MusicRadar Verdict
Natural-sounding overdrive and switchable boost in one box makes this a practical pedalboard proposition.
Pros
- +
Touch sensitive. Very versatile.
Cons
- -
Could do with a boost level control.
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An overdrive pedal with two voicings and an extra footswitch for added boost, the Santa Ana is designed with FET circuitry to deliver valve amp-style drive and it does just that.
This is a pedal that has nicely expressive touch sensitivity and cleans up naturally with guitar volume. There’s quite a range of tones available from cleanish boost to driven amp, shaded with a set of four EQ knobs reminiscent of a Fender amp front panel.
The two amp voicings are designated American and British - the former is brighter with a sharper almost percussive chime, while the latter is darker and a practical choice in front of overly bright amps. The Boost knob can be set to either boost the drive stage where it can successfully bring in a more aggressive upper mid presence or to boost the output volume - perhaps by a slightly larger margin than we would have liked in the absence of a boost level control.
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