DIY Guitar Pedal Board (Effects Pedal Briefcase)

Those consumer-based guitar pedal boards are way too expensive for my taste. I came up with a simple way of carrying and powering all of those important guitar pedals boards in a briefcase.

Visit my website for other projects as well: www.kevindemarco.com

Step 1: Materials

The guitar effects briefcase consists of...

1.) Low-cost briefcase (found at Ross - DRESS FOR LESS!) I bet they have these at Wal-mart too.

2.) '''Dunlop DC Brick Power Supply'''

3.) 1/4" Guitar cables (Guitar center / your local music store)

4.) Velcro strips (found at any craft store in strips for about $5)

5.) Effects Pedals (whatever you got)

Step 2: Assemble

Wikipedia says...

"Velcro is a brand name of fabric hook-and-loop fasteners. Its consists of two layers: a "hook" side, which is a piece of fabric covered with tiny hooks, and a "loop" side, which is covered with even smaller and "hairier" loops." Read up more on Velcro

Thus, when you look at the Velcro you bought from your craft store, you will find two sides that stick to each other, the hook and loop sides. The other sides of the Velcro are like stickers and can adhere to other surfaces permanently.

1.) Cut strips of your "hook" Velcro into squares that fit onto the bottoms of your guitar pedals. Attach the Velcro to the guitar pedals using the sticky side of the Velcro

2.) Cut strips of your "loop" Velcro into longer strips and stick them to the bottom of your briefcase (on the sticky side of course) as depicted in the image.

Step 3: Insert Pedals to Complete Board

1.) Place the pedals in the briefcase however you desire.

2.) Connect the pedals with 1/4" guitar cables, making sure to be aware of the input/output of each pedal. The right angle cables are great for the cable going from your guitar into the briefcase and the cable going to your amplifier from the briefcase.

3.) Connect the pedals to the Dunlop DC brick using the power plugs that came with the DC Brick.

Some hints:

a.) Route your power wires and 1/4" guitar cables wisely to reduce the risk of snagging them with your feet or between the movements of pedal presses.

b.) Note how the Flanger and Distortion pedals in the briefcase face each other. This allows the user to easily turn both of the pedals on with one foot press. It is also easy to turn on just one of the pedals.

c.) Performing bare foot helps because shoes are clumsy when stomping on effects pedals.

d.) Add stickers to the side of the briefcase that faces the audience to make your political statements and agendas known.

Possible Improvements
a.) Could try to design my own power supply to decrease cost. The DC brick is a high quality power supply able to deliver 1.0 A of current to your collective pedals.

b.) Have more pedals? Try building multiple briefcases and just connecting them after they are open.

Visit my website for other projects as well: www.kevindemarco.com