Knowing the size of your effects pedals is really important if you are looking to organise a new pedalboard. In this article, I’ll go through each type of pedal and the dimensions with plenty of examples so you know exactly where to go from here.
The Quick Answer
On average, guitar effects pedals are between 4-6 inches in length and 2-4 inches in width. Mini-pedals are typically around 3-4 inches in length and 1.5-2 inches wide. Larger pedals include volume and wah effects which are around 10 x 4″ and multi-effects which have dimensions up to 10 x 18″.
Types of Pedal and Their Dimensions
There are several different types of guitar pedals:
- Standard (vertical orientation)
- Wide-style (can be vertical or horizontal orientation)
- Square
- Volume and wah pedals
- Mini pedals
- Multi-effects
- Round style
Here is some more information on the dimensions of each type.
Standard Pedals
Most standard guitar effects pedals are around 4.5-5″ in length and 2.5-3″ wide. These types of pedals include most Boss pedals and the Ibanez Tube Screamer.
They usually have 3-4 controls on the front as well as the stomp switch and are oriented vertically.
| Pedal | Height x Width (inches) | Height x Width (cm) |
| Boss SD-1 | 5.1 x 2.9” | 13.0 x 7.3 cm |
| Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 | 4.9 x 3.0 ” | 12.4 x 7.6 cm |
| TC Electronic Spark Booster | 4.8 x 2.8” | 12.2 x 7.2 cm |
| Fulltone OCD | 4.5 x 2.5” | 11.4 x 6.35 cm |
| Keeler Compressor Plus | 4.4 x 2.4” | 11.2 x 6.0 cm |
Wide Style
Wide-style pedals can be orientated either vertically or horizontally. Many Electro-Harmonix pedals are wide-style for example, the Big Muff. These pedals are typically larger than the standard vertical pedals described above.
This style of pedal ranges in size depending on the model, but is usually around 5.5″ x 4″.
| Pedal | Height x Width (inches) | Height x Width (cm) |
| Pro Co Rat 2 | 4 x 3.5” | 10.2 x 8.9 cm |
| Electro-Harmonix Big Muff | 6.9 x 5.5” | 17.5 x 14.0 cm |
| Electro-Harmonix Sterior Electric Mistress | 6.2 x 5.6” | 15.7 x 14.2 cm |
| Keely D&M Dual Drive | 4.7 x 3.7” | 12.0 x 9.4 cm |
| Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter | 4.7 x 3.5” | 12.0 x 8.9 cm |
Square Pedals
Some effects pedals have a square design and typically take up quite a bit of space on the pedalboard. Some are perfectly square, whilst others are slightly wider or narrow but look almost completely symmetrical.
Square designs are popular with delay and reverb pedals with multiple controls but can be seen with other effects types as well. Typically these pedals are around 4.5 x 4.5″.
| Pedal | Height x Width (inches) | Height x Width (cm) |
| Wampler Hot Wired | 4.5 x 4.5” | 11.4 x 11.4 cm |
| Source Audio Collider | 4.5 x 4.5” | 11.4 x 11.4 cm |
| Mesa-Boogie Flux Five | 4.8 x 5.8” | 12.2 x 14.7 cm |
| TC Electronic Ditto | 5.3 x 4.4” | 13.5 x 11.3 cm |
| EarthQuaker Devices Palisades | 4.5 x 5.7” | 11.4 x 14.4 cm |
Wah and Volume Pedals
Volume and wah pedals are the largest type of pedals and are designed for pedalboards which use two rows, as the vertical edge will take up both rows.
Usually full-size volume and wah pedals are around 10 inches in length and 4 inches wide, hence you need a pretty large pedalboard to place them properly. Alternatively, you can also place them at the side of your board if it’s too small.
| Pedal | Height x Width (Imperial) | Height x Width (Metric) |
| Boss FV-500H Volume | 11.4 x 4.4” | 29.0 x 11.2 cm |
| Ernie Ball 6180 VP JR Volume | 10.0 x 3.5” | 25.4 x 8.9 cm |
| Electro-Harmonix Expression Volume | 9.9 x 3.4” | 25.1 x 8.6 cm |
| Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby | 10.0 x 4.0” | 25.4 x 10.2 |
| Vox V847A Wah | 9.9 x 4.0” | 25.1 x 10.2 |
Mini Pedals
If you’re struggling for space on your pedalboard, mini effects pedals offer a great solution. They are typically 2/3 or 1/2 the size of the full-size versions.
The exact dimensions depend on the type of pedal. Most rectangular mini pedals are around 3.5 x 1.6 inches. Mini volume and wah pedals are usually around 6 x 3 inches.
| Pedal | Height x Width (Imperial) | Height x Width (Metric) |
| Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini | 3.5 x 1.6” | 8.9 x 4.1 cm |
| MXR M290 Mini Phase | 3.6 x 1.5” | 9.1 x 3.8 cm |
| Keeley Compressor Mini | 3.7 x 1.8” | 9.5 x 4.5 cm |
| Dunlop FFM6 Fuzz Face Mini | 3.5 x 3.5” | 8.9 x 8.9 cm |
| Dunlop DVP4 Mini Volume | 6.0 x 3.0” | 15.2 x 7.6 cm |
Check out my comparison between mini and full-size pedals for more information.
Multi-Effects Pedals
Multi-effects pedals vary in size according to the model and number of effects it contains. Usually, multi-effects pedals with 4-5 effects included are around 5 x 6 inches. However, there are much larger examples which can be around 10 x 18 inches.
Typically, multi-effects pedals are wider than they are all and take up a considerable amount of room on the pedalboard. Albeit, less than if you were to have individual stomp boxes for each effect.
| Pedal | Height x Width (Imperial) | Height x Width (Metric) |
| Line 6 HX Stomp | 5.0 x 7.0 | 12.7 x 17.8 cm |
| Boss ME-80 | 9.1 x 17.6 | 23 x 44.7 cm |
| Boss MD-200 | 5.4 x 4” | 13.7 x 10.2 cm |
| Keeley Dark Side Workstation | 3.8 x 4.7” | 9.7 x 12.0 cm |
| Vox StompLab IIG | 4.9 x 5.7 | 12.4 x 14.5 cm |
Round
Although rare, some pedals are circular. For example, the Dunlop Fuzz Face.
The full-size Jim Dunlop Classic Fuzz Face is 8 x 7.3″ (20.3 x 18.5 cm) and the Fuzz Face Mini is 3.5 x 3.5″ (8.9 x 8.9 cm). Round-style pedals tend to take up more room on the pedal board than standard rectangular pedals.
Check out my guide to the different types of effects pedals to find out which ones are the most suitable for you.
How Much Space Do You Need Between Pedals?
As well as considering the size of your effects pedals, you need to factor in the amount of space you need to leave between each pedal when choosing what board size to go for.
This will depend on two things:
- The cable connection type you are using
- The location of the input and output jack on the pedal itself
As a general rule, you will need around 2″ between the pedals on your board so that there is enough room for the patch cables. This is best for most pedals which usually have the input and output jacks located on opposite sides of the pedal.
However, there are different types of patch cable on the market which require different spaces, here are some averages.
- Standard patch cable: 2″
- Straight coupler: 2″
- Low-profile patch cable: 1″
If you are struggling to order your pedals in the correct sequence due to the limiting lengths of the patch cable, then try using a DIY cable kit like this Boss Solderless Cable Kit on Amazon. These allow you to customise the length of your connection cables to get the perfect fit.
Some pedals don’t have their jacks located on either side and instead have them on the top or bottom of the pedal. These are great because you can usually place your pedals closer together because the patch cable does not take up any room between the pedals.
I’ve written a full guide to help you work out what pedalboard size you need here. It includes various different examples and a step-by-step process to make things super simple.
Depth Measurement
Most guitar effects pedals have a depth measurement of 1.5-2″. Some exceptions include mini pedals which usually are around 1-1.5″ deep and volume/ wah pedals which are deeper and have a measurement of roughly 2.5″.
Here is a table with some examples.
| Pedal | Depth (Imperial) | Depth (Metric) |
| Boss SD-1 | 2.4” | 6.1 cm |
| Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 | 2” | 5.1 cm |
| TC Electronic Spark Booster | 2” | 5.1 cm |
| MXR EVH Phaser 90 | 1.25” | 3.2 cm |
| Xotic EP Booster Mini | 1.5” | 3.8 cm |
| Dunlop Cry Baby Wah | 2.5” | 6.4 cm |
| Line 6 HX Stomp Multi-Effects | 4.7” | 12.0 cm |
Average Weight of Guitar Pedals
Guitar effect pedal usually weight between 0.5 and 2 lbs (0.23 and 0.91 kg). For example, most standard Boss pedals weigh 0.81 lbs (0.37 kg). Some pedals may be much heavier, such as multi-effects pedals which may weigh up to 10 lbs (4.5 kg). Mini guitar pedals usually weigh around 0.3 lbs (0.14 kg).
Here is a table to demonstrate some examples of the weight measurements of popular pedals.
| Pedal | Type | Weight (imperial) | Weight (metric) |
| Boss SD-1 | Standard Size | 0.81 lbs | 0.37 kg |
| Behringer VD400 | Standard Size | 0.77 lbs | 0.35 kg |
| Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 | Standard Size | 1.30 lbs | 0.59 kg |
| TC Electronic Spark Booster | Standard Size | 0.66 lbs | 0.30 kg |
| Fulltone OCD | Standard Size | 1.00 lbs | 0.45 kg |
| Keeler Compressor Plus | Standard Size | 0.58 lbs | 0.26 kg |
| Electro-Harmonix Big Muff | Wide Style | 1.55 lbs | 0.70 kg |
| Pro Co Rat 2 | Wide Style | 2.00 lbs | 0.91 kg |
| Line 6 HX Stomp | Multi-Effects | 1.75 lbs | 0.79 kg |
| Boss ME-80 | Multi-Effects | 7.94 lbs | 3.60 kg |
| Boss FV-500H | Volume | 2.70 lbs | 1.22 kg |
| Jim Dunlop Cry Baby | Wah | 3.70 lbs | 1.38 kg |
| Jim Dunlop JDF2 Fuzz Face | Round (Large) | 2.50 lbs | 1.13 kg |
| Ibanez Tube Scremaer Mini | Mini | 0.31 lbs | 0.14 kg |
Check out my complete guide to designing the perfect pedalboard and my look at my guide to the best pedal effects order to make sure you’re getting the most out of your signal chain.