You've Got this All Wrong....
D'addario XPND Expandable Pedalboard
Read Time: 3 Minutes, 18 Seconds
According to D'addario, this is the only pedalboard you will ever need.... or is it? The Guitar Pedal board is always something which causes hours of debate.
The XPND board is a little different because it expands and there are two models. The 1 has a single Row and the 2 has 2 Row's, Simply Right? It gets better, they grow! From 13.75" to 24.75" (or 38.9CM to 62.8CM in new money). Number 2 can adjust between 17.5" and 31.75" (or 44.4CM to 80.6CM).
Sizes
These 2 pedal boards can replace 12 or more models of rival brands. The telescopic aluminium bars are adjustable to the preferred length - Just to make sense of that last sentence;
Three Quarters of Guitarists have between 4 and 10 pedals and make changes to their pedalboard every year. And guess what? Nearly half never take them out! For those who do, there are travel cases.
Travel Cases
Both models have a professional tour grade features, the modular velcro divider system is a nice touch because whatever configuration you have your board in will fit, pedals and all! The mesh handle is comfortable and is re-enforced. It also comes with a shoulder strap. No padding which is shame but not a deal breaker. And they're each available to buy as a pack;
But What About the Cables?
Ah, those pesky cables! You know; power? Patch? Another Patch...Another Patch....oh 18V Power unit... Well there are these weird little rubber feet and they bend. Run your cables through the rubber feet thingies and pop them into position. Job done (Below is a render of how it works, much easier)
Won't they get caught when you slide the bars in and out? Well yes they would, but that's not the point of this board. 75% of Guitarists own 4 - 10 pedals and how many boards? Well if it's the XPND it's only one. Buy one and you've got 12+ different boards which traditionally needed to be bought separately! No more games of pedalboard real estate, now you can satisfy that GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and know your pedal board can just schooch (<-- Urban Dictionary for those of you who don't Schooch) the board over a bit more.
Thought of everything?
Ah, but what about those pesky pedals which have stupidly placed controls.... or power inputs.... Well that's solved too! Risers - pop one of them onto the board in the position of the offending pedal. Built for the XPND boards but those clever devils have gone and made it work with most rail pedals boards (You know like the 12 or so these might replace).
The cut-outs make it easy enough to run your cables too. There are, like the boards themselves, 2 sizes:
- Single for standard pedals and
- Double for the big oversized ones (I'm looking at you Keeley Mod Workstation)
You've Got this All Wrong....
I talked to a few people about this product when D'addario starting informing the industry about it. To be honest, I thought the exact same thing until I saw it. I thought it was one board and you would bring it out Friday with your small setup on it and then Saturday you would bring out the big guns but it turns out most Guitarists don't change their boards that regularly, so what's the point?
That's the point, we don't change all that often but when we have gone and splashed some heavy cash on the latest handmade boutique American pedal (No, not because the builder has the same name as a famous actor. Story for another time) you'd like to be able to do it without having to change your board as well.
The whole idea, change the pedals all you want but keep the board :D