Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

[these_go211]

Re: Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

for me personally nothing can top the tone he got out of the SG with p90s. also the favorite choice of pete townshend. beautiful creamy sound. and raw.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

hey boogie bill - thanks for a great post (thanks for picking me up on the yamaha model number - i couldnt remember it last night)

i've always dug carlos and am really looking forward to the instrumental album coming out next ... i am nervous that is gonna be filled with tunes that have a so-so head, 5 minutes of dorian or mixolydian noodling, and the head again ... but if there are a few gems like europa, samba pa ti, etc, then it'll be worth it

i always wondered what guitar he used on "i'm winning" from zebop ... sounded stratty, but i know he was getting his first PRS around that time and it had that cool 5-way with the inner and outer combos plus the sweet switch ... couldve been that too ... anyone know for sure?

t4d

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

on the same topic:
what SD pups would be best for the Santana tone?

Alnico II Pros for his more recent tones

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

he used some very excellent yamaha solid body, mahogany, set-neck double cutaway guitars in teh 70s before he got his first prs .. this was after the SGs

That's right. The Yamaha looked like an SG but the body was thicker and the top arched like a Les Paul.

I also saw him playing a ES 335, a red one, around the time of the first album. But mostly it was the Gibson SG in the early days.

I believe he used a Twin Reverb amp before the Boogies.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

These Yamaha guitars everyone keeps bringing up were Yamaha SG 2000's and he did have a few SG 3000's later on Yamaha changed the names to SBG from SG but the guitars are the same...I have an SG 2000 from the vary late 70's or very early 80's an I have to say they are very nice guitars...made in Japan or not!

Mahogany bodies with maple/mahogany necks, neck thru bodies, maple tops, ebony boards, etc...great guitars. Like Lew said they are shaped more like an SH with the double cut aways but they are made like a Les Paul wiht the arched top...great guitars!

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

The old Yamaha SG2000's and Ibanez Artists were great guitars.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Santana's Guitars throughout the years?

Old IBANEZ are AMAZING
Yamaha SG2000s as well
I also like the korean models

Carlos has bad mouthed mesa a couple of times and started talking up his Dumbles more

He has gotten into the Tone Tubby's as well as Marshall 4x12 cabs now

For years, he has sworn by Mark I's even though newer marks were around. His late 70s thru 80s tones SCREAM ALTEC 417 - I had one for years - it's the Santana lad tone. It's much browner and softer, with some shimmer vs the EVs

I hear a lot of Mark I in his tone in that it's very touch and volume responsive. You can get those tones with the Mark IIc+, but that amp is wayyyyyy smooth. Hard to tell with Blues for Sal bc it could be post prod that made his tone soooo smooth on it.

PRS have been handmade as custom since 1975. The company started officially in 85. PRS and MESA were almost built on Carlos name and rep.

I didn;t know Carlos used Duncans. I wouldnt go APH1 in the bridge for his tone - too much sparkle and underpowered. I would totally do the Custom Custom and APH1 in the neck

I am always rather shocked Carlos liked Solid State GKs and Ampegs live with p90s early on.

Did he really use a TWIN on early tracks like soul sacrifice?

BTW Blues for Sal is a killer track both studio and LIVE!