Europa
Smoother and rounder: volume backed off, amp cooking, long sustaining bends.
- Guitar
- PRS, neck pickup
- Guitar volume
- 8
- Guitar tone
- 7
- Amp — Volume
- 7
- Amp — Bass
- 6
- Amp — Mid
- 6
- Amp — Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- Light
All musicians
CS
Santana
Carlos Santana
Latin Rock1966–presentMexico / USA
Sustain, singing feedback and a wah riding the note: a Les Paul and a Boogie held right at the edge of howling.
Known for: Black Magic Woman, Europa, Smooth
7
gear entries
7
with sources
Rig rundown
Pedals
1Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
PedalRidden through nearly every solo.
Amps
1Mesa Boogie Mark I
AmpA modified Boogie combo built to his spec — the 'Santana' Boogie.
Guitars
3PRS Santana Signature
GuitarHis long-running signature model.
Gibson Les Paul Special
GuitarThe cherry double-cut used through the Woodstock era.
PRS Santana Signature
GuitarHis collection of custom PRS guitars.
Other gear
2Canare GS-6 Cable
OtherA 50-foot run with Switchcraft and Neutrik connectors.
Pete Cornish LD1 Line Driver
OtherFirst stop after the cable.
Dial-in specs
What to dial in to chase Carlos Santana's signature sounds — knob positions, pickup choice and amp EQ as documented.
Black Magic Woman
Neck pickup, sustain on the edge of feedback, wah used as a slow filter sweep.
- Guitar
- Les Paul, neck pickup
- Guitar volume
- 9
- Guitar tone
- 6
- Amp — Volume
- 8
- Amp — Bass
- 6
- Amp — Mid
- 7
- Amp — Treble
- 5
- Wah
- Swept slowly