The PRS Santana Retro lets you achieve the smooth, iconic tone of Carlos Santana, and yet it still allows you to put your own stamp on your sound. Commemorating the "Pre-Factory" models Paul built for Carlos in the early 1980s, this guitar features Santana pickups, a mahogany body with a deeper carve, and original appointments such as the heel style, headstock shape, and nut placement. It combines vintage components with modern innovation, allowing for a gorgeous retro sound as well as brilliant versatility.
Sumptuous playability matches the warm, fluid tone of this guitar. Perform with incredible ease and comfort thanks to the sleek cutaways and smooth rosewood fretboard. You won't want to stop. And when you're armed with a reliable and sturdy tremolo bridge, you can be sure that your shimmering vibrato will reach new heights. Better still, protect your magnificent instrument on the road using the PRS hardshell case that is included. Your guitar will always be ready and waiting in pristine condition for a mind-blowing gig.
Sensational sound
If you're looking for a tone that is situated between vintage beauty and modern capabilities, the Santana pickup is the one for you. Immerse yourself in rich, warm humbucking goodness. You can experiment with a whole host of wondrous tones knowing each and every note will blaze through the air with purpose and clarity. Loaded at the bass and treble positions, these pickups produce the smooth, caramel-like sound that Santana is known for, giving you articulation and power in abundance.
An iconic construction
Santana's signature showcases a build that is iconic, not just in terms of PRS' renowned history, but in terms of Santana himself. Paying homage to Santana's '80s guitars, this model allows you to embody his greatness - the type of greatness that is idolised by guitarists around the world. It exhibits a stunning carved figured maple top for unbeatable beauty whilst mahogany back, sides, and neck provide all the unwavering strength you need for a lifetime of exquisite playing. Original features - the heel style, headstock shape, and nut placement - give us a glimpse into the past, showcasing details that adorned Santana's 1980 model. And thanks to a deeper body carve, you'll be granted heavenly playability.
Built for fearless performances
Equipped with a PRS tremolo bridge, the Santana Retro gives you the chance to experiment with dive-bombs, vibrato, and other techniques, making your performance more enchanting than ever. Captivate your audience with your wild playing and then return to solid ground afterwards as your strings go back to being firmly in tune. Prepare for unforgettable gigs and thrilling play experiences. A robust hardshell case is also included to ensure you can travel to and from the studio stress-free. The case can handle any knocks and scrapes on the road so your prestigious guitar doesn't have to. Arrive at your sold-out venue knowing your instrument is in impeccable condition and ready for a mesmerising performance.
Specifications
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Product Code: SRM4FNHBI63_N-NN_YI_N # TBC
Body
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Body Top: Carved Figured Maple
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Body Back: Mahogany
Neck & Fingerboard
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Neck Wood: Mahogany
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Neck Type: Santana Retro
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Fingerboard: Rosewood
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Inlays: Birds
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Number Of Frets: 24
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Scale Length: 24.5"
Hardware & Electronics
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Treble Pickup: Santana
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Bass Pickup: Santana
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Controls: Volume & Tone
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Pickup Selector: 3-Toggle Switch
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Bridge: PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III
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Tuners: Phase III Locking
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Hardware Type: Nickel
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Case: PRS Hardshell Case (Included)
Mahogany topped with exquisite maple 10-Top
PRS began by choosing the tried-and-true combination of high-quality mahogany topped with stunning figured maple. This combination gives this PRS Santana Retro a rich, yet balanced sound. The mahogany back delivers the natural tonal warmth and focused midrange that guitarists clamor for and the brighter tone of the maple 10-Top adds clarity and sustain with a strong fundamental. Together these tonewoods give you an incredibly balanced sound. Never one to sit pat, PRS has retooled their finish process. Taking its cues from the Private Stock finish that entails high-gloss nitro over a cellulose CAB basecoat, this method gives the guitar a finish that's thin, durable, and clear. The result is an instrument that feels like a vintage guitar in your hands, with an incredible amount of resonance.
Dual humbuckers deliver amazing detail, warmth, and sustain
The PRS Santana Retro is loaded with a great-sounding set of humbuckers. In the bridge is a 58/15 pickup which produces sweetened vintage tone with every note you play. In fact, PRS built the 58/15 with the same coil wire manufacturing machine that '50s-era guitar makers used to create some of the most iconic pickups in history. In the neck is a Santana pickup. This pickup was designed in collaboration with Carlos himself, and it exhibits the warm, singing sound that is his instantly identifiable trademark. When the guitarists here at Sweetwater played through this pickup, we were blown away by its detailed highs, warm bottom, and seemingly unending sustain. PRS retooled these pickups to bring the sweet harmonics and chunky warmth of this classic design to your Santana Retro 10-Top. Each set of pickups has been ear-tuned to perfection by Paul and his team, a process known as Tuned Capacitance and Inductance (TCI). The end result is a very musical pickup that’s true to its lineage, but updated for the modern player.
PRS Gen III tremolo provides a customizable feel and reliable intonation
The new Gen III tremolo functions the same as PRS's older, patented tremolo system, but with a few notable updates. Countersunk mounting holes create a perfectly aligned bridge, ensuring reliable intonation along the entire length of the neck, while larger mounting screws add mass for enhanced sustain. The bridge's sidewalls have been redesigned to prevent sideways movement of the saddles, greatly improving tuning stability. And compound-radius saddles improve vibrational transfer by optimizing the angle the string breaks across the saddle. An unthreaded tremolo arm employs a small set screw that allows for a customizable feel. And radiused grooves on the bridge plate match the radius of the height-adjustment screws, creating more contact and a better fit.
The PRS Santana Retro pays homage to the early "pre-factory" solidbody electric guitars that Paul Reed Smith built for legendary guitarist Carlos Santana in the early '80s. Celebrate history with the Santana Retro's deeper body carve, original-style heel, and original headstock shape and nut placement. Experience thick resonance with power and overtones, by virtue of this guitar's stunning maple 10-Top and mahogany tonewoods. A duo of humbuckers deliver sweetened vintage tone with loads of detail, incredible warmth, and endless sustain. The Santana is one of the most revered models in the Paul Reed Smith line. Pick up the PRS Santana Retro solidbody electric guitar and discover why.