Doesn’t have to be a hunk of metal either.
you can craft one with a few 2 x 4’s and ply wood, or peg board, or anything.
Could be a heavy duty rubbermaid container like sweaterbox, but for outside, turn one of those lids over. You can put velcro on it and the pedals on the velcro.
Of course, if you want it to look nice, there are nicer ways to go about it, but you still won’t have to pay big bucks on a pedal board.
I think it is hilarious that some brands sell pedal boards that is basically a sheet of aluminum, and it is 15" long and 8" wide and they cut a hole out of the middle to make it like it is too rails, then they bend the ends, and tack weld some support pcs, and sell about $6 worth of material and labor and turn and sell them for near $60 or even up to $80. Don’t forget the cheapo gig bag and couple pc of velcro they provide, so yeah, guess that is worth the other $70 or so bucks. LOL
i lucked out and found a nice big one, two tiers with a slanted / ramp on the right end like for an expression pedal or wah to go on. I can hold all the pedals i need and more without having to get too creative with the rouding and positioning, BUT,like I said, I lucked out.
I got it from my local Pawn and Guitar shop. I know the guy a little, he helps me with things and is a good tech, so he double checked some of my set ups, and helped with some switch things I was having trouble with cuz I didn’t know (how to tighten the stacked pot) and he showed me. And I never really buy anything big there. I have bought straps, Ernie Ball Music cable, couple Stands, a Capo and strings, maybe a few other things, but its not like I have bought a couple $400-$400 basses from him before.
But
He is always good to me, and I found this pedalboard in the corner. I thought it might be pretty big at the time, I didnt have a lot of pedals and I was looking at alot of mini pedals at the time, so I asked
Do you have any other pedalboards.
He said, not right now
I said, can you work me a deal on this
It was priced $59. it was not beautiful immaculate, but it was in really good shape, just needed a good cleaning, maybe a little black spray paint. I had already thought to myself that I would offer $45, truth be told, that was all the cash I had. I could have used a card, but nah…
So
He said, how about $45, I thought, perfect and said, OK, can you bring it to the counter for me.
Now, while I was finishing looking at stuff, and looking thru my pockets and wallet for a missing $5 (not missing, just I thought I had $45 on me, and can only find $40) and couldn’t find it, so I went to the car and looked to see if I left it in the car, but it still was not there. So, I still have the card, and I hated to use it for a purchase like this, but I could always keep the cash and just do $45 on the card (a debit card mind you, not racking up on a CC), Urgh…
So
I gave him a choice, and I said, look, I am super sorry, I thought I had $45 (truthfully, not a barter gimmick) All I can find is $40. Can you go $40, or I got a card if you want to run it for the extra $5. He thought for a second, but was busy with another lady at the counter that was looking to sell some jewelry IIRC, and he was losing interest in me and my measly $5, and wanted to give her rull attention cuz she has some money in form of jewlery, and I also recall that she was attractive. not 100% sure, but I am pretty sure that she was a hottie, with jewlery, money, she had what he wanted, so I could have probably said, ok, thanks for the deal, i will get that $45 from you next time (turning it around so he owed me money) and he probably would have happily said, yeah, sure thing, now GET THE F OUT, ad lock the doors on your way out. LOL
Haa, yeah, my pedalboard has a story, but the fact it, if I had to pay $300 or more for this, which I am sure it probably cost wen it was new, there is not a chance in hell i would have.
If I were a touring player, I would probably get that Temple one that I believe @JoshFossgreen and @PamPurrs and possibly @itsratso and some others I am sure have. That one looks worth the money spend based on the end results that I have seen.
