The Animals Pedal CHARITY EDITION SURFING BEAR OVERDRIVE is a limited overdrive pedal from Japanese maker Animals Pedal, built around the circuit of the legendary drive pedal known as the "808", the design behind the Ibanez Tube Screamer family, with modifications aimed at a modern sound1. What sets the Charity Edition apart from the regular Surfing Bear is its purpose: Animals Pedal donates the full purchase price of every unit sold as relief money for disaster-area recovery1.
The pedal itself is described by the maker as an overdrive for the most basic distortion a present-day guitarist needs, with sufficient sustain, an attack that does not become cluttered during cutting, and a clear, forward distortion that keeps the sound from getting buried, with the TONE knob offering light tonal customization2.
An 808-style overdrive with improvements
Animals Pedal states plainly where the circuit comes from: the base is the "808", the legendary drive pedal, modified rather than copied. The company describes the modified circuit as tuned for a modern, easy-to-use sound32. In the maker's own words, the pedal delivers:
"十分なサステインを持ち、カッティングでもうるさくなり過ぎないアタックと音が埋もれない、明瞭で前に出る歪み。"
For a player, an 808-derived design means the familiar Tube Screamer character: a midrange-forward overdrive that works well pushing an amplifier, with a tone control that shapes the top end. Animals Pedal's modifications are aimed at keeping the attack from becoming too loud during cutting and keeping the distorted sound clear and forward rather than buried in a mix. Players comparing 808-family pedals may also want to look at the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 comparison2.
The current version
The Surfing Bear Overdrive has been updated from its earlier form. Animals Pedal says the new version makes battery changes easier than before and places the footswitch closer to the front edge of the enclosure for better playability1. The same redesign is described on the KUMAMOTOKEN edition's page3.
Impedance and current draw
The maker's specifications for the Charity Edition:
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 500k ohm1 |
| Output impedance | 10k ohm1 |
| Current draw | 15mA1 |
A 500k ohm input impedance loads a guitar's pickups lightly, so the pedal can sit early in a signal chain without dulling the instrument's tone, and the 10k ohm output drives typical amplifier and pedal inputs without difficulty. The 15mA current draw is modest, in the range that most isolated power supplies and many daisy chains can handle. The same figures appear on both Kumamoto charity editions' product pages32.
Where the proceeds go
The Charity Edition program is the point of this pedal. Animals Pedal donates the full purchase price of every CHARITY EDITION pedal sold as relief money for disaster-area recovery1.
The maker lists the price as £55.86 (tax included) for the original Charity Edition1 and £63.14 for the Kumamoto editions32, as stated on the company's own product pages.
Related editions
Two further charity versions of the Surfing Bear exist alongside this one:
- Animals Pedal CHARITY EDITION SURFING BEAR OVERDRIVE KUMAMOTOKEN, a limited edition for recovery from the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto earthquake3
- Animals Pedal CHARITY EDITION SURFING BEAR OVERDRIVE I LOVE KUMAMOTO, released for the same recovery effort, with all purchase proceeds donated as relief money2
Both share the same 808-based circuit, impedances and 15mA current draw as the pedal on this page32.
Manual
Animals Pedal publishes a PDF manual for the Surfing Bear Overdrive, linked from the KUMAMOTOKEN edition's product page3.
Videos
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Questions
What circuit is the Surfing Bear Overdrive based on?
Animals Pedal says the circuit is based on the legendary drive pedal known as the 808, the design behind the Ibanez Tube Screamer family. The company modifies that foundation for a modern sound rather than copying it outright, describing the result as a clear, forward overdrive with enough sustain and an attack that stays uncluttered during cutting.
Where do the proceeds from the Charity Edition go?
Animals Pedal donates the full purchase price of every CHARITY EDITION pedal sold as relief money for disaster-area recovery. The original run supported recovery from the Noto Peninsula earthquake, with 78,100 yen from six units donated to Ishikawa Prefecture in February 2024. Later editions support recovery from the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto earthquake.
What is the Kumamotoken edition of the Surfing Bear Overdrive?
The KUMAMOTOKEN is a limited CHARITY EDITION of the Surfing Bear Overdrive released to support recovery from the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto earthquake. As with the other charity editions, the full purchase price is donated as relief money. Animals Pedal donated 100,100 yen from seven charity edition units to Kumamoto Prefecture on 1 September 2026.
What changed in the current version of the Surfing Bear?
Animals Pedal redesigned the Surfing Bear Overdrive so that battery changes are easier than on the previous version, and moved the footswitch closer to the front edge of the enclosure to improve playability. The circuit remains based on the 808 drive pedal with modifications for a modern sound.
What are the input and output impedances of the Surfing Bear Overdrive?
The maker lists an input impedance of 500k ohm and an output impedance of 10k ohm. The 500k ohm input is high enough that the pedal loads a guitar's pickups lightly, and the 10k ohm output drives most amplifier and pedal inputs without trouble.
Is there a manual for the Surfing Bear Overdrive?
Yes. Animals Pedal publishes a PDF manual for the Surfing Bear Overdrive, linked from the product page for the KUMAMOTOKEN charity edition on the company's website. It covers the pedal's controls and operation.
Sources (3)
- 【完売・寄付完了】Animals Pedal CHARITY EDITION SURFING BEAR OVERDRIVE, Animals Pedal (animalspedal.jp), 2024-02-22
- 【完売・寄付完了】Animals Pedal CHARITY EDITION SURFING BEAR OVERDRIVE I LOVE K, Animals Pedal (animalspedal.jp)
- 【完売・寄付完了】Animals Pedal CHARITY EDITION SURFING BEAR OVERDRIVE KUMAMOTO, Animals Pedal (www.animalspedal.jp)
