Hello 👋 Dr. Fludd, I've been a loyalist follower of your remarkable channel… for a very long time. Refreshing and inspiring approach, with a rigorous & artistic synthesis. I met Santana and Mike Shrieve at Woodstock in 1969. Anyway, more details if anyone is interested ; one benefit of being as old as Carlos is that you can tell true stories, without exaggerated filler. Lol 😆 I wound buying an early issue Santana SE, in 2002. It's a great introduction to the excellence of PRS. It has been a great axe, adequate for almost any venue. I was wondering how close this version is compared to your contemporary model. Any differences or changes? Thanks so much for demystifying the tech aspects, in such an accessible educational manner. Much appreciated! Thanks for all you do. Unique opportunity to learn, even after 60 years of being a singer/songwriter… with my slightly above -average rhythm guitar 🎸 skills. Luckily, some great old-school virtuoso studio musicians have been eager to contribute to the expression of what was in my head... Brilliantly. Gratitude. Btw, your playing is masterful. Thank you. Dr. Gary K.
My favorite thing about Carlos Santana is how well he understands the role of music as a means of expression. Also, he's the one who really made me feel like I didn't need anyone's permission to just sit and improvise and explore. He calls it, "just going for a walk"
All guitar players should take that advice! "Taking a walk" is how you learn to improvise, and no one starts by hitting the right notes. Just really want to emphasize your point in my reply, no one should be afraid to improvise! I struggled with that for too long in my playing.
I'm in agreement with Floyd Rose. He was asked why he called it a Tremolo instead of a vibrato, he said the first guitar he put his bridge on was a stratocaster and it said "Synchronized Tremolo" on the headstock. He said he wasn't going to question Leo Fender.
Another great review. I once owned the 22 fret 25" scale version and really enjoyed it. I appreciate your take on Santana. I will caution young guitarist who don't know his music and begin to get into him. He can be a gateway drug to guitar noodling. I came from a woodwind background before my mom let me trade in my saxophone for a guitar in high-school. So single note phrasing has always been super natural for me. When I got into Carlos it was very easy to stop building chord vocabulary and song accompaniment chops. So buyer be ware😂.
LOL, Santana hasn't been underrated, he may just be currently underrated. He's known to those 40 and older as one of the greats. Every decade and a half people "Columbus" great stuff from the last generation. 😁👍🏾it's definitely fun though to watch younger generations discover the greats of the past. To watch the enthusiasm they have is awesome.
Thanks for doing this one especially Andre, I've been mulling this one over for a few years now. Grew up listening to Carlos in the 70's and then heard Europa and it stayed in my head for years. Then came the album Open Invitation, absolutely a MASTERPIECE! Then his own work and his collaborations with other artists bringing out their best. I would have to say he's always been one of my top 3 guitarists. His playing is like a voice that just stays in your mind and never diminishes and says so much without a single word! Well done sir and thank you!
I love how these less complicated-looking guitars (fewer knobs or pickups) remind you how complex the relationship between the guitar and the amp really can be if you spend time on that. These really challenge you to find your own tone, if you’re up for the challenge. Great video as always!
I have an SE Santana, and I love it. The pickups are great, the neck profile is good, and I like the trem. I completely agree with you about Carlos Santana. I have been listening to him since the '60s, and, to me, he is one of the best guitarists I have had the pleasure to hear.
not that related but I did try out old Yamaha SG1000, more affordable version of what he played in 70s/80s and even though it was really heavy and chunky guitar it sounded amazing, I wish I bought that....double cut LP is sweet spot of tone and comfort for me
I like that you mentioned how the guitar hangs differently due to the length of the upper horn. Santana knows how to play a beautiful, emotional, and memorable melody. Thanks
Great video! Love Santana and I admire that this guitar isn’t overly gaudy with its signature like you said. I’m also glad to see the PRS quality control is holding up well.
I just stumbled on your channel! I love your content! Liked, and Subbed! I have been researching the PRS SE line. I feel they have such variety, especially with various scale length options. Thank you for addressing the scale length, and the number of frets, with regards to the "playing feel" of this guitar. The SE Santana has a unique scale length for a 24-fretter. This is my next guitar for sure. Also, you get an A+ for effort while publishing this video with Strep! Thank you Andre! Looking forward to more of your content and I love your playing.
I own this guitar fir several reasons, I like double horns (I’m a super strat guy) the finish is beautiful, it’s got a tremolo bridge, it’s light and looks great. The neck feels like a baseball bat, I live the side flat feel like a Gibson Explorer and the short scale, it’s just as stated in this video it’s thick and chunky. My hands aren’t big but I have no issues playing it. Feels a bit like a Les Paul. Lastly I love yellow, it’s an orangey yellow and a flame top, the woods gorgeous. Volume knobs way out of the way. It’s the only think about a strat that’s not comfortable, the volume knob is in the way, especially the term bar.
I remember him being one of the first to jump on the PRS guitar game. I also remember how there was a a lot of random digs how that model seemed very Gibson like. He was known for playing Gibsons back then so I could see how the purist would’ve attacked it at that angle. This model is probably the only model that I’ve really been interested in really having a deep dive into. I’m digging your attention to detail and thoughts on this model. I’m definitely more curious about this one in particular. I have yet to connect with a PRS guitar.
Well done Andre! Santana has always been one of my guitar gods. I'm happy to hear that his name sake guitar is as smooth as he his :). Hope you feel better...
Also in the 90s he did a collaboration with P.O.D., if I remember correctly. Might be a different band, but the song is definitely called America and his guitar work on that one is fucking amazing. It might even be his best song.
Dude, hot take but I like the look of this one more than the crazy expensive Santan Brazilian. I like the shape of the body, and the normal PRS headstock
Andre, I love your reviews. They're smart, insightful and entertaining. But alas, I sold my Santana SE... and bought a sem-hollow, PRS 22-fret Custom SE in charcoal. It's fantastic. I'm a blues nut and the short scale, strung with .08s, make bends super easy. But all PRS guitars are terrific, especially my 1993 PRS, bolt-on EG 4 (the original silver sky!). Keep up the excellent work.
Dude wow, I haven’t tuned into your guitar reviews for awhile but was excited to see the PRS reviews. You’re videos have improved 10-fold I feel so, nice work! If I could make any suggestion it would be putting a snippet of text or clip about your signal chain - what is it, any EQ adjustments (that part in this video referencing the bass made me think of this), etc. That is me just being picky tho 😆 thanks and looking forward to the rest of the series!
I usually put up a quick little graphic. but this time I just gave a quick mention. It's all through my AxeFx3. One setting was the Roland Jazz chorus. all at noon. The other was a jumped fender amp with a tube screamer also all knobs at noon.
Another excellent, informative video. I almost got one of the Santana SE models late last year but chose a 1993 Godin G4000 instead. I don't regret buying the Godin (which I love) but this has made me consider getting an SE. I'll wait until the end of the experiment before making any decisions, but this video definitely made me think. It as entertaining too, as ever.
Another great review. Thank you. Hope the strep throat gets better soon. I had that two weeks ago. Antibiotics will knock it out quickly (although they might leave you feeling ordinary for a few days as well). Before this series, I was pretty sure I was not a PRS kinda guy. But I’m starting to question that. Hard to argue with their reputation for quality.
My first electric had symmetrical horns like that but they never looked right to me. Kind of like someone took a bandsaw to their Les Paul as an experiment. I love his guitar playing in "Corazon Espinado" from that collaborations album.
Worst guitar I ever got was a Custom 24 SE. Horrendous issues at every level. However, the irony is fitting, because these guitars are all usually really well done. I recently sold my Les Paul in favor of an S2 McCarty, and I have zero regrets. I enjoy your thorough reviews!
With Grammys, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, radio hits and airplay for classic rock and contemporary, numerous awards and accolades, undeniable influence on guitarists, being considered a peer of the top players in the music world, magazine coverage, and so much more, I definitely wouldn't consider Carlos Santana underrated or overlooked in any way, shape or form. He's successful and recognized for his career achievements. An example of underrated and overlooked (esp. in America): *Gary Moore.* NOT Carlos Santana, who plays major venues when other successful bands from his era (and after) play mid-size venues and county fairs after their heyday. Carlos is honored and enjoying his fame while he's alive and not posthumously, like many others. Saying Carlos is underrated is like saying Jeff Beck is underrated.
I never ever make any comments about any video on youtube, but since the topic is related to one of the most influential guitarrist of all times, Mr. Carlos Santana, I do think that you pointing him as the "Most underrated famous guitarrist" is not correct. You can say anithing about Carlos Santana, but not that he is "Underrated"and he is not even "overrated" he just is...he is, along with just another few, such as Rory Gallagher and Hendrix, a guitarrist that delivers a unique sound with a unique style, to this date, briging the guitar to levels beyond soul, jazz, and blues. I just want to point out, he is one of the most Recognized guitarrist, and till this date, his technique has been imitated, emulated and admired, and other famous guitarrists and many musicians around the globe recognize his unique style, all this to add, that I do believe you should not make that kind of statement, is unrespectful.
Why not get a private stock Santana model? Then you can get everything customized how you want... I wonder if they would cut that belly at the bottom corner so that you can have it on your lap like a strandburg? 😂 That would be awesome
Mate, mate, mate! Did you really just call Santana underrated?! I guess James Hetfield is underrated, too, then! Rolling Stones Magazin listed Santana in the top 20 of best guitar players in 2015 and he has sold more than 100 million records. That doesn’t sound underrated to me at all! I really hate it when people use the term underrated to refer to certified guitar legends. Santana has gotten all the credit he deserves! There’s absolutely NOTHING underrated about him!
I'm a huge Brian May fan, when I discovered that by his own estimate he spends 85% of his time on the same setting, even though his guitar has 21 switching options, I gave up on wanting loads of switching options. And then EVH with a single HB ... Simplicity is where it's at for me now.
Too many options is never a good thing. Sax players bring their sax...thats it. Guitarists have had tons of Sonic option forever and yet even right now in 2023 they all sound the same LOL.
@@papa_pt You may have missed my point. Of course having options is not bad but my point was that guitarists have had pedals and tons of sonic options for many years and yet when we hear most rock music the guitar sounds just like a guitar. That's why I said a sax player just brings his sax. Guitarist think that they're getting different sounds from all these different guitars but not really so much.
@@papa_pt needlessly jacks the price up for marketing purposes. I started out on classical guitar, so I'm somewhat influenced by the lack of options there, but having said that, that limitation opens loads of possibilities to explore.
Santana is one of the biggest influences on my playing ... I remember when the Blues for Salvador album came out and I obsessed over it for months learning to play most of it. As a result he really influenced my own improvisation in ways I can occasionally still hear today (I mean as a cheap pastiche of his playing anyway :p ).
I haven't watched the whole video yet, but when talking about how simple Santana's SE is, I haven't heard you mention that SEs are BECAUSE of Santana. He is the reason the affordable SE line was created, because he told Paul that he wanted an affordable signature guitar that his fans could have. That's according to Paul Reed Smith himself in one of his documentary videos where they are going through all of the historical prototypes. You are living the dream. You are getting to make PRS videos! Congratulations.
That's so sweet and heartwarming. I love Santana, but that's crazy how much he remembers where he came from. I used to have an obsession with Gibson and stuff, but after playing a used lutheir guitar I realized brand means nothing. I didn't think I'd ever want a new guitar, but if I it's definitely going to be an SE! TY for sharing that info
Although much different players, I put Santana in the same category as Jeff Beck - he's one-of-a-kind and a master at what he plays. He's an incredibly melodic player who puts emotion and feel before chops. Before amp modeling, he was getting incredible sustain/tone/overdrive out of those early Mesa's (he single-handedly put Mesa on the map in the 70s). See him while he's still around because there's only one Santana (he's currently doing a residency in Vegas).
Yes, those early Mesa's were something! I saw him live in the 70's using one of the 1X12 combos Randall made mic-ed up. Absolutely gorgeous tone for days...made up my mind I had to have a Mesa of my own, it took quite awhile to get one but when I did it was heaven! Yes, Santana is instantly identifiable as was Jeff Beck (RIP).
I have never been a fan of the looks of PRS guitars, they always seemed "off" for reasons that are hard to describe. But for some reason, the Santana sig looks amazing to me. Maybe it's just the even horns, but they really seem to be classy.
I walked into a Guitar Center while travelling to LA because I wanted to buy a Fender Tele - I just happened to see a used PRS Santana SE hanging on the wall.. I had never seen this model before and I tried it and was blown away. This fits my hand so comfortably - and it plays so smoothly ... ( much better than my Fender Strat )
Carlos Santana is a weird case: Most people that know him or know of him probably gravitate to some of his chart topping singles out there. So I feel that a lot of the backlash is from people that just outright reject any 'pop music' from the get go. But the Santana people probably don't know about was basically running with all of the 70s and 80s Jazz fusion wave of players: He toured with Mahavishnu Orchestra if I'm remembering that correctly but while Latin Jazz is not as generally maligned the more pop oriented hits are and people just won't care beyond that point, which is a shame.
I bought a Santana SE when they first came out I believe in 2001. It is still a great guitar and fun to play. Santana, Joe Walsh, and Dave Gilmour have always been my favorites because of what you mentioned. They play what fits the song with no guitar diarrhea.
You know what man, I'd never even considered a Santana but you've got me thinking. I'll say this every video but amazing work. I'm really enjoying this experiment 🤘
@DalelCampbell yeah! Judging by your replay you obviously don't! Santana has sold more than 100 million records, 14 of his 25 studio albums have reached the top 10, he was inducted into the hall of fame and he's pretty much a household name. So please do tell me again how he's underrated!
"No sharp frets". I work at a shop, problem is that all the SE models have sharp frets. Maybe they leveled those for you to mention that in the video. I bought the Santana SE out of pocket and upgraded the pickups with Seymour Duncan Peter Frampton pickuos, got it set up. It now plays like a dream
Hi, I thought of a trick I do that is also suited to the Santana model (being 24 fret and 24.5 scale)... I always get a 2nd trem bar and I use my jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade and I cut down the trem bar length such that I am picking between the pickups (versus picking over top of a pickup). This is also a good tip for the 3-pickup guitars (I have a PRS Swamp Ash and it has a middle rails pickup -- I had to cut the trem bar size to have my picking action to the inner side of that middle pickup).
Cool stumbling on this, as I previously worked on one for a client and had an identical experience. One of the few guitars I’ve worked on, that are affordable, but hit in a class way above.
That observation and vibe are remarkably accurate and consistent with my experience when playing with him, during a practice jam in San Francisco… around 1978. A dreamlike foggy night 🌃.
I remember when the SE guitars first came out. $200 for a soldly crafted instrument with straight forward reliable electronics. I played it to death, on stage, recording, and it always held up.
Carlos Santana is smooth AF. I would expect his signature guitar to be at least as silky to the touch as all those stolen girlfriends he floated out of the room during shows.
Something different I noticed is that your pickups are colored all black. How’d you manage that? Cause usually the pickups on that exact prs Santana model come out black and white.
Nice review - I’ve had the SE Santana for awhile and I really dig it! I notice that mine has the zebra stripe pups but yours are straight black - I wonder if that’s just aesthetics or did PRS change the design over the years? I do think mine are a touch hot which is my only mild nitpick about the guitar. Keep up the great work!
Andre talked about that there were a number of things he likes to do after he buys a guitar with a trem. While I don't work for the company, nor do I personally benefit from the sales of these items I highly recommend Raw Vintage springs. I've placed them in several guitars and they've always improved the feel of the trem and the sound of the guitar. I also recommend experimenting with removing the backplate of the trem cover because some guitars can sound overly compress and muddy with a backplate. Other guitars sound more open and clear without one so it's a quick and easy modification that doesn't cost you anything.
I need to try one of these. I love that it's a short scale, 24 fret. The result is that the humbuckers are pushed closer together, so in the middle position, you get a beautiful strat-like hollow sound. I'd love to hear the coils split with the 2 inner coils active. BTW - I thought your alternate solos sounded excellent.
2:55 This is the only thing I disagree with in the whole video. If you go to a store and have the staff plug in the guitar and let you try it, answer your questions, etc. and you like the guitar and intend to buy it, you should buy it at the store. The reasons are two: 1) The guitar that comes in the mail may be set up in a different way, it may have been damaged in transit, the weight and the top may be slightly different... there are a myriad subtle differences that can pile up to make the instrument you tried and the one you get in the mail feel different. 2) It is simply unethical to make the store staff work for you only to turn around and order online, unless: 2.1) They give you bad service. 2.2) They try to overcharge you. 2.3) The guitar they have at the store for you to buy is old and / or battered, and they refuse to discount it. If you go to the store and they treat you well, professionally, and the instrument they have is what you are looking for, and it is fairly priced, buy it there.
I had one of these and it was terrible. Snow White with rosewood so dark you’d think it was ebony. Dead wood. No resonance at all and the neck carve was “tall” or some shit. Looked cool as hell but was a dead guitar
Andre, have you had the chance to play the single cut Santana that was discontinued last year, or in '22, or know anybody who has ? I have found one for sale, but it's way too far away to try, so I would have to buy it untested.
At like 3:30 you talk about scale length and for 24 frets. My Ibanez RG is 25.5 scale, my SG modern is 24.75. If you were to look at both fretboards. It’s almost too little of a difference in fret size to matter, but the 2 extra frets also occupy the space that is left empty or covered by the pick guard between the neck and pickup on a 22 fret SG. So other guitars may have a much more pronounced difference in fret spacing than an SG and RG
If you like a lot of styles of music, you'll love my course: www.andrefludd.com/courses. There's a full explanation on the site. :)
Hello 👋 Dr. Fludd, I've been a loyalist follower of your remarkable channel… for a very long time. Refreshing and inspiring approach, with a rigorous & artistic synthesis. I met Santana and Mike Shrieve at Woodstock in 1969. Anyway, more details if anyone is interested ; one benefit of being as old as Carlos is that you can tell true stories, without exaggerated filler. Lol 😆
I wound buying an early issue Santana SE, in 2002. It's a great introduction to the excellence of PRS. It has been a great axe, adequate for almost any venue. I was wondering how close this version is compared to your contemporary model. Any differences or changes? Thanks so much for demystifying the tech aspects, in such an accessible educational manner. Much appreciated!
Thanks for all you do. Unique opportunity to learn, even after 60 years of being a singer/songwriter… with my slightly above -average rhythm guitar 🎸 skills. Luckily, some great old-school virtuoso studio musicians have been eager to contribute to the expression of what was in my head... Brilliantly. Gratitude. Btw, your playing is masterful. Thank you.
Dr. Gary K.
My favorite thing about Carlos Santana is how well he understands the role of music as a means of expression. Also, he's the one who really made me feel like I didn't need anyone's permission to just sit and improvise and explore. He calls it, "just going for a walk"
All guitar players should take that advice! "Taking a walk" is how you learn to improvise, and no one starts by hitting the right notes. Just really want to emphasize your point in my reply, no one should be afraid to improvise! I struggled with that for too long in my playing.
I'm in agreement with Floyd Rose. He was asked why he called it a Tremolo instead of a vibrato, he said the first guitar he put his bridge on was a stratocaster and it said "Synchronized Tremolo" on the headstock. He said he wasn't going to question Leo Fender.
Carlos Santana is under-rated? By whom? The man is a legend.
Santana is underrated like BB King is underrated.
Another great review. I once owned the 22 fret 25" scale version and really enjoyed it. I appreciate your take on Santana. I will caution young guitarist who don't know his music and begin to get into him. He can be a gateway drug to guitar noodling. I came from a woodwind background before my mom let me trade in my saxophone for a guitar in high-school. So single note phrasing has always been super natural for me. When I got into Carlos it was very easy to stop building chord vocabulary and song accompaniment chops. So buyer be ware😂.
LOL, Santana hasn't been underrated, he may just be currently underrated. He's known to those 40 and older as one of the greats. Every decade and a half people "Columbus" great stuff from the last generation. 😁👍🏾it's definitely fun though to watch younger generations discover the greats of the past. To watch the enthusiasm they have is awesome.
Thanks for doing this one especially Andre, I've been mulling this one over for a few years now. Grew up listening to Carlos in the 70's and then heard Europa and it stayed in my head for years. Then came the album Open Invitation, absolutely a MASTERPIECE! Then his own work and his collaborations with other artists bringing out their best. I would have to say he's always been one of my top 3 guitarists. His playing is like a voice that just stays in your mind and never diminishes and says so much without a single word! Well done sir and thank you!
I love Santana and his sound, he is very influential in my guitar journey. I also love this guitar. I'm finding less is more.
For me he was the first guitarist who had a tone that struck me as special. It's still my favorite tone for lead playing.
I completely agree. @@andrefludd
Exquisitely special, Andre.
I love how these less complicated-looking guitars (fewer knobs or pickups) remind you how complex the relationship between the guitar and the amp really can be if you spend time on that. These really challenge you to find your own tone, if you’re up for the challenge. Great video as always!
I have an SE Santana, and I love it. The pickups are great, the neck profile is good, and I like the trem.
I completely agree with you about Carlos Santana. I have been listening to him since the '60s, and, to me, he is one of the best guitarists I have had the pleasure to hear.
not that related but I did try out old Yamaha SG1000, more affordable version of what he played in 70s/80s and even though it was really heavy and chunky guitar it sounded amazing, I wish I bought that....double cut LP is sweet spot of tone and comfort for me
I like that you mentioned how the guitar hangs differently due to the length of the upper horn. Santana knows how to play a beautiful, emotional, and memorable melody. Thanks
I've always preferred the look of the Santana to the regular PRS. Cool to learn more about it.
The shape reminds me of a 1959 Les Paul Special, also a Hamer Sunburst.
Agreed. Hamer was my first thought.@@Robstafarian
@@Robstafarian I think Paul was very influenced by what Hamer was doing.
Great video! Love Santana and I admire that this guitar isn’t overly gaudy with its signature like you said. I’m also glad to see the PRS quality control is holding up well.
I have a Santana SE and I've always liked it. Hope you feel better soon. I had strep throat last month and it was not good. Take care of yourself
Thank you!
I just stumbled on your channel! I love your content! Liked, and Subbed! I have been researching the PRS SE line. I feel they have such variety, especially with various scale length options. Thank you for addressing the scale length, and the number of frets, with regards to the "playing feel" of this guitar. The SE Santana has a unique scale length for a 24-fretter. This is my next guitar for sure. Also, you get an A+ for effort while publishing this video with Strep! Thank you Andre! Looking forward to more of your content and I love your playing.
I have the single cut, Egyptian gold. The pickup are sensational. This is s great video. Lovely playing.
Best review of *PRS Santana SE,* thank you for taking the time to make and post this excellent review♪♫♪
I own this guitar fir several reasons, I like double horns (I’m a super strat guy) the finish is beautiful, it’s got a tremolo bridge, it’s light and looks great. The neck feels like a baseball bat, I live the side flat feel like a Gibson Explorer and the short scale, it’s just as stated in this video it’s thick and chunky. My hands aren’t big but I have no issues playing it. Feels a bit like a Les Paul. Lastly I love yellow, it’s an orangey yellow and a flame top, the woods gorgeous. Volume knobs way out of the way. It’s the only think about a strat that’s not comfortable, the volume knob is in the way, especially the term bar.
Another excellent video great playing and incites. My friend has this PRS Santana SE but he is a bass player so I get to play it...Yay
I remember him being one of the first to jump on the PRS guitar game. I also remember how there was a a lot of random digs how that model seemed very Gibson like. He was known for playing Gibsons back then so I could see how the purist would’ve attacked it at that angle.
This model is probably the only model that I’ve really been interested in really having a deep dive into. I’m digging your attention to detail and thoughts on this model. I’m definitely more curious about this one in particular. I have yet to connect with a PRS guitar.
Nice playing , and definitely a beautiful guitar!
Well done Andre! Santana has always been one of my guitar gods. I'm happy to hear that his name sake guitar is as smooth as he his :). Hope you feel better...
Thanks Chris!
Also in the 90s he did a collaboration with P.O.D., if I remember correctly. Might be a different band, but the song is definitely called America and his guitar work on that one is fucking amazing. It might even be his best song.
You should go for a core model and make a video about it!
The Santana, the OG SE model iirc
Dude, hot take but I like the look of this one more than the crazy expensive Santan Brazilian. I like the shape of the body, and the normal PRS headstock
Another classic. Including your quick outtakes was super-effective.
Thank you :)
Andre, I love your reviews. They're smart, insightful and entertaining. But alas, I sold my Santana SE... and bought a sem-hollow, PRS 22-fret Custom SE in charcoal. It's fantastic. I'm a blues nut and the short scale, strung with .08s, make bends super easy. But all PRS guitars are terrific, especially my 1993 PRS, bolt-on EG 4 (the original silver sky!). Keep up the excellent work.
Thank you Frederick!
Love your video and playing!
Thank you!
Dude wow, I haven’t tuned into your guitar reviews for awhile but was excited to see the PRS reviews. You’re videos have improved 10-fold I feel so, nice work! If I could make any suggestion it would be putting a snippet of text or clip about your signal chain - what is it, any EQ adjustments (that part in this video referencing the bass made me think of this), etc.
That is me just being picky tho 😆 thanks and looking forward to the rest of the series!
I usually put up a quick little graphic. but this time I just gave a quick mention. It's all through my AxeFx3. One setting was the Roland Jazz chorus. all at noon. The other was a jumped fender amp with a tube screamer also all knobs at noon.
@@andrefludd Thank you!
Another excellent, informative video. I almost got one of the Santana SE models late last year but chose a 1993 Godin G4000 instead. I don't regret buying the Godin (which I love) but this has made me consider getting an SE. I'll wait until the end of the experiment before making any decisions, but this video definitely made me think. It as entertaining too, as ever.
Def wait until the experiment is over :). This is my fav for my style of music, but it isn’t my favorite overall ;)
Another great review. Thank you. Hope the strep throat gets better soon. I had that two weeks ago. Antibiotics will knock it out quickly (although they might leave you feeling ordinary for a few days as well).
Before this series, I was pretty sure I was not a PRS kinda guy. But I’m starting to question that. Hard to argue with their reputation for quality.
Thanks for the well wishes! And I appreciate you always supporting the channel Andrew
That thing sounds and looks great! I might have to pick one up.
My first electric had symmetrical horns like that but they never looked right to me. Kind of like someone took a bandsaw to their Les Paul as an experiment.
I love his guitar playing in "Corazon Espinado" from that collaborations album.
love your channel brother! presentation, playing and the knowledge shared is on point! hi from sri lanka!! 👋👋👋👋
Love your videos man 👍
That guitar really sings! (I hope that it's not just the one they sent you!)🤔😁
Santana's live band is amazing.
Thank you 👍
PRS pickups have such a unique sound
Great review! I'm beginning to get G.A.S. for a PRS... lol. Thanks Andre!
I have a red Santana SE with a serial number from 2014. When did they stop offering colors other than yellow in the Santana SE line?
I second the QC and fretwork!
Hi, of all my guitars, 28, Santana SE needs nothing more. I get it to Samba-Pati to Smooth with minimal effort. Be well.
Worst guitar I ever got was a Custom 24 SE. Horrendous issues at every level. However, the irony is fitting, because these guitars are all usually really well done. I recently sold my Les Paul in favor of an S2 McCarty, and I have zero regrets. I enjoy your thorough reviews!
The one I bought from cosmic in perth had been messed with.kept going flat and fret buzz.
With Grammys, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, radio hits and airplay for classic rock and contemporary, numerous awards and accolades, undeniable influence on guitarists, being considered a peer of the top players in the music world, magazine coverage, and so much more, I definitely wouldn't consider Carlos Santana underrated or overlooked in any way, shape or form. He's successful and recognized for his career achievements. An example of underrated and overlooked (esp. in America): *Gary Moore.* NOT Carlos Santana, who plays major venues when other successful bands from his era (and after) play mid-size venues and county fairs after their heyday. Carlos is honored and enjoying his fame while he's alive and not posthumously, like many others. Saying Carlos is underrated is like saying Jeff Beck is underrated.
This Is One Bad Ass Guitar. 🫵😉👍
I never ever make any comments about any video on youtube, but since the topic is related to one of the most influential guitarrist of all times, Mr. Carlos Santana, I do think that you pointing him as the "Most underrated famous guitarrist" is not correct. You can say anithing about Carlos Santana, but not that he is "Underrated"and he is not even "overrated" he just is...he is, along with just another few, such as Rory Gallagher and Hendrix, a guitarrist that delivers a unique sound with a unique style, to this date, briging the guitar to levels beyond soul, jazz, and blues. I just want to point out, he is one of the most Recognized guitarrist, and till this date, his technique has been imitated, emulated and admired, and other famous guitarrists and many musicians around the globe recognize his unique style, all this to add, that I do believe you should not make that kind of statement, is unrespectful.
What switched me off is the placement of the volume control, no way to do swells with hand acrobats!
If Carlos is under rated, it's news to me.
Not very fast yet but I'm definitely in that phase 😅
Fire guitar....!
Why not get a private stock Santana model? Then you can get everything customized how you want... I wonder if they would cut that belly at the bottom corner so that you can have it on your lap like a strandburg? 😂 That would be awesome
What's the name of the Santana song you play in this video, please?
Maria Maria
Sanatana had a trial with Wayne Shorter. Well, it did not work for him.
Do you wish your Vigier had big frets too or are you ok with what it has?
I wish it had bigger frets. I’m going to sell it, but I’ll explain that in a video eventually.
Hey, how's it going?
aka
oye cómo va
😎
yellow is good ;)))
The two Jims are the greatest. But out of all the boomer guitar heroes, Carlos Santana is my favorite.
Please start using reverb 😭
wiggle stick*
What a guitar should be.
Santana, great. His overdrive/distortion tone, not great.
Mate, mate, mate! Did you really just call Santana underrated?! I guess James Hetfield is underrated, too, then! Rolling Stones Magazin listed Santana in the top 20 of best guitar players in 2015 and he has sold more than 100 million records. That doesn’t sound underrated to me at all! I really hate it when people use the term underrated to refer to certified guitar legends. Santana has gotten all the credit he deserves! There’s absolutely NOTHING underrated about him!
yes words change with societies.. that's why we can't even define a woman now.
Carlos is the single most overrated guitar player ever. Nice guitar though
I prefer calling them “portamento bars”. But I suspect I’m alone in that
I'm a huge Brian May fan, when I discovered that by his own estimate he spends 85% of his time on the same setting, even though his guitar has 21 switching options, I gave up on wanting loads of switching options. And then EVH with a single HB ...
Simplicity is where it's at for me now.
Too many options is never a good thing. Sax players bring their sax...thats it. Guitarists have had tons of Sonic option forever and yet even right now in 2023 they all sound the same LOL.
@@mandanglelow1442they're there if you want them, and easy to ignore otherwise. That can't be a bad thing
@@papa_pt You may have missed my point. Of course having options is not bad but my point was that guitarists have had pedals and tons of sonic options for many years and yet when we hear most rock music the guitar sounds just like a guitar. That's why I said a sax player just brings his sax. Guitarist think that they're getting different sounds from all these different guitars but not really so much.
jesus christ i did not know he ignored the instrument panel on that hero guitar.
@@papa_pt needlessly jacks the price up for marketing purposes. I started out on classical guitar, so I'm somewhat influenced by the lack of options there, but having said that, that limitation opens loads of possibilities to explore.
Santana is one of the biggest influences on my playing ... I remember when the Blues for Salvador album came out and I obsessed over it for months learning to play most of it. As a result he really influenced my own improvisation in ways I can occasionally still hear today (I mean as a cheap pastiche of his playing anyway :p ).
I haven't watched the whole video yet, but when talking about how simple Santana's SE is, I haven't heard you mention that SEs are BECAUSE of Santana. He is the reason the affordable SE line was created, because he told Paul that he wanted an affordable signature guitar that his fans could have. That's according to Paul Reed Smith himself in one of his documentary videos where they are going through all of the historical prototypes.
You are living the dream. You are getting to make PRS videos! Congratulations.
That's so sweet and heartwarming. I love Santana, but that's crazy how much he remembers where he came from. I used to have an obsession with Gibson and stuff, but after playing a used lutheir guitar I realized brand means nothing. I didn't think I'd ever want a new guitar, but if I it's definitely going to be an SE!
TY for sharing that info
To be fair if it weren’t for Santana Paul Reed Smith as whole may not have taken off period.
Although much different players, I put Santana in the same category as Jeff Beck - he's one-of-a-kind and a master at what he plays. He's an incredibly melodic player who puts emotion and feel before chops. Before amp modeling, he was getting incredible sustain/tone/overdrive out of those early Mesa's (he single-handedly put Mesa on the map in the 70s).
See him while he's still around because there's only one Santana (he's currently doing a residency in Vegas).
Well said!
Yes, those early Mesa's were something! I saw him live in the 70's using one of the 1X12 combos Randall made mic-ed up. Absolutely gorgeous tone for days...made up my mind I had to have a Mesa of my own, it took quite awhile to get one but when I did it was heaven! Yes, Santana is instantly identifiable as was Jeff Beck (RIP).
Yes 👍, Marcus.
I have never been a fan of the looks of PRS guitars, they always seemed "off" for reasons that are hard to describe. But for some reason, the Santana sig looks amazing to me. Maybe it's just the even horns, but they really seem to be classy.
I walked into a Guitar Center while travelling to LA because I wanted to buy a Fender Tele - I just happened to see a used PRS Santana SE hanging on the wall.. I had never seen this model before and I tried it and was blown away. This fits my hand so comfortably - and it plays so smoothly ... ( much better than my Fender Strat )
Carlos Santana is a weird case: Most people that know him or know of him probably gravitate to some of his chart topping singles out there. So I feel that a lot of the backlash is from people that just outright reject any 'pop music' from the get go.
But the Santana people probably don't know about was basically running with all of the 70s and 80s Jazz fusion wave of players: He toured with Mahavishnu Orchestra if I'm remembering that correctly but while Latin Jazz is not as generally maligned the more pop oriented hits are and people just won't care beyond that point, which is a shame.
I wish Santana would go back to playing the jazz fusion style of that era. It's some of my favourite music.
I bought a Santana SE when they first came out I believe in 2001. It is still a great guitar and fun to play. Santana, Joe Walsh, and Dave Gilmour have always been my favorites because of what you mentioned. They play what fits the song with no guitar diarrhea.
You know what man, I'd never even considered a Santana but you've got me thinking. I'll say this every video but amazing work. I'm really enjoying this experiment 🤘
Thanks Jack :)
I kinda want one too. You can probably get an SE for about $500
Don’t ever call Santana an underrated guitar player!
Do you know what underrated means?
@DalelCampbell yeah! Judging by your replay you obviously don't!
Santana has sold more than 100 million records, 14 of his 25 studio albums have reached the top 10, he was inducted into the hall of fame and he's pretty much a household name. So please do tell me again how he's underrated!
"No sharp frets". I work at a shop, problem is that all the SE models have sharp frets. Maybe they leveled those for you to mention that in the video. I bought the Santana SE out of pocket and upgraded the pickups with Seymour Duncan Peter Frampton pickuos, got it set up. It now plays like a dream
Hi, I thought of a trick I do that is also suited to the Santana model (being 24 fret and 24.5 scale)... I always get a 2nd trem bar and I use my jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade and I cut down the trem bar length such that I am picking between the pickups (versus picking over top of a pickup).
This is also a good tip for the 3-pickup guitars (I have a PRS Swamp Ash and it has a middle rails pickup -- I had to cut the trem bar size to have my picking action to the inner side of that middle pickup).
Cool stumbling on this, as I previously worked on one for a client and had an identical experience. One of the few guitars I’ve worked on, that are affordable, but hit in a class way above.
I can't find my comment from last week. Should have copied it before posting. 😢 It was long and heartfelt. Oh well… hate when that happens. G
i wish this didnt have such as thick neck just because my hands are smaller otherwise i would totally get this
Grew up listening to our boy Santana. His collaborations were always really cool and he never made it all about him. Seems like a really cool guy.
Agree 100%. He has that cool uncle vibe haha
That observation and vibe are remarkably accurate and consistent with my experience when playing with him, during a practice jam in San Francisco… around 1978. A dreamlike foggy night 🌃.
If your a musician, Carlos was not underated
I remember when the SE guitars first came out. $200 for a soldly crafted instrument with straight forward reliable electronics. I played it to death, on stage, recording, and it always held up.
Carlos Santana is smooth AF. I would expect his signature guitar to be at least as silky to the touch as all those stolen girlfriends he floated out of the room during shows.
Something different I noticed is that your pickups are colored all black. How’d you manage that? Cause usually the pickups on that exact prs Santana model come out black and white.
Nice review - I’ve had the SE Santana for awhile and I really dig it! I notice that mine has the zebra stripe pups but yours are straight black - I wonder if that’s just aesthetics or did PRS change the design over the years? I do think mine are a touch hot which is my only mild nitpick about the guitar. Keep up the great work!
Andre talked about that there were a number of things he likes to do after he buys a guitar with a trem. While I don't work for the company, nor do I personally benefit from the sales of these items I highly recommend Raw Vintage springs. I've placed them in several guitars and they've always improved the feel of the trem and the sound of the guitar. I also recommend experimenting with removing the backplate of the trem cover because some guitars can sound overly compress and muddy with a backplate. Other guitars sound more open and clear without one so it's a quick and easy modification that doesn't cost you anything.
Carlos is the best!
Do some research before you post UNDERRATED GUITAR PLAYER!!
I need to try one of these. I love that it's a short scale, 24 fret. The result is that the humbuckers are pushed closer together, so in the middle position, you get a beautiful strat-like hollow sound. I'd love to hear the coils split with the 2 inner coils active. BTW - I thought your alternate solos sounded excellent.
2:55 This is the only thing I disagree with in the whole video.
If you go to a store and have the staff plug in the guitar and let you try it, answer your questions, etc. and you like the guitar and intend to buy it, you should buy it at the store. The reasons are two:
1) The guitar that comes in the mail may be set up in a different way, it may have been damaged in transit, the weight and the top may be slightly different... there are a myriad subtle differences that can pile up to make the instrument you tried and the one you get in the mail feel different.
2) It is simply unethical to make the store staff work for you only to turn around and order online, unless:
2.1) They give you bad service.
2.2) They try to overcharge you.
2.3) The guitar they have at the store for you to buy is old and / or battered, and they refuse to discount it.
If you go to the store and they treat you well, professionally, and the instrument they have is what you are looking for, and it is fairly priced, buy it there.
Wide fat neck and 2.45 scale?
So, it's a sexier, 24 fretted 245? 😊
i have a deal with my dad if i nail europa song he'll buy me this guitar he is a fan Carlos songs
in the meantime did you get it ?
@@chrisschopenhauer6261 still not nailed enoght he is a musician himself so he is hard to please
I had one of these and it was terrible. Snow White with rosewood so dark you’d think it was ebony. Dead wood. No resonance at all and the neck carve was “tall” or some shit. Looked cool as hell but was a dead guitar
Sorry to hear that. Was this recent?
Dead and no resonance? Was the tone muddy?
Andre, have you had the chance to play the single cut Santana that was discontinued last year, or in '22, or know anybody who has ? I have found one for sale, but it's way too far away to try, so I would have to buy it untested.
At like 3:30 you talk about scale length and for 24 frets. My Ibanez RG is 25.5 scale, my SG modern is 24.75. If you were to look at both fretboards. It’s almost too little of a difference in fret size to matter, but the 2 extra frets also occupy the space that is left empty or covered by the pick guard between the neck and pickup on a 22 fret SG. So other guitars may have a much more pronounced difference in fret spacing than an SG and RG