Santana sound pick-ups ?

stratatelli

Hello, I`m really keen to get the Santana sound on my PRS SE Semi hollow, with appropriate effects and amp settings ( if that`s possible on this ) but am not sure which after-market pick-ups to buy ( SD`s . Di Marzio`s etc. Iron Gear would be good at their price ). Has anyone any experience of finding a good set for the right sound please ? ( the PRS ones are far too expensive for me ). Many thanks for any suggestions,

Alegree

Bring the rough specs to any winder and they can make you a similar set for a lower price than the PRS ones.

Jez6345789

Hi
 that Santana sound is really very much a combination of how he plays what he plays and what he plays through and with.

also which era Santana sound as it has evolved a lot over the years but it still sounds like Santana.

in my mind forget makes most decent PAF style humbuckers will get you in the zone. If you can find PRS Se245 pickups cheap where somebody is upgrading they will do the job.
just avoid the overwound ceramic magnet stuff you want something in the 7-8k range not 12 or 16k style.

the rest is down to you

ICBM

It's not really to do with the pickup - it's the very compressed midrangy overdrive tone... Boogie Mark Series amp with or without a Tube Screamer in front, and the guitar tone control rolled down. Almost any pickup will work - I even saw a guy nail the 'Smooth' tone using a USA Strat once - with a TS and a Boogie Mk1 reissue. The rest is down to how you play.

Funkfingers

I can make a passable stab at that Santana/Hackett/Rothery tone on my PRS SE Semihollow. I installed Duncan SH-PR-1n and SH-PR-2 P-Rails pickups via Triple Shot mounting surrounds. Through an overdriven valve amplifier both the "series" and "P90" modes sing.

You do not have to get the same pickup set and circuitry as I did. I chose it in order to get as many worthwhile tones from one semi solid guitar as possible. There are simpler and cheaper ways to get most of the options I have at my disposal. Much depends upon how confident you are in your soldering skills.

wackojacko

ICBM said:

It's not really to do with the pickup - it's the very compressed midrangy overdrive tone... Boogie Mark Series amp with or without a Tube Screamer in front, and the guitar tone control rolled down. Almost any pickup will work - I even saw a guy nail the 'Smooth' tone using a USA Strat once - with a TS and a Boogie Mk1 reissue. The rest is down to how you play.

I'd also suggest it's in his magical fingers! 

wackojacko

PS - and the amp settings too 

Jimbro66

stratatelli said:

Hello, I`m really keen to get the Santana sound on my PRS SE Semi hollow, with appropriate effects and amp settings ( if that`s possible on this ) but am not sure which after-market pick-ups to buy ( SD`s . Di Marzio`s etc. Iron Gear would be good at their price ). Has anyone any experience of finding a good set for the right sound please ? ( the PRS ones are far too expensive for me ). Many thanks for any suggestions,

Seeing this reminded me of the Sound Like (famous guitarist) Without Busting The Bank blogs that Andertons did last year. Lo and behold, they did Santana on a budget:

https://blog.andertons.co.uk/guitars/sound-like-carlos-santana-without-busting-bank

So how close to THE sound do the Andertons guys get to satisfy a Santana devotee? I'm not really familiar enough with his work to be able to judge.

impmann

Just turn the mids up and then play too much.
Done.
 
;-)

Jez6345789

impmann said:

Just turn the mids up and then play too much.
Done.
 
;-)

Harsh but probably should be 

Just turn up the mids and play too much & repeating the same lines for 45 years
That said most of his stuff over the years does not send me running from the room. 

Funkfingers

Jez6345789 said:
 most of his stuff over the years does not send me running from the room. 

Carlos is not noted for avoiding the occasional 'room. 

stratatelli

All those comments are extremely helpful, so thanks all of you and  sorry for the delay in replying . I have got somewhere close using 2 OD pedals in series ( Tube Screamer copy + Boss Blues OD both with gain at about 4 ) with tone turned down considerably( through Blackstar HT 5R ). I was specifically asking about any pick-ups that might help in my quest but it`s all useful stuff.  Many thanks. I`ll have a look for those SE 245 p/ups and maybe the SD set mentioned.

RocknRollDave

More to the point, can someone get onto Carlos Santana and show him how to get a different sound. Please.