Voodoo Lab Dingbat Pedalboard Review

It's a bit difficult to review a pedalboard, especially when they don't really come with anything but the board itself. But luckily for my Voodoo Lab Dingbat review, these boards actually come with extras, primarily a Voodoo Lab power supply.

In my opinion this is one of the main things that sets the Dingbat series apart from other pedalboard companies. 

While you can buy the Dingbat boards without an included power supply (knocks a lot off the price), being able to get a powered pedalboard in a bundle is very helpful. This is especially true from a brand that specializes in power supplies, like Voodoo Lab does.

This review is of the Small-Ex pedalboard with the Pedal Power X8.

It should be clear that my opinion of the Small-Ex could apply to pretty much any board in the series. Sizing and specific power supply included can vary, but otherwise they're pretty much the same.

We'll get into my experience and the details below.

Voodoo Lab Dingbat Pricing Tools

Prices updated Sun, December 03rd, 2023.

Note that some of these entries have the Dingbat Small-Ex either without power supplies or with different power supplies.

Current Sweetwater Pricing

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IDEAL FOR: Improved and more concealed wiring, heavier abuse/movement, those who want to bundle with a power supply.

* We do not provide a numbered rating for pedalboards.

What's included?

As I mentioned, the package includes a ton of stuff, depending on what you get. Since I got the Small-Ex board, I'll use that to make my list.

• The board (obviously but I have to say it)
• The padded carrying bag
• Voodoo Lab Pedal Power X8
• Twist ties
• Velcro (hook and loop or whatever you call it)
• 8 x 9V connection cables

The only thing I didn't find was the power cable with the red tip, which I used with my ISO-5 to power my Line 6 DL4. All that to say, I couldn't use the DL4 on this particular board.

Otherwise, everything I needed to get started was there. I'm basically using the Dingbat to set up a second pedalboard with some of the newer pedals I've been keeping on hand.

Feel and Build

The board feels heavier and a little more solid than the Pedaltrain of comparable size. I think this is primarily because of the much smaller holes in the Dingbat, where the Pedaltrain has full side-to-side openings on the board's platform. The Dingbat is just more substantive.

How big is it?

I'm pulling this info straight off the product description, but for those reading this review it will at least save you from having to look things up:

• Height: 2.75"
• Length: 18"
• Depth: 10.2"
• Weight: 3.95 lbs.

Again, this is the smaller version. For comparison, the large Dingbat measures 25.75" x 15.75".

Wiring

When I say wiring, I'm mostly referring to the holes on the board, which allow you to run cables underneath and partially hide them. I like this system because the holes are smaller and do not run continuously. This gives you more board space and does a better job of concealing the cables underneath. 

Wiring everything up gave me a much better result than what I got with the Pedaltrain board. It just looked cleaner and more organized.

Power Supply

Note that there are different power supplies included depending on which board you buy. For example, the large board comes with the Pedal Power 3 Plus, while the medium board comes with the Pedal Power 2 Plus.

I would argue that being able to include any Voodoo Lab supply with a pedalboard purchase is helpful. Not to say the power supply is included free, but it's just a really nice combination for the Voodoo Lab brand. Buying the pedalboard by itself should be the exception, not the norm.

Overall Value (price)

Here's how the pricing breaks down for what I got in the combination package, had I purchased the board and power supply separately:

• Dingbat Small-Ex 18" pedalboard: $200
• Pedal Power X8: $170
• Total: $370

Now, if you buy them in the Small Ex bundle, you get the following:

• Total price of bundle: $350
• Sweetwater gift card for $30

So you get $20 knocked off the cost of the board plus another $30 you can use to buy something else at Sweetwater. Given this option, there's a ton of value here for those who need a power supply with their board.

As we'd argue with most pedalboards, the board itself is over-priced.

But buy one of the packages and you're really getting your money's worth.

Review Conclusion

It's fitting that Voodoo Lab is making pedalboards in addition to their very popular power supplies. My hot take on the Dingbat series is that it will eventually overtake Pedaltrain in terms of being the primary manufacturer of pedalboards. 

The Dingbat Small-Ex leaves absolutely nothing to complain about, and has converted me to their brand - for pedalboards - for the long term.

If you have questions about my Voodoo Lab Dingbat review, my experience with the board, or our review policies/process, reach out via the comments section below and I'll do my best to help out.

Remember the disclaimer, and I'll see you there.

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