Planning the power requirements of your pedalboard is best done neatly on a piece of paper or using a spreadsheet software. You will find the values either printed directly on the pedal or its label, or by reading the owner’s manual.
Be very careful whenever you are about to connect a pedal to an AC-output on your power supply, because some DC-pedals can be seriously damaged if AC is fed to them.
All of the effects Custom Boards offers come with an online list of these specifications. For pedals bought elsewhere, you should consult the manual or the manufacturer’s website. It’s easiest to find the data on the Internet if you use the correct key words for your search, along with the pedal’s name:
– current draw
– power draw
– mA draw
– power consumption
– power adapter specs
It will be easier to plan your pedalboard’s power layout if you already have a broad understanding of the different effect types and their usual power requirements. A broad generalization would be:
The last two points to take into account are:
The plug’s specifications are made up of the connector type and the connector size. The polarity is usually given as a graphic symbol for a connector’s tip/center and sleeve, or as a written term “center negative”/”center positive”. Note these specifications in your list, too.
Here is an example of the chart that you can do by yourself. Fill in the specifications for each pedal you plan to attach to your pedalboard.
Pedal | Voltage | AC/DC | Plug type | Current draw (mA) |
Fulltone OCD | 9-18 V | DC | 2.1 mm/center negative | 8 mA |
Strymon Mobius | 9 V | DC | 2.1 mm/center negative | 300 mA |
Fulltone ’69 Fuzz | 9 V | DC | 2.1 mm/center positive | 2 mA |
Here are a real world examples of our "Pedal Power Service".
Effects: Analogman Mini Chorus, Dunlop Original Crybaby GCB95, Fulltone OCD, Mad Professor Little Green Wonder, MXR Dyna Comp, Neunaber Immerse Reverberator, Simble, Strymon El Capistan, Walrus Audio Monument
Possible additions: None at the moment, but some pedals may be swapped. The Crybaby could be swapped for a Fulltone Clyde Wah, and the Dyna Comp could become a Mad Professor Forest Green Compressor in the future.
Pedalboard: Pedaltrain Classic 1
Recommended PSU: Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus
Additionally required are: Voodoo Lab Output Splitter -cable and an additional cable for use with the splitter. We’d recommed using cable with straight plug on the other end with Output Splitter. Remember to secure the connection with electrician’s tape.
The power supply will be installed to the Pedaltrain Classic 1 using a Pedaltrain Voodoo Lab Mounting Kit.
You will have to drill 3 mm holes for the mounting kit with this drill bit.
Leave all the DIP-switches on the power supply’s underside in their NORMAL positions. All pedals use the standard DC-cables in black with the standard 2.1 mm plugs. Depending on the year of manufacture the Dyna Comp might require a mini-plug, but this cable is also included with the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Connect the pedals as follows:
Effects: BOSS Tuner TU-2, MXR Dyna comp, BJF Baby Blue, BOSS Combo Drive BC-2, BOSS Equalizer GE-7, BOSS Chorus CE-3, BOSS Gigadelay DD-20, Strymon Big Sky, Digitech Jamman Solo XT
Possible additions: The Boss Gigadelay could be swapped to a Strymon Timeline (or similar) in the future. There’s also the addition of a mini-sized pedal coming up soon, which means the PSU should have enough power reserves.
Pedalboard: Pedaltrain Classic 1
Recommended PSU: Cioks DC10 Link. This power supply will power all the pedals, even leaving one output vacant for later use.
The Cioks DC10 Link will be mounted to the Pedaltrain Classic 1 with Pedaltrain True Fit Mounting Kit - Large.
You will have to drill 3 mm holes for the mounting kit with this drill bit.
Should the Boss CE-3 be an old model, requiring a Boss 12 V ACA-power supply, switch the DIP-switch of this output to “12 V”, but leave the rest set to “9 V”. All pedals work with the black standard cable and the standard 2.1 mm plug.
Connect the pedals as follows:
If you have purchased all the parts and components but get a feeling that you might not be up to the task after all, we can make your pedalboard for you, using the components you have bought from us. Don’t worry, we won’t let anything go to waste.
If you shop from outside the European Union, you will see all prices VAT 0 % at the checkout, so you can order without paying the 24% VAT.