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Build a wood custom pedal board

Here's an inexpensive way to create your own customized pedal board to fit into a Stagemaster Pedal Board Case.

The Stagemaster series of pedal board cases come in three standard sizes:

• 24" x 12" x 4.5" - weight 7 LBs
• 28" x 14" x 4.5" - weight 9 LBs
• 32" x 16" x 4.5" - weight 11 LBs

Each case contains two removable 1/2" thick pieces of foam that can be cut out for any pedal footprint. A slip hinged removable lid with egg crate foam holds pedals safely in transit.

For today's project I will be using the 24"x12" case with an actual usable internal dimensions of 22.5"x 10.5" and it can accomodate pedals up to 3.25" high.

Materials needed:

• Stagemaster 24"x12" Pedal Board Case
• 1 - 2'x 2'x 1/2" plywood
• 2 - 1/2" x 1/2" x 22" long wood strips or molding
• 2 - 3.5" semi round handles
• Wood glue
• Wood finish product(s)
• 120 and 240 grit sandpaper

Tools needed:

• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• T-square
• Saw
• Power drill
• 1/4" wood drill bit
• 1" wood drill bit
• Cutting tool/scissors/knife to cut tie wrap ends
• Clamps
• Spanner

Let's begin:

• Cut a 22.5" (-1/16") x 10.5" (-1/16") piece of 1/2" plywood to fit inside the case.
• Cut two 1/2" wide x 22" long strips of wood to glue to bottom of board to create clearance to pass power and patch cables under board. Use 1/2" to 1" thick scrap wood or discarder molding.
• Sand all edges and corners to avoid getting splinters.
• Sand top of plywood board to remove any rough spots.
• Glue and clamp wood strips to bottom of board 1/4" to 1/2" from outer edge.
• Drill 1/4" holes for two handles used to easily lift pedal board out from the case.

• Start with the power supply. Place it in the upper left hand corner or wherever you think best but remember, the power cables have to reach each pedal.

• Next, place pedals on the rest of the board as you think best. Leave approx 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" between pedals for wiring. I suggest you place your pedals from right to left as follows:
• Buffer, tuner, distortion/overdrive effects, finish with echo/reverb/delay pedals

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