Who doesn’t love a good guitar pedal? I can remember buying my first one, a Vox Wah Wah that weighed a ton and ate batteries like they were Tic Tacs… those were good times.
What wasn’t so good was how I used to store it. Or more specifically how I didn’t store it. I’ll be honest, I used my precious Wah pedal as a doorstop. It shouldn’t be a surprise to you reading this, that after about a year and a bit of holding heavy fire doors open it died on me, never to Wah again…
Here at GuitarFortune, we don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did. That’s why today we’re gonna go through some tips and ideas for storing guitar pedals, so you can get the most out of your gear and not be let down when you want to jam out.
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Tips for Storing Guitar Pedals
1. Keep the Box
You know what they say… If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
If you’re looking for an easy and convenient way to store your guitar pedals why not use the same box they came in? They’re safe, come already marked, and won’t cost you an extra dime.
What makes using a product box so great is that they were already designed to keep your guitar pedals safe from things like dust, humidity, and dirt.
If you’re the type of guitarist who likes to keep things organized, product boxes come prelabeled, so you know exactly what’s in the box when you’ve stored it away.
2. Remove the Batteries
This one might be news to you but if you’re planning on putting your guitar pedals in storage, take the batteries out. Leaving the batteries inside your pedal could lead to the battery deteriorating and eventually damaging your gear.
You see, batteries tend to leak, especially older ones and this problem worsens if the electronics don’t get used. The corrosive liquid that comes out of your batteries can and will damage your guitar pedal, so it’s best to take them out if you’re planning on not using your pedal for a while.
We’ve all had that one TV remote where the batteries have gone… weird. They end up with that white, flakey stuff that gets everywhere and smells gross. Don’t let that happen to your expensive pedals, just remove the batteries.
3. Check Humidity Levels
Humidity is a guitarist’s biggest enemy and when it comes to electronic gear, this is no different.
But it isn’t just plain old humidity that we want to eliminate, it’s big changes in humidity that can be your pedals worst nightmare. Exposing your pedal to too high or too low levels of humidity will negatively affect the pedal’s signal transmission, leaving you to eventually have to either pay to repair it, or fork out for a completely new one.
Ideally, you want your guitar pedals to remain in a humidity of around 45-55%, and you want it to stay consistent. If you plan on storing your guitar pedals somewhere that’s prone to fluctuations in humidity, I’d rethink your plans before you find yourself with a pedal that doesn’t work anymore.
4. Avoid Direct Sunlight
This one’s a good tip for any electronic device you currently own… keep it out of the sun!
Direct sunlight is like kryptonite to all kinds of electronics thanks to UV radiation. UV kick starts two processes you want to avoid; photodegradation and photooxidation, which can damage your guitar pedals beyond repair.
Another reason you want to keep your guitar pedals out of direct sunlight is because of a little byproduct known as heat. Prolonged exposure to heat can damage and weaken the internals, turning your pedal into nothing more than a colorful metal box.
Guitar Pedal Storage Ideas
1. Use a Pedalboard
One of the best ways to store your guitar pedals is to strap them to a pedalboard. You can wave goodbye to stray wires and loose pedals, as using a pedalboard is a great way to keep all your pedals together, organized, and ready to play.
Pedalboards come in a variety of sizes and thanks to their modular design, you can customize your pedalboard into whatever configuration works best for you!
What makes owning a pedalboard so great is just how easy they make transporting your pedals around. While they can be a little heavy, having all your pedals securely mounted to the pedalboard means transporting them to jam sessions and soundchecks is a hassle-free breeze.
Pedalboards are also invaluable to anyone looking to ditch the batteries. Most guitarists attach a power supply that feeds their pedals directly onto their pedalboard. With just the flick of a switch, they can have all their pedals powered up and ready to use. Just make sure you get yourself a high-quality pedal PSU and you’ll never have to worry about buying double A’s again.
Now, it’s worth noting, pedalboards aren’t cheap and prices can range from about $100 to anywhere north of 400 bucks, depending on features and the type of materials used. But, if you’re handy with a nail and hammer it could be worth building your own.
Take a look at Scott Breault’s video on building a custom $12 pedalboard.
2. Book/CD Storage Cabinet
If transporting your pedals really isn’t something you need out of your guitar pedal storage, then a more permanent and eye-catching solution might be the way forward. Getting yourself a book or CD storage cabinet is an amazing option for the more settled guitarist.
Solid, pretty, and capable of being used for more than just storing pedals, a book/CD storage cabinet should be your first go-to option for at-home guitar pedal storage. Take a look at these bookcases from Ikea. Not only are they reliable and easy to build, they also help you show off your gear… and who doesn’t love to show off their gear?
Or maybe you’re looking for something a little more luxurious, to display your collection in. This glass cabinet from Ikea has more than enough space for a sizable pedal collection and, with its protective door, shields your precious gear from things like dust and dirt.
3. Shelf with drawers
Space is a big factor when it comes to choosing how to store your guitar pedals, and if you’re not someone blessed with a room big enough to display your colorful pedal’s in all their glory, using a shelf with drawers is a great storage solution.
Space-saving, cost-effective, and most importantly secure, these shelves are the perfect storage option for anyone looking to keep their guitar pedals nearby and out of harm’s way.
The top of the shelf is perfect for displaying and getting to pedals quickly, while the inbuilt shelves offer protection from dust, sun, and dirt. If humidity is an issue, putting a silica gel pack inside your drawer will help remove unwanted moisture and keep those pedals in top shape.
4. Picture Ledge
Besides a pedalboard, using a picture ledge to store your guitar pedals is probably the most common and popular way guitarists store their pedals when not in use. They’ve become a popular choice for a number of reasons, but most of them can be summed up as: they get the job done and look good while they do it.
Picture ledges also exploded in popularity because of their slim form factor. Even for a shelf, these ledges are almost flush with the wall meaning they can go just about anywhere without getting in the way.
Take a look at these picture ledges from Ikea, they are solid and easy to install and come in a variety of styles to help match your interior aesthetic. If blocky wood and primary colors aren’t your thing, these picture ledges are made from a piece of transparent plastic and look awesome when colorful pedals are added.
Conclusion
Buying gear is fun. Making sure you can store it safely afterward… not so much. Hopefully, you now understand a little better what your pedals need from you to ensure they have a long and happy life-changing your guitar’s tone, leaving you more time to spend playing and less time worrying about keeping all your gear alive.
(And for the love of god, please don’t use your pedals as a doorstop… thank me later)