Pedalboard qs

[ped]

Hi folks

 

I'm thinking about getting a pedalboard for a handful of effects now that I have a regular 'gig' and I want to avoid using velcro. That leaves me with either Aclam 'clamps' or Temple Audio base screws.

 

Both look fine but I'm wondering how well they'd work with a pedal which has 'feet' so that the base of the pedal isn't flush with the board. For example my Mutron has quite big feet which lift it about 1cm. I don't want to remove them (they're glued on).

 

The clamps on the Aclam look like they'd be a bit small to grab enough of the pedal, and the base unit on the Temple Audio doesn't look like it has any travel to allow the baseplate to be anything but flush with the board itself.

 

Is that right? Does anyone have either and can confirm?

 

Cheers

[pantherairsoft]

Hey ped!

 

I can confirm that the Temple option is unlikely to work. The plates don’t end up much thicker than two pieces (the hook and the loop together) of high quality Velcro. If you have really small rubber feet (the little domed ones) you can get away with it, but it’s still fiddly.

 

I can’t confirm the Aclam option, but it doesn’t look like it would work. 
 

If you’re against Velcro, I’d suggest long cable ties as the easiest and cheapest fix for this (and one that will work with many board types).

Edited June 11, 2023 by pantherairsoft

[ped]

Thanks mate yes that seems like the best option. I've nearly ordered a few times so glad I checked first! Hope you're doing well.

[pantherairsoft]

20 minutes ago, ped said:

Thanks mate yes that seems like the best option. I've nearly ordered a few times so glad I checked first! Hope you're doing well.

I’m really good thanks! You?
 

I was really sold on the marketing for the Temple stuff, and while the input/output modules etc are very very good (if not overpriced), the board itself ended up feeling like a faff. It’s surprising hard to get stuff to line up straight and though very secure, it’s just not as efficient as Velcro for changing pedals around IMO. I know they have a good following, but it didn’t work for me. I like the board design, but I’d still use Velcro on it.

 

If your issue is the adhesive on the pedals (as I know you have some older, valuable pedals in your stock), the temple plates adhesive pads are just as bad. After a very expensive flirt with them, I went back to Pedaltrain. 
 

Though I dislike the cable tie solution from an aesthetics perspective, it is the best method for avoiding Velcro IMO. Temple boards are great for cable ties, as are Warwick Rockboards. Pedaltrains work, but only for vertical use of ties.

[krispn]

I use dual Lock and if you’re sneaky with it and don’t plan to move pedals about you can double up so you get extra clearance. One piece stuck to the board, one to the pedal and then two pieces back to back and boom. Easy to do and as it happens I’m selling a board with a dual lock already in place 😀

Edited June 11, 2023 by krispn

[ped]

47 minutes ago, krispn said:

I use dual Lock and if you’re sneaky with it and don’t plan to move pedals about you can double up so you get extra clearance. One piece stuck to the board, one to the pedal and then two pieces back to back and boom. Easy to do and as it happens I’m selling a board with a dual lock already in place 😀

Thanks I did wonder about that but the pedals are really heavy so I’m not sure if trust it!

[PaulThePlug]

Another vote for Cable Ties...

MDF... a few well placed holes... cable ties... bosh!

 

I'd like a wood board, with pedal routs... Bit like the Boss Blo-Moulded Case, but with style... be nice for 2 (or 3!) of the 'lil Joyo Ironman pedals.

I've the Tuner and Orange Juice... just need something in the middle... thinking Phaser or Chorus.

Whatever comes up first n cheap... fingers crossed it's the Phaser!

Edited June 11, 2023 by PaulThePlug

[krispn]

1 hour ago, ped said:

Thanks I did wonder about that but the pedals are really heavy so I’m not sure if trust it!

I have a Simone secured and struggle to extricate my existing pedals with dual lock off the board which hs standard Velcro on there. It’s serious stuff! 

[pantherairsoft]

1 hour ago, ped said:

Thanks I did wonder about that but the pedals are really heavy so I’m not sure if trust it!

Industrial strength Velcro branded stuff, 2” wide, will stick bricks to the ceiling! Sometimes trying to get pedals off with that stuff requires your entire strength.

[krispn]

I did the classic merengue test and held it above someone else’s head to make sure they all stayed in place. 

[ped]

😆 you’d definitely know if a Mutron hit you in the head. Tbh I think you’d be in the big house on a manslaughter charge

[krispn]

I have a good lawyer 😉

[itu]

I like cable ties. Perforated aluminium is also your friend: cheap and easy to cut to size.

(This board has changed a lot lately, and it has to fit mono Tick.)

 

[jimbobothy]

… I prefer dual lock over Velcro tbh. Dual lock comes in 3 different strengths (and a variety of those strengths for different substrates). The most secure combo is 250 stem into 400 stem. They don’t recommend going 400/400 as it’s too hard to get off (and I found the mushroom heads start falling off as so much force is required to shift them lol). It is strong stuff and gives around 6mm standoff beftween the pedal bottom and board for neat cable routing etc. One of the downsides is if you change your board often you need to replace the board segments more often. You can get away with using pieces again, but not always. The adhesive is normally acrylic and leaves no residue to speak off also. The main downside is cost though.

[LukeFRC]

@jimbobothy warned me not to use too much - I’ve got 4 squares about 5*15 MM per pedal and it’s more than enough

[KingBollock]

I don’t know if this is any help to anyone… I recently bought some cable/zip ties from Aldi or Lidl (sorry, can’t remember which). They’re large, black and can be undone and reused, which is very handy. It’s nice not having to cut them off and waste them everytime you need to change something.

[fretmeister]

another option for suitable pedals is bike chain links

 

 

 

Personally though - Dual Lock will be strong enough. As stated before, if you put too much on you'll need a crowbar to get the pedal off again.

[Osiris]

Dual lock is also available in a low profile version, I have some and with both sides joined together it's only a couple of mm deep, pedals certainly feel more stable than with traditional, thicker velcro. As others have said it's very strong if a little pricey. 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Osiris
Typo

[Frank Blank]

On 30/05/2023 at 11:00, ped said:

Hi folks

 

I'm thinking about getting a pedalboard for a handful of effects now that I have a regular 'gig' and I want to avoid using velcro. That leaves me with either Aclam 'clamps' or Temple Audio base screws.

 

Both look fine but I'm wondering how well they'd work with a pedal which has 'feet' so that the base of the pedal isn't flush with the board. For example my Mutron has quite big feet which lift it about 1cm. I don't want to remove them (they're glued on).

 

The clamps on the Aclam look like they'd be a bit small to grab enough of the pedal, and the base unit on the Temple Audio doesn't look like it has any travel to allow the baseplate to be anything but flush with the board itself.

 

Is that right? Does anyone have either and can confirm?

 

Cheers

 

I have a Grace Design Alix with feet on the bottom and a Boss tuner with the same. You can move the pedals about so the feet fall into the gaps or, even if the pedal is sitting on its feet, the Aclam clips still hold it in place. As you can see from this pic...

 

 

...the GDA is only held in with three Aclam clips (due to leads) and yet I can still hold it upside down and shake it* despite it being a heavy pedal.

 

*easy

[ped]

21 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

 

I have a Grace Design Alix with feet on the bottom and a Boss tuner with the same. You can move the pedals about so the feet fall into the gaps or, even if the pedal is sitting on its feet, the Aclam clips still hold it in place. As you can see from this pic...

 

 

...the GDA is only held in with three Aclam clips (due to leads) and yet I can still hold it upside down and shake it* despite it being a heavy pedal.

 

*easy

 

I did wonder about that... the Mutron feet are quite chunky squares of rubber so I wonder if they'd fit into the gaps, and if the gaps would be spaced appropriately? I'll get the tape measure out. The Bassballs is less of a prob as the feet are detachable with screws.

[Frank Blank]

On 12/06/2023 at 14:04, ped said:

I did wonder about that... the Mutron feet are quite chunky squares of rubber so I wonder if they'd fit into the gaps, and if the gaps would be spaced appropriately? I'll get the tape measure out. The Bassballs is less of a prob as the feet are detachable with screws.

 

@ped just about to sell my Aclam board + accessories/leads in case you are still interested in such a thing.

[ped]

1 hour ago, Frank Blank said:

 

@ped just about to sell my Aclam board + accessories/leads in case you are still interested in such a thing.

 

Thanks, I think I'll need a bigger one but cheers for the heads up

[franzbassist]

On 12/06/2023 at 00:55, jimbobothy said:

… I prefer dual lock over Velcro tbh.

My preferred option as well.  Really rock solid stability.

[ped]

I’ve asked Temple Audio if I can use longer screws and a washer to reach the plate attached to the pedal. Seems like it should be fine if they can tell me the screw thread. 

[Downunderwonder]

Another option, make a "shoe" out of thermoplastic so your pedal has a flat bottom.

 

I am not familiar with your fancy schmamcy pedalboard system but if the feet are getting in the way.....

 

You buy it as little beads and heat it to 50° in water. It turns soft and sticks to itself. You squeeze out the water and hey presto a hot blob of anything you can imagine. It doesn't stick to parchment paper which is just a fancy word for baking paper.

 

I am imagining something more like a "sandal" for your pedal. Connected corner blocks and continuous thin base.