Build a Pedalboard with ¥50,000!

Introduction

For electric guitarists, effects pedals are essential companions. Among them, compact pedals are particularly fun to collect, allowing you to customize your sound to your liking. Because of this, every guitarist’s pedalboard is unique, with as many configurations as there are players.
That said, there are certain classic brands and products that are beloved by many. For example, BOSS compact pedals (often referred to as ‘Bosscons’) are widely appreciated by players across various genres. The ProCo RAT distortion pedal is another fan favorite, and the Ibanez Tube Screamer is iconic. More recently, Strymon has been leading the way in the ambient effects category. If you search for pedalboard images on social media, you’ll quickly notice that many players use Strymon pedals.

Strymon / blueSky V2

This is Strymon’s high-quality reverb pedal, known for its distinctive Shimmer reverb that creates a dreamy, atmospheric sound. It’s an attractive choice for players who are passionate about ambient effects. However, it’s quite pricey, coming in at just under ¥50,000. While it’s undoubtedly worth the price, it’s still a significant investment. In fact, with ¥50,000, you could probably build an entire pedalboard!
So, I decided to take on the challenge of building a pedalboard with a ¥50,000 budget using gear available at Sound House.
*Prices are as of February 4, 2024.

Choosing the Gear

● Pedalboard

First, we need a foundation—the pedalboard itself. Without one, you can’t get started. If you already know what pedals you’ll be using, choose a board that matches their size. For this project, we’ll opt for a small board.

Pedaltrain / PT-M16-SC

When it comes to slatted-style boards, Pedaltrain is the go-to brand. This model comes with a soft case, making it easy to transport.
Since we’re on a tight budget and won’t be using many pedals, this size should be perfect.

● Power Supply

Power supply is often said to be more important than buying expensive pedals, especially for noise reduction. The key feature to look for is full isolation, which minimizes noise from digital/analog mixing and ground loop issues.

K.E.S / KIP-001

This compact, fully isolated power supply can handle up to five pedals, which is enough for our board. Each port supports up to 500mA, so it’s capable of powering digital pedals.

At this point, the pedalboard and power supply bring our total to ¥18,130. That leaves about ¥30,000 for the pedals. Let’s move on to the fun part: choosing the pedals!

● Multi-Effect Pedal

Given our limited budget and space, we can’t afford to cram in too many individual pedals. But at the same time, we want some versatility in our sound. A multi-effect pedal is the perfect solution.

Zoom / G1 Four Multi-Effect Pedal

Zoom is known for producing affordable multi-effects pedals, and this model offers about 80 different amps and effects in a compact size. It’s also compatible with our power supply.
I personally use this pedal and find it to be a jack-of-all-trades on my board, and I’m very satisfied with it.
One of the standout features of the G1 Four is the two large, easy-to-press footswitches. This makes it convenient to turn individual effects on and off during performances. However, it doesn’t support MIDI, so it’s not suitable for more complex control setups. But it works well when combining always-on effects with one you want to toggle on and off.

Remaining Budget: ¥21,890

● Overdrive Pedal

Even though we have a multi-effect pedal, many players prefer to use analog overdrive pedals for their distortion. Let’s pick one that suits our taste.

Effects Bakery / Bagel OverDrive

This cute pedal from Effects Bakery is my choice. I’ve personally used it, and it works well as a main distortion pedal for less aggressive genres. It’s often compared to the TS or SD-1 pedals, and it also functions well as a booster. If you rely on your amp’s distortion, this pedal can enhance it nicely.

Remaining Budget: ¥16,940

● Wah Pedal

Sometimes you just want to add a little extra flair to your sound. That’s where a wah pedal comes in.

Fender / Tread-Light Wah Pedal

This wah pedal from Fender features a cute design inspired by guitar fretboards. It comes with EQ and buffer switches on the side and has an LED indicator for easy ON/OFF visibility.
I currently use a VOX wah pedal, but if I were to choose a new one, this would definitely be it.

Remaining Budget: ¥5,140

Now, for the final choice. With the basics covered and the budget nearly exhausted, we have to think carefully about the last pedal. Let’s use Sound House’s search feature to narrow down our options based on price.

And the final choice is...

● Fuzz Pedal

For the last slot, I’ve chosen a fuzz pedal.

Effects Bakery / New Ginger Fuzz (Collaboration with Iwashita’s New Ginger)

Once again, I’m relying on Effects Bakery.
I’ve actually used this fuzz pedal, and I feel it has a very versatile sound. When using the guitar’s rear pickup, it can handle chord strumming with ease, yet it still retains the thick low end characteristic of fuzz. You can also combine it with other distortion pedals for a massive, roaring sound.
Another reason I chose the fuzz is that I love the sound when it’s paired with a wah pedal. Fuzz on its own can often be too thick for chord strumming, but if you turn on the wah and step down on it, it boosts the higher frequencies, making it thinner and easier to use. Of course, this is just my personal setup and preferences, so it’s important for everyone to find the combination that works best for them!
It’s worth noting that when using vintage-style wahs and fuzzes together, you have to be careful, as mismatched impedance can result in a sound that’s different from what you’d expect. But since this time I’m using modern wah and fuzz pedals, I don’t think there’s any need to worry!

Remaining Budget: ¥340

Completion

I’ve finally finished building the pedalboard with a 50,000 yen budget, and here it is!

Let’s not worry about things like just barely squeezing in the wah pedal or not having bought patch cables.
Personally, I feel this board turned out quite satisfying. The signal chain starts with the cable from the guitar going into the wah, followed by the overdrive, then the fuzz. The multi-effects unit at the end handles modulation and spatial effects like chorus, delay, and reverb.
In the image, the power supply is placed at the front, but since this is a slatted board, you can make use of that feature and mount the power supply on the back. This keeps the wiring tidy and also saves space.

Conclusion

This time, I was able to build a pretty solid pedalboard with a 50,000 yen budget. It could work not only as a first pedalboard but also as a secondary board for guitarists who already have a main setup.
For those who have hesitated because pedalboards require both money and space, why not start with a small step? You don’t need to buy everything all at once. Begin by getting just one of your favorite pedals.
I hope that one day you’ll have your own wonderful treasure chest of pedals.
Thank you again for following along this time.

The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.