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I have played both. IMHO they are exactly the same except for the addition of the pickguard and a pickup change from nickle covered ones to open coil ones. Same feel and playability, just uglier now...........but not too bad. It think they sound pretty good as is. If I had one I would switch pickups to something higher in output, but thats my personnal preference. Build quality is excellent and the finish is great. It's worthy of gigging with for sure. Carlos Santana plays a couple live. I recently saw a picture of him playing one when they first came out with it. The guy from Sum41 has a bunch of them. He pretty much plays them exclusively. A guy I was talking to who works at a shop that is a PRS dealer was singing the praises of the Santana model to the point where he said a real PRS isn't worth it compared to a Santana model. He was playing it through a Marshall AVT 50 combo and I thought it sounded amazing. Weight wise it's not too heavy, but not as light as a crappy Epiphone SG copy. For a Korean made guitar it's got the best QC in the business IMHO. I couldn't find a flaw on any of the 7 Santana models I saw. I think even with the pickguard it's still a nice looking guitar. I have been considering one for a while now. Good luck.
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Santana SE opinions?
What do y'all think bout the old PRS Santana SE Korean imports, I think the new ones with the pickgaurds are ugly as as all getout, but I think I want ones of those old ones to gig with. Do they demand a pup swap? -
Re: Santana SE opinions?
I think you're giving it way too much praise...It *might* be a little better playing than my girlfriend's LP Special II. Sounded, and felt, dead to me. *shrug*Dreaded Silence - Boston Melancholic MetalComment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
You must have played a factory 2nd. I have had one Epiphone that sounded good and that was after I replaced the toggle switch, pickups and had it setup. I think quality, feel and playability go to the Santana in my opinion. I'm not a big fan of PRS guitars, but if I were to get one I would get the Korean Santana model. Not giving it too much credit, I was just really impressed by the ones I've played. One mans trash is another mans treasure. My .02 cents again.Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
I played one and wasn't that impressed. I mean, it wasn't *horrible*, but you can find much better guitars in the same price range if you buy a used guitar. Of course, I'm also not really a PRS guy to begin with.Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
A okay guitar for the money..it plays pretty good, has a decent tone...I view it as a guitar for someone who is starting out and wants a PRS type guitar.
But I have owned a "classic" PRS(sold it and bought my USA Kelly...best move I ever made!)...1988 Standard 24 "special". Back when PRS guitars were 100% handmade. The newer ones do not impress me at all..overpriced for what you get.Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
Well I "view it" as an imported PRS, and from what I hear, they play as well most Jackson imports. I used to own a Mcarty. I sold it. I couldnt justify putting such a "nice" and expensive guitar through my gigging, I would rather keep it in my living room but who has the money to do that ****? The way I see it, the newer PRS guitars are automated machine made anyway, so this is more of a value.Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
Ugh.. whoever told you they play as good as a Jackson import is wrong in my eyes.
They don't play that good, and the pickups are real weak.
Also, everyone of them that I've played has had quality issues like bad frets, the inlays were horrible, various factory flaws.. etc.
[ April 04, 2003, 05:58 PM: Message edited by: Word ]Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
well dude, everyone knows every company will be hit or miss as far as imports go, plus I guess it is unfair to compare apples and oranges. I played one a while back, the impression was positive If i recall. All PRS guitars will not play as well as a Jackson type player will want, we aren't exactlt talking paper thin neck with pink pups here! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
Good call Erock. No offense Word, but he's right. Jackson=shred, metal. PRS=most nu-metal players from Creed to Disturbed and of course Santana. They aren't shredders for sure. Just a simple tool for rock. I'm sure with the right pickups it could hold it's own. I wouldn't waste my time on a $2000 plus PRS. I like cheap imports. It doesn't hurt to beat em up. All I own is imports and they are comparable to some of the USA stuff I've had. Just about every import guitar has 3 out of 10 that are turds. High volume dealers get the turds and sell em to kids who don't know better and make a killing. The good stuff ends up somewhere else like my house. I have three excellent imports. If I were buying a Santana SE, I would most definately play around with a few before I dumped the cash. The 5 or so I played were all top notch, but that doesn't mean there a 100 out there that would be worth nothing more than a baseball bat.Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
The newer ones with the pickguard look ugly as hell!!
I think they're kinda cheaply made, but they're not bad for a beater guitar, which is why the guy from Sum 41 records with real PRS guitars and only takes the cheap replica Santana models out on the road... so his real PRS guitars don't get banged up.I feel my soul go cold... only the dead are smiling.Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
I think PRS Guitars(real ones, not the Korean Santana or Tremonti models) are great for shredding. They play great and feel great.
Jackson guitars are not one trick ponies(shred/metal), neither are PRS guitars.Comment
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Re: Santana SE opinions?
Hrmmm... When I was hunting for my PRS I tried them all... Mcarty, Santana II's, Custom 22 and 24's, CE 22 and 24's, and the Santana SE.
The Santana SE is a fairly DECENT player at best and is actually a fairly decent price and I would also go so far as to compare them to the other Imports like Ibanez and Jackson and LTD. But like those others, the Pickups WILL probably need to be replaced. VERY low output and flat sounding to my ears.
And for anyone to compare the SE to a US made PRS like the Dealer Jon's talking about... Well... I won't go into it, but I find it quite laughable to be honest. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I was a firm believer that the USA PRS's were nothing but hype until I played a Custom 24.. My opinion took a 180 from that day forward.
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