The Surplus is our version of a classic boost/overdrive circuit, but there’s a lot more under the hood than you might expect. Once you dive in, you’ll find two channels, the ability to tweak the input and output capacitor value, and our signature eight-way clipping selector for a broad range of distortion flavours.

The result? An all-in-one pedal that helps you unlock dozens of different drive sounds. Use them as the foundations of your tone, uniquely voiced boosts for ripping solos, or anything in-between.

Two channels are better than one. So the Surplus brings dual-channel flexibility to the party – each with their own level and gain controls. That means you can dial in two different sounds, easily switch between them on the fly, or reach either of them from the pedal’s bypassed state by activating the relevant footswitch.  

There’s also a Response control that affects both channels. This alters the input and output capacitor value, rolling off the gain and low-end signal to unlock complex ‘broken’ drive sounds. 

The Surplus also comes with Zander’s diode rotary switch, which lets you choose between eight different clipping types: 

• Germanium: Smooth, sweet, and classically ‘amp-like’.
• Silicon: Louder, brighter, and a little bit brittle. 

• LED: Louder again, with less saturation and more punch. 

• Asymmetrical germanium: A more aggressive version of germanium. 

• Asymmetrical silicon: A more aggressive version of silicon.

• Asymmetrical LED: A more aggressive version of LED.

• Transistor/MOSFET: Similar to silicon, but sweeter and crunchier. 

• No diodes: Loads of output and much less gain. 

Each of these will flavour the Surplus’ drive tones in a unique way. And when you dial the gain control all the way up, you get the spitting, gated distortion familiar to anyone who’s ever plugged their guitar directly into a recording console.

There are seven controls to help you pull the perfect drive tone from the Surplus:

• Level 1: Output volume for channel 1

• Gain 1: Gain control for channel 1 

• Level 2: Output volume for channel 2

• Gain 2: Gain control for channel 2

• Tone: EQ for the output signal

• Response: Alters the input capacitor value (low-end response and overall gain)

• 1-8: Clipping diode selector

 

It also has two footswitches: 

• Channel 1: Activates channel 1 and its controls
• Channel 2: Activates channel 2 and its controls

The Surplus features both momentary and latching switching, which means you can hold down one of the footswitches to temporarily engage an effect and then release it to return to normality.

Not to mention: 

• Top-mounted in/out jacks
• Power requirements: 9V DC (center-negative) supply
• Current draw: 100 mA

Dimensions: 

• (W)67 mm x (L)122 mm x (H)60 mm