Guitarists are well known - and much maligned - by sound engineers for their complicated rigs, requiring additional power and space on stage for pedals in addition to their amps. While it’s always a good idea to keep the sound engineer happy for a show, making your setup as simple as possible is also a smart move for any guitarist, and having one of the best pedalboards is a great way of doing that.
We can’t pretend that effects pedals haven’t hit crazy new levels of expensive. The boutique pedal boom means it’s not uncommon to spend upwards of a couple hundred bucks on a single pedal, so the idea of one being damaged or kicked off stage is pretty terrifying. The best pedalboards don’t just make transporting your precious pedals easier, they also offer some protection, coming equipped with covers or bags, or simply meaning that pedals can’t loosely roll around in a bag or fall off stage as they are safely attached to a board.
A pedalboard is also a great way to build your signal chain, choosing which pedals go in which order. Many see building a pedalboard as an almost ritualistic part of guitar playing; bringing all your pedals into one place and ‘realising your sound’. To find out the best boards to do this on, read on, or to discover what a pedalboard is and why you might want one, visit our FAQ section at the bottom of the page.
Our top picks
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.
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.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you want a utilitarian 'board that does the job: The rail design is a classic in the pedalboard world, and Pedaltrain is synonymous with reliable performance and rugged build quality.
❌ Avoid if you're using a non-Pedaltrain PSU: Unless you're using a Pedaltrain branded power supply, you may find most third-party PSUs are too big to fit on this 'board.
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 mid-priced option
✅ Buy if you've got a complex setup: There are quite a few slots on the top side of the Voodoo Labs Dingbat which makes it great for complex setups with patchbays and multiple power supplies.
❌ Avoid if you want a good case included: While the case included here is serviceable, there are precious few pockets to store necessities like spare patch cables, cable ties, and hook and loop tape.
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 budget
✅ Buy if you're on a budget: This On-Stage pedalboard is phenomenal value for money, making it perfect for the guitarist on a tight budget. Plus more money for new pedals!
❌ Avoid if you want easy routing: The cable routing holes are few and far between here, so unless you've got a variety of cable lengths routing could be problematic.
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.
Best lightweight option
✅ Buy if you want a lightweight pedalboard: Constructed from cold-rolled aluminum, the Rockboard Tres 3.1 is incredibly lightweight yet super sturdy.
❌ Avoid if you're using a chunky power supply: Space is quite tight underneath this pedalboard so a slimline power supply is a must.
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
✅ Buy if you want a flexible pedalboard: The Duo 17 is modular, so you can add purpose-made accessories like patch bays and mounting brackets.
❌ Avoid if you're using a lot of odd-shaped pedals: the cable routing holes are placed a little less generously than others, which could make arranging pedals difficult.
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
✅ Buy if you've got lots of pedals: There's loads of real estate here so if you've got a big pedal collection you're not likely to run out of room.
❌ Avoid if you need something lightweight: The solid plywood construction means this pedalboard weighs quite a lot compared to others.
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.
Also consider
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.
FAQs
What is a pedalboard?
Unlike many of the terms in the world of guitar that can confuse and obfuscate, the pedalboard is very much what it says on the tin; a board onto which effects pedals are mounted. It’s now unusual for a pedalboard to actually be a board, though historically a simple plank of wood to which pedals were velcroed was the choice of many players. Modern pedalboards are generally made of durable, but lightweight metals, often in a series of rows which allow for easy access to power cables from beneath.
How much do pedalboards cost?
Pedalboards can vary hugely in price, from small boards that come in at budget price points, to bomb-proof behemoths that will set you back as much as an entire pedal collection. As fairly simple bits of construction, even affordable pedalboards will tend to be pretty durable and offer a great platform for a few pedals, however, you may be limited to fewer pedals that can fit.
More affordable boards are also less likely to come with a suitable carry case to offer additional protection to your pedals, or the ones they do come with may be an area where you notice a drop in quality, with cheap zips and less padding. If you’re serious about pedal protection, some pedalboards may have an option to upgrade to a flightcase at the point of purchase, though this ups the cost significantly. Alternatively, aftermarket flight cases can be purchased, but may need to be bespoke to fit your specific board.
How do I attach my pedals?
The most popular way of attaching pedals to your board is using hook and loop velcro. 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. If you’ve spent a lot of money on your pedals and pedalboard, don’t skimp on the velcro, as the last thing you’ll want is for the pedals to fall off while you're playing. There is specific pedalboard velcro which comes in a bit more expensive, but your pedals will remain totally secure.
If velcro isn’t your thing, or your board is better suited, cable ties are another popular option for attaching pedals, though it isn’t always as simple to quickly remove and reattach pedals and it may not be ideal for some of your pedals, as the ties could obstruct certain controls or displays. Generally, cable ties are a great option though.
Finally, some pedalboards, such as the BOSS BCB-30X and BCB-90X have foam cutouts ready for your favorite BOSS pedals to slot straight into, though you are a little limited to BOSS pedals specifically or have to cut the foam to your preferred size, which may not feel as secure as either velcro or cable ties.
How do I choose the right size pedalboard?
The right size of a pedalboard may be chosen down to the number of pedals you’ve got right now, or plan to have, however fitting every single pedal on your board may not be your end goal or the best use of space. If you have four different fuzzes, but realistically are only going to gig with one of them, do you need space for the rest? Thinking smartly about what you actually need for any shows and then buying a board that suits that is what we would always recommend. You may decide that you really do need all of your fuzzes—stacking fuzzes is particularly epic, after all—in which case, buy a board big enough to accommodate your collection, but remember you’ll have to transport it, and large pedalboards can get very heavy.
Also, consider that not all pedals are the same size. While the majority of stompboxes will share similar dimensions, some of our favorite pedals have a much larger footprint, such as Strymon’s Big Sky, or the original Electro Harmonix Memory Man. These take up far more real estate, so a board that claims to fit 10 stompboxes, may only manage 6, plus one larger pedal.
If you’re unsure of what size you’re looking for, some pedalboards, such as the D’Addario XPND 2 can expand to allow more pedal real estate. Alternatively, other boards may have the ability to add a riser to give you another, higher row of pedals, such as with Temple’s line of modular pedalboards.
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?
If you’re simplifying your pedals by adding them to a board, we would highly recommend doing the same with your power supply by getting a pedalboard power supply that should provide plenty of juice for your whole board.
The best pedalboards will have space to mount a power supply (often underneath) which makes it easy to access and some boards even have integrated power supplies, or be designed to work really well with a specific power supply. If you really want to remove as many cables as possible, there are even a range of rechargeable power supplies that can be charged prior to use, ridding the need to plug in on stage.
Whichever power supply you go for, make sure it caters to the needs of the pedals you have now and any pedals you might be interested in buying in the future. Not all pedals are 9V DC. Some pedals require specific voltages and there are some pedals that run on AC power rather than DC, though these tend to be more ‘vintage’ pedals or pedals with tubes in them, and not all power supplies will be able to provide this type of power.
We would always recommend using isolated power supplies wherever possible, as they ensure you have the cleanest power to your pedals, without the risk of electrical interference which can produce noise/hum.
What about pedalboard cable management?
One of the best bits about pedalboards is that cable management is simplified. Setup time is at a premium for performing bands and building your pedal chain on stage just before you go on isn’t practical. It also makes plugging in and playing at home much easier, rather than having to plug all your pedals in individually and have them strewn all over the floor. This is ideal for quickly getting into the zone and having immediate access to your pedal tones, whether at home or on stage, not to mention the health and safety benefits of not having an assault course of cables.
If you’re set on your pedals and know the spaces between each on your board, you can buy patch cable-making kits, ensuring you have the absolute perfect cable length between your pedals. These kits are often more expensive than pre-made cables, however if you are serious about cable management, this may be something you want to explore.
Most pedalboards will have space to mount your power supply out of the way, so it doesn’t intrude on precious pedal space. This is typically on the bottom of the board, however almost all pedalboards will have space to run the power cables from underneath to the pedals on top. This means that on the surface cables can be pretty tidy… though underneath can still be chaos. Investing in some cable ties or even some specific pedalboard cable tidies can ensure that the bottom of your board is as organized as the top. It may take a little time to do this, but your future self will thank you.
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.
Related buyer's guides
You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
- Don't want a pedalboard? Try the best multi-effects pedals instead
- Save pedalboard space with our guide to the best mini-pedals
- Take your lead lines to a whole new level with the best pitch shifter pedals
- Tidy up your 'board with the best patch cables you can buy
- 12 killer cheap guitar pedals you need to try
- How to build a pedalboard on a budget
“An all-in-one power solution, on or off the grid”: D’Addario’s rechargeable XPND Pedal Power promises to make your ’board more portable – but only if you daisy chain
“Our new power supplies are about as state-of-the-art as you can get”: How Truetone’s game-changing 1 Spot Pro series is continuing to provide pro pedalboard power to the masses with the new CS11 and XP5
