The Matthews Effects Surgeon is a digital delay pedal that first appeared in December 2016 as the Surgeon Anatomical Delay, a compact pedal with three delay voices named Vicodin, Morphine and Oxygen1. A second version, the Surgeon Delay (often called the Surgeon V2), followed in June 2022 and expanded the pedal into a fully featured, mono, multi-mode delay with eight algorithms, MIDI, presets and a computer editor23.
Matthews Effects describes the Surgeon as a professional-grade delay pedal with a wide range of tonal options in a compact enclosure, and says its digital circuitry delivers "a clean and precise sound that can be fine-tuned to your taste"4. The pedal is currently listed as sold out on the maker's product page, which also carries a Users Guide and a MIDI manual4.
A digital delay with eight modes
The V2 Surgeon offers eight delay algorithms divided into four categories: EQ, Mod, AF (Auto Filter) and Dual4. Delicious Audio described it at launch as "a fully-featured, mono, multi-mode compact delay offering 8 algorithms organized in four groups of two (EQ, Modulation, Auto-Filter and Dual)"2.
Each category works on a different part of the delayed signal:
| Category | What it does |
|---|---|
| EQ | Places an EQ in the feedback loop so repeats continually get darker or brighter. LP mode makes repeats darker, HP mode brighter2 |
| Mod | Modulation on the repeats. Depth mode has a fixed-speed LFO with depth set by the Mutation knob; Rate mode has set depth and adjustable LFO rate2 |
| AF | An Auto Filter placed post-delay, working like the Mod mode with Rate mode and Synch mode2 |
| Dual | Two delay taps, with delay 1 in the feedback loop and delay 2 triggered by delay 1. In Free mode delay 2 is independent of delay 1 and unaffected by tap; in Sync mode delay 2 can be set as a division of delay 12 |
The EQ modes are the feature that lets a digital pedal mimic older delay characters: pushing the feedback loop darker gives repeats a warm analog-style voicing, while the HP setting keeps them bright in the manner of a clean digital delay. The original 2016 Surgeon offered a similar range inside its Morphine mode, which Premier Guitar's launch coverage described as "a standard delay with a wide range of eq going from a dark warm analog voicing to a bright digital delay"1.
The controls
The V2's control set, as detailed by Delicious Audio, is built around five knobs2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| MODE | Selects the delay algorithm2 |
| PULSE | Sets the delay time2 |
| REGEN | Sets the number of delay repeats2 |
| MUTATION | Controls a different parameter depending on the mode2 |
| DIV | Tap tempo subdivisions: 1/2, dotted 1/4, 1/4, dotted 1/8, 1/82 |
The Mutation knob is the pedal's shape-shifter: in Mod Depth mode it sets modulation depth, in EQ modes it moves the feedback EQ, and on the original Surgeon it changed with each of the three delay types12.
The original 2016 pedal was simpler, with a Mode switch moving between the three delay types and a Pulse knob controlling the delay time up to 1000ms1.
The Surgeon V2's USB-C port cannot provide enough power for the delay during actual usage; the pedal can function on USB alone only when connected to a computer for editing3.
Tap tempo, MIDI and presets
The Surgeon Delay offers MIDI, tap tempo and a tap division control, allowing you to sync your delays to the tempo of your music4. The V2 adds an expression jack that controls all parameters via an expression pedal and can determine start and end points for expression sweeps, plus the ability to save 127 presets, controllable over a MIDI In/Out connection that gives full control of the delay from a MIDI controller3. The pedal was launched alongside a computer editor for editing presets2.
Where it came from
Matthews Effects unveiled the original Surgeon Anatomical Delay on December 27, 2016, with the three Vicodin, Morphine and Oxygen modes at a US street price of $169.991. The Surgeon V2 was announced on June 4, 2022, adding the expression jack, MIDI, 127 presets, the computer editor and the eight-algorithm structure, at a price of $249.99 not inclusive of shipping and tax3.
The maker's current lineup pages show several other Matthews Effects pedals, including the Cosmonaut V2, the Chemist V2 and the Whaler v2, all likewise listed as sold out567.
Videos
MatthewsEffects
Eirik Stordrange
Mark Johnston
Questions
What are the Vicodin, Morphine and Oxygen modes on the Matthews Effects Surgeon?
They are the three delay types on the original Surgeon, selected by the Mode switch. Vicodin is a dark, tape-like delay with control over the warble. Morphine is a standard delay with a wide EQ range, from a dark, warm analog voicing to a bright digital delay. Oxygen mixes an auto filter sweep into your delay for more experimental sounds.
Does the Matthews Effects Surgeon have tap tempo?
Yes. The Surgeon Delay offers MIDI, tap tempo and a tap division control, so you can sync your delays to the tempo of your music. The DIV knob gives tempo subdivisions of 1/2, dotted 1/4, 1/4, dotted 1/8 and 1/8.
How long can the Surgeon's delay time be?
On the original Surgeon, the Pulse knob controls the delay time up to 1000ms, which is one full second of delay. The V2 keeps a Pulse control for delay time alongside its eight algorithms.
Is the Matthews Effects Surgeon analog or digital?
It is digital. Matthews Effects says its digital circuitry delivers a clean and precise sound that can be fine-tuned to your taste. The EQ modes let you push the repeats darker for a warm analog-style voicing or brighter for a digital delay character.
Sources (7)
- Matthews Effects Unveils the Surgeon Anatomical Delay, Premier Guitar, 2016-12-28
- Matthews Effects The Surgeon Delay, Delicious Audio, 2022-06-18
- Matthews Effects Surgeon V2 delay has an expression jack and a full computer editor, guitar.com, 2022-06-04
- The Surgeon, Matthews Effects
- The Cosmonaut V2, Matthews Effects
- The Chemist V2, Matthews Effects
- The Whaler V2 Fuzz, Matthews Effects
