When thinking of pedalboards, an image that often comes to mind is that of the tough framework and uniquely simple design of the Pedaltrain.
With an ever-expanding range and a near-unmatched reputation, they're more popular than ever before - but which one will work for you? Read on to find out...
Let’s start from the ground up! Pedaltrain is the name of both brand and product; founded in 1999, the company is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and distributes internationally. Their vision was, and still is, simple: to bring high-quality, consistent and reliable pedalboards to the masses, with innovative design and the needs of musicians in mind!
At this point, you may be wondering what the difference is between a Pedaltrain and other pedalboards. Widely considered industry leaders in the pedalboard category, they’ve utilised innovative and patented designs to ensure practicality, durability and affordability all at once. Their hugely popular boards employ the same basic design: a tough metal frame with a series of rails spanning its width, allowing space to tuck cables away and keep your setup tidy and efficient.
There are five main series of Pedaltrains, each one having slightly different characteristics. Their current range is essentially designed to cater for every possible requirement, with everything from rucksack-ready compact boards to monstrous tour-ready rigs for the professional musician! Here’s a breakdown:
Choosing gear can be a lengthy, tedious process, but Pedaltrain aim to make it fun and informative. As long as you’re asking yourself the right questions, their vast range will have something that’ll perfectly suit your needs. So what should you consider when choosing yours? Let’s take a look:
Although this question sounds like a simple one, there’s plenty to think about. First of all, consider how many pedals you have now vs. how many pedals you plan to have in the future; are you going to expand your collection? Secondly, will you need every single one of your pedals to be readily available on your board, or are you willing to make sacrifices for the sake of practicality? Here’s a handy breakdown:
As the above diagram indicates, there are several different options to choose from depending on your collection. It’s also worth considering the size of your pedals – if you use any kind of expression pedal, you’ll want plenty of depth to your Pedaltrain. Similarly, if you’re a fan of bulky multi-FX like the Line 6 Helix, hefty digital reverbs like the Strymon Big Sky, or any other sizeable stompbox, you’ll need plenty of room!
As we’ve already mentioned, there are two orientations of Pedaltrain: flat and slanted. The Nano and Metro ranges employ a flat design, whereas the rest are slanted for easy access and stompability (we made that word up).
You’ll want to consider your power options before you choose your Pedaltrain’s orientation. This is because a slanted design will give you space underneath your board to keep your power supply out of the way. This is safer and more efficient in terms of space. So, if you’re using several pedals that require different currents, or you’re keen to use isolated outputs to prevent unwanted noise, a slanted board might be beneficial. Pedaltrain offer a great selection of mounting brackets with this in mind.
That having been said, if you’re not worried about board space, or if you’re using a daisy-chain power supply, a flat board may suffice - preferable if you prefer portability.
In an ideal world, we’d have plenty of both of those things, but sadly that isn’t always possible. Luckily Pedaltrain have got your back, both with their board sizes and their accessory range.
As mentioned earlier, if you want your board to be compact and portable, there are small options in every group apart from the Terra - but you’ll need to think about transporting it.
If you’re likely to be carrying your board around with you, or lugging it in and out of the car, opt for a Pedaltrain with a soft case to keep it snug and protected from the elements while still being relatively lightweight.
If there’s a chance your board will find itself in the cargo hold of a plane, or stacked amongst a vast touring rig in the back of a truck, it might be worth considering a board that comes with a tour case. These naturally cost more, but you’ll hopefully make up for it by saving yourself £££s worth of damage in the long run!
Now that we’ve covered the key issues to consider, we thought it’d best to cover some of the other questions that we sometimes come across:
In many ways, you could find the Pedaltrain that suits your needs simply by considering your needs as a musician. Remember: you are your own demographic!
We’ve hand-picked some of the best options for different types of musicians to save you the decision making. These are recommendations rather than Pedaltrain gospel, but hopefully it’ll be more or less on the mark:
We started this article by outlining what sets the Pedaltrain range apart from other pedalboards. But while they are industry leaders in what they do, there are plenty of others to choose from. While they arguably lack some of the innovation that the Pedaltrain range boasts, you may be concerned about your budget, or you might after something with a different type of flexibility. Let’s take a look at some popular alternatives:
