From Facebook selling groups to a British pedal brand
Zander Circuitry started with no outside funding. Millar told Guitar.com that he started the company on a shoestring budget of a few hundred pounds, spent on enclosures, resistors, capacitors and a batch of vinyl stickers from a print shop, which served as the graphics for the early pedals2. Before the brand had properly launched, he cleared his first pedals through Facebook selling groups2.
The company's look changed on 1 January 2018, when it rebranded with a completely new visual identity that standardized the control layout, illustration style and typography across the range2. Millar said he took a lot of inspiration from brands like Earthquaker Devices in regard to their consistency2.
The pedal range
Zander Circuitry's range covers fuzz, distortion, modulation, reverb and delay. The Siva is the company's op-amp fuzz, its take on the classic 1970s op-amp model of the Big M fuzz circuit4. The maker describes that op-amp version of the circuit as having a tone and feel that's all its own, and positions the Siva as an op-amp alternative to the standard Big M design45.
| Pedal | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cranium | Dual gain distortion | Based on the ProCo RAT; the brand's best-seller2 |
| Siva | Op-amp fuzz | Take on the 1970s op-amp Big M circuit4 |
| American Geek | Fuzz | Listed as a high gain fuzz machine678 |
| Cafetiere | Distortion/fuzz | Part of the range as of October 20259 |
| Foxxton Woods | Octave fuzz | Released alongside the Surplus overdrive10 |
| Terra Firma | Distortion | Part of the range as of late 202511 |
| Templo | Multi-reverb | Part of the range as of spring 202512 |
| Duplo | Lo-fi delay | Carries four footswitches13 |
| Junipero | Multi-modulation | Released June 20202 |
The company also claims a first for a British pedal brand: releasing a fully-fledged digital multi-fx unit with stereo, tap tempo and presets1. That claim points at the Junipero, and Millar told Guitar.com:
"As far as I know, we're the first British company to tackle anything of this magnitude"
Alex Millar, founder
Alex Millar founded Zander Circuitry and still works full-time as a graphic designer on top of running the brand2. That design background shows in the company's standardized visual identity, and Millar has pointed to Earthquaker Devices' consistency as a model for the brand's own look2.
Availability and switching
Availability details for the Cranium14 and the Cafetiere9 come from the maker's own product pages. Check those pages for the current status of a specific model before planning a build around it.
The company also runs a Custom Shop, offering custom variants of its best-selling pedals15:
- Custom Shop Cranium, where buyers can choose options including the OP07 op-amp used in the regular Cranium15
- Custom Shop Cafetiere, a custom variant of the distortion/fuzz pedal16
On switching, the maker stated in late 2025 that its pedals no longer ship with momentary switching as standard, but that it is available on request by email after purchasing5. This follows plans Millar described in 2020, when he told Guitar.com the company was moving its simpler pedals, such as drives and fuzzes, to smaller enclosures and to soft switching that allows for both momentary and latching modes2.
The range (17)
News
Questions
Where are Zander Circuitry pedals made?
Zander Circuitry is a British pedal company. Its founder, Alex Millar, has described the brand's beginnings as humble, starting in 2016 on a shoestring budget of a few hundred pounds spent on enclosures, resistors, capacitors and vinyl stickers for the graphics.
Who owns Zander Circuitry?
Zander Circuitry was founded by Alex Millar, who is listed as the company's founder. Millar also works full-time as a graphic designer alongside running the brand, and the company's consistent visual identity came out of a rebrand on 1 January 2018.
What is the Zander Circuitry Siva based on?
The Siva is Zander Circuitry's take on the classic 1970s op-amp model of the Big M fuzz circuit. The maker describes that op-amp version as having a tone and feel all its own, and positions the Siva as an op-amp alternative to the standard Big M circuit.
Is the Zander Circuitry Cranium still available?
A Custom Shop Cranium variant, which lets buyers choose options such as the OP07 op-amp used in the regular pedal, was also offered.
What is the Zander Circuitry Junipero?
The Junipero is Zander Circuitry's multi-modulation pedal, released in June 2020. In a Guitar.com interview, founder Alex Millar said that as far as he knew, Zander was the first British company to tackle a pedal of that magnitude.
Are Zander Circuitry pedals switching to soft switching?
In a 2020 interview, founder Alex Millar said the company was moving its simpler pedals, such as drives and fuzzes, to soft switching that allows both momentary and latching modes. By late 2025, the maker stated its pedals no longer ship with momentary switching as standard, though it is available on request.
Sources (16)
- About Us, Zander Circuitry, 2017-01-10
- How the Cranium Dual Gain Distortion put Zander Circuitry on the map, Guitar.com, 2020-08-26
- New Pedal: Zander Circuitry Duplo Lo-Fi Delay, Delicious Audio, 2021-01-19
- Siva - Zander Circuitry, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- American Geek, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- Zander Circuitry Avalanche Harmonic Clipping Trifecta, Pedal of the Day, 2018-11-30
- Zander Circuitry American Geek High Gain Fuzz Machine, Pedal of the Day, 2018-10-11
- Zander Circuitry American Geek High Gain Fuzz Machine, Pedal of the Day, 2018-10-09
- Cafetiere, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- Foxxton Woods, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- Terra Firma, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- Templo - Zander Circuitry, Zander Circuitry, 2022-02-01
- Duplo - Zander Circuitry, Zander Circuitry, 2020-09-11
- Cranium - Zander Circuitry, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- Custom Shop Cranium, Zander Circuitry, 2025-08-07
- Custom Shop Cafetiere, Zander Circuitry, 2024-11-22