Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

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Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by npfrs »

So the other day I found a suitcase in a local junk shop.

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I was thinking "This would make a great pedalboard!" So I bought it and started the process, with a lot of help from my buddy Paul, of making that instant dream an instant, of sorts, reality.

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Take out the "guts."

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Paul had the idea to use some cedar planks he had laying around. I was skeptical at first.

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However it didn't look half-bad when we mocked it up.

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After some sanding we sprayed it with some random polyurethane clear coat that was laying around.

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And sand/spray/repeat.

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By then it was time for a post-birthday/pre-show meal.

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Which really helped with drying out the clear coats.

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For something that we thought we'd just mock-up quickly for a show before taking it apart and starting again the next day... it actually turned out really well!

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A quick pedal layout...

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And at that point the project was put on hold to play a house show!

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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

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The next day we made some risers.

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We also got some latches for the suitcase, although I'm still looking for nicer ones to replace these in the future. Function over fashion for now!

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We made a shelf to hide the power supplies and did a pedal layout with risers.

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It all looked good so we added some handles (top and right) and scured the "power shelf."

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All that's left now is to place the velcro, place the pedals, wire it all up, and write music. More photos to follow with each of those steps!

**UPDATE**

The velcro is being placed and I've attached the power supplies with it as well. Fortunate note = the M9 wall wart also fits underneath the shelf and can be velcro'd in. Score!

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The risers are also attached using velcro. It'll make it easier to move them around if ever necessary; I'm thinking ahead.

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Another layout/spec. Placing velcro...

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Velcro done, risers in place, making cables - so tedious.... thank goodness for a cold brew!

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I asked Paul to put his stamp on the board. It's a sig made with a bent paper clip and just gets hammered in. Happy to have a good friends mark there to remind me of the fun we had making it!

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The final board - better pic to follow in daylight!

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Last edited by npfrs on Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by AxAxSxS »

looks great! And I dig how you guys are rockin life :thumb:
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

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AxAxSxS wrote:looks great! And I dig how you guys are rockin life :thumb:

Yeah man. Super cool!
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by shred »

dude.. nice work! :thumb:
that looks really awesome. the finishing on the wood really takes it up a notch. I also like how you put it in the lid of the case instead of the big section.
I really need to step my game up, I just throw my pedals on a big wood slab and throw that into a shitty old suitcase I found in my basement stuffed with a pillow so they don't move around :lol:
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by greyscales »

Wow, that looks great. I like the design of this much more than most boutique/custom pedalboards out there.
I'd buy one for sure.
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by OddKnowledge »

The pictures in this thread are much more awesome than i was expecting. that pedalboard looks great! :thumb:
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by npfrs »

OddKnowledge wrote:The pictures in this thread are much more awesome than i was expecting. that pedalboard looks great! :thumb:


Thanks! I'm happy I can finally put my photo degree to work, haha (even if my camera is based in my phone). :lol:

shred wrote:dude.. nice work! :thumb:
that looks really awesome. the finishing on the wood really takes it up a notch. I also like how you put it in the lid of the case instead of the big section.
I really need to step my game up, I just throw my pedals on a big wood slab and throw that into a shitty old suitcase I found in my basement stuffed with a pillow so they don't move around :lol:


kosta wrote:
AxAxSxS wrote:looks great! And I dig how you guys are rockin life :thumb:

Yeah man. Super cool!


Thanks guys!

greyscales wrote:Wow, that looks great. I like the design of this much more than most boutique/custom pedalboards out there.
I'd buy one for sure.


I'm starting a cross-country trip in a few days and I've said that if I find any similar suitcases for a decent price I'll snag 'em and send them Pauls way so we can make a few more of these, not as a business, but maybe toss 'em up on Etsy for fun ya know? I'll let you know if we ever do (in years of visiting junk shops I've rarely come across a suitcase like this one that was affordable).
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

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Board looks awesome, nice work
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

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the chicken looks pretty good
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by skullservant »

Nice! That rules, great job. Looks tiny in the first few pictures, but then you realize it's freaking huge. With tons of looping!

Awesome!
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by coldbrightsunlight »

Looks great! :thumb:
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by hollowhero »

Awesome stuff. I scored some old tweed suitcases from my grandpa, and I've been meaning to build a suitcase amp with them. Just haven't found the time yet :lol:
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

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New pics up!
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Re: Building a Suitcase Pedalboard (with photos)

Post by 01010111 »

This is easily the nicest looking suitcase board I've ever seen! Well done!!! :thumb:
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