18 DIY Pedalboard Plans and Ideas

Experienced musicians know a good pedalboard is vital to a successful guitar performance.

A bad pedalboard is frustrating beyond relief, with cables crossing over one another, pedals scattering everywhere, and can not control the sound of guitar. However, a good pedalboard from a trustable brand costs a lot.

You will appreciate this list of 18 DIY Pedalboard Plans and Ideas. They range from simple and cheap to build to complex and high-budget. No matter how experienced you are as a DIY-er, you will find a fit plan here.

1. DIY Pedalboard Build From Premier Guitar

If you are looking for a sturdy option, this pedalboard is an excellent fit. After all, it was constructed purely out of birch, known for strength and flexibility.

Birch wood is also one of the best materials for crushing and shock resistance, allowing you to stomp your heart away without worrying about the board breaking.

Due to its top piece using a specific slotted pattern, the power and signal cables can pass easily through the whole board. After all, each slot has a length of 7″ with 6″ of wood separating them.

This project doesn’t require anything more advanced than basic woodworking skills.

Project details: premierguitar.com

2. DIY Case Pedalboard

Due to its main frame being made from an old compound bow case, this pedalboard designed like a case can double.

Aside from looking much cooler, this decision also strengthens the pedalboard’s structural integrity. Thanks to the built-in handles, you will also have an easier time carrying it around.

With the case’s design, you can add surface-mount receptacles on the sides. Doing so allows you to plug in two more items on it. This advantage is very useful for someone who uses lots of amps.

Project details: instructables.com

3. DIY Walnut Pedalboard

The pedalboard with a 24 by 4 overall size makes it big enough to store all your pedals without being too big that it becomes cumbersome.

The whole thing is made from walnut, so the pedalboard is durable and long-lasting. Walnut’s natural wood grain also adds some interesting decoration for the pedalboard.

The pieces are all joined together by dovetail cuts, so people won’t see any hideous screw heads on this pedalboard. Two standoffs are filling the back corner of the pedalboard, holding the rubber feet and bottom panel upright and stable.

4. Effects Pedal Board Box

The first thing that you can think of when you see the pedal board is “humongous.”

After all, it measures up to 220 cm in length. Using it, you will never have to worry about not having enough space to store all your pedals.

It has a layer of soft fabric coats the interior of the pedalboard. This design protects both the board and the pedals, as the fabric acts as a layer of protection between them. It also makes the box look more visually appealing.

Project details: instructables.com

5. Make A Modern Guitar Pedalboard

Many musicians need a pedalboard that can travel with them yet still be capable of functioning professionally.

That is why this modern-style pedal board is made completely from hard maple and mahogany, making it much stronger and more durable than it looks.

As it will travel a lot, the design hides away all the cables and power supply from view. This is to protect them from both environmental damage and unintentional accidents.

However, there are still small enough cracks between strips of wood on the surface to ensure sufficient airflow.

6. DIY Modular Pedalboard

This modular pedalboard breaks away from the old Pedaltrain-type formula at every opportunity.

First, they took the power supply off the board’s top piece. Doing so enables them to save valuable stompbox space.

It also makes it possible for them to get the top section completely removable, as the power supply is secured elsewhere.

In turn, the removable top section allows you to assemble a new board whenever you want to change your playstyle with practically no difficulty.

You can do so in a manner of minutes, which is simply impossible for the classic pedalboard layout.

Project details: guitar.com

7. DIY Upcycled Pedalboard

Here is the epitome of simplicity. It’s just a single board with pedals attached to it by velcro strips.

There is practically no requirement for any existing skill, making it a true beginner-friendly project.

This simplicity also means you can change its layout according to the specific pedals you have.

After all, the Velcro strips are easy to move around, so you won’t have any trouble if you have enough space on the board.

Project details: instructables.com

8. Easy Cheap and Fast Guitar Pedalboard

There is no better description for this simple pedalboard than “affordable.”

You won’t need to spend any dime on the materials, as the main board can be made from any old wood flooring piece have lying around.

It utilizes a multi-connector power supply, so you won’t have to worry about individual supplies for each pedal.

This feature can be a lifesaver whenever you play in a club. It also uses velcro to keep the pedals sticking, so you can re-organize the layout whenever you like.

9. DIY Custom Guitar Pedal Board

The whole board is built from mahogany and oak, making it rugged enough to last through years upon years of usage.

It is designed to be big enough to fit all your pedals and leave some room, yet still compact enough to carry around with no issue.

The elevated design ensures that all the cables can slip in from all sides while ensuring stability. It also allows enough space underneath for power supply placement, keeping it hidden from view.

The sides are angled just enough to pitch all the top slats, improving visibility and reach for pedal selectors.

Project details: feltmagnet.com

10. DIY Powered Pedal Board With Input Jacks

The musicians on a budget should love the fully powered pedalboard included input jacks, as it provides an affordable approach.

You can use practically any wood to make the box frame, ranging from MDF to birch. Everything is kept in place by velcro, which costs pennies.

It also has a unique design that hides all the power cables inside and has a neat appearance. The connected power cables also mean that you only need one power source, which is great if you travel a lot for place. After all, not many places have lots of power supply in one corner.

Project details: instructables.com

11. Custom Guitar Pedal Board Out Of Walnut

The entire frame is made using box joints, as the material can’t handle dado stacks. Box joints give it stronger structural integrity without damaging its internal core.

They also make it easier to angle the planks and give the box a natural angle look.

The top is built with latches and handles, allowing easy access to all the cables hidden below. This design gives you the capability to customize the cables and the pedals anytime.

12. DIY IKEA Gorm Pedalboard

Due to it using IKEA Gorm shelves as the main material, the DIY IKEA Gorm Pedalboard has all of the shelves’ advantages.

As such, it is both lightweight and cheap to buy, yet still strong enough with a proper supporting setup.

The amount of shelves you get for each purchase also means that you have plenty of wood available to change the board into a more comfortable position. You can use all the leftover material to brace all the weak sections that can pop up during construction.

The shelves also have a naturally slated design, so you don’t need additional woodworking to tidy the cables up and hide them beneath.

Project details: samnewtonmusic.com

13. DIY Pedalboard From An IKEA Crate

Even beginners should not have any issue completing this entirely-wooden pedalboard.

The whole thing is just an L-shape board built from one side of an IKEA board and one slat from another side. As such, the hardest part of the whole project is cutting up the board.

When you put the two sides together, you will be using L-brackets and screws to keep them stuck. There is no challenge there, so you should spend 10 to 15 minutes finishing the whole frame.

14. Build A Custom Guitar Pedalboard out of Wood

If you don’t want to hit the wrong pedal’s knobs while stepping on switches on the back row of your pedalboard, this custom guitar pedalboard should be the perfect fit for you.

Its design adds two additional boards onto the rails in the back. As such, it becomes elevated enough that you will never accidentally hit anything.

There are also non-skid pads stuck on the board’s bottom. For this reason, it will not slide around even if you put all your force onto it.

This is quite good for guitarists, as we lose ourselves in the music and forget to control our feet.

Project details: thecarmichaelworkshop.com

15. DIY Pedalboard By Twisted Woodshop

The special thing about this twisted pedalboard is that it is held together through dovetails.

They are not easy to get right, but they will stick strongly once they connect together. Furthermore, they don’t leave behind any screw head, improving the pedalboard’s overall appearance.

It has a brake for both the front and rear sides, adding stability. The top piece is made from two boards joining together, improving its strength and durability significantly.

16. Wood Pedaltrain Novo 32 Pedalboard

There is no other tool needed for this 5-piece-of-wood pedalboard other than a drill and a hand saw.

This ease of build is due to the design specifically selected with specific sizes. As a result, you don’t need to rip them, saving a lot of time to spend on unfamiliar tools.

The runners are spaced irregularly, with the top gap being much wider than all other gaps. This difference in space is there to accommodate the power supply cable, which is usually much bigger than other types of cable.

Project details: instructables.com

17. How To Make A Pedalboard By Eric Lindberg

The core frame is made entirely out of maple, providing it with a high level of stability and sturdiness.

Maple’s natural light and creamy color also means that you don’t need to spend more effort painting, as this natural color is eye-catching.

The sides are cut with a small notch in the middle. This decision allows you to fit the board in without using anything other than wood glue.

The notch also leaves a gap between the planks, allowing cables to go through to connect to all your pedals.

18. DIY Wooden Pedalboard From Pedal Haven

With this plan, the entire building process is straightforward, taking you at most an hour to finish the whole thing.

The material is also cheap, as you only need to spend about a few bucks to get everything

The slats are specifically built with large gaps between them so that the cables can run through and reach the cable with no difficulty. The space also ensures proper airflow for your pedals.

Project details: pedalhaven.com

Conclusion

So, you have chosen one of the 18 DIY pedalboard plans and ideas above? Each of these plans has its unique strengths and weaknesses, from simple, cheap, and complex which need some skills in woodworking.

In a correct situation, all can be a good choice. We hope you can apply at least one of them to save money from buying a brand-new pedalboard.

What are you waiting for? Let’s start building.