Finally joining the Santana club!

[sergiodeblanc]

BTW, saw one of your group Santana pics on the gear page. Holy moley! Great stuff.

So in what ways are the West's better than KL33s and those better than the Santana models? My reticence regarding spending around $5k for a West vs $3k to 4k (and up) for a core retro is basically the money. My guitar buying lucre is generated from gigs (I play 4 to 6 times a month) and trading/selling old gear. Made a deal with the wife years ago unless we had an emergency, gig and gear money stayed with gear and my paycheck goes to household. It's kept the peace for decades!

Part of me digs the stripped out/back to basics vibe the KL33s have, but I really like the PRS flame tops and amazing finishes too. Then again, I have a Korina McCarty w/braz board and it's probably one of the best sounding PRS I have...

One nice thing about this conundrum is that no matter which one I choose, it's still going to be awesome. I played my SE Santana at rehearsal last night, it sang like a bird. Really looking forward to upgrading.

Sorry, I musta missed your question.

While there are other differences between them, I think the biggest is the omission of the maple top.

I just honestly feel like all mahogany (yes I know there’s a sapele top on the West St.) and Korina guitars sound “better”.

 

[okstrat]

Sorry, I musta missed your question.

While there are other differences between them, I think the biggest is the omission of the maple top.

I just honestly feel like all mahogany (yes I know there’s a sapele top on the West St.) and Korina guitars sound “better”.

One of my favorite sounding PRS I own is a Korina McCarty, I get it. Having said that, I made an offer on a 2012 Quilt ten top Santana last night. I"m addicted to figured maple.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

One of my favorite sounding PRS I own is a Korina McCarty, I get it. Having said that, I made an offer on a 2012 Quilt ten top Santana last night. I"m addicted to figured maple.

Congrats! It really doesn’t matter where your “Santana” journey starts… you’ll eventually get ‘em all.

Does it have the “wrong” knob placement?

 

[okstrat]

Congrats! It really doesn’t matter where your “Santana” journey starts… you’ll eventually get ‘em all.

Does it have the “wrong” knob placement?

Yeah, it has the volume more like a traditional PRS... which I prefer. Played my santana SE at a gig Friday night just to make sure before I throw down my money for the USA, and had a few minor issues, biggest was the placement of the volume since I ride it like a pony during a gig. So I looked for Santana's with that knob layout. Also didn't see many quilt tops in my price range, and it was quilt and 'Santana Yellow' and had the body inlays. Had better fingerboard inlays IMHO than the hollow birds from the anniversary models.

Just now (serendipity?) received a notification, Reverb guy accepted my offer. So, now the hardest part: The waiting!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Yeah, it has the volume more like a traditional PRS... which I prefer. Played my santana SE at a gig Friday night just to make sure before I throw down my money for the USA, and had a few minor issues, biggest was the placement of the volume since I ride it like a pony during a gig. So I looked for Santana's with that knob layout. Also didn't see many quilt tops in my price range, and it was quilt and 'Santana Yellow' and had the body inlays. Had better fingerboard inlays IMHO than the hollow birds from the anniversary models.

Just now (serendipity?) received a notification, Reverb guy accepted my offer. So, now the hardest part: The waiting!

Cool!

I’ve always wanted to try one like that.

 

[shimmilou]

Btw, I've finally fixed my Santana itch with a West St Limited Edition! Now that is one guitar you must try out if you ever come across one. I will never sell mine for sure.

Not even for one million dollars?

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

Just now (serendipity?) received a notification, Reverb guy accepted my offer. So, now the hardest part: The waiting!

I was watching that quilted one - did you snag it? A really nice specimen for sure!

 

[bodia]

Yeah, it has the volume more like a traditional PRS... which I prefer. Played my santana SE at a gig Friday night just to make sure before I throw down my money for the USA, and had a few minor issues, biggest was the placement of the volume since I ride it like a pony during a gig. So I looked for Santana's with that knob layout. Also didn't see many quilt tops in my price range, and it was quilt and 'Santana Yellow' and had the body inlays. Had better fingerboard inlays IMHO than the hollow birds from the anniversary models.

Just now (serendipity?) received a notification, Reverb guy accepted my offer. So, now the hardest part: The waiting!

Awesome!

 

[Greywolf]

just an FYI from the Luthier's bench .. Sapele is a member of the Meliaceae family just like Honduran Mahogany.
I've built several instruments with it . Sapele is denser and harder than mahogany, with a Janka rating of 1,410 lbf (6,280 N) compared to mahogany's 1,070 lbf (4,760 N) so it tends to be a bit brighter.

 

[okstrat]

I was watching that quilted one - did you snag it? A really nice specimen for sure!

Yep! Going to catch some good natured grief since I work at a music store and am having it shipped there, but thankfully for my wallet we aren’t a PRS dealer

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

Yep! Going to catch some good natured grief since I work at a music store and am having it shipped there, but thankfully for my wallet we aren’t a PRS dealer

I was definitely eyeing that one for the amazing condition, great color, and unreal top but decided I wanted to stick with the Santana control layout - definitely looking forward to your NGD post! Returned the one I posted in this thread and grabbed the mint 2023 retro Danville music had up. Should get that in this week!

 

[Black Dog]

Very nice congrats.

 

[okstrat]

I was definitely eyeing that one for the amazing condition, great color, and unreal top but decided I wanted to stick with the Santana control layout - definitely looking forward to your NGD post! Returned the one I posted in this thread and grabbed the mint 2023 retro Danville music had up. Should get that in this week!

Congrats! Looking forward to your NGD post also. There certainly are a wide variety of Santanas out there for sale. Was yours from Reverb also? Would love to see which one you picked up, if it was on Reverb I probably looked at it!

 

[guitar_man_man_man]

Congrats! Looking forward to your NGD post also. There certainly are a wide variety of Santanas out there for sale. Was yours from Reverb also? Would love to see which one you picked up, if it was on Reverb I probably looked at it!

It was this one: https://reverb.com/item/83795945-pr...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=83795945

I called them directly and didn’t go through Reverb for purchase though, great people to work with!

 

[-ST-]

Picked up this one in the summer of 2020.
Santana MD

And this one, last week.
Santana Brazilian Limited Edition

 

[Greywolf]

Totally AWESOME!! Congrats!

 

[bodia]

Picked up this one in the summer of 2020.
Santana MD

And this one, last week.
Santana Brazilian Limited Edition

Welcome to Club Santana!

 

[Greywolf]

You inspired me to put down my Rosie DGT for a spell and pulled out my Westie .. man o man fell in love all over again

 

[sergiodeblanc]

You inspired me to put down my Rosie DGT for a spell and pulled out my Westie .. man o man fell in love all over again

Other guitars are trash

 

[Oscar]

You inspired me to put down my Rosie DGT for a spell and pulled out my Westie .. man o man fell in love all over again

How would you describe the tonal difference between the DGT and Santana?