Is your pedalboard almost where you want it to be, but it still feels like there’s something missing? If you’ve got the right stompbox combination but are plagued by unwanted noise, tone loss, or intermittent dropouts, we’ve got five suggestions that will help you get your pedalboard right where you’ve dreamed it could be.
1. Isolated Power Supply
Daisy-chaining power from a single, non-isolated source gets the job done, but it’s not an ideal solution for your pedalboard. First of all, if one of your stompboxes has different power requirements, such as high amperage (mA) or different voltage, a daisy-chain simply won’t work. Second, when multiple pedals pull power from the same source, it increases the capacitive load on the power supply. In short, every pedal’s self-produced noise gets magnified down the line — exponentially. It’s like a noisy snowball effect.
The solution? An isolated power supply, such as the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3 PLUS, Truetone 1 Spot Pro CS6, or Strymon Zuma. This type of power supply boasts several outputs, each with its own separate power and ground. Figuratively speaking, it places each pedal on its own power island. This lowers the capacitive load on the power supply. Therefore, one noisy pedal won’t contaminate your entire pedalboard.
2. Shielded DC Power Cables
When designing a pedalboard, it’s good practice to keep audio cables away from power cables. And if there’s no way around it, cross them at a 90-degree angle to minimize interference — try not to place them running parallel to one another. Beyond that, those who truly want maximum noise rejection can deploy shielded DC cables like the ones made by Voodoo Lab.
3. High-quality Patch Cables
Patch cables are the interconnections that go between your pedals, and they’re the wrong place to save money if you’re wanting a quality result. Any guitarist who’s had to rip apart their pedalboard to identify a shorted-out patch cable will attest to that. So, what should you look for? Simply put, you want a rock-solid cable that resists lateral movement. A poorly built cable is flimsy. It will wiggle all over the place, creating an unreliable connection. A high-quality cable will stay where you put it, supplying you with a connection you can count on.
Need recommendations? Well, Ernie Ball and MXR both build robust patch cables. And if you’re the DIY type, you can always grab a few feet of Mogami W2524 Gold Pro bulk instrument wire and some top-shelf cable-mount connectors from Switchcraft or RapcoHorizon.
4. High-quality Shielded Instrument Cable
Once you have your pedalboard patched together properly, it makes little sense to send a poor-quality signal from your guitar. That’s why it’s important to use a high-quality shielded instrument cable. While there are a lot of great cables out there, the Mogami Platinum is a tried-and-true premium option — it sounds amazing, and its Neutrik Silent Play connectors enable hot-swapping guitars without that earsplitting pop. Another high-end option is the Asterope Pro Studio Series — its gold connectors ensure a long, corrosion-free lifespan. And DIY-ers will appreciate Lava Cable Soar bulk instrument wire — it’s handmade, combat tested, and, of course, it sounds great. What’s more, it pairs beautifully with cable-mount connectors from Lava, Switchcraft, and Neutrik.
5. High-quality Buffer
If you have all true-bypass pedals or stompboxes with subpar buffered bypass, then you’ll want a high-quality buffer on your board. And what is a buffer exactly? Think of it as a unity-gain amp that conditions your signal to prevent tone loss when it’s transmitted through your signal path, be it cables or pedals. For best results, you’ll want a buffer at the beginning of your signal chain and a second buffer at the end of your signal chain. Another option is to use a dual buffer like the Mesa/Boogie High-Wire, which houses two top-shelf buffers in a single housing, one going to your pedalboard and one going to your amp.
Bonus
Do your pedals frequently fall off of your pedalboard? Are traditional hook-and-loop fasteners letting you down? Then check out Emerson Custom’s 3M Dual Lock. This über-solid fastening material secures your pedals so well you’ll need a crowbar to pry them loose (only a slight exaggeration).
Got questions about how to level up your pedalboard? Give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700. They’ve dealt with just about every pedalboard configuration on the planet from bedroom rigs to world-class stages. They’ll be happy to help you out!
