Grateful Dead Music Forum

Here's the final version (though nothing is ever truly final with a pedalboard, this board includes every effect I need and use). And it's got a significantly smaller footprint than before. The availability these days of inexpensive but good-sounding mini-sized pedals makes this possible. These days, I'll keep a larger footprint effect on my board only if it does something for me that I can't duplicate in a smaller enclosure.

If you're so inclined, share a pic also of your current 'board.

Looks fun! Lots of good options there.

Currently trying to keep things as simple as possible…have this Jerry pedalboard for when I am going that route…and then a little compact guy next to my amp that does some of the classics well.

Sweet - focused and compact.

There's a lot to be said for those style of 'boards! My west coast 'board is like that (pic below).

Myself, only a fraction of my current playing benefits from Jerry tone. Of course, I still have on my east coast larger board all of the pedals I really need to get that sound. But I also have what I need for the increasingly large segment of my music that's original, and for covering everything from U2 to Everclear.

Here’s my current pedal board. I keep my guitar volume at “10” and have the volume pedal last in the chain. That way I can get the benefits of an OBEL and still use a wireless.

Bill, tgo

Sweet ‘board!

Thanks! I’m 100% sold on mini pedals. And with 3M Dual Lock they are solidly mounted. The Donner Envelope was under $40 on Amazon and is surprisingly good. I’ve noticed no difference between the mini Earthdrive and the full size one I’ve since sold. The Xotic EP is always on at unity gain. My newest addition is the auto return mini wah. I LOVE this thing! My pet peeve with wahs is that I don’t know if I’ve successfully turned it on or off until I move the pedal. With this, I step on it, it’s on. I lift my foot, it’s off. Of course this wouldn’t work for someone who likes to set the wah pedal and leave it. I only use my wah when my foot is engaged.

Bill, tgo

I use Dual Lock, too. I started out with 250 on my board and 400 on my pedals but found the bond was TOO tight - getting the pedals off was like pulling teeth. So, now, I'm using 250 to 250. It's still more than tight enough of a bond to lift the board upside down with nothing detaching. But when I want to detach a pedal, a small push with a screwdriver and it pops off.

That wah looks interesting. I'll have to check one out.

Re: Donner mini pedals, I especially dig the original version Mod Square. I currently own two, one's in VA, the other in CA. The original version has benefits over the two later ones which add new functions but they either or both duplicate what I already have on my boards or I don't care for the sounds plus it makes the control which chooses the effect even more crowded than it already was on the mini pedal.

I like the Sonicake mini pedals, too. Their Rude Mouse, for example, sounds better to me than my ProCo Rat that it's modeled on. The Rude Mouse has slightly more mids (which I like, the original Rat is quite scooped) and the mini toggle allows you to add back in a noticeable amount of low end if you prefer (another limitation of the original Rat).

That Mod Square looks interesting. Mooer did the same sort of thing with their Mod Factory. My board includes the Hotone Xtomp which can be loaded via bluetooth in about 10 seconds with any of about 300 different pedals, amps, and cabs using their free app. Very convenient for tailoring the board to different musical situations.

Bill, tgo

Jon S. wrote: ↑Fri Mar 21, 2025 2:03 pm

Used my new 'board for the first time at practice last night. I'm very happy with the outcome. It now has everything on it I need for all of the wide range of genres and songs I play. It's a good feeling!

I’ve gone Boss-mode this year, moving on from my MuTron branded effects and my Sarno pedals. I’ve also been using this Analogman envelope filter for about a year and can’t recommend it enough. It’s my favorite of all the ones I’ve owned (all the usual suspects).

Also found a company making reissues of colorsound wah’s (that’s the orange thing on the right), pairs really well with my alligator, nails the 72/73 tone.

PSA: I believe we've discussed this here before but the new version GE-7s in the black boxes have all of the issues pre-corrected that people used to send their old GE-7s out for to be fixed.

Jon S. wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 5:40 pm PSA: I believe we've discussed this here before but the new version GE-7s in the black boxes have all of the issues pre-corrected that people used to send their old GE-7s out for to be fixed.

Yea, that thread (and others regarding the GE 7) inspired me to pick one up. I’ve only had it for a couple of months, but it’s been really fun to mess around with. I feel like it helps a lot with leveling out the high frequencies that can come from when I’m playing through my E JBLs.