gonz0 Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 Getting kind of sick of always having to spend hours screwing with the intonation and action of my Ibanez JS-100, and also wanting to find a guitar with a more diverse sound capability, I've decided to get a new guitar. I've heard a lot of good things about the Santana SE, anyone here had any experience with them? Basically I've played Ibanez's my whole life so I am very used to the way they feel, but just sick of the hassle involved with the Floyd-Rose and the sometimes cheap electronics in them. How would the Santana SE's neck compare to something like the JS-100 (in terms of width, roundness, fret size, etc...)? Also, mainly out of visual appeal, I'd like to learn more about some of the inexpensive Schecter models, anyone have any experience with them? I'm looking to keep the ability to get a decent metal sound, but also to keep up with other, cleaner styles if necessary. Right now my price range is $400-$600. Any input would be appreciated.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 Schecter C-1 Elite or Plus. Both awesome guitars, both under $600. They've got great necks and can play everything from jazz to metal-core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 The Santana SE neck feels more or less like a standard PRS McCarty or Gibson Les Paul neck. Larger radius/flatter fretboard and less baseball-batty than the Satriani. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguitarist Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 whats so bad bout the JS100?i was gonna buy it but i liked the JS1000 better. The satriani is a anice guitar, how bout a s520? or get a fized bridge that the action doesn't fuck up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 I just ordered one off of MF yesterday (Santana SE) for $399. Sounded like a good price and I have heard god things. WHat are some of your opinions on the SE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguitarist Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 i think it is junk, you should have saved for a mccarty 24 which im getting instead of 3 s520's, im getting a mccarty 22, a mcarty 24, and a single cutaway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguitarist Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 http://www.prsguitars.com/showcase/current/images/gt_ce22mt.jpg http://www.prsguitars.com/showcase/current/images/gt_ce24mt.jpg thats another just that is in black http://www.prsguitars.com/showcase/current/images/gt_sc.jpg that one and http://img.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/51/519439.jpg please welcome in my new addition to my 57 non reissue LP and my 74 SG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 Riiiiiight. Three $2300-$3000 PRSs instead of three $800 Ibanez... Anyway, back to reality! Santana SEs are over-hyped. They're decent guitars but for $570 (what most places still charge) you can get an Epiphone Les Paul or SG that's quite a bit better. I've heard quite a few reports of the Santanas being poorly made. Bridges breaking off, knobs loose so you have to open the cavity and hold the pot and tighten the nut on top, cheap machine heads (tuning keys) I also don't really like how they feel but that's totally different for every person who plays. The Schecters feel great to me though. Well weighted, a nice thin, smooth and well shaped neck... They also have great tone and incredible versatility. They're just sweet guitars. The C-1 Elite (or Classic) and PT Elite are two of the best guitars you can buy for under a grand in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguitarist Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 dude, the js1000 is 1200, i sold my 60's strats for 3000 a piece because they are classics. i have one of the prs's all ready the custom 22, the 24 is coming next week and the single cutaway is coming in 2 weeks due to have custom inlays put into it(dragon running all up and down the fretboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 The reviews on the HC board (quite a few) seem overwhelmingly positive. I am only using it to back up my 69 Gibson SG. MF gives you 45 days to make up your mind anyway. Retro, not all of us have the money for one $2500 guitar let alone three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaccursi Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 I must say I've been pretty impressed with the Santana SE. It doesn't have the bite of a les paul (Gibson) but I would take it over an Epi any day. Its sounds super smooth and plays great. As for comparing it to the JS, as noted, it has a Wide Fat neck, much thicker than any Ibanez. By the way, the prices are falling becase the new models are on the way, they will have bound necks and a strat style forearm cut, might want to wait a bit and check them out. As for Schecters, the only one I found interesting is the TSH1. Very cool guitar. Overall though, they are budget instruments, and overpriced at that. Jeff Buy my Strat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 Anyway, I only paid $399 for it, not $570 and it includes the PRS gig bag. I don't expect a McCarty or Les Paul just a decent guitar which most seem to think it is. Don't judge guitars by price alone. My SG is the real deal which I bought brand spanking new in 1969 for $200 and is still my main guitar today. It has been through countless gigs in that time and has never let me down and still sounds and feels great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 Paul Reed Smith Guitars Santana SE Summary Features 8.2 (54 responses) Sound 8.8 (54 responses) Action, Fit, & Finish 8.8 (54 responses) Reliability/Durability 8.8 (54 responses) Customer Support 8.8 (54 responses) Overall Rating 9.2 (54 responses Over 50 responses is a pretty good sampling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 I never trust Harmony Central. You can only trust one in twenty posts. Far too many people post after trying them in a store or only owning the product for a few days. It really take a month or two at the very least to really know an instrument well enough to rate them like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 While there is some truth to what you say about HC, I have read every review on this guitar there and many are from people who have actually gigged with the guitar and/or who have played for many years. I figure if enough of these people give it a thumbs up it may be worth a shot. As I said before, MF gives you 45 days to decide anyway. I am 48. I have been playing since high school and still gig a few times a month. I have played many guitars. I know what I like and what a good guitar is. It won't take long to know if this is a decent guitar or not. MF has confirmed shipment and I hope to have it by Wednesday or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Originally posted by sgguitarzz: While there is some truth to what you say about HC, I have read every review on this guitar there and many are from people who have actually gigged with the guitar and/or who have played for many years. I figure if enough of these people give it a thumbs up it may be worth a shot. As I said before, MF gives you 45 days to decide anyway. I am 48. I have been playing since high school and still gig a few times a month. I have played many guitars. I know what I like and what a good guitar is. It won't take long to know if this is a decent guitar or not. MF has confirmed shipment and I hope to have it by Wednesday or so.That's cool. If a whole long schpeal of posts say it's good you can usually trust 'em. If you could please make a post here to tell everyone what you think of the SE that'd be really cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 I will do that. I really hope it works out. I am so happy I am not a kid just starting out to play these days because I am just blown away by the high prices on most guitars these days. As I said before I bought my SG brand new in 1969 for about $200 with the case . I know you have to factor in 30 + years of inflation but even so it just seems prohibitively expensive to get a PRS or Gibson. PRS's are in the $2k+ range and many Gibsons are not much different. I guess the one good thing is that there is a much wider choice of better guitars now. In 1969 you either bought a Fender or a Gibson (I remember my choice as being between the SG and the Strat). Today there are so many to choose from. Even the "lower" priced guitars are of much higher quality than any second tier guitars available at that time. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickerman Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 Originally posted by sgguitarzz: I will do that. I really hope it works out. I am so happy I am not a kid just starting out to play these days because I am just blown away by the high prices on most guitars these days. As I said before I bought my SG brand new in 1969 for about $200 with the case . I know you have to factor in 30 + years of inflation but even so it just seems prohibitively expensive to get a PRS or Gibson. PRS's are in the $2k+ range and many Gibsons are not much different. I guess the one good thing is that there is a much wider choice of better guitars now. In 1969 you either bought a Fender or a Gibson (I remember my choice as being between the SG and the Strat). Today there are so many to choose from. Even the "lower" priced guitars are of much higher quality than any second tier guitars available at that time. DennisMan, I totally know what you're saying. I see these Gibsons (always overpriced) for upwards of three grand! Then, I try 'em out and they're no better than the $1100 American Deluxe Strat or $1800 Gretsches. Heck, even the $600 Schecters, Epiphones and Fenders are great. I see no point in ever spending more than fifteen hundred on a guitar. I've never paid more than $600 for a guitar and I like mine better than my friend's new Gibsons and '76 "vintage" Les Paul. If you look around (new and used) you can find awesome deals for $400-$700. I got an Alvarez Yairi classical guitar off a guy who didn't know what he had for an incredible price. Anyway, yeah, some new guitars these days are very overpriced but you can find sweet deals if you look around... Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguitarist Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 i say you should just buy what you feel like buying, just because a reviewersaid something, how is it gonna effect you? if a Critic says something bout it, most likely it is his own feeling that he looks for in a guitar. If you like it, buy it. I suggest the Custom 22 by PRS but that costs 3000. peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 7, 2002 Share Posted April 7, 2002 As I said Retro I just don't have that kind of cash to spend on a guitar. I wish I did. Perhaps if I was a full time player and made my living this way I could rationalize it but I don't. I am just a working guy with have family obligations which come first. As far as others opinions I just use them as a guide. Obviously my own opinion in the end will determine but it never hurts get another opinion. I am curious Retro, do you play in a working band or are you a bedroom player? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 10, 2002 Share Posted April 10, 2002 The guitar is on the truck and should be at my house by the time I get home. Too bad it didn't arrive yesterday because I could have brought it to rehearsal and given it a good workout. We have a gig this w/e so I will try it there on a few songs. I will let you guys know how it goes. Also, on a side note for anyone ordering from MF, be sure to call in your order and verify that the item is in stock when ordering. I have found that this works out the best every time. You cannot trust the web page saying the item is in stock (this is generally true anywhere). Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 I just received this today and so far, so good. It sounds pretty good and the neck feels great. I picked it up from MF for $399. My only problem is I ordered it in Translucent Black and the one they sent me is blue. The blue looks okay but I would prefer the black. I am going to call them but somehow I doubt they will have anymore left. Does anyone have any info on these pickups? They sound nice clean and seem pretty strong. Has anyone replaced them with any other pickups (PRS or otherwise)? I have a gig tomorrow night so I will use this on a few songs to check it out for real. My main guitar is my 69 Gibson SG. This guitar seems to have some of the Gibson vibe as well as a little bit more of a chimey sound clean. I am curious to know what any other SE owners think of their guitars. Thanks. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroguitarist Posted April 16, 2002 Share Posted April 16, 2002 i played a santana se before i was suprised that PRS was gonna sell that for the price it is cause the mark tremonti single cutaway sig is 3000(i dont own his i own the regulat cutaway) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgguitarzz Posted April 17, 2002 Share Posted April 17, 2002 Retro, I am not sure what you are trying to say with your last post? So far I have gigged with this guitar and used it at a rehearsal and I am pretty happy with it. I think a pickup upgrade would help. The pickups aren't bad but they could be a stronger. I am thinking of the Rio Grande BBQ (bridge) and Texas (neck). Any recommendations for PRS pickups? Has nayone done a pickup change on one of these and what was the result? Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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