New Pedalboard aka Nebulon B progress build

[Simon Says]

As I mentioned in a different thread, I would like to share the progress of my newest pedalboard. This is a long-time-coming type of build. I have given myself enough time to settle on the component choices and the platform.

I will call this pedalboard a Nebulon B - EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, a Star Wars Rebel Cruiser utilized as a medical frigate. The reason is - I'm a medically trained Star Wars nerd, so the name clicked with me.

I cannot share much of the progress today as I'm still waiting for GigRig to restock the Remote Loopy (for amp preamp and Synergy SYN-1 switching), the midi controller and the Schmidt Array.

I will not come across as an all-knowing snob, but please be easy on me - this is my dream pedalboard, and it took me years to narrow down my needs and countless hours of overtime to fund this. However, I made enough mistakes with my previous builds to have enough experience to share a few tricks, and I'm always looking forward to hearing about your experience.

I'm settled on the diagram flow and pedals/utility choices. There are still a few things to test and perhaps to change, but the diagram should look more/less like this:



Green boxes are the stuff I already have; white are the stuff I am still waiting for or trying to source, and red outlines are everything that will be off the pedalboard (probably a small host pedalboard or small rack unit)

I hope this is the picture I should swap with the sweet @ss pedalboard very soon


More updates as soon as I can

 

[Simon Says]

Some of my previous builds to kill the time

 

[László]

Sweet! Can't wait to see the finished result!

 

[Simon Says]

Sweet! Can't wait to see the finished result!

Me too How is Array holding up? I know you have one

 

[László]

Me too How is Array holding up? I know you have one

I really love it. Hard to believe I got it 4 years ago!

 

[DISTORT6]

Can never use enough sticky-backs and tie wraps.
Very neat and tidy.

 

[Simon Says]

I really love it. Hard to believe I got it 4 years ago!

Mine should arrive in about 4-5 weeks. It's being built as we speak. I went with SA450 with QMX/Hollis option and Xotic EXP cut out. It took me a while to convince Martyn to have the EXP placed on the far right side of the board, but I succeeded I have also requested no velcro (I will use dual-lock as I always do), and no handle.

Can never use enough sticky-backs and tie wraps.
Very neat and tidy.

I got some **** for it in the past, but a clean cable layout is essential to me. I'm quite sure I will use a lot of cable tie bases and zip ties

 

[László]

Mine should arrive in about 4-5 weeks. It's being built as we speak. I went with SA450 with QMX/Hollis option and Xotic EXP cut out. It took me a while to convince Martyn to have the EXP placed on the far right side of the board, but I succeeded I have also requested no velcro (I will use dual-lock as I always do), and no handle.

I got some **** for it in the past, but a clean cable layout is essential to me. I'm quite sure I will use a lot of cable tie bases and zip ties

Awesome!

 

[Bogner]

Nice Work! You Are Hired To Build Mine!!

 

[Simon Says]

Nice Work! You Are Hired To Build Mine!!

Deal, brother lol

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Nice brother. Maybe I need to make a trip to yours with some whisky

 

[Simon Says]

Nice brother. Maybe I need to make a trip to yours with some whisky

You know you are always welcome

 

[László]

I got some **** for it in the past, but a clean cable layout is essential to me. I'm quite sure I will use a lot of cable tie bases and zip ties

I prefer a clean cable layout, too. Unfortunately, I can't find a vendor who stocks or builds custom lengths of the Van den Hul cable I use with my preferred soldered plugs any more. My cable soldering days are long past.

So I use cabling that was made for my previous board.

On the other hand, there's zero noise - the board is dead silent - and the Van den Hul is very low-capacitance stuff, so there isn't tone suck.

Ain't broken, not fixin'.

 

[DISTORT6]

I got some **** for it in the past, but a clean cable layout is essential to me. I'm quite sure I will use a lot of cable tie bases and zip ties

Yup. I’m with you.
Always prepared!

 

[bodia]

Man, those are some nice looking boards!

 

[Bogner]

Man, those are some nice looking boards!

Agreed! We All Know The Black H9's Sound Better Too!!

 

[Simon Says]

Agreed! We All Know The Black H9's Sound Better Too!!

Gear Hero had them in red. Can you imagine what red H9 would sound like? I would buy it; I just realised I'm not a modulation type of a guy.



I had my PSUs in Gear Hero red instead

I prefer a clean cable layout, too. Unfortunately, I can't find a vendor who stocks or builds custom lengths of the Van den Hul cable I use with my preferred soldered plugs any more. My cable soldering days are long past.

So I use cabling that was made for my previous board.

On the other hand, there's zero noise - the board is dead silent - and the Van den Hul is very low-capacitance stuff, so there isn't tone suck.

Ain't broken, not fixin'.

It will be 5mm Mogami and a combination of straight Squareplugs and gutted Boss patch cable connectors with my board. I'm in love with these small Boss plugs. The lowest profile of all of them

Yup. I’m with you.
Always prepared!

I do that slightly differently. I will elaborate once I get back home. I'm literally in the middle of the field ATM

 

[László]

Yup. I’m with you.
Always prepared!

I gotta say, you and @Simon Says are excellent role models!

I'm sure the Schmidt Array was very, very disappointed to have been sent to me here in Lower Slobbovia.

The guilt is seriously getting to me now...

 

[Simon Says]

I gotta say, you and @Simon Says are excellent role models!

I'm sure the Schmidt Array was very, very disappointed to have been sent to me here in Lower Slobbovia.

The guilt is seriously getting to me now...

It cant be that bad. Post some pictures

 

[László]

It will be 5mm Mogami and a combination of straight Squareplugs and gutted Boss patch cable connectors with my board. I'm in love with these small Boss plugs. The lowest profile of all of them

Mogami is great cable for line level signals - I wired my bigger studio with miles of back in the 90s when my room was analog, and I still swear by it. But it has a drawback for instrument-level signals:

Fairly high capacitance, 48 pF/foot.

The Van Damme PRS uses is a little more than half that, as is the Van den Hul "The Bay" I've been using. The Evidence patch cable is about the same as the Van Damme and Van den Hul, too. The lowest capacitance cable is the Sommer LLX, 16 pF/foot. I use that for guitar to the board because I have a buffer on the board.

My guess is capacitance doesn't matter that much if you're using the Suhr buffer once you hit the board. I'm just pointing it out in case you're as OCD as I am about cable choice.

"These guys are gonna think you're nuts, man."

"They already do. I have nothing to lose!"