Private Stock Question - Santana Semihollow

[PabloRocha]

Hello everyone!

Do someone in this forum own or have played a Santana Private Stock semihollow?
How different do the feel and sound vs the solid version?
Is this still an option that can be ordered through the private stock program?

Thank you very much in advance,
Pablo

 

[veinbuster]

Check with a dealer to be sure, but Private Stock is currently limited to production models and hollow Santana has never been a production model.

 

[PabloRocha]

Thanks for your answer. Why is Private Stock limited to production models?

 

[veinbuster]

Thanks for your answer. Why is Private Stock limited to production models?

They started that some months ago. I think the backlog was getting too long, so they did that to try to manage it.

 

[PabloRocha]

Understood. Thank you very much!

 

[ViperDoc]

How good are you with a jig saw?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I only say this as someone who really really wanted a semi hollow Santana and started getting the ball rolling on one:

Having played other PRS semi hollows and their solid body counterparts, I don’t feel there’s a big enough tonal or tactile difference to them compared to a lighter example of a solid body. They’re like chambered guitars with an F-hole aesthetic.

IMO/YMMV/etc.

 

[PabloRocha]

How good are you with a jig saw?

LOL, I am pretty decent but would't modify a Private Stock

 

[PabloRocha]

I only say this as someone who really really wanted a semi hollow Santana and started getting the ball rolling on one:

Having played other PRS semi hollows and their solid body counterparts, I don’t feel there’s a big enough tonal or tactile difference to them compared to a lighter example of a solid body. They’re like chambered guitars with an F-hole aesthetic.

IMO/YMMV/etc.

Thank you! I suspected that. You know, the Santana Private Stock Pre-Factory with the 2 mini toggles and 1 volume control looks amazing as well. I wonder how much those run for and if I would miss the tone control.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Thank you! I suspected that. You know, the Santana Private Stock Pre-Factory with the 2 mini toggles and 1 volume control looks amazing as well. I wonder how much those run for and if I would miss the tone control.

The problem with Santanas are: they all look amazing.

 

[PabloRocha]

I agree, they are really nice.

 

[bodia]

I only say this as someone who really really wanted a semi hollow Santana and started getting the ball rolling on one:

Having played other PRS semi hollows and their solid body counterparts, I don’t feel there’s a big enough tonal or tactile difference to them compared to a lighter example of a solid body. They’re like chambered guitars with an F-hole aesthetic.

IMO/YMMV/etc.

Completely agree with this. I've had a P245 SH, the Cu22 SSH Ltd, and a 594 SH. None of them sounded drastically different from their full body counterparts. Maybe a minimal change, or airiness, but not enough to sway my mind, one way or the other.

Also agree that the Santana model is the best PRS model ever.

 

[Lewguitar]

That's interesting because a Les Paul sounds different from an ES-335.

Through a cranked Marshall or with mondo-distortion they start sounding much the same.

But played clean or semi-clean they sound and vibrate quite differently.

 

[PabloRocha]

I have seen a solid version, private stock, with only a volume pot, no tone. Would you miss the tone pot?

 

[Moondog Wily]

Here are a few to drool over! I KNOW I viewed one in the last few weeks that was PS Semi-hollow Santana in Santana Yellow but I can not find it!!

Santana PS6073
Santana PS6582 and another view of Santana 6582
Santana PS8603
Santana PS7851 and another view of Santana PS7851
Santana PS5697
Santana PS8731

 

[László]

I only say this as someone who really really wanted a semi hollow Santana and started getting the ball rolling on one:

Having played other PRS semi hollows and their solid body counterparts, I don’t feel there’s a big enough tonal or tactile difference to them compared to a lighter example of a solid body. They’re like chambered guitars with an F-hole aesthetic.

IMO/YMMV/etc.

I've gotta disagree here, having lived with two semi hollow PRSes, including my current Special.

There are different resonances, and the low-midrange frequencies are less prominent. The highs are a bit more sparkly, but the mids are more scooped. The cleaner you play, the more this is apparent; heavy amplifier distortion always adds bottom end as the signal goes from a sine to a square wave as the tubes get pushed hard. So with high gain you might hear a smaller difference, but that's true of any guitars you're comparing.

So you notice more differences playing clean or low-gain. I think the difference is very easy to hear; in fact, I can't imagine not hearing it!

I've played chambered guitars, this is different. I'm not saying it's better; that's personal taste. I prefer the solid body models to the semi-hollow models; they pack a bigger punch. I play Special as when I want something a little different. But yes, different it IS.

 

[László]

Completely agree with this. I've had a P245 SH, the Cu22 SSH Ltd, and a 594 SH. None of them sounded drastically different from their full body counterparts. Maybe a minimal change, or airiness, but not enough to sway my mind, one way or the other.

See my response to Sergio, above. I think the semi hollow models are quite different, it's not minimal as I hear it.

 

[PabloRocha]

I've gotta disagree here, having lived with two semi hollow PRSes, including my current Special.

There are different resonances, and the low-midrange frequencies are less prominent. The highs are a bit more sparkly, but the mids are more scooped. The cleaner you play, the more this is apparent; heavy amplifier distortion always adds bottom end as the signal goes from a sine to a square wave as the tubes get pushed hard. So with high gain you might hear a smaller difference, but that's true of any guitars you're comparing.

So you notice more differences playing clean or low-gain. I think the difference is very easy to hear; in fact, I can't imagine not hearing it!

I've played chambered guitars, this is different. I'm not saying it's better; that's personal taste. I prefer the solid body models to the semi-hollow models; they pack a bigger punch. I play Special as when I want something a little different. But yes, different it IS.

So you prefer solid vs semihollow Santana?

 

[PabloRocha]

Here are a few to drool over! I KNOW I viewed one in the last few weeks that was PS Semi-hollow Santana in Santana Yellow but I can not find it!!

Santana PS6073
Santana PS6582 and another view of Santana 6582
Santana PS8603
Santana PS7851 and another view of Santana PS7851
Santana PS5697
Santana PS8731

There you go man!
I was aware of PS8603 but not of PS8731! Those electronics which seem similar to the 'signature limited' make it so interesting!

I wonder what would be better, tremolo or stop tailpiece?

 

[László]

So you prefer solid vs semihollow Santana?

I have never played a semi-hollow Santana. I'm comparing semi-hollow PRSes in general to solid body ones.