Santana SE

wire%wood

New Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2013
Messages
7
Hey folks. Brand new to the forum, so here's my question: I found what I think is an SE Santana. It has the name "SANTANA" on the headstock with a smaller SE under. All the others I have seen have a different logo on the headstock. Could this be a fake or what? Thanks in advance.
 
Unfortunately not. It's in a local shop. I just spotted it. The "SANTANA" logo really dominates the headstock. I actually thought that was the brand name. It's a really nice guitar - a little beat up, but it plays so well. It also has the Gibson type metal cover pickups - not open coils like I have seen on this forum. Sort of a deep candy apple read with black knobs and such.
 
6in-PRSSantanaSE-HeadstockFront.jpg
 
It's probably the first run of the Santana SE by the way you are describing it. Probably safe.
 
Like this?

prs+santana+se+old.jpg


It might have aftermarket pickups in it. Just check the back of the headstock, it should say something along the lines of made in Korea under licence by World Guitars or something. This detail is rarely reproduced in fakes, not that we have seen a fake SE as yet...
 
not that we have seen a fake SE as yet...

Not true! You must have missed that SE Mahoney fake... totally blew my mind.

The very first Santana SE model came with chrome covered pickups (designed by a fellow at EMG I believe) and did not have a pickguard, this is the second one.

I fairly certain the one you have been looking at is a real SE, I haven't seen a fake version of those yet as I belive they just skipped ahead to the Santana MD model as their faker version.

If you want to be sure, snap a cell phone pic and post it.
 
Like Sergio, I also think that you're looking at one from the first run. I've been looking at some too for a project guitar, and they definitely have a different font on the headstock and pickup covers.
 
I really appreciate the feedback. This looks like it. The inlays are exactly the same, too. It's missing the switch cap, trem bar and the tone knob. I checked the PRS site, and those parts are available. However, I didn't see a switch cap for the SE. I assume there is a difference in the size of the switch. Thanks again. I think I am going to go back and get it.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top