NAMM: Carlos Santana Unveils 2008 PRS Custom Model

Press conferences were a dime a dozen at last month’s NAMM conference, but one in particular injected a bit more heartfelt emotion than the rest. In the Paul Reed Smith Guitars’ booth, it was obvious that the 28-year old company didn’t just have faithful consumers - it had dedicated disciples.

The impressive panel of guitarists that showed up to support PRS’ 12 new models included everyone from Godsmack’s Tony Rombola to the recently endorsed Mike Mushok of Staind, but there was one individual who stole the show. The legendary Carlos Santana delivered an eloquent and passionate commentary, which indicated just how much of a spiritual experience playing PRS guitars has been for him.

The main feature at the press conference was the introduction to PRS’ new Santana MD, and it was evident that the namesake felt a strong connection to guitar guru Smith. “I was very moved by the enthusiasm in his eyes,” Santana recalled. “It’s important for me to let you know at this moment, miracles occur or manifest when you have a willingness to change your perception. He changed the perception of Gibson or Stratocaster to Paul Reed Smith.”

When it came to designing the Santana MD, the man behind such hits as “Black Magic Woman” had a distinct sound in mind. Interestingly enough, reaching that goal involved finding inspiration from a few competing companies’ guitars. Santana explained, “I played on a Smokey Robinson CD that’s going to come out in early spring, and as soon as I plugged a Strat straight into the Steel String Singer - there it was. So I said, ‘Well, I want to get the Paul Reed guitar to sound like that.”

It wasn’t easy recreating, let alone improving upon an iconic tone. Smith said that Santana returned the MD at least 10 times before getting it right. The end result features a carved maple top, a mahogany neck, a 3-way toggle, and a new feature called Multidimensional Voice Control.

Guitar historian Tom Wheeler explained, “There’s a circuit in there that also shows up in the McCarty II. It’s basically like a little studio mixing circuit. Imagine having a switch where you can just throw and go from a modern sound that sounds like a stack or subwoofers to a Holy Grail, early 60’s classic single coil tone.”

That additional switch on the MD has aided Santana in his continuous search for the perfect tone, which he emphasized as being the most important aspect of his playing. While he called Stevie Ray Vaughn his “tonal reference point,“ Santana’s past work in so many genres has taught him that the perfect tone will always depend on the situation.

“One thing that a multidimensional person does is that you adapt to the situation and you adjust to the situation,” Santana said. “Like Miles Davis said: ‘Don’t play what you hear. Play around what you hear.’ You’re the one who has to internalize. What should you do to complement what’s in front of you?”

“Multidimensional” was the term of the evening, with Santana making reference to it several times throughout the course of the press conference. While the title of his upcoming compilation and the “MD” model get their names from the term, the meaning behind multidimensional went a lot deeper for Santana.

“You see 5 things in one pond. Most people are not aware that a note should be the same way. Soul, heart, mind, body - and excuse me - cojones. That’s why I called the CD multidimensional. The guitar is like that. It’s like a box of crayons when you come up with a tone. It’s really about altering people’s perceptions about themselves. That’s the goal.”

So is the MD the end-all, be-all of guitars? According to Santana, just about. When asked which of the PRS line was his favorite to play, he actually chose the SE One. “That guitar is unbelievable,” said Santana. “I play it with any amplifier. It’s the guitar that you pick up off the rack and it does what it’s supposed to do. It very clearly expresses what you’re feeling.”

To learn more about the SE One, the Santana MD, and the new PRS models for 2008, visit prsguitars.com.

Article by Amy Kelly
Ultimate-Guitar.Com © 2008

Comments

[petey gunnz]

santana is god and this guitar is fricking sick

[Jackolas]

Nicely

[Xeus]

mmmmm looks like an amazing guitar

[Glen'sHeroicAct]

very nice.
i heard he has arthritis now, doesn't he? i wonder how long he'll be able to play. man, that's a guitarist's nightmare....

[Ichimaru]

That is a hell of a guitar, Santana is awesome.

[sakura'sdarkest]

Glen'sHeroicAct wrote:

very nice.
i heard he has arthritis now, doesn't he? i wonder how long he'll be able to play. man, that's a guitarist's nightmare....

Santa doesn't have arthritis, the arthritis has Santana.

[i_am_metalhead]

Santana is awesome but there is nothing special about PRS guitars. I've played his old signature (and several other models) and nothing about them impressed me... just overpriced, mediocre guitars.

[anodetodrivebys]

they should've told us a couple years ago so those who'd like to puchase this guitar could have started saving.

[djmay71]

sakura'sdarkest wrote:

Glen'sHeroicAct wrote:

very nice.
i heard he has arthritis now, doesn't he? i wonder how long he'll be able to play. man, that's a guitarist's nightmare....


Santa doesn't have arthritis, the arthritis has Santana.

+1
nicely played my friend, nicely played

[Mr Jeb]

omg that looks gorgeous

[Pat McRotch]

if the guy wanted a strat sound...why doesn't he just play a strat?

[guilty]

This looks nice, I want it

Pat McRotch wrote:

if the guy wanted a strat sound...why doesn't he just play a strat?

It's called "flexibility." Ever play a PRS with a push/pull pot? They're amazingly versatile. I just did that mod to my Standard 24 and it comes out with some pretty convincing Fender-ish tones. Not that I'll be giving up my Tele any time soon...

Checked.

[Bones420]

oh yay, yet another absurdly overpriced guitar with a celebs name on it.. yay.. whoo hoo.. can you feel my excitement.. (insert sarcasim here!)

[Incuboy49]

I heard Santana's new guitar was only going to have to top 5 frets. He said "Fuck it why not, they're the only ones I use anyway."

[Impakt]

I like it but Santana hasn't been the same since his commercial comeback.

[HavokStrife]

That PRS... looks just like every other PRS EVER. Wow. That's some seriousness right there.

And a mahogany guitar to primilarily recreate the sound of a strat. Hey, ok, whatever..

[SL!!!]

HavokStrife wrote:

That PRS... looks just like every other PRS EVER. Wow. That's some seriousness right there.

And a mahogany guitar to primilarily recreate the sound of a strat. Hey, ok, whatever..

Yeahhhhh...but they play really nicely and sound great...so.. i don't know. They're a pretty unique guitar, i guess you like or it's not your thing.

[UNIe]

PRS guitars are best looking guitars on Earth, in my opinion

[GuitarJunkie]

I really like the really nice PRS guitars, but I feel to get a really good one you just have to pay too much money. You can get a great strat for less than a grand and even put new pups in it and everything for still less than a grad (including the price of the guitar). But you have to shell out at least 1500 for a nice/new PRS. Thats my only gripe.

I have a les paul, so i guess i shouldnt talk about high priced guitars, but I got it as a present so thats why I say what I said about the PRS

[GEARS_OF_DETH]

i played his PRS model that one dude had.....ITS FUCKING SICKLY AMAZING AND THE NECK IS PERFECT

[davedoom]

overpriced?.....

[otherkid]

Looks nasty, I would love to own one

[Alex S.]

Its Stevie Ray VAUGHAN!!!!

with an a!!

[fade_to_black18]

i know he is amazingly talented, and i have mad respect, but i've never really liked santana, i don't like his style, its just not for me, this guitar is nice, to plain for me, just like every other guitar in looks

[GeekStinkBreath]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned his abomination with the Nikelback singer.

[dylennon]

The thing about PRS is that it cover the tone and sound of a Strat and Les Paul either simultaneously or individually. The feel is amazing and the look as well. As far as price it's a guitar that is definitley worth it because you get the best of both worlds. That was PRS's intention. Don't forget that they carry the SE line as well which, in my opinion is better that any Strat or LP, especially fo the money. But what it always comes down to is preference. For me....PRS.

[f1sk]

i_am_metalhead wrote:

Santana is awesome but there is nothing special about PRS guitars. I've played his old signature (and several other models) and nothing about them impressed me... just overpriced, mediocre guitars.

I disagree, I own a mccarty which I opted for over a les paul and I couldn't be happier, very versatile and awesome tone
over priced? yes
mediocre? not by a long shot, give me a break

[Soul Power]

GeekStinkBreath wrote:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned his abomination with the Nikelback singer.

I actually think that song isn't bad at all. Anyway, this guitar looks pretty good to me. I just like PRS because I can get a crunchy blues sound out of them like Coco Montoya's tone.

[Spoony_Bard]

Playing a PRS is a heavenly experience. I like all these people saying that they played the $450 SE's and Santana's and saying that PRS guitars are 'overpriced'. Play a Custom 22. Beautiful guitar, amazing tone, versatile without sacrificing tone whatsoever, and a perfect neck.

[severed-metal]

Damn, PRS are beautiful. No doubt about it, it's pretty sad to hear that Santana has arthritis though. If he does.

[Emenius Sleepus]

GeekStinkBreath wrote:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned his abomination with the Nikelback singer.

probably because it's a) irrelevant, and b) because he has far more history and background than just one crappy song...

Looks pretty nice, hopefully I get to see it when he tours Australia

[JimPrenier_11]

Santana is a guitar god He is incredible love the songs Black Magic Women, Evil Ways, No One to Depend On and Oye Como Va etc.

[wyldeshredder]

Soul Power wrote:

GeekStinkBreath wrote:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned his abomination with the Nikelback singer.

I actually think that song isn't bad at all. Anyway, this guitar looks pretty good to me. I just like PRS because I can get a crunchy blues sound out of them like Coco Montoya's tone.

to the first guy;santana sounded good on that recording,he made nickelback sound a hell of a lot better...
to the second guy; good to hear about coco...i saw him last summer at the kingston blues fest(canada) and i was like 5 rows from the front...great guitar player, and he actually knows how to put on a show.he's really good with eye contact, which i think is overlooked a lot.

[MetalliRage]

it looks like every other rs guitar. i never understand prs. im sure it plays great though. santana is a god

[Shining_Yrael]

i_am_metalhead wrote:

Santana is awesome but there is nothing special about PRS guitars. I've played his old signature (and several other models) and nothing about them impressed me... just overpriced, mediocre guitars.

You sir and dumb. I have a PRS SE Soapbar Maple II, and I compared it to an Ibanez Prestige model, several Jackson guitars which were more expensive, and several Epiphone Les Paul Customs/Studios, as well as a Gibson Faded Flying V, and my PRS played better, had a better sound, looked better, was lighter than many of the other solid body guitars, and just completely blew them away by a ridiculous margin.

The neck plays just as fast, if not faster, IMHO, than the Ibanez it was stacked up against.

[Shining_Yrael]

Spoony_Bard wrote:

Playing a PRS is a heavenly experience. I like all these people saying that they played the $450 SE's and Santana's and saying that PRS guitars are 'overpriced'. Play a Custom 22. Beautiful guitar, amazing tone, versatile without sacrificing tone whatsoever, and a perfect neck.

Even the SE series are tight work, my friend. I'm sure there's no comparison to one of their Custom shop models, but the three SE series PRS guitars I've played were incredible.

[proguitarist11]

i_am_metalhead wrote:

Santana is awesome but there is nothing special about PRS guitars. I've played his old signature (and several other models) and nothing about them impressed me... just overpriced, mediocre guitars.

you are a f u c k i n g idiot.

[WishfulShredder]

Firstly Guitars come down to personal preference, so stop arguing about them.

And Secondly, Im going to see santana on his australian tour

[Ali-b912]

WishfulShredder wrote:

Firstly Guitars come down to personal preference, so stop arguing about them.

And Secondly, Im going to see santana on his australian tour

australian tour? when where and how much are tickets?!

[tavi620]

maybe now he'll stop doing duets with people like michelle branch and rob thomas. i wouldn't mind him releasing a cd of just him doing his thing on guitar with someone who isn't an absolute embarrassment singing. i don't want to accuse him of it, but it just seems like he's trying to cling on to the spotlight for as long as he can and forgetting why and how he became a rock and roll guitar god

[Guitar_Poet]

“You see 5 things in one pond. Most people are not aware that a note should be the same way. Soul, heart, mind, body - and excuse me - cajones."

hahhaha. that is such a great quote... Santana is the man.

Shining_Yrael wrote:

Spoony_Bard wrote:

Even the SE series are tight work, my friend. I'm sure there's no comparison to one of their Custom shop models, but the three SE series PRS guitars I've played were incredible.

yea, the PRS SE guitars are great. i have the Tremonti SE model, and its been great for over four years now... PRS is the way to go!

[Guitar_Poet]

tavi620 wrote:

maybe now he'll stop doing duets with people like michelle branch and rob thomas. i wouldn't mind him releasing a cd of just him doing his thing on guitar with someone who isn't an absolute embarrassment singing. i don't want to accuse him of it, but it just seems like he's trying to cling on to the spotlight for as long as he can and forgetting why and how he became a rock and roll guitar god

or maybe he became a rock and roll god because he does what he wants to do

[Nonesta13]

that guitar looks real sexy
he should sing by homself

[s_greenway]

does santana seriously have arthritis? (or arthritis have santana however you want to put it!)