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How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

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  • How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

    ANy tips? for example on "Smooth" and "Maria Maria"?

  • #2
    Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

    easiesty way to start geting close ...

    neck humbucker pickup on 22 fret set neck guitar (i get close with both 59s and AIIPs even on bolt-necks), roll the tone knob down to 'taste' ... lean down part way on a wah wah pedal and leave it 'just so' to taste ... overdriven tone on the amp, not too much fizz ... hint of compression (ok, sometimes more than a hint) ... light touch on the strings - he uses 9's i'm pretty sure ...

    harder way to get closest ...

    real expensive boogies and dumbles with real expensive PRS guitar

    have fun
    cheers
    t4d
    Last edited by tone4days; 01-09-2006, 06:13 PM.
    gear list in profile

    "no seymour - no tone ... know seymour - know tone!"

    Is it not the glory of the people of America that, whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times and other nations, they have not suffered a blind veneration for antiquity, for custom, or for names, to overrule the suggestions of their own good sense, the knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience?" - James Madison - Federalist #14

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    • #3
      Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

      Don't forget the hat and to suck on your lower lip.

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      • #4
        Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

        ...and spend some time with aliens.











        Bill is right. Neck humbucker, set neck axe, tone rolled off. Engaging the wah helps.
        Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:13; 10:9-10

        Teknon Theou
        https://soundcloud.com/you/tracks
        Complaining that there are hypocrites in church is like complaining that fat people use the gym. Where else would you have them be?

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        • #5
          Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

          Originally posted by tone4days
          easiesty way to start geting close ...

          neck humbucker pickup on 22 fret set neck guitar (i get close with both 59s and AIIPs even on bolt-necks), roll the tone knob down to 'taste' ... lean down part way on a wah wah pedal and leave it 'just so' to taste ... overdriven tone on the amp, not too much fizz ... hint of compression (ok, sometimes more than a hint) ... light touch on the strings - he uses 9's i'm pretty sure ...

          harder way to get closest ...

          real expensive boogies and dumbles with real expensive PRS guitar

          have fun
          cheers
          t4d
          +1 and a tubescreamer dialed in to goose the front of the amp.
          Originally posted by tone4days
          we're not musicians, we're beer salesmen

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          • #6
            Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

            And if your last resort for getting his tone is to have his hat.....

            I'll sell you a licensed 'Santana' hat to you for $25 + shipping! hahahaha
            Someone gave me a Santana hat a couple years ago, and I wore it once!
            Originally posted by Boogie Bill
            I've got 60 guitars...but 49 trumpets is just...INSANITY! WTF!

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            • #7
              Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

              Basic Clapton "woman" tone.......neck pickup, tone knobs turned down down.......listen to Clapton during the Cream era when he played a Gibson and also Audley Freed on the Black Crowes live cd for other examples. remember....Santana used to get the same tone from a p90 equipped SG and the Yamahas that he and Johnny Mclaughlin played for a while.
              '05 '59 Les Paul RI, WCR Goodwoods
              '06 '58 Les Paul VOS, WCR Fillmores
              '04 '57 Les Paul RI, WCR Moore/Green
              '98 '54 Les Paul Custom RI, SD CS P90/A5
              '01 Firebird V
              '06 '51 Nocaster Relic, SD CS Broadcaster
              '94 40th Ann '54 Strat RI, Antiquities
              '96 '62 Strat RI, Fralin Blues Specials
              '05 '52 Tele RI, Fralin Blues Specials
              '94 Mexican Tele, Broadcaster/Vintage
              '04 Martin HD28V
              '66 Vibrolux Reverb
              Fender CS '57 Twin RI
              Marshall 1987x RI
              Soultone 18w
              Deluxe Reverb RI

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              • #8
                Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

                Don't forget the incense,cigars,and the Hendrix posters or T shirts....
                Amps: 66 Fender BF Pro Reverb Combo,1973 50 Watt Marshall Head,Marshall 4x12 A/V Cab,Vox ToneLab LE,Vox VTH Valvetronix 120 Head,Vox AD 2x12 Cab,Roland Cube 20X

                Guitars: Several Stratocasters,2 Fender Telecasters,Gibson SG Standard,Tokai Love Rock Les Paul,Dean Acoustic.

                Pickups: SD SSL2,SSL5,Twangbanger,Antiquity Surfers,59N,Seth Lover N/B,Dimarzio Fred,Dimarzio VPAF N,Fender Fat 50s,Fralin SP43 Bridge,Brobucker,Antiquity Texas Hot.

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                • #9
                  Re: How do I get Carlos Santana's tone?

                  yup - and listen to 'a love supreme' for hours on end .. then play nothing like it
                  gear list in profile

                  "no seymour - no tone ... know seymour - know tone!"

                  Is it not the glory of the people of America that, whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times and other nations, they have not suffered a blind veneration for antiquity, for custom, or for names, to overrule the suggestions of their own good sense, the knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience?" - James Madison - Federalist #14

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    What about phrasing?

                    Oh, my god! Why would anyone want Carlos' "modern" tone? I grew up listening to Santana and I can tell you this much. His tone was much better in the olden days. Particularly backin 73 - 74. Just listen to some of his recordings from that period. Welcome, Caravanaserai, and Barboletta. Barboletta by far is his greatest masterpiece. Yet this album remains totally obscure and overshadowed by the so called "Grammy Award" winning "Supernatural", which was a bunch of commercial (sell out) hype devoid of artistry.

                    Check out his tone from that period and compare it to the garbage he's putting out today. It's like he's allergic to treble or something. The nasal tone of his PRS makes my stomach turn. The bottom end of his axes tone is barely even discernable. You must enjoy listening to mud! Better yet go rent the Sacred fire (Live) video and you'll see! Even his mediocre no-name brother has better tone on his PRS than Carlos! LOLERCOPTER!

                    My advice? Study his vintage tone from the old days. Maybe starting from there will lead you to understand how his current day tone evolved. The original tone was Gibson LP and Fender Reverb overdiven with the crunch slightly smoothed out with a touch of reverb.

                    One thing you may haved overlooked is phrasing. Santana's phrasing is essential if you are interested in the overall sound. The way he uses hammer-ons and pull-offs are just as much part of his style as are his guitar/rig settings. Also there is the occasional left hand vibrato. Learn the feel of his phrasing. To me that's his biggest secret.

                    But whatever you do, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE go listen to Barboletta!

                    Good luck
                    Osensei
                    Last edited by Osensei; 01-24-2006, 04:59 PM.
                    These horse pills really take the edge off! Take 4 of em and that yellow gateway over there opens for da wolfman! -- Carl, ATHF

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