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Schmidt Array SA350 Pedalboard Review – Is this the perfect Pedalboard for professionals?
Introduction
When you look around for high-quality, professional pedalboards, the main brand you will see is Schmidt Array. They produce professional boards built to the highest standards, with many features that make planning, building, and operating your pedalboard so much easier! We have always admired them and wanted one! However, a few things have stopped us pulling the trigger-until now! That changes today! We have one! A Schmidt Array SA350!
So, we thought we would take the chance to put together our thoughts on the Schmidt Array SA350 and give our opinion on whether it’s worth the price. It’s worth noting that while we did pay for this pedalboard, we did receive a little bit of a discount. However, all thoughts are entirely our own.
So with that being said, why don’t we first dive into the specs and what this SA350 board really is!
Schmidt Array SA350 Pedalboard
So, if you haven’t ever heard of Schmidt Array before, you may be a bit confused about why we are bothering with a review. However, they make some of the most high-quality, amazing, and very unique pedalboards out there.
So what is this board? It is a Schmidt Array SA350. The standard size-not the XDM (which stands for Extra Deep Man). The 350 refers to how wide the board is (in cm). Mine is finished in matte black with silver highlights. I also got a lid and a patch bay to go with it. The patch bay will be explained shortly. I also ordered the matching lid for the SA350board, which fits on top using a detachable hinge and clips in place with some strong fasteners.
So why the Patch Bay? Well, to make setting up simpler! I am a huge fan of making things as efficient and fast as possible, including band setups. So, if I can show up to rehearsal and just plug two cables into the side of the board to get up and running, that saves me from having to mess around-this is exactly why I got the junction box. Another reason is that I am currently using the Boss IR-2 (Review Here). I’ve hooked up the headphone out to another slot in the Patch Bay. This means if I want to plug the board in at home and practice, I can just plug a set of headphones in-and away I go! Honestly, I’ve used this so many times. It’s incredibly helpful!
It’s also worth noting that Schmidt Array do sell gig bags, but for the gigs and travel I do, I didn’t need one. The lid should offer enough protection for what I require. I can always get in touch and grab a gig bag if I need to in the future.
The Build
While building the pedalboard out, I did try to film as much of it as I could! However, there are a lot of jumps where I either forgot to hit record or was so focused that I didn’t record it. However, as you can see from the video, setting up your board is so easy, and it doesn’t really matter where you place pedals on the board-it tends to come out tidy and look very smart.
The video starts with a quick unboxing of the Schmidt Array SA350 board, showing you how they come boxed and shipped. After that, we go through some quick features and highlights of the board, including some of the accessories. Then we get on to the main build section-how we place the pedals and how we build out the board.
After the build clips, I go through some tones with the pedals I have on the board and show you some B-roll footage of the board, as well as the specs and features of the Schmidt Array SA350. The video is very much a mix of the board being built and the key features I love about the Schmidt Array SA350.
So sit back, hit play, and enjoy!
What are my thoughts?
I don’t need to talk about it too much, but just look at the board! Doesn’t it look amazing? The sleek curves and design are just spot on-a great balance between form and function! Plus, I love the colour combo of this SA350. It looks great without being too flashy or distracting at your feet. I’m seriously impressed with every design detail on this board. Every little element has been carefully thought out and executed brilliantly!
One thing I did notice when building the board-and you may even spot this in the video-is that it doesn’t take much to create a tidy pedalboard. What I mean by this is that you don’t have to worry about cables or securing everything down as much as you might think. Thanks to the multi-level design, everything stays out of sight and out of mind. Of course, a bit of tidying is still worth doing, just for maintenance and ease of access. I bundled some power cables together, but I haven’t zip-tied anything down. The power and audio cables naturally stay tidy because of how they route through the board.
"One thing I’ve always been concerned about when looking at Schmidt Array boards is weight and size. I assumed they would be really heavy and awkward to carry"
The Schmidt Array SA350 comes with Velcro already applied to the board-which, may I add, has been done absolutely beautifully! So applying pedals and building out your board is a dream. Using the shelf (which is on hinges), you can easily access every part of the board. This makes both the initial setup and future maintenance incredibly straightforward.
Weight & Size?
One thing I’ve always been concerned about when looking at Schmidt Array boards is weight and size. I assumed they would be really heavy and awkward to carry. That’s not the case at all! They’re surprisingly light. Carrying mine-fully loaded with pedals and power-is no hassle. I also thought the board would be massive, but it’s actually quite compact. They’ve made very efficient use of space, and with that second deck, you’ve got loads of room for pedals. You can fit more than you’d expect, while still keeping the whole setup relatively light!
When browsing the website, you’ll notice there are quite a few extras available to purchase. When ordering mine, I picked up a Patch Bay and a clip-on LED light. These are two accessories I think will be super useful. However, there are loads of additional options you can add to your board depending on your specific needs and playing style.
Let’s talk about the Obvious
Now, we can’t get around the fact that Schmidt Array pedalboards are expensive. They are a premium product. But the build quality is incredible! As I mentioned earlier, you can fit a surprising amount on one, so you might not need as large a size as you initially thought. Also, I believe they’ll hold up very well to flying and gigging (time will tell on this, and I’ll update later). If you’re doing serious gigging or touring, this could definitely be a worthwhile investment.
One small note: the handle has a strong plastic smell when new. It does fade over time, but it can leave your hands smelling a bit at first. Not a huge issue, just something I noticed when I first received the board and was carrying it around.
There are two main ways to get a board. You can go to the website (links below), choose your board layout and even pick a custom colour, then place your order. This will be built and shipped to you. Or, you can head to the “pre-made” section. There are loads of boards that are already built and ready to ship. It really depends on your budget, colour and spec preference, and time constraints. It’s also worth noting that a lid doesn’t come as standard when you custom-order a board. If you order an “in-stock” board, it will most likely come with a lid. However, if you’re ordering a brand-new one, you’ll need to add the lid to your order separately.
Conclusion
So that concludes our review of the Schmidt Array SA350 pedalboard! I’ll be using this a lot and will update this article if I discover anything else while owning it. Overall, I’m very impressed with the Schmidt Array SA350 board! I would highly recommend getting one if you want a top-quality and professional pedalboard.
Do you own a Schmidt Array board? If you do, we would love to see your pedal setups! Send us a photo over on our Instagram or drop us an email. We want to see how you’ve got your boards set up! We also have a few articles covering various aspects of building a pedalboard, and how to make them tidier, faster to set up, and more professional-if that’s your aim.
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