Warwick Rockboard

review
WARWICK ROCKBOARD
108
Guitarist February 2019
’board. There are three options available.
The MOD 1 offers five standard 6.4mm
connections (plenty for implementing the
four-cable method), an XLR, and mains
power connectivity via IEC and a barrel
connector for plugging in a nine-volt
adaptor (such as the 1700mA RockBoard
Power Ace at £19) to route to any pedal(s).
The other module options are the MOD2
with MIDI and USB options, and the
MOD3, which, with extra XLR connections,
is aimed at vocalists.
As for cabling, there’s a wide range of
patch leads in various lengths featuring
space-saving flat cable with slimline right-
angle plugs, including the premium Gold
and Sapphire cables with gold-plated
contacts. There’s also the PatchWorks
solderless cables and plugs so you can
customise sizes, and, for identifying those
cable runs, there are colour-coded wrap-
around rings.
In use, we didn’t come up with any
problems, apart from the mounting holes
for the MOD 1 needed widening to take the
provided screws (however, this was easily
done with the provided tool).
The size of the 4.1 is very practical
for a medium-sized pedalboard. It’s a
comfortable fit for two rows of five Boss
compact pedals without anything hanging
over the edges. Of course, with any multiple
pedal setup there’s the potential for a rat’s
nest of cabling underneath, but the slot
system makes it easy to keep things under
control by using cable ties.
One of the beauties of this system is its
flexibility. You can easily rip it apart and
start again if you find the positions don’t suit
or you need to add more. Once you’re set
on your pedals, their ’board positions and
order in the chain, use solderless cable cut
to size to keep things neat.
The underneath is not just for power
supplies and cabling, either. You could use
it to place a buffer (incidentally, there is a
RockBoard Natural Sound Buffer in the
range) or any small pedal that is always
on, even perhaps pedals connected to a
switcher located on the top surface.
Verdict
With a clean, uncluttered surface for
pedal mounting, but with easy access to
underneath where there’s enough space to
keep all the cabling, power supplies and so
on, what you’re getting here is a classy and
practical pedalboard design. Whatever size
’board you need, there will be something
that suits, from the smallest DUO 2.1 to the
massive CINQUE 5.4, which is just over a
metre long and 416mm deep. However, it’s
the comprehensive nature of the full range
of items in the system that most impresses.
The RockBoard range is a one-stop shop
that easily facilitates putting a pedalboard
together. Headache over.
WARWICK
ROCKBOARD
PRICE: Various (see review text)
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Modular pedalboard range
FEATURES: Slotted design for easy
pedal mounting, angled and plain
pedalboard surface, includes self-
adhesive hook (50mm wide), loop
tape (25mm wide) and cable ties
CONTROLS: None
CONNECTIONS (MOD1): Standard
connections (TRS stereo) x 5, XLR,
barrel connector (2.1 x 5.5mm), IEC
POWER: Whatever you choose
DIMENSIONS (QUAD 4.1): 470 (w)
x 330 (d) x 90mm (h)
PROS Full range of pedalboard
accessories in one place; solidly built
pedalboard; slots allow easy cable
access; patchbay modules keep
connectivity tidy
CONS Nothing of note
9
THE RIVALS
Pedaltrain is probably the best-known brand
when it comes to pedalboards, with ’boards
available in many sizes. The design is different
to the RockBoard in that, instead of many
small slots in the mounting surface, these
have larger continuous slots, running the full
horizontal length on the smaller ’boards. If
you’re looking to connect your pedals
together with solderless cables that you can
trim to size, you may wish to look at offerings
from George L, Evidence Audio or Lava Cable.
Finally, for quality ready-made connections
between pedals, try EBS Premium Gold flat
patch cables, available in four lengths.
2
Whatever you plug in the front sockets
passes straight through to the rear
sockets – if you plug a nine-volt adaptor
to the barrel connector on the front, you
can daisy-chain pedals from the rear one
GIT442.rev_warwick.indd 108 12/17/18 3:53 PM