A Look at the Value of Pedal Boards
The electric guitar has come a long way since its first introduction to the public in the early 1930s. From solid body designs and customized shapes to double-coil pickups and big-name celebrity models, electric guitars went through an ongoing evolution between the 1930s and 1970s, and in doing so have helped to shape rock ‘n’ roll into the genre it is today.
The evolution has continued over the past 50 years, but many of the most noteworthy changes have involved customized modifications and accessories rather than changes to the actual guitar design. Eddie Van Halen was arguably one of the biggest drivers of this progression, with his mods and inventions (such as the 5150 amp, D-Tuna, guitar rests, and his infamous “Frankenstrat”), but a number of other innovators and inventions have also helped change guitar playing and the history of rock.
The Importance of the Pedal Board
One of those groundbreaking inventions was the pedal board, which makes a number of different effects easily accessible for musicians who play electric guitars. Many well-known guitarists have used pedal boards over the years, including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Rivers Cuomo (from Weezer), Mick Thomson (from Slipknot), David Gilmour (from Pink Floyd), David Bryson (from Counting Crows), and John Mayer (particularly in his work with Dead & Company).
While every guitarist is different and has their own preferred assortment of effects, there are a number of commonly used effects that are included in most people’s pedal boards. This includes a tuner pedal, distortion, wah, a booster pedal, and a delay pedal. Delay adds a barely perceptible echo effect to guitar notes, feeding them through the amp multiple times to make it sound as if the guitar line has been double recorded (although guitarists are free to delay notes as much as they want, and some use the pedal to bizarre effect). Wah, on the other hand, gives guitar licks more of a vocal feel. A boost pedal comes in handy during solos that tend to get lost in the other amplified music being created by a band, while distortion is one of the most iconic sounds in grunge and heavy metal.
When all of these effects (and dozens of other less common ones) are available to guitarists during performances and recording sessions, they are able to elicit a wide range of sounds and musical styles from their instruments, without having to take time to change setups or swap out guitars. While the flexibility provided by pedal boards might not be essential (some people simply enjoy playing in a single, natural tone, without effects), it comes in handy for those looking to mix things up a bit.
Tips for Building Your Own Pedal Board
While it is possible to buy a variety of pedal boards pre-made, many guitarists opt to build their own. Now only does this provide the satisfaction of a DIY project, but it also ensures that they get exactly the pedals and effects they want, with no unnecessary extras getting in the way. Building the simplest pedal board possible that provides all the desired effects is the best way to keep things straight while performing and also makes the board easier to travel with.
Obviously, the first step is to decide what effects will go into the pedal board. The common options mentioned earlier (particularly a tuner, overdrive, and, depending on preference, wah and distortion pedals) are a great place to start, but it is important for guitarists to choose what they truly enjoy, rather than letting other people’s opinions impact their decisions.
Choose the Right Size
It is also important to choose an appropriately sized board, and this will obviously depend on how many pedals a musician decides to incorporate. You can use just about any flat, hard surface, including a wooden board, metal plate—even an old skateboard deck. Choose something that travels easy, fits well into your stage setup, and matches your aesthetic.
It is equally important to choose the right power source to power the pedals. A top-quality isolated power supply unit (PSU) is the best option, particularly for those who intend to use their pedal boards regularly and incorporate a number of different effects.
Once all of the components have been selected and acquired, the final step is to install them onto the board. There are a number of ways to do so, ranging from Velcro hook-and-loop fasteners and plastic reclosable fasteners to mounting brackets and screws and just about anything else you can dream up. Then connect the pedals with patch cables, power them with your PSU, and you are all set. More advanced users might consider daisy-chaining all of their pedals together off of one power source, but for those who don’t have experience working with pedal circuits, many power sources come with multiple isolated outputs for the various pedals on the board.
Stomp Boxes Provide Foot-Powered Percussion
One final element that a lot of people like to add to their pedal boards is a set of stomp boxes, which provide foot-powered percussion when playing alone or without the benefit of a drummer. Stomp boxes come in a wide variety of formats, from basic hollow wooden boxes with an integrated pickup to digital percussion tools that allow for layering and creating pre-programmed drum lines.
Once the pedal board is complete, it’s just a matter of plugging it in and experimenting. For those who have found that their world expanded when they switched from acoustic to electric guitars, a good pedal board is the door into other musical universes, where the only limitation is your imagination.