The Tanabe Santanabe Drive is an overdrive pedal built to target Carlos Santana's smooth, sustaining lead tones. It is a derivation of the core Zenkudo circuit, with EQ, Voicing and Gain tweaks, more gain, higher input frequencies, and a logarithmic A-type Gain curve. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, who reviewed it in April 2024, describes it as having the same superb Zenkudo dynamics and guitar volume cleanup, with the output voiced specifically for Santana-style leads.1
The Gain knob and the Red, Blue and Green modes
The pedal carries five controls: Gain, Volume, Tone, Jali (Smooth to Rough Character), and a Voicing switch with three modes. The Gain knob uses a logarithmic A type curve, where the Zenkudo and May Queen use a linear B taper.1
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets drive amount, on a logarithmic A type curve |
| Volume | Sets output level |
| Tone | Shapes treble response |
| Jali | Moves character from Smooth to Rough |
| Voicing | Selects Red, Blue or Green mode |
The three voicing modes are selected with a side-mounted Mode / Voicing switch:1
- Red: for rich high frequency
- Blue: Santana finger picking sound
- Green: the "Europa" core main single-note lead voicing
How it compares to the Zenkudo and Dumkudo
The Santanabe sits in a small Tanabe family built around the Zenkudo circuit. Both the May Queen and the Santanabe have significantly more gain onboard than the Zenkudo, with the Santanabe carrying three times the Zenkudo's amount at maximum levels.1 Separately, the Dumkudo is the Zenkudo's higher gain version, as MusicRadar described in a 2010 review.2 For wider context on the type, see Overdrive Pedals.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed the Santanabe in April 2024 and came away convinced:
"I have a few pedals that I use for Carlos Santana tones, but none of those can really hold a candle to the Santanbe's brilliance!"
He returned to it in December 2024 in Guitar Pedal X's roundup of the year's distortion pedals, calling it "the best ever Carlos Santana voiced pedal - for those perfect Europa lead tones."3
Buying a Tanabe pedal in the US
Tanabe pedals are made to order by Tanabe-San, so it can take up to a week or so to get yours made on current timings; the reviewer's own unit arrived in around one week.1 As of April 2024, the Santanabe was available from the Tanabe.TV webstore for $330, plus $40 for shipping to the USA and UK. To order one, you send an email with your address and PayPal details to tanabe.tv@tanabe.tv. The reviewer also paid a further circa £60 in customs and import fees, which he described as a significant investment but, for him, definitely worth it.1
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Questions
How much more gain does the Santanabe have than the Zenkudo?
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reports that the Santanabe carries three times the amount of gain of the Zenkudo at maximum levels. The Gain knob also differs in feel: the Zenkudo and the May Queen use a linear B taper, while the Santanabe's Gain knob uses a logarithmic A type curve, which concentrates its sweep toward the higher end of the range.
Does the Santanabe Drive clean up with the guitar volume knob?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X's review describes the Santanabe as having the same superb Zenkudo dynamics and guitar volume cleanup as its sibling, while the output has been voiced specifically for Santana-style lead tones. Rolling back the guitar's volume control is part of how the pedal is designed to be played.
How do you buy a Tanabe pedal in the US?
Tanabe pedals are sold from the Tanabe.TV webstore. As of the April 2024 review, the Santanabe was $330 plus $40 shipping to the USA and UK. To order one, you send an email with your address and PayPal details to tanabe.tv@tanabe.tv. Import duties may apply on top of the purchase price.
How long does a Tanabe pedal take to arrive?
Tanabe-San makes all of these pedals to order, so it can take up to a week or so to get yours made on current timings. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer reported that his Santanabe arrived in around one week, as of April 2024.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-04-17
- Dumkudo pedal, MusicRadar, 2010-02-18
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-17
