5 Tips for a Tidy Rig

Never underestimate the power of a tidy pedalboard. From troubleshooting to ease of use, an organized pedalboard makes life MUCH easier for any guitarist.
Today, I’m sharing my top 5 tips for creating a beautiful, orderly, and reliable pedalboard. If you have a tip to add to this list, tell us in the comments below!
Table of Contents:
00:00 Our Objective
00:33 Tip 1 - Using Zip Ties & Tie-Down Mounts
03:26 Tip 2 - Using Painter’s Tape
06:46 Tip 3 - Using Pedal Risers
08:15 Tip 4 - Using an Interface Box
10:31 Tip 5 - Using a Tone Brush
11:56 Thanks for Watching!
Products mentioned in this video:
Zip Ties: www.therigdr.com/products/zip...
Tie-Down Mounts: www.therigdr.com/products/tie...
Painter’s Tape: amzn.to/39df0b3
Pedal Risers: bit.ly/3ODE1we
Pedalboard Interface: www.therigdr.com/products/ped...
Tone Brush: amzn.to/3LniBS3
⬇ GET A ONE-ON-ONE TONE CONSULTATION WITH THE RIG DR. ⬇
bit.ly/2WhiliW
FOLLOW US
Instagram: / vertexeffects
Facebook: / vertexeffectsinc
Website: www.vertexeffects.com/
⬇BUY VERTEX PEDALS⬇
bit.ly/3kkZPOT
⬇PODCAST⬇
//apple// apple.co/36dSQzK
//spotify// spoti.fi/2WGLku8
⬇DIY BUFFER DIAGRAMS & TEMPLATES⬇
bit.ly/3gu02hU
⬇RECOMMENDED MATERIALS⬇
//buffers// bit.ly/3kpcFf0
//pedalboards// bit.ly/3B9DVFk
//power supply// bit.ly/3B9aD9D
//cables// bit.ly/3jktF7b
//cable & pedal management// bit.ly/3mCJxUe
//pedalboard tools// bit.ly/3B7AEGq
CREDITS:
Host/Co-Production: Mason Marangella
Video: Nico Sotomayor
Video Editing: Victor San Pedro
Co-Production/Design: Mason Mejia
Audio Engineering: Hunter Harrison
#pedalboardbuild #guitarpedals #rigdoctor

[@VertexEffectsInc]

If you have a tip to add to this list, tell us in the comments below!

[@costas0]

Please make sure to use a vintage brush, not to mess up with your tone. Seriously, great content.

[@Bassguitarist1985]

Add an led light to see your pedals in the dark. I use a music stand light that has two color temps and 3 brightness settings.

[@razifraship]

@@Bassguitarist1985 good idea man… 👍🏻✅

[@Bassguitarist1985]

@@razifraship definitely! Its a dual gooseneck type too!

[@marcuslewitzki4610]

I am planning out my very first pedal board build and I've been watching your videos for about 2 years now Mason. I'm getting close to where I have all the pedals that I need for the rig I'm building (W/D/W) and I want to begin stocking up on all the supplies like square plugs, mogami cables, dual lock velcro, zip ties, tie down mounts etc. so that I have everything I need as soon as I'm ready to assemble the board properly. However, concerning specifically the zip ties and tie down mounts I would like to know where I can get hold of the specific quality and sizes within the EU. I live in Sweden and I'd prefer not having to order these from the US to save on both time and custom charges and shipping. Do you know of a supplier within the EU that sell these?

[@allendesomer]

I lightly wrap the metal portion of my paint brush with painter's tape to make it less likely to mar anything it bumps into.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I like longer bristles so it's less likely to do that.

[@duard8652]

Two things I always do: * Use a cable tester. I have one that takes plethora of audio connections, but 95% of the time I use it to test patch cables. It can detect not only persistent, but intermittent problems, and... * Shake cable tester hanging by patch cable. I have elecrtical and mechanical engineering background, and I learned hard way that if something cannot withstand rough testing, it cannot withstand rough use. So I plug in the patch, reset the tester and give it all a little shake, turn around the jack, etc.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Cable testers are good, but sorta outside the scope of "neat" pedalboards in terms of category. Cable testers tell you some information but not the quality of the connection, the best way is actually using your DVM and set it to ohms - should read "0" tip to tip to ensure that you don't have any resistive load on the cable in addition to checking the continuity.

[@suenagag]

Tone Brush -- LUV IT!! Painter's Tape as well.. Super great tips. Thanks Doc

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Right on!

[@bwedwards67]

As always Mason, great advice!! Thanks

[@VertexEffectsInc]

❤️❤️❤️

[@michael_caz_nyc]

No Pedalboard is official . . . "Without the Tone-brush" - I actually have one to keep my pedals clean & dust-free = Preventive maintenance against Scratchy-pots !!!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Hahahaha!

[@kevie3]

I know you do not do vary many boards but you have taught us a lifetime of knowledge on how to do it right and very clean!! Thank You 🙏

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I appreciate that!

[@sandyturner1911]

I have 2 Holeyboards that I need to put together. Plus, the EHX Super Switcher. Thanks for the great ideas, Mason! I will look at your cables..You're always so Logical.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

You bet!

[@lukeboneham]

Hi mate, love your episodes. I have two pedals one draws 12V 1A and a 9V 600mA. Is there a single power supply that could run this with a few small current 9V pedals ?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

CIOKS 4, 7, or 8 or a combination of these can do it.

[@DanielGutierrez-vq5uq]

Doc rig I just love you 😘

[@VertexEffectsInc]

❤️❤️❤️

[@filipematias2239]

Tips for a very compact rig (less than 7/8 pedals) using a flat pedalboard (no tiers): - Mounting pedals on top of interface and/or power supply - good idea? - Routing under the pedals using very low profile cable (Mogami 2314) - is it possible? - Should you mount the wah directly to the pedalboard surface or is dual-lock enough? Thank you!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Interface, sure. Power supply, depends...if it's switch mode, no problem, if it's linear you'll have noise. Under pedal routing is fine. Depends on how hard you are on the wah pedal - some like it hard-mounted, if you use Dual Lock or our signature Power Grip veclro, you should be fine.

[@michaelthornton1114]

What about mounting a power supply on top of another power supply? I'm thinking an Ojia on top of a Zuma?

[@jpistolas]

5:22 What is that red pedal with all the controls & dip switches? Curiosity is killing me. LOL! Totally love this & all of your pedalboard tip videos.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Chase Bliss Phaser?

[@jpistolas]

@@VertexEffectsInc Thanks! Being a Phase 90 guy I would have never ever guessed it.

[@Bassguitarist1985]

Just ordered the Kleinulator to convert my passive effects loop to active on my tube amps. Does it matter if its velcroed on the back of the amp or on the pedal board? I'm using a 4CM.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Good call!

[@Bassguitarist1985]

@@VertexEffectsInc does it matter where its located though?

[@Souldoubtrocks]

So after I made all my cables with 2319 mogami and then I purchased a cable from you going to my VP from my boost and it was made of 2314. So what did I do. Bought 100’ of 2314 and a bunch of SP4 square plugs and remade all my cables. The smaller 2314 is so much easier to route.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Bam!

[@rockitlikeawolf]

TONE BRUSH!!!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yes!

[@robertalsbury]

Love your videos bro Question - I find having to bend over to dial in pedals very hard on the back and it’s a “try it and bend over, try it and bend over carousel”. Do you know of anyone who makes a board that can raise and lower so you can adjust pedals without having to break the back?

[@yoshieggs-cw8um]

sit on the floor?

[@jackbove7721]

get a keyboard stand for testing out pedals on your board... or you can just sit at a desk. Wayyy easier than paying for something custom made that's probably gonna turn out clunky lookin

[@razifraship]

The Interfacer? Is it a good buffer unit on par with High-Wire? The output impedance is 500 ohms, 5 times the amount you always recommend. This is the 1st time I heard you mentioned about the unit.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Ideally the lower the output impedance the longer the cable runs it can drive.

[@jesselawson224]

Will those tie down mounts stick to Velcro, I have a pedal train board and I have my power supply on top, so I’m trying to figure out how to keep the power cables nice and neat. Any suggestions?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Haven't tried.

[@coreynichols1296]

Any chance you guys do consulting for pedal things? Trying to set up some midi - TRS things and having issues.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yes, we have tone consults on www.therigdr.com

[@samuelmikesell5398]

I've been watching your videos for a while and I just wanted to thank you for providing all of this great information over the last couple of years! Just a few questions (if that's alright). I've been looking at a lot of interface boxes/output buffers recently, in particular the GoodWood Output (as I run a G10 wireless + polytune 3 most of the time as my input) but on the output impedance specifications it says it's rated at 500 ohms. While this is higher than what you recommend for an output buffer, it's also a lot better than many other buffers out there, and it incorporates a ground lift which is a must have for my situation. Would this be sufficient for driving ~20 feet of cable, or would there be a significant benefit from getting a custom interface box made which which would essentially be the same thing but with better buffers? One more question, the GoodWood Products use an audio transformer to deal with ground loops, would this need to be treated the same way as the transformer in linear power supplies? (as in not mounting pedals above it) Thanks so much!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Should be fine RE the Goodwood. The transformer would only be needed if you have a stereo or multi-amp rig. In terms of hum, usually the transformers have a mumetal can on them to prevent this.

[@samuelmikesell5398]

@@VertexEffectsInc I do run stereo amps, been dealing with a ground loop/hum issue for a little while, so I'm hoping it will fix it. Thanks for the great info as always!

[@donovanwillis370]

Hey Mason...I saw one of your other videos on buffers and you had the Suhr buffer as a recommendation. In your most recent buffer videos though, you seemed to have dropped them from your recommendation? Is it because their ourput is 150 Ohms and outaide of your 100Ohm spec? The Mesa Boogie Highwire was backordered, so I picked up a couple Suhr buffers.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Ideally the lower the output impedance the better...the closer to ZERO ohms is best. However, reasonably, anything around 200 ohms or so it going to be good...the further you get away from that the more color you'll have with longer cable runs.

[@donovanwillis370]

@@VertexEffectsInc Thanks so much Uncle Mason!

[@omilionaudio]

🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Heck yea!

[@jeffsurtees847]

I’m looking for high quality dc 9 volt solderable plugs. Do you have a recommendation? I’ve ordered several different ones on line and they are all flimsy.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

See our DIY power cable video, all the materials are there.

[@chesneytube1]

I wanna get a high wire but I use a stereo chorus last in the chain and go out to two amps... should I put the high wire before it or is there some other way to do it?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Just get another single stowaway or buy one of the Axess Electronics stereo buffers, he’s the guy that designed the Boogie

[@chesneytube1]

@@VertexEffectsInc Thanks! Damn I'm looking at $580 Australian dollars right there... and I can't find an Axess in this country haha. Oh the joys of living in a provincial colony.

[@demolarify]

So to get the really clean cable runs, you cut the cables a bit longer and then terminate at the other end once you "loom" it to the next pedal... Do you end up throwing out a ton of cable clippings? This is the one challenge I couldn't totally overcome on my last couple of board builds -- I used zip ties and anchors, but I have too many looms and even somewhat sloppy looms because I did my best to measure and cut to length before laying the cable down (mainly to avoid wasting cable).

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Correct! Cable is pretty negligible in cost. Mogami 2314 for example is under $0.50 per foot - you over estimate slightly so you’re maybe only loosing a few inches total end to end.

[@alexpinkleton1095]

What do you think of the Friedman Buffer Bay?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

It will only help you with the input buffer, no output buffer. So you'd need to add a buffer on the output if you were to use this.

[@louiscyfer6944]

mason, i just redid my whole pedal board. used all the info from you, thank you. the power was an issue, 2 pedals needing 600mA dc 12 volt and 1 needing 1000mA ac 12 volt. the cioks chocolate handled it though.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I'm so glad you found the content helpful!

[@rockitlikeawolf]

Can you please make an eq pedal and call it Tone Brush?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Ha!

[@3BlackStripes]

Also sounds like a really smooth overdrive

[@TYB439]

What about either vacuuming or using compressed air instead of the "tone brush"?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

It’s not good unless the dirt is real loose - I prefer tone brushing to those other methods.

[@mojomedicineband1679]

That would be Tone Suck and Tone Blast - use a Vintage Tone Brush

[@jloiben12]

9:01 Where can that premade interface be purchased?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

You can preorder now at Sweetwater.

[@waynegram8907]

Can you do a video lesson only about "interface pedal boxes" because some have isolation transformers or audio transformers. Audio transformers are used in studios often for I/O inputs into studio preamps, compressors, EQ outboard gears which has an audio transformers on each I/O inputs and outputs. I'm not sure which Interface pedal boxes use audio transformers like these. The interfaces pedal boards use isolation transformers for the Effects loop send and return to get the send and return ports an isolated ground galvanic isolation to prevent ground loops on different amplifiers. If you're using Two amplifiers and want to use the effects loop going to two different amplifiers effects sends and returns both amplifiers send and return jacks grounds are going to be at a different ground potential which causes ground loop issues.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Transformers for this application are not used for an audio enhancement but rather galvanic isolation. Generally the transformer sides sound worse than the non-transformer side, and aren't quite as transparent, and might have some distortion if pushed too hard at certain frequencies, even the best of them.

[@waynegram8907]

@@VertexEffectsInc open up the interface pedal box and bypass the galvanic transformer and lift up the ground. I don't know why the isolation transformer have bad frequency response and saturate causing intermodulation distortion because they should make better frequency response. Why doesn't vertex make really good isolation transformer for interface boxes for effects loops to prevent ground loop issues

[@waynegram8907]

@@VertexEffectsInc yes I know the isolation transformers aren't audio transformers. If the interface pedal box had good audio transformers that used like those studio outboard gears used nickel, iron, cobalt,etc the right mixture in neve,ssl, etc it will make you preamp pedals and compressor pedals sounds like hifi Because audio transformers add more even harmonics and compression from the magnetic field. The audio transformers are frequency masking the audio from 20hz to 20khz

[@TYB439]

Mason, Is your interface module for your boards available?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Not yet, only our custom shop versions on www.therigdr.com

[@TYB439]

@@VertexEffectsIncShucks

[@pmphotog]

Do you find many customers want a more “modular” setup - one where they might swap pedals in & out of different boards - eg. if someone plays in different acts from night to night, or is going through a process of trying out different options for one of their pedals. All of your builds seem to be “semi- permanent”. Perhaps an episode featuring someone who needs a few boards for different applications and is able to swap pedals in and out of boards really easily would be interesting, showing what you would do differently in that scenario to add flexibility.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Can't say as I don't really do this professionally any longer, but maybe select positions like overdrive might needs some flexibility.

[@3BlackStripes]

I went through just that, built my board although I was still adding or replacing pedals or even changing their order. It's pretty easy to 'disconnect' a pedal from the Dual-Lock velcro, so I just do that, and the velcro stays on the board so I can do most changes without removing velcro etc.

[@benjamingrimsey]

Do you have any tips for pedaltrain board setups?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I show some tips on a John Mayer giveaway pedalboard we built for Sweetwater and a artist pedalboard we built for Kerry Marshall, check out those videos!

[@JK_35]

I am curious as to why no one seems to use angled boards? i have always prefered an angled board vs a flat board myself.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I suppose it's a preference but you can have more control of the heights using a tiered system and it's easier to trouble shoot if you can have it all top mounted.

[@user-zv7lm8uk7h]

easier tu push flat level switches.

[@jockojohn3294]

I put my torpedo level on my pedalboard, and the bubble was centered.....I'm good to go....thanks :)

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Have fun!

[@MrGwg11]

Here is my game changer suggestion. I need a Cell phone charger. the board has power, so let's get 5v to the Iphone? is that do-able?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Get the Fender Engine Room Power supply, they have this!

[@lovewillspill4460]

I love mine.. 12 outputs with 500 mA’s each😛 I’m even getting a 2nd one to replace my iso-brick

[@nickfleiwer5272]

It s just a theory, but have you ever experienced the board acting as an antenna and so interfering the signal?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Explain the symptoms

[@nickfleiwer5272]

@@VertexEffectsInc nvm, that answers it in a way. It's nothing, that happened to me, but I wonder if this was a thing, but seemingly it isn't.

[@sammarkham2980]

I had this with my old board, I could faintly hear Jason derulos voice in my amp somehow acting as a radio. I don’t know the solution exactly but I was told cables when coiled can act as antennas.

[@jbert7289]

I use a tone brush….

[@VertexEffectsInc]

As God intended!

[@jbert7289]

@@VertexEffectsInc: haha, for sure….

[@jbert7289]

@fastguitar 😂

[@fredhystair5789]

the "tone brush"😂😂😂 come on... interesting video however

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Tone Brush...gotta do it.

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

Meh. My small pedalboard is controlled chaos. I use the powergrip, so my pedals aren’t going anywhere though. I don’t need the fancy stuff. I’m pretty simple. 😬

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Tone Brush at a minimum ;)

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

@@VertexEffectsInc - Definitely. It’s a little dusty. I’m on it.

[@lukeboneham]

Hi mate, love your episodes. I have two pedals one draws 12V 1A and a 9V 600mA. Is there a single power supply that could run this with a few small current 9V pedals ?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

CIOKS 4, 7, or 8 or a combination of these can do it.

[@lukeboneham]

Would a Trutone CS12 work ?