1. The list in brief
2. Best overall
3. Best lightweight option
4. Best modular pedalboard
5. Best bundle
6. Best mid-priced option
7. Best on a budget
8. More options...
9. Buying advice
10. How we choose
Ever since Bo Diddley introduced guitarists to the joys of pedals with his self-titled 1995 hit, players have been seeking ways to shape their instruments’ core sound. Effects pedals are addictive, and once you add one to your setup, it won’t be long before you’re faced with a floor covered in stompboxes. The best pedalboards will make sure your rig stays in check, and will keep your prized pedals in presentable fashion.
But pedalboards do more than just keep things looking professional. Whether you’ve just got a handful of drive pedals or multiple units for specific sounds, a decent pedalboard will encourage tidy cable management, remove the need for deconstructing and rewiring your rig, and make transporting your pedals between gigs so much easier.
Pedalboards have developed quite a bit over the years, and now come in all sorts of shapes and sizes: there are flat ones, tiered ones and even a few with extendable rails. The point is, ‘board shopping can be quite daunting, so to help we’ve put together our pick of the best pedalboards on the market right now.
If you’re new to the world of pedalboards or just need some extra guidance, simply click through to our buying advice section. If you'd like to take a look at the products, keep scrolling.
Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to publications including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Total Guitar. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.
Best pedalboards: Quick list
Want to get straight to the best pedalboards on the market right now? Below, you’ll find a round-up of our top choices. You can jump to a more detailed review of every pick and better yet our price comparison tool will help you find the best deals.
We believe the Metro 16 is a really great pedalboard for mounting around five to eight effects pedals, throwing them in the nylon shoulder bag and running out the door to practice. Even if you only have three or four right now, the extra space will come in handy when you inevitably size up the floor show.
The TRES 3.1 sees RockBoard improve upon already solid past designs with a seamless, folded aluminum construction and a powder-black finish, and plenty of routing for cables and a sturdy support beam down the middle. It makes the most of its board space so mounting up to around eight to 10 standard-sized pedals shouldn’t be a problem.
The Temple Audio Duo 17 is perfect for those who want to keep their ‘boards looking clean and fresh as much as possible. There’s space to run cables and arrange your pedals as you choose, and Temple’s own Quick Release pedal mounts mean you can fix your pedals down without the hassle of velcro or other strong adhesives.
The GPT-PRO-PWR is a hefty ol’ beast but it can house and power up to 11 pedals. It may even squeeze some more onto its Velcro-covered space if your rig is packing a lot of mini-stomps. It comes with a pre-mounted G-BUS-8 power supply that has eight 9V and three 18V outputs. There's room to mount another G-BUS-8 should you need it.
This Dingbat comes in three different sizes. For us, the medium is the happy option for mounting eight to 12 pedals – size depending, of course – with the adhesive hook-and-loop fasteners. Power supplies can be mounted on top or below the pedalboard and Voodoo Lab offers bundles with supplies included.
In our experience, this is a great pedalboard for the money. It has a clean construction with routing across the middle of the 'board for threading cables through. You should be able to fit around 10 pedals on this – more if you are using minis. Pedals are mounted using the usual hook-and-loop tape and a roll is included with the unit.
Read more below
Best pedalboard overall
We believe the Metro 16 is a really great pedalboard for mounting around five to eight effects pedals, throwing them in the nylon shoulder bag and running out the door to practice. Even if you only have three or four right now, the extra space will come in handy when you inevitably size up the floor show.
For an extra $70 you can get a super-tough tour case, and the Metro 16 is small enough to take as a carry-on item with most US airlines.
Pedals are attached with Pedaltrain's “professional-grade, hook-and-loop pedal fasteners” and it comes with plenty of cable ties. You’ll need to buy your power supply separately, though.
Best lightweight option
The TRES 3.1 sees RockBoard improve upon already solid past designs with a seamless, folded aluminum construction and a powder-black finish, and plenty of routing for cables and a sturdy support beam down the middle. It makes the most of its board space so mounting up to around eight to 10 standard sized pedals shouldn’t be a problem.
It comes with a gig-bag with a shoulder strap and an all-important accessories pocket, but an extra 60 bucks gets you a flight case if you need something more rugged.
Power supplies can be mounted on the bottom of the unit and you can easily adjust the height to your preference.
Best modular pedalboard
The Temple Audio Duo 17 is perfect for those who want to keep their ‘boards looking clean and fresh as much as possible. There’s space to run cables and arrange your pedals as you choose, and Temple’s own Quick Release pedal mounts mean you can fix your pedals down without the hassle of velcro or other strong adhesives.
The pedalboards themselves are modular, to make setting up and packing down even less of a chore. All you have to do is unscrew the end panels, and then you’ve got space for any of Temple’s extensive list of separate power and I/O accessories, which include 1/4” patch bays, USB sockets for charging devices, and IEC sockets for your power supply.
Most of all, we think it looks great. They come in loads of different colors to match your vibe and – more importantly – different sizes to accommodate even the beefiest of pedal collections. Unfortunately, there’s no case included – but for the sheer quality of the board alone, you’re getting a great deal.
Best bundle pedalboard
The GPT-PRO-PWR is a hefty ol’ beast but it can house and power up to 11 pedals. It may even squeeze some more onto its Velcro-covered space if your rig is packing a lot of mini-stompboxes.
It comes with a pre-mounted G-BUS-8 power supply that has eight 9V and three 18V outputs. There's room to mount another G-BUS-8 should you need it.
We did find the board to be fairly heavy but the built-in handle can take the weight, and the roomy accessory pockets on the gig-bag will come in handy. It also comes with plenty of Velcro tape for fastening pedals.
Best mid-priced option
This Dingbat comes in three different sizes. For us, the medium is the happy option for mounting eight to 12 pedals – size depending, of course – with the adhesive hook-and-loop fasteners.
Power supplies can be mounted on top or below the pedalboard and Voodoo Lab offers bundles with supplies included. Shipped with a Pedal Power 4X4, which powers up to eight pedals, it’ll cost around $300, and an extra $100 buys you the Pedal Power Mondo, which powers up to 12 pedals.
The slots make for easy arrangements with plenty of space to tidy the cables underneath the unit. A bag makes it easy to transport.
Best on a budget
In our experience, this is a great pedalboard for the money. It has a clean construction with routing across the middle of the 'board for threading cables through. You should be able to fit around 10 pedals on this – more if you are using minis.
Pedals are mounted using the usual hook-and-loop tape and a roll is included with the unit. The setup should make it easy to arrange your pedals however you like them.
Despite the lightweight construction, non-slip rubber feet will keep this firmly in place on the floor. Best of all, the gig bag has pockets and a shoulder strap.
More options...
So those are our top picks, but there are many more great options to choose from that offer something a little different in terms of features and performance. We've selected a few more stellar pedalboards below.
Oftentimes, your pedalboard is easy to arrange until you try and fit a wah or volume pedal on there. But the Tour Pro 1520 has an ingenious two-tier solution, with a riser allowing you to sit the wah on there above the rest of your pedals.
The riser is detachable, you can buy supplementary risers should you have a volume or whammy pedal, and is screwed to the board.
Options include the ultra-transparent Friedman Buffer Bay 6 for an extra $70, while you can get that plus a Power Grid 10, powering up to ten effects and designed as an extra riser, all for $569.
The wiring options are hugely configurable and eliminate the signal issues you can get with complex signal chains. This latter “platinum option” is not cheap but it truly has all the bells and whistles.
Is this the tidiest power solution on the market? Quite possibly. The Nomad is powered by an onboard lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 12800mAh, which translates to over 10 hours of power after around three hours of charging.
As far as DC outputs go, the Nomad is pretty versatile, with seven 9V outputs, a pair of 12V outputs and one switchable between 18 and 24V.
The unit comes in a soft bag with a whole bunch of cable ties, hook-and-loop fasteners and DC connector cables. Just plug it all in and play.
The Boss BCB-90X is the successor to the much-loved BCB-60, a staple for beginner players getting their first pedalboards up and running. The best thing about this pedalboard is that it contains everything you need apart from the pedals themselves and the patch cables to connect them.
It includes a daisy-chain cable and PSB-1U adaptor that powers up to ten pedals, built-in junction boxes for your instrument input, plus stereo outputs to ensure you get the most out of your rig. The high-density insert foam is scored to fit 9 standard Boss stompboxes, but can be easily cut to fit your pedal of choice.
The unit itself is super rugged yet lightweight, great for those dingy venues with no lift to get your gear upstairs. The lid is detachable too, making it a breeze to rock up to your next show and get yourself up and running.
This injection-molded, plug-in-and-play pedalboard from SKB moves away from the aluminum and wood construction paradigm to bring you a 'board that can power up to eight pedals.
It might be a bit of a cram fitting all eight if you have many large-enclosure models, but attaching and arranging your effects should be a breeze. Like the Gator, the whole pedal-mount section is covered with hook-and-loop fastenings.
There are other, more luxurious options with better-shielded power supplies but for a first pedalboard that’s affordable and easy to cart around, you could do a lot worse.
If you’re constantly changing your ‘board around or you just want to make sure you have room for future pedal purchases, the D’Addario XPND 2 is an ingenious way to ensure you always have enough room for your pedals. With its patented telescoping design you can instantly change the size of the pedalboard whenever the mood takes you.
Able to accommodate two rows of regular sized stompboxes, the XPND 2 nearly doubles in size when you pull out the telescopic section. It’s pre-fitted with loop Velcro, so you just need to attach the hook side to your pedalboard and drop your pedals straight on.
It’s also got a unique cable management system, with clips included to keep your cables secure and out of sight. Add in the incredibly durable aluminium construction and you’ve got yourself a ‘board that will put up with regular touring.
Best pedalboards: Buying advice
What is a pedalboard?
A pedalboard is a unit designed to contain your guitar pedals, making them easy to access whilst keeping all your cables neat and tidy. As well as providing ease of use, they’re also great for players who gig regularly, as you simply need to turn up, plug your guitar into one end, amp into the other, and away you go.
How much do pedalboards cost?
Pedalboards aren’t hugely expensive, nor are they cheap either. You could make your own with a little ingenuity and some Swedish-made shelves if you’re the handy sort, but for most of us it’s a lot easier to purchase one ready made. Generally speaking the more room you need, the more expensive the board becomes. Realistically you spend $/£60 on a small pedalboard, right up to $/£1000 for more professional, custom-made options. You’ll also need to take in the additional costs of hook and loop, cable ties, power supply, and patch cables if you don’t already have these.
How do I attach my pedals?
The most popular way is using hook and loop Velcro or one of it’s non-trademarked derivatives. Simply attach the loop side to your pedalboard and the hook side to your pedals themselves and stick them on your board. Some pedalboards will come with the loop side already attached, so you can quickly add and remove pedals. Hook and loop is surprisingly strong, so provided you attach them firmly, there’s little chance of your pedals moving around.
You can also attach pedals with cable/zip ties. This method is more popular if you have a pedalboard that doesn’t have traditional rails, like some of the more modern, lightweight pedalboards. However some guitarists feel it looks a little ugly, and attaching them in this fashion can make it awkward to remove the pedal, especially if you need to quickly swap something on your board.
They’re pretty rare, but you can also get pedalboards with their own bespoke fittings, like those from Temple Audio. For the most part you’ll be deciding whether to use zip/cable ties or hook and loop fastening.
How do I choose the right size pedalboard?
Getting a mini-board can seem like a great idea, until someone releases a shiny new fuzz pedal. We’d always factor in a little room for growth, unless you’re building a specifically small pedalboard for practicing or recording alongside your regular pedalboard. It’s important to think about the space that cables and power supply will take up too. Some pedals have side mounted jacks whereas others have them on the top, so a little breathing room will ensure you make the most out of your pedalboard real estate.
What’s the best guitar pedal order?
We’ll preface this by saying that there are no hard and fast rules. However, if you’re building a board for the first time, there are certain orders that will help you get a usable sound which you can then experiment with later on. We have a full article on how to arrange your pedalboard, but here are some quick tips for you to get you up and running quickly.
It’s always best to start with a tuner, as you don’t want pedals getting in the way of tuning your guitar properly. Next dynamic effects like compressors and volume pedals, followed by fuzz, overdrive, and distortion pedals. If you have a boost pedal you can add it after your drive pedals for a boost in volume, or before to help shape the tone of your guitar.
Time-based effects are best served going at the end of your chain, and can sound even better in your amp’s FX loop if you have one. Modulation effects such as chorus, flanger, and phaser should go first, then your delay pedals, and finally reverb. You can always experiment with these placements however, many ambient effects can create wild sounds if you place them before your drive pedals, so don’t be afraid to mix things up.
Which pedalboard power supply should I choose?
You’ll have to think hard about your pedalboard power supply to. A lot of pedalboards feature a mounting system on the underside to hide them away and give you more space up top, but not every pedalboard has this feature, and some guitarists prefer to have their power supply top mounted for ease of use. Make sure to check which options your pedalboard has so you don’t end up with too little room.
Mounting your pedalboard power supply will differ depending on the manufacturer too. Some will include brackets that you canmount the pedalboard power supply to, whereas with others you have to buy these separately. We’ve found you can quite often use hook and loop Velcro to attach it to the board, as well as cable ties if your chosen pedalboard doesn’t come with its own mounting system, or your pedalboard power supply won’t fit the included brackets.
What about pedalboard cable management?
Cable management is the bane of all pedal users. We’ve built loads of different pedalboards, painstakingly tidying all of the cables away, only to find we’ve wired something wrong, or a couple of weeks later we want to change the order of the pedals. Our top tip for new pedalboard users is to build your board, try it in a few rehearsals, then work on your cable management if you’re happy with the sound.
Many pedalboards offer bespoke solutions for cable management, with special clips and runners that will keep things nice and tidy, making it a lot easier to chop and change as you need. However many pedalboards leave you to work this out yourself, which means getting out the cable ties and getting creative. It’s easier than you think to create a neat looking pedalboard, but it does take time, and you should always plan out your cable runs before committing to cable tying them. Trust us, there’s nothing more annoying than undoing all your hard work because something is wired wrong, or won’t reach its destination.
How we choose the best pedalboards
Here at Guitar World, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything guitar related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best pedalboard available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
First and foremost, we are guitarists, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best pedalboard on the market right now.
Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
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