Custom Pedalboard Wiring Setup & Installations

Are you ready to take your pedal collection to the next level? If you need help wiring up your gear cleanly and professionally, then look no further!  We’ve been doing custom pedalboard wiring setup work for almost a decade!

General Info about our Pedalboard Wiring Service

  • If we are doing the pedal/power installation, it has to be on a West Coast Pedal Board, no exceptions; sorry.
  • We don’t use any solder-less connectors. We do use a quality variety of Switchcraft and Square Plug brand connectors! Mogami is the only cable brand we use for pedalboard wiring as well.
  • You should either have your existing West Coast Pedalboard, or we are finalized with the specs and building your new board for the pedal installation
  • Your signal chain and equipment configurations should be dialed in:
    • Are you satisfied with your pedal arrangement, signal path(s) and equipment in general? If so, provide a detailed list of your pedals & signal path(s). This includes tap tempo, stereo route configurations, and any special cabling needs. Be as detailed as possible so as to help us complete the job quicker resulting in less bench time.
    • If you need assistance with pedal layout, signal chain arrangement or any other gear configurations, we offer a consulting service for a nominal fee.
  • If we are building the board for you, we will time the process so the pedals are delivered to our shop at the time the board is complete.
  • The wiring process only takes 4-5 business days, so you won’t be without your pedals for too long.
  • If you already have a board from us, we’ll time the process accordingly as well.

Installation Types

There are three types of in-house installations: (1) dedicated installation where ports are routed in exact locations based on the current pedal layout so the wiring can be ran OCD style (2) universal installation where we use our default routing templates for the size board you choose. We route out opening in the pedalboard deck, so that if you decide to change pedals, the cabling isn’t dedicated to a certain layout. The wiring will still look and perform awesome. The routes are made so that pedals are swappable / interchangeable; restricted only by pedalboard usable space(size). This method is really common when the pedals are situated in a way that places each pedal in the chain, right next to each other (3) The hybrid is a combo of the two, a portion with dedicated slots commonly used in popular switching systems like the Boss ES 3,5 and 8, Gigrig, Loopmaster etc, and the other part universal for random pedal swapping.

Costs / Quotes

  • Mogami Cable | Patch Cable, Stereo Cable, Quadflex Balanced XLR, Midi – $.90 – 4.50 per foot
  • 1/4″ Switchcraft and Square Plugs – $3.50 – 5.25 per connector
  • XLR, MIDI etc – $7–14 depending on connector
  • Velcro, 3M Dual Lock, Clamps & Screws – $10-50 per job
  • Labor – $90-125 per hour (depending on complexity), this includes pedal layout, custom top deck routing, making pedal risers/platforms, soldering cables, mounting pedals, power supplies plus final testing.

Pedalboard setups are priced based on time and materials; charges are determined based on quantity of pedals, devices and the complexity of the wiring scheme. We can easily give you an estimate, provided we know exactly what we are doing for you, but please ask for that if you require an estimate. Many clients understand the job is based on Time & Materials, so the installation charges are fixed in that regard. You won’t be overcharged nor undercharged. The steps below, explain what we need from you, to get the most accurate estimate.
If you can’t part with your pedals due to a busy gig/tour schedule, you can measure the specific lengths of each patch cable and we will pre-solder and test them for you.

Ready to Pull the Trigger!

  • Please be 150% sure every pedal is in perfect working order prior to delivery; troubleshooting faulty equipment will increase installation time.
  • Make sure all existing velcro, adhesive, gunk, rubber feet are removed from the pedal back; this means all the sticky residue that doesn’t peel off with the velcro as well. If it isn’t, we charge $150/hr to get the pedals prepared!
  • Make a detailed list of the contents to be sent, noting any previous issues, faults or noteworthy details
  • Prior to sending in pedals, or making any purchase, we should have a detailed and written outline of the pedal routing scheme; this includes, TS,TRS,MIDI, balanced XLR connections etc. Detailed means specifically labeling where inputs and outputs need to be routed. If this can’t be achieved, we cannot do the wiring portion for you.
  • You should pack the pedals properly, and insure them for the full value if you were to have to replace them. If you need help with shipping options, you can take it to your local shipping house and they should be able to handle it properly.
  • Once the board is complete and tested, we calculate the itemized cost of all the parts, labor and return shipping charge. That payment must be paid in full before the board leaves our shop, there are absolutely zero exceptions.
  • Last step: ENJOY!!!
Talk to Spence!