For those of you with multiple tier boards

Demanic

PenultimateTone Member
As the title introduces, how comfortable are your boards to play on? And how often during a set do you have to tap dance?

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Well, I don't ever use one, but I build them for others and am always amazed with 2nd and 3rd row tap dancing during a set.... for me I prefer to just go wider if it means needing more "in song" access switching -for a studio or home and fidgeting with sounds from a seated position -multi tiers makes a lot of sense though.

So I am interested in responses to your question as well. -also for the multitier folks -how much alcohol or drugs do you consume during a set?
 
I know that there are switching pedals that can make your board have the capacity to store different pedal combos. Anyone using those?

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I have a two-tiered board, but I don't gig, so I'm not going to be much help, sorry.

I will say that I don't find the upper row any harder to navigate with my foot than the lower. Tap dancing seems more a function of having to change several pedals at once rather than their relative position to each other.
 
My board layout is really simple. I could easily go one row but for ease of transport and storage, I've got it set up with 2 rows. Anything I need to engage regularly gets first row, like a lead boost, etc. My overdrive is on the second rows only because it is on majority of the time. A compressor and delay are there too since I engage those for only a few songs. Everything I engage regularly is in the Fly Rig 5 v2 in the first row.
 
I think he is asking about multi-levels (tiers) not multiple rows. I always have multiple rows when I have pedalboards, and like Erik said, the most used effects are in front, the wah/volume rocker pedals are on the right. I can see having the back level higher would be a benefit, you aren't stomping on the knobs of the front row pedals when you are hitting the switches on the 2nd row. I can definitely see an advantage there.

The down side is the size and potential weight, and finding a case they will fit in, which will need to be almost twice as deep as a normal pb case. I know a guy with one of the original wood Holeyboards, while it looks cool, it's huge and seems like it would be a total PITA to move around.

Check out the size of the case for their new aluminum boards!

 
I had one of those. Not the super big one, but the two-tiered middle size. It was a little awkward, but generally okay.

I'm using one of their last-gen metal ones now. Largely similar to the current version. The only pedals that don't get clicked very often are the noise gate and the Key9. The latter of those is slightly tricky to reach, but its limited use is what earned it that spot.



I know a guy with one of the original wood Holeyboards, while it looks cool, it's huge and seems like it would be a total PITA to move around.






 

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Not a problem at all. Everything is run with a Boss ES-8 switcher so that is really all I am tapping. Multi Tier boards allow a lot more to be housed so they are in essence more efficient. I am ordering a bit bigger board so I can house a volume and expression pedal on the board as well.
 
I know that there are switching pedals that can make your board have the capacity to store different pedal combos. Anyone using those?

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Yes, I use one. For a large multi tiered board they are pretty much a necessity.
They will even switch your patches in midi capable devices. Pretty amazing tech, really.
Every now and then you might have 2 switches to hit.
Maybe one for your solo boost/delay and then if you need to step in a wah, you’ll have to switch that on/off too.
 
092671DD-05B4-42D2-93B2-08694E8D4FA5.jpeg - Click image for larger version  Name:	DA7BC1B3-5E10-408C-A1A2-47F46FA7B8E0.jpeg Views:	11 Size:	100.6 KB ID:	6063806I made one a few years ago and bought a flight case to fit it. It worked well enough and I did gig with it but as some of the guys wanted to do fewer gigs I got fed up and made a smaller board that was considerably lighter. Now I have a music/ guitar room at home I wish I still had it. I didn’t find using it much of a problem and if I recall correctly I managed to fit my Sennheiser wireless underneath the top tier. I’ll have to see if I can find any photo’s.
 

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I think he is asking about multi-levels (tiers) not multiple rows. I always have multiple rows when I have pedalboards, and like Erik said, the most used effects are in front, the wah/volume rocker pedals are on the right. I can see having the back level higher would be a benefit, you aren't stomping on the knobs of the front row pedals when you are hitting the switches on the 2nd row. I can definitely see an advantage there.

The down side is the size and potential weight, and finding a case they will fit in, which will need to be almost twice as deep as a normal pb case. I know a guy with one of the original wood Holeyboards, while it looks cool, it's huge and seems like it would be a total PITA to move around.

Check out the size of the case for their new aluminum boards!


I like the his board build style -super cool (but too big for me) but this guy's manpurse case is silly, it would move knobs and switches every time you you use it, and really isn't any real protection for anything serious -but would be convenient for simple moves occasionally.
 
I like the his board build style -super cool (but too big for me) but this guy's manpurse case is silly, it would move knobs and switches every time you you use it, and really isn't any real protection for anything serious -but would be convenient for simple moves occasionally.

Agreed, I didn't watch the video, just saw the pic of the RSMP (ridiculously sized man purse) and said, yeah, uhm no, that won't work for me. All soft cases are bad about moving knobs, but that thing is bigger than your grandmother's purse.
 
Agreed, I didn't watch the video, just saw the pic of the RSMP (ridiculously sized man purse) and said, yeah, uhm no, that won't work for me. All soft cases are bad about moving knobs, but that thing is bigger than your grandmother's purse.

I like Pedal Train's case the best -rugged enough to check as luggage on a flight, soft padded, knobs don't move, and I drop it in a case or box if shipping.

I'm not a huge fan of hard cases -(unless shipping and need an ATA rated one)

Because of the rigidity and pedal knowing its a hard case - your pedal board get jostled and slammed around much more than a soft one.
 
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I like Pedal Train's case the best -rugged enough to check as luggage on a flight, soft padded, knobs don't move, and I drop it in a case or box if shipping.

I'm not a huge fan of hard cases -(unless shipping and need an ATA rated one)

Because of the rigidity and pedal knowing its a hard case - your pedal board get jostled and slammed around much more than a soft one.

I ordered a b-stock Rockboard, not sure I would fly the case, but it should be fine for my use. Been a while since I had a Pedaltrain, I remember liking mine a lot, but not sure I would have flown with the soft case, but, you are the experienced traveling musician, I'm just a local flunky, so I will default to your experience.
 
I ordered a b-stock Rockboard, not sure I would fly the case, but it should be fine for my use. Been a while since I had a Pedaltrain, I remember liking mine a lot, but not sure I would have flown with the soft case, but, you are the experienced traveling musician, I'm just a local flunky, so I will default to your experience.

I would more liken it to a traveling court jester.
 
I like Pedal Train's case the best -rugged enough to check as luggage on a flight, soft padded, knobs don't move, and I drop it in a case or box if shipping.

I'm not a huge fan of hard cases -(unless shipping and need an ATA rated one)

Because of the rigidity and pedal knowing its a hard case - your pedal board get jostled and slammed around much more than a soft one.

My Pedaltrain has a hard case. My buddy that gave it to me took it on a few plane trips to fantasy rock camps. It has a few bumps and bruises on it. One side has a nice dent but it closes fine. Nice battle scares...LOL.
 
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My Pedaltrain has a hard case. My buddy that gave it to me took it on a few plane trips to fantasy rock camps. It has a few bumps and bruises on it. One side has a nice dent but it closes fine. Nice battle scares...LOL.

I haven't used a Pedal Train hard cases -only the rugged style.soft case with padding and reinforces with plastic inside -I'll have to look them up and check it out.
 
I haven't used a Pedal Train hard cases -only the rugged style.soft case with padding and reinforces with plastic inside -I'll have to look them up and check it out.

It's pretty sturdy. It's the second one I've had with a hard case.

Now, my rehearsal pedal board is just a 9x16 Cuisinart cutting board with the basics on it. I carry that in a Targus laptop bag. Fits better in there than a typical generic backpack. And there's more pockets for cables and stuff.
 
I haven't used a Pedal Train hard cases -only the rugged style.soft case with padding and reinforces with plastic inside -I'll have to look them up and check it out.

I have a pedaltrain with a soft case but mine doesn’t have the hard plastic sides....it’s good enough for transport to and from a gig in an SUV but I don’t think it would survive a plane trip. Lol
 
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