Thoughts on other guitars after 10 years of “Santanas”

[Maertl513]

Our ants in Europe seem to be way smaller, than in the USA. I haven't seen them playing the guitar.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

That Santana is fire! So glad you didn’t let that one go by.

You and Sergio kept me right.

What is that? A Santana for ants?!?!!

S-ant-ana.

Those 513’s though.

 

[SinSir]

What is that? A Santana for ants?!?!!

For Paul's mini me

 

[Black Plaid]

I was so offended by the guitar (that I color corrected) in the 5th pic I had to trade it away for only that reason.

I was wondering if that was the blue-green one.

 

[Max Headroom]

What is that? A Santana for ants?!?!!

It's for those players with the itty bitty teeny weeny fingers.

 

[Andrew Paul]

They’re all trash.


Ten years ago Thanksgiving and Hanukkah collided. I was working this awful job painting a raw cedar paneled basement by day, and watching my niece and nephews up on the north shore overnight while my sister and her husband toured Italy for a week.

@Rider1260 called me looking for a quick sale of his 305 or 25th Anni Mira to fund some blue something (IIRC). Now, I had already crossed those off my want list but… I did mention I’d be interested in his KL33.

You see, I had some money in my pocket and was vocally dismayed on this forum about this SASNF that I was aggressively trying to buy off some doofus on CL but it wasn’t happening (thank god).

I’m not sure if Mike was really ready to let it go (it was his first PRS and sentimentality an’ all that) so I was being slightly evil when I sent him a text of a pic of a wad of cash.

We decided to meet the next day after work, so I sent the kids to school, started my 2 hour commute to work, worked, let the kids come home to an empty mansion (poor teenage babies), drove through a snowstorm, had a beer, and drove back up north with my new favorite thing.

I had no idea how much it was gonna change my perception of electric guitars.

I’ve still occasionally purchased other “trash” guitars after buying (or infamously acquiring) 5 more Santana shaped guitars (and playing all of @bodia’s after infecting him too) but.. they always leave me feeling a bit stupid. Like, why did I buy that?

I had already been playing PRS (pretty much exclusively) for 20 years and couldn’t understand why.. why FFS.. these weren’t the PRS guitar that the company decided to go with.

Now, I’m not sayin’ it’s the best guitar for everybody, but if you’re a true champion and winning at life.. you’re GD right, it is.

https://imgur.com/EDB7GDs

https://imgur.com/mxrK1Sb

https://imgur.com/a/SPXLCI6

https://imgur.com/a/6UTvgCp

https://imgur.com/a/nclbAh6

https://imgur.com/a/ne7fdpV

WOW! what a day to check the Forum after a long hiatus ..... I always LOVE seeing your White Westy a totally classy guitar. KL33 cool story and of course awesome guitars. When it comes to PRS and Santana shapes you always come to mind. I see I need to catch up on this thread and of course I'll be contributing some posts.

 

[Andrew Paul]

Yes, Santanas are the real deal.
I wasn't entirely sure I needed one, but the good wife knew better. It has always been a member of The Gang of Four.

After a long talk with Mike The Wood Buyer, I had a dream, which became the guitar below. I've been swore to secrecy about some aspects of its becoming, though I have mentioned before that Paul and Tina held it for ransom for a while.

Then one day, I printed out some life sized photos of some interesting wood before going to the vault with Mrs to work out the details for this. For a while, the most reviled guitar on Facebook.

I've always admired these guitars and love seeing them posted. Just beautiful .

 

[Andrew Paul]

GD, man! You are right on the money. Had no interest until I touched the White Westie (just to make sure it was working before you got it). Game over! Here's my current, and past, Santana journey. Really miss a couple that I let go (foolishly, except for the PS).

I'm including the Knaggs just because it's Joe's version...

Of course those are gorgeous examples! Every time I see blue/violet with white back I regret not being the one to purchase it. I remember when you had it refinished ..... SO COOL.

 

[Andrew Paul]

Well it's a good thing you did find them. They never made it onto my interest list much less my want list. I would see the posts over and over, "is this guy delusional?" I'd ask myself lol. I had never tried one...only one that had crossed my path was a SE model. One day I had enough and decided to start shopping for one...and MAN oh MAN glad I did. It has become a VERY important part of my guitar arsenal. Sergio projected his Santana fandom all the way down to south Texas.

TOTAL CLASS !!

 

[Andrew Paul]

Most here know the PRS journey.

Two guys get taking about a Scottish soft drink, things get sent back and forth to one another over about 3000 miles.

One of them is a Rush fan. Something turns up in a cardboard tube.

Two guys in the Chicago area get talking, hatch a plan and something bigger than a toothbrush, but smaller than a hippo arrives in Scotland, in a box.



I can’t believe that was three years ago.

And so the addiction begins….

About a year ago I found my Santana -



She arrived about three weeks after purchase, due to a postal strike.

And here’s my small but perfectly formed PRS family -



Consequently my Santana is soon to be 10 years old.

Every time I see your yellow Santana I comment .... Freakin Beautiful !!

 

[Andrew Paul]

I written about my first experience with playing PRS Guitars and the first one I purchased in early 1990... not going to repeat. Not sure I mentioned this on the forum before, I first time I saw a PRS and wondered what is that beautiful guitar was when I was in high school watching MTV and this video was play quite a bit. Love Santana's playing and music a really loved the Shango album. This was the first PRS I ever saw. I even found a YouTube version with MTV prequel.

 

[Andrew Paul]

I’ve gone through phases and I’ve bought and sold several Santana’s and even a West St., Limited. The West St., Limited I sold I really regretted later on, at the time I was going PS MEV hog crazy. Sergio, thank you for allowing me to acquire your Mahogany West St., Limited. Especially with the understanding that I was going to refinish it. Not everybody’s cuppa tea, but I was thrilled to refinish it in a chameleon finish gold to magenta.

Above is the original

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I’ve gone through phases and I’ve bought and sold several Santana’s and even a West St., Limited. The West St., Limited I sold I really regretted later on, at the time I was going PS MEV hog crazy. Sergio, thank you for allowing me to acquire your Mahogany West St., Limited. Especially with the understanding that I was going to refinish it. Not everybody’s cuppa tea, but I was thrilled to refinish it in a chameleon finish gold to magenta.

Above is the original

The closest I’ve ever come to having what @veinbuster would call a “spare” or a “extra” guitar is this one.


Because of the limited nature of Westies, I deemed it irresponsible and greedy to own more than one at a time.

And for the record, you originally sold me to sell to you because you said you wanted to refinish it champagne-gold.

 

[László]

Nice guitars, gentlemen (and ladies if any have posted one here).

 

[Andrew Paul]

The closest I’ve ever come to having what @veinbuster would call a “spare” or a “extra” guitar is this one.


Because of the limited nature of Westies, I deemed it irresponsible and greedy to own more than one at a time.

And for the record, you originally sold me to sell to you because you said you wanted to refinish it champagne-gold.

I silently thank you every time I pick it up to play, which is very often. I really bond with the neck on this one. Since it’s all mahogany it’s light weight compared to “normal” Santana’s. Tomorrow I’ll post updated photos of the Tiger Wood Library…I put some custom stuff from Seb on it. It’s my first rosewood neck and I can’t put it down

 

[bodia]

I’ve gone through phases and I’ve bought and sold several Santana’s and even a West St., Limited. The West St., Limited I sold I really regretted later on, at the time I was going PS MEV hog crazy. Sergio, thank you for allowing me to acquire your Mahogany West St., Limited. Especially with the understanding that I was going to refinish it. Not everybody’s cuppa tea, but I was thrilled to refinish it in a chameleon finish gold to magenta.

Above is the original

Love how that turned out!

 

[Prina]

Never been a DC guy but those Westies are freaking amazing!

 

[Bogner]

I’ve gone through phases and I’ve bought and sold several Santana’s and even a West St., Limited. The West St., Limited I sold I really regretted later on, at the time I was going PS MEV hog crazy. Sergio, thank you for allowing me to acquire your Mahogany West St., Limited. Especially with the understanding that I was going to refinish it. Not everybody’s cuppa tea, but I was thrilled to refinish it in a chameleon finish gold to magenta.

Above is the original

That Is Incredible!

 

[Andrew Paul]

This is an incredible WL Santana Retro and the first rosewood neck I’ve ever owned. It is incredible feeling neck and such a comfortable carve, totally addictive.Santana models are a must have. I dressed this one up nice with custom tuner buttons, back plates, knobs, and TRC.

 

[bodia]

This is an incredible WL Santana Retro and the first rosewood neck I’ve ever owned. It is incredible feeling neck and such a comfortable carve, totally addictive.Santana models are a must have. I dressed this one up nice with custom tuner buttons, back plates, knobs, and TRC.

Fire!