Before his manufacturing company, Paul had developed a reputation as a custom guitar maker, with clients like Al DiMeola, Ted Nugent, and Howard Leese (Heart). The first time he and Santana met, Carlos was impressed with Smith's personal guitar: P90 pickups, Mahogany body, and dragon fretboard inlays. Carlos asked to used the guitar on stage that night. He had troubles with the axe, but agreed to try another.
| Official PRS Santana I |
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  The only model with two mini-switches, which Carlos used for selecting the pickups, or putting the instrument into standy mode. It was originally offered in one color: "Santana" yellow; several "burst" finish options were added later. |
Smith agreed, and Santana's first custom made PRS guitar included a tremolo system with Stars Guitar bridge, and locking tuners. The guitar also featured Seymour Duncan pickups.
Santana Becomes a Believer
Although he loved the guitar, Santana cautiously termed it "an accident of God." He may have been leery, after his long-term relationship withYamaha, to tie himself down to one company.
There were several things that made the PRS guitar a good fit for Carlos, including the reachable high notes. In many ways, 24 frets is a perfect amount for a guitarist, as it allows a full four octaves without bending any notes: from low "E" to high "E." Paul Reed Smith's generous double cutaway made the high notes not just available, but easily accessible.
In addition, by using Mahagony for the body, Paul Reed Smith provided the enduring sustain and thick, woody tone that was so critical to Santana's style -- without the spine crushing weight of a Les Paul.
Finally was the curly Maple top, which appealed to Carlos' esthetic sense, and may also have added punch and clarity to the sound. Later, Smith created a second guitar for Santana, which Carlos also ascribed to divine intervention. By the third instrument, however, even Santana had to admit Paul knew what he was doing!
Paul Reed Smith Santana Signature is Born
Santana played PRS guitars for more than a decade -- during which time Smith launched hs actual guitar manufacturing company. Finally, in the mid '90s, he and Carlos decided to develop the PRS Santana Signature guitar. That model was only offered for a few years (1995 to 1998), but it helped to heighten the profile of Paul Reed Smith guitars in the industry.
It wasn't until the next model was released (Santana II, around 2000) that the original guitar was referred to as the Santana I model.
Some of the changes involved the materials. The top of the body of Paul Reed Smith's sophomore Santana guitar, in particular, features some extraordinary flamed Maple, with the grain virtually popping out of the instrument. The high-gloss Rosewood overlay on the headstock is striking as well.
| PRS Santana II Guitar Colors |
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 Amber Black Cherry Black Sunburst Blue Matteo Dark Cherry Sunburst Whale Blue |
Santana Guitar's Big, Fat Neck
All Paul Reed Smith Santana Guitar necks are labeled "Santana wide fat" by PRS. While most guitarists don't seem to have a problem with it, some mind the size. (One player in an online review went so far as to describe it as a "baseball bat.") There is a value, however, in such a large neck -- especially for a guitarist who is playing many hours daily. It places the left hand in a more open position, so that the incidence of tendinitis, tendinosis, and other RSI conditions are reduced.For most Santana Guitars, the fretboard radius is 10", which is a medium curvature. On the Santana I and Santana II, however, it has been flattened even more, to a radius of 11.5".
Not Just "Santana Yellow"
One of the most dramatic differences between the Santana I and Santana II guitars is the number of color/finish choices. While the original PRS Santana Signature model came in only one color ("Santana Yellow"), the Santana II was available in over 20 colors! (See PRS Santana II Guitar Colors sidebar for full list.)Switching the Switch
The original Santana guitar featured a quirky 2-mini-toggle arrangement for pickup selection; all other Santana guitars (including the Santana II) have a more traditional 3-way toggle switch. Like classic Gibson switches, the pickups are activated by the following positions: Neck (top), Neck and Bridge (middle), Bridge (bottom).Long Run of the 2nd Santana Guitar
Though it was an extraordinarily high-priced instrument, Paul Reed Smith's Santana II guitar was offered for nearly nine years (1999 to 2007). It's a testament to the guitar's quality that even used models generally sell in the $5,000 to $6,000 range.On the other hand, resistance to the cost probably helped to spur the introduction of the next model in the series, the Santana III, approximately a year after the launch of the Santana II.
It's still got a Maple top on a Mahogany body, but the flamed grain is not as prominent. While the look isn't quite as striking as the Santana II guitar, the sound is probably fairly similar. In addition, the Abalone Purfling on the top is gone. Again, this probably doesn't affect the tone, but certainly saves money in materials, and even more so in man-hours.
| PRS Santana III Guitar Colors |
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 Teal Black Tobacco Sunburst Tortoise Shell Tri-Color Sunburst Turquoise Vintage Sunburst Vintage Yellow Violin Amber Violin Amber Sunburst Whale Blue |
Another alteration is the headstock, which, while color-matched to the body, does not have a Rosewood overlay.
Classic Santana Guitar Neck
Like all the Paul Reed Smith Santana Guitars, the neck is the ubiquitous "Santana wide fat," but the fretboard radius has been returned to the more standard 10" curvature. (For how this is calculated, imagine a 10" circle, then take about 2" of the outline: that's the top of the fretboard, viewed on end. As you can imagine, the larger the circle, the "flatter" that 2" segment would be.)
The fretboard itself is listed as "East Indian" Rosewood, as opposed to "Brazilian" Rosewood. While maintaining much of the rich tonal response of Brazilian Rosewood, the East Indian Rosewood is more available, and, therefore, less expensive. (Brazilian Rosewood has been endangered for years, and is more costly and difficult to obtain.)
Other Santana Guitar Comparisons
One area in which PRS definitely did not cut back was the color selection; the Santana III is available in most of the same finishes as the Santana II. The tuning pegs are locking, but no longer Schallers, though still quite serviceable. Just like brand names at the grocery store, part of what you are paying for is the name.
Santana III Pickups
Paul Reed Smith has changed the description of the pickups to "Santana III's", and no longer describes them as having "Zebra bobbins" (Santana II) or "Zebra coils" (Santana I). They're also covered, which changes the look, and may actually protect the pickups from dust and other irritants.
PRS Santana III: The Workhorse
In short, Paul Reed Smith's Santana III guitar has most of the tone and playability of the Santana II, at less than half the cost. Which one is a better fit for you? It depends on your budget, and how plan to use the instrument.
At this point, however, all PRS Santana guitars have been discontinued, except for the Santana MD, the latest release from Carlos Santana and Paul Reed Smith.
The "MD" designation in the model stands for "Multi-Dimensional," and is a reference to the fact that the Santana MD can achieve a variety of tones. This quality makes it an ideal instrument for guitarists who want to produce a number of different sounds from the same guitar.
| PRS Santana MD Colors |
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 Black Cherry Black Sunburst |
Something Old, Something New . . .
In keeping with the "best of all possible worlds" theme, the PRS Santana MD guitar includes classic features from previous Santana guitars, like the traditional "Santana wide fat" neck shape, Rosewood fretboard, and Mahogany body with carved flame Maple top and Abalone purfling. An upgraded "10 Top" is available for a $500 fee (retail).However, there are changes as well. Most notably, the positions of the controls have been altered. While the 3-way pickup selector switch and Tone knob are still roughly between the tailpiece and the bridge, the Volume knob has been shifted to a position right next to the bridge pickup. This makes it easier to control the volume while playing, which Santana likes to do. The new mini-toggle is in between the two knobs.
Even the famed Abalone bird-shaped inlays on the fretboard have gotten a facelift: instead of being solid as on previous Santana guitar models, they're outlined.
Santana Guitar Journey
This latest foray into Santana Signature models is allegedly the result of a two-year process of refinement carried on by Carlos Santana and Paul Reed Smith. Part of the inspiration was the Stratocaster that Santana used on a Smokey Robinson album -- and fell in love with.Amazingly, the Santana MD is one of the lower-priced in the line, with a street price of about $3700. Considering the features and sheer physical beauty of the instrument, that's quite a feat.
t less than a quarter the price of the least expensive Santana Signature guitar, there was no way for the SE model to include every feature and level of craftsmanship of it's predecessors. However, Paul Reed Smith did a masterful job of creating an instrument with much of the power of the Signature models, married with some classic PRS specs.
| PRS Santana SE Colors |
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 Original finishes available: Gray Black Royal Blue Teal Vintage Cherry |
Part PRS, Part Santana
In many particulars, the Santana SE models have more in common with other PRS guitars (particular the McCarty models) than with the SIgnature Santana guitars. The body shape is asymetrical, with greatly reduced carving. After the first year or two, a pickguard was introduced -- something none of the Santana Signature models have.The neck is a 25" scale length with 22 frets, although it does maintain the "Santana wide fat" shape, with a 10" radius. And the fretboard is Rosewood, albeit of a more standard quality than the high grade woods on the I, II, and III models.
Lacking the flamed Maple top, the Mahogany body doesn't have the eye-popping grain of it's more expensive brethren. But the finishes are lush and beautiful, in true PRS fashion.
Electronics and Hardware
Like all Santana Signatures (except the original model), the SE guitars have two humbucking pickups, a Tone knob, Volume knob, and 3-position selector switch. The pickups are covered, and, though not up to the level of the Signature Santana pickups, have a good, powerful tone.Generally, the model was available with either a PRS tremolo, or a PRS stop-tail bridge. Even with the tremolo-equipped models, however, the tuners are non-locking -- which results in tuning problems during heavy tremolo use.
Sound and Feel
By all accounts, the Santana SE model plays far above its price point, with a solid feel, and warm, sustaining tone. It delivers a very Santana-like sonic quality, yet has the typically light PRS body.If you're looking for the exact guitar Carlos Santana plays, this isn't it. However, it is an excellent working musician's instrument, and is available at a price most can afford: roughly $300 - $400, used (PRS stopped making them in 2007)
The first link in the "signal chain," an electric guitar is a unique piece of equipment. It lives in both the acoustic and the electronic world, translating a player's hand motions into an analog signal. As such, a player chooses a guitar both for it's "feel," and for it's tone.
For his earliest albums, Carlos chose a Gibson Les Paul Special Guitar, first with P-90 pickups, and later with standard Humbuckers. The P-90 pickups were closer to the single-coil pickups created in the '40s than those used later onFender Strats and Teles.
This instrument is quite close in tonality to theGibson SG Guitar, with which he is most often pictured on stage during that period.
Note: The SG is an unusual instrument. While it looks cool, the fretboard is stiff, the balance is awkward (take your hands off the axe and its headstock falls toward the ground), and the sound is limited. However, the double cutaway on the SG does allow access to the topmost frets, although with only 22, the highest note accessible (without bending) is a "D" two octaves above middle "C." This may have affected the choice to play many of the early songs in the keys of "G" and "D."
The Les Paul Special was far from a top of the line guitar, and did not have the beefy richness or warm sustain of the more expensive Deluxe and Custom models. However, it was, in part, those very shortcomings which helped Carlos create the uneven, raw sound which powered his early years. By using the volume control as an onboard signal adjuster, Santana injected a sense of dynamics into his playing which, combined with his passionate phrasing, gave him a signature edge.
For the third album, Santana (often calledSantana III), Carlos had switched to using aGibson Les Paul Standard, as well as an SG with humbucking pickups. You can hear a bit more meat in his tone, although he hadn't yet achieved the warm, singing sustain for which he became known.
By 1977, Santana's main guitar was a Yamaha SG2000, also with a double cutaway body style, which gave him the necessary access to the highest frets. This guitar, in particular, could be considered -- in conjuction with the Mesa Boogie amps (see below) -- the beginning of the famed "Santana" tone, with it's smooth roundness, even sustain, and thick tonal quality. (Although he is often said to have played the Yamaha SG175, that was the original Yamaha model from which the SG2000 was developed by Carlos and Yamaha together.)
This signature sound first achieved prominence on 1978's Moonflower, a combination of live and studio tracks that was Santana's last commercial success until the 1999 release of Supernatural. Carlos played the Yamaha fairly steadily for about five or six years, until 1982.
Upon discovering Paul Reed Smith in the late '70s, Santana began using acustom PRS model, and by the early '80s, it had become his primary instrument. Though Carlos has played several different models over the last few decades, they have all been similar, including double-cutaway bodies, 24 frets, and humbucking pickups.
| PRS Santana MD |
|---|
 The latest in Paul Reed Smith's continuing series of Santana Signature Guitars, the Santana MD has a couple of new features, but also includes the favorites that have become Carlos Santana trademarks over the years. |
This instrument is quite close in tonality to theGibson SG Guitar, with which he is most often pictured on stage during that period.
Note: The SG is an unusual instrument. While it looks cool, the fretboard is stiff, the balance is awkward (take your hands off the axe and its headstock falls toward the ground), and the sound is limited. However, the double cutaway on the SG does allow access to the topmost frets, although with only 22, the highest note accessible (without bending) is a "D" two octaves above middle "C." This may have affected the choice to play many of the early songs in the keys of "G" and "D."
The Les Paul Special was far from a top of the line guitar, and did not have the beefy richness or warm sustain of the more expensive Deluxe and Custom models. However, it was, in part, those very shortcomings which helped Carlos create the uneven, raw sound which powered his early years. By using the volume control as an onboard signal adjuster, Santana injected a sense of dynamics into his playing which, combined with his passionate phrasing, gave him a signature edge.
For the third album, Santana (often calledSantana III), Carlos had switched to using aGibson Les Paul Standard, as well as an SG with humbucking pickups. You can hear a bit more meat in his tone, although he hadn't yet achieved the warm, singing sustain for which he became known.
By 1977, Santana's main guitar was a Yamaha SG2000, also with a double cutaway body style, which gave him the necessary access to the highest frets. This guitar, in particular, could be considered -- in conjuction with the Mesa Boogie amps (see below) -- the beginning of the famed "Santana" tone, with it's smooth roundness, even sustain, and thick tonal quality. (Although he is often said to have played the Yamaha SG175, that was the original Yamaha model from which the SG2000 was developed by Carlos and Yamaha together.)
This signature sound first achieved prominence on 1978's Moonflower, a combination of live and studio tracks that was Santana's last commercial success until the 1999 release of Supernatural. Carlos played the Yamaha fairly steadily for about five or six years, until 1982.
Upon discovering Paul Reed Smith in the late '70s, Santana began using acustom PRS model, and by the early '80s, it had become his primary instrument. Though Carlos has played several different models over the last few decades, they have all been similar, including double-cutaway bodies, 24 frets, and humbucking pickups.
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