Signature-electric guitar with 10-top-flamed maple top and PRS Santana pickups, including case
With the PRS Santana Retro 10-Top Orange Tiger Smokeburst, Paul Reed Smith revives basic design elements of the Santana model from the "Pre-Factory" era and combines them with modern detail solutions to create a unique electric guitar with high playability and creamy sound. Accordingly, the flamed maple top in raised 10-top quality has a pronounced contour, while carefully selected mahogany is used for the body and set neck. The rosewood fingerboard also features traditional bird inlays to mark the frets. With two PRS Santana humbuckers in the neck and bridge positions, the PRS Santana Retro delivers the typical Santana sound at the guitar amplifier with great sustain and singing midrange. Last but not least, the PRS Santana Retro 10-Top features a PRS Gen III tremolo and PRS Phase III locking tuners.
The PRS Santana Retro Orange Tiger Smokeburst comes with a solid 10-top curly maple top and harkens back to design features from the Maryland-based guitar maker's "pre-factory" era.
The glued mahogany neck of the PRS Santana Retro features the "Original Heel" and the comfortable "Santana Pre-Factory" profile.
Premium woods and classic "Pre-Factory" design.
For the design of the PRS Santana Retro Orange Tiger Smokeburst, Paul Reed Smith relies on classic "pre-factory" lines. Accordingly, the figured maple top not only features a stunning flame, but also a pronounced arch with a dish carve. For the body and the glued neck with "Original Heel" furthermore carefully selected mahogany is used, while the rounded "Santana Pre-Factory" profile fits comfortably in the hand. Last but not least, the PRS Santana Retro features a rosewood fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets and the classic PRS Birds to mark the positions.
The combination of PRS Santana humbuckers in neck and bridge position promises the typical Santana sound.
PRS Santana Humbucker
Two PRSSantanahumbuckers are used as pickups on the PRS Santana Retro, which are optimally matched to the electric guitar and Carlos Santana's sound ideas. On the neck, the PRS Santana Bass Humbucker with moderate output provides a harmonically balanced sound that is equally suited for transparent cleans and singing leads. The PRS Santana Treble Humbucker placed at the bridge also has a moderate output and delivers a vintage-oriented sound that has a high assertiveness thanks to defined basses and pronounced mids. A classic 3-way circuit with general volume and tone controls grants full control over the pickups.
Six PRS Phase III locking tuners guarantee precise and stable tuning even when the vibrato system is used frequently.
PRS tremolo and clamp tuners
A perfectly coordinated hardware equipment completes the PRS Santana Retro 10-Top Orange Tiger Smokeburst. The bridge used is the PRS Gen III tremolo, which convinces with optimal sound characteristics and a smooth handling for harmonic pitch modulations. On the headstock, which is held in the classic Santana style, RS Phase III Locking Tuners ensure a precise and stable tuning even with frequent use of the tremolo system.
The PRS Santana Retro 10-Top Orange Tiger Smokeburst at a glance:
Carlos Santana Signature electric guitar, made in the USA.
serial number 0311102
Mahogany body
10-top curly maple top with pre-factory carve, pearl inlays and natural binding
Glued mahogany neck with "Santana Pre-Factory" profile
Rosewood fingerboard with bird inlays
One PRS Santana Bass humbucker in neck position
One PRS Santana Treble humbucker in bridge position
Love the scale and the feel of the earlier PRS body shape. Great fretboard access. Pickup mix superb esp. that bass emphasised neck. Beautiful finish. I've been playing a while and I've been fortunate to be able to obtain some good modern repros. I've still got my old SG w/vibrola purchased new from Selmer (1967). A difficult instrument to better. This Santana model feels like an improved update of it. Cannot give a better acolade than that. Well done PRS. Good service from DV24/7. Item well packaged and delivered within reasonable time frame over Easter break. Thank-you.
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(This review is from the same product in color Cobalt Blue)
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