NGD: Whoa Black Betty Santana-lam!
- Thread starter sergiodeblanc
- Start date
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
It would be... but I’m so into the black I’m not planning anything like that.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
We all know he’s a -
watelessness
Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 2,543
If i had a guitar like that i would paint it blue. Just sayin
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
It's been confirmed...you now officially have officially have more guitars than I have underwear...
I'm not at that point yet.
alantig
Zombie Four, DFZ
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2012
- Messages
- 14,919
Dang! Sorry, I some how missed your NGD
Scott's statement may say more about his underwear (or preferences thereof) than about your guitar collection.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
So grandma had Paco yesterday, and I decided it was finally time to whip this gal into shape. I had thought about doing some before and after sound samples to try and share some differences all the changes made but... there were too many variables, I don't have the free time like I once had, and the choice between sleeping in or hanging out in my cold basement taking screen shots of EQ curves in Logic and uploading files to soundcloud was an easy one... But I did manage to take pics (you unlucky bastards) along the way.
First thing first, the nut. I had always just filed the stock SE nuts for larger strings but this time, f@ck it, I just threw money at the problem and ordered a two-pack of US nuts. The process was slightly easier, as I only had to sand/file down the bottom of the nut a few times to to get the height to where I wanted it. I overpaid for the nuts by about $7 but, at it averaging out to about $14 a piece... NBD.
Second came the bridge. I had tuning issues when I got it, and rather than search down the problem I just grabbed a Mann upgrade kit equipped trem I had bought for a rainy day off eBay for $50. This included the block, arm, and saddles.. What a deal, huh? It seems with Reverb being so hot nowadays that folks have forgotten about eBay. Do yourself a favor and log in every once in awhile, there are deals to be had.
The B string was giving me problems straight off the bat, and after clipping the strings it was easy to find out why. Sometimes the block on the SE terms wants to grab strings and hold onto them, you can fix it by enlarging or burnishing the holes but, I already had this thing and I greatly prefer the bigger diameter arm that the old trems and John use.. What can I say? I'm a girth gurl. Here's some pics of the two bridges, does the Mann upgrade kit compare to a NOS2000? Not really (but then again nothing does IMO) but it just about brings it up to the standard of the Excel/Core bridges.
First thing first, the nut. I had always just filed the stock SE nuts for larger strings but this time, f@ck it, I just threw money at the problem and ordered a two-pack of US nuts. The process was slightly easier, as I only had to sand/file down the bottom of the nut a few times to to get the height to where I wanted it. I overpaid for the nuts by about $7 but, at it averaging out to about $14 a piece... NBD.
Second came the bridge. I had tuning issues when I got it, and rather than search down the problem I just grabbed a Mann upgrade kit equipped trem I had bought for a rainy day off eBay for $50. This included the block, arm, and saddles.. What a deal, huh? It seems with Reverb being so hot nowadays that folks have forgotten about eBay. Do yourself a favor and log in every once in awhile, there are deals to be had.
The B string was giving me problems straight off the bat, and after clipping the strings it was easy to find out why. Sometimes the block on the SE terms wants to grab strings and hold onto them, you can fix it by enlarging or burnishing the holes but, I already had this thing and I greatly prefer the bigger diameter arm that the old trems and John use.. What can I say? I'm a girth gurl. Here's some pics of the two bridges, does the Mann upgrade kit compare to a NOS2000? Not really (but then again nothing does IMO) but it just about brings it up to the standard of the Excel/Core bridges.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
The Sweetwater website says this guitar has a maple top, but really I think they just copy-pasted the specs from the other Santana's. The Standard's and other opaque guitars are generally all mahogany, and after opening this one up I can't see any evidence to the contrary, and to be honest, I'm kinda glad. I'm so into my other guitars without maple caps that I had hoped this would be all mahogany. I was seriously considering getting a new 22 fret Santana Standard when they started coming in different colors but, at heart I'm a 24 guy and the knob placement on those is okay but, I'm really into where they are on my Westy and KL33.
No sign of maple, right?
I added some lampshades, shaped out the neck pickup for a US Santana Bass, and then of course, no guitar is Sergio-rific without the greatest invention of all time... Winged tuners. I randomly buy them so I can eventually take a bath in them but I keep buying guitars instead.
No sign of maple, right?
I added some lampshades, shaped out the neck pickup for a US Santana Bass, and then of course, no guitar is Sergio-rific without the greatest invention of all time... Winged tuners. I randomly buy them so I can eventually take a bath in them but I keep buying guitars instead.
11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
We need you you to cover this Sergio.
11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
Did you lift one of the pups? I’d be surprised if they went to the trouble to add a maple cap. & I’m with you, all mahogany bodies can’t be beat for tone.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
Okay, if you skipped the other two posts and just wanna get down to pictures, here:
Bad Xmas tree because I was still working on the setup.
I'm kinda into the zebra neck pickup, it makes it look kinda 70/80's in a Dean/Hamer/Norlin LPC kinda way. Plus, it looks like a dirty rock-n-roll machine. The pictures show the contrast between the creme pickup and white binding to be pretty obvious but IRL it's not so noticeable. I imagine after a few years the binding will yellow a bit and be more matchy-matchy.
Bad Xmas tree because I was still working on the setup.
I'm kinda into the zebra neck pickup, it makes it look kinda 70/80's in a Dean/Hamer/Norlin LPC kinda way. Plus, it looks like a dirty rock-n-roll machine. The pictures show the contrast between the creme pickup and white binding to be pretty obvious but IRL it's not so noticeable. I imagine after a few years the binding will yellow a bit and be more matchy-matchy.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
Yeah, I even scraped away a section to see and I couldn't find any evidence of maple.
11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
I thought maybe you just painted that one pickup.
11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
Looks great, BTW!
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
Sorry for the multiple short posts but my MacBook is dying and I wanted to make sure pics were up before the damn thing explodes.
So how is it? Does it sound like a West St. LTD on a budget? Will it get you chicks? Is it Bangin'!?
Well... it's actually more like a Mira with a trem on it. It's not as thick and "manly" in the body and neck like a Santana/Westy. The W/F neck carve feels a bit more petite, and the body doesn't have the same heft. I've been mostly playing my Westy and KL at rehearsals and my Mira around the house, so the differences and similarities are very much on my mind at the moment. So, no... it's not a West St. or a Core Santana outside of the shape but, it's a very very cool guitar that sits very nicely between its present company.
Plus, it looks badass.
So how is it? Does it sound like a West St. LTD on a budget? Will it get you chicks? Is it Bangin'!?
Well... it's actually more like a Mira with a trem on it. It's not as thick and "manly" in the body and neck like a Santana/Westy. The W/F neck carve feels a bit more petite, and the body doesn't have the same heft. I've been mostly playing my Westy and KL at rehearsals and my Mira around the house, so the differences and similarities are very much on my mind at the moment. So, no... it's not a West St. or a Core Santana outside of the shape but, it's a very very cool guitar that sits very nicely between its present company.
Plus, it looks badass.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
I thought maybe you just painted that one pickup.
If I had, I woulda spent more time making it match!
Thanks! We'll let Boogie play it at Santanafest.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,380
10s
