece of wood to for the six pedals? You think its big enough without tipping over?

In the meantime I made this out of some scrap wood. Has sliding shelves so I can see the controls on the pedals and even a piece of wood for a handle. The black duct tape just prevents the shelves from sliding out when carrying it. Not pretty, but functional.

K

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 4 Apr 2018 7:07 pm

My touring board is largely set up for the rock kinds of gigs I often do so it's a somewhat 'dense' board, especially since I've chosen to stay with a smaller board. I always prefer it to be up on a road case next to me but, really, I've never found it to be much of a bother to just put in on the floor next to me and reach down to turn things on and off.

For most country gigs, I only use some echo which stays on all the time so that definitely can just sit on the floor.

This board is set up for my current primary gig and can be daisy-chained with other pedals and boards for studio use. Sits either on the floor or on a road case on my right side.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 4 Apr 2018 9:14 pm

Kristen Bruno wrote:The stage one laptop table looks pretty good. How high does it adjust to? What is the footprint of the flat tray that I can attach a piece of wood to for the six pedals? You think its big enough without tipping over?

In the meantime I made this out of some scrap wood. Has sliding shelves so I can see the controls on the pedals and even a piece of wood for a handle. The black duct tape just prevents the shelves from sliding out when carrying it. Not pretty, but functional.

K

I believe Ben meant to say â€œOn Stageâ€ laptop mount. You can find some specs on it here:
https://www.zzounds.com/item--MUPMSA500 ... I4afD_BwE=
That scrap wood stand of yours is not bad, Kristen.

Rich Sullivan · Post by **Rich Sullivan** » 7 Apr 2018 8:51 am

Here is my solution to raising the pedal board high enough to use hands on the pedals. I use a Pedaltrain board, which has four short feet on the bottom, and I made an open box with four holes on top for the feet to nest into, so the board doesn't slide off the box. The box is made of an anodized aluminum frame with the walls and bottom made of tinted lexan to make it as lightweight as possible. I transport the pedal board with pedals in its own case, but the box can carry anything else that I don't put in my pack-a-seat.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 7 Apr 2018 6:16 pm

Why do you need all these boxes? I thought you were playing a pedal steel to have pedal steel sound. J.R.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 7 Apr 2018 8:03 pm

I play a phase shifter. It sounds great with a pedal steel effect plugged into it.

Bobby Nelson · Post by **Bobby Nelson** » 8 Apr 2018 3:15 am

I'm kinda with JD. But, in all fairness, I never used effects more than a time or two - they distract me from my playing. I do have a DD3 that I'll use eventually though. But, it just kind of accentuates the sound, doesn't change it.

Hal Braun · Post by **Hal Braun** » 8 Apr 2018 11:13 am

J R Rose wrote:Why do you need all these boxes? I thought you were playing a pedal steel to have pedal steel sound. J.R.

Because not all of us play straight country...

Rock/blues/Sacred Steel tend to use a lot of pedals..

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 11 Apr 2018 7:20 pm

Good Answer Hal, You are so right, There is a lot of other music out there. J.R.

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Any ideas for a practical pedalboard design for pedal steel?

Any ideas for a practical pedalboard design for pedal steel?

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