There was a very long point in my early guitar years that I struggled to get a solid pedalboard together.
For starters, pedalboards cost a surprising amount of money - as to why I'm still not sure. Maybe they have a monopoly on something guitarists need?
Anyhow, it wasn't up until a few years ago that I stumbled upon what I thought was one of the most creative and exciting things I had seen in the world of guitars.
An IKEA Pedalboard.
Yup, you read that right. This IKEA Pedalboard utilized different pieces of IKEA furniture and parts to create something that resembled and functioned like your standard pedalboard.
The most exciting part? It costs a fraction of the price of a products you would get from a company such as Pedaltrain.
Nowadays, there are tons of DIY ideas sprinkled around the Internet. We're going to use this article to showcase them all so that you can build your own!
Maybe you can get yourself some delicious Swedish meatballs while you're at it.
1. Gorm Pedalboard
This IKEA pedalboard is easily one of the most popular of the bunch. You essentially purchase some IKEA Gorm Shelves (now known as Hejne), which come in packs of two with either three of five slats each, and use Velcro stickers on top to arrange your pedals.
Sam Newton is behind the one you see above. You can see that he painted his green and added a few handles to make it easier to carry as well.
If you are looking to take it a step up, check out this Gorm board above by JJ Tanis. This board utilizes protective rubber feet to help keep the board from scratching your wood floors, as well as helps to lift it a bit. He drilled some holes on the backside of the board to zip tie a power strip underneath. This is helpful for making sure you always have power with your board.
2. Knagglig Pedalboard
Grom pedalboards are pretty nice, though, for some guitarists, they feel a bit too bulky. Lucas from Instructables put together his own version using the Knagglig crate instead. While it comes with four sides in all, you only need to use one of them to finish it. On the sides, there are some Gubbarp handles that come with two in each pack, acting as the cherries on top.
3. Hejne Pedalboard
If you're on a serious budget, we recommend checking out the IKEA Hejne Pedalboard .
All you need for this particular setup is one Hejne Shelf from IKEA, primer, some spray paint (your color of choice), some floor protectors, and some good Velcro. The best part about the one above is that you don't need any tools to build it!
Side Note: The Hejne is actually the IKEA replacement product for the popular GORM.
The Hejne pedalboard above requires a bit more work, though in our opinion looks incredibly professional. This two-tier design uses one regular Hejne shelf for the central part of the board, one one-slat Hejne shelf for a base piece, and a cut two-slat Hejne shelf for the top panel. As you can see, he used cut carpet tiles for the layer of the board and a small pair of metal handles.
4. Grejig Pedalboard
The Grejig Shoe Rack takes a bit of a different approach by using a Grejig Shoe Rack instead of a wooden piece of Ikea furniture. All you need is the shoe rack, some zip ties for tying down your pedals, and a pair of pliers to get everything tight and clean.
While it isn't the most practical of the bunch, it provides an interesting way to get your pedals onto a grid.
5. Kallax Pedalboard
If you are a studio guitarist or someone who just likes to play at home, having somewhere to store your pedals away when they're not in use can be extremely helpful. The Kallax pedalboard is perfect for this. It doesn't require any tools, as you only have to use the Kallax door insert and some Velcro.
6. Mackapar Pedalboard
The Mackapar hat and coat rack is very similar to the Grejig pedalboard, as it only requires the Mackapar hat and coat rack and some zip ties. The zip ties slide right through the holes in the rack, making it very easy to secure your pedals. Plus, you get two racks so that you can make one board for you and one for your friend!
7. Sniglar Pedalboard
The Sniglar pedalboard is a little bit more involved, as it doubles as a carrying case. It is perfect for guitarists that tour and play gigs, keeping your pedals nice and safe when you're not on stage. You'll need the Ikea Sniglar Changing Table, four toggle latches, a handle, and some foam/fabric for the inside.
8. Metod Pedalboard
This XXL pedalboard is for serious DIY-ers. It has space for about ten pedals onboard, a rack-mounted mixer, a patch panel, and plenty of room to hide your power cables away.
If you have tons of pedals and tons of room to work with, this is a solid pedalboard idea. It utilizes the Ikea Metod system with two doors and L-shaped enforcements. It will require quite a few tools and work, though it stands up to many large, professional pedalboard cases.
Time For Your Own IKEA Hack
There is no reason to spend hundreds of dollars on a pedalboard when you can spend a fraction of that and get one that is just as sturdy and professional.
The best thing about Ikea pedalboards is that the possibilities are endless. You can shape, paint, and decorate them any way you can think of!
If you create your own, make sure to post it online to provide some other Ikea hackers with some inspiration!
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