Edit: It has been confirmed this was an Experimental Prototype that was merely SIGNED by Santana rather than a prototype JUST for him! 🟢My Website: www.troglysguitarshow.com 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/shop/troglys?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 🐕 Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
That is one amazingly beautiful and uniquely sounding Les Paul. So cool it turned out to be a genuine prototype. You should reach out to Carlos's reps with pictures and the story, asking for any confirmation they can find of his association or awareness of this particular guitar. The Custom Shop put a lot of extra effort into this. I think there would be many players or collectors that would go the extra mile to get it. You won the guitar lottery!
Gibson 20-fret electric guitars, like this one and EDS-1275, use traditional truss rods. The end anchor is under the 19th fret. This adjustable truss rod can be cut by the luthiers to fit a variety length of necks. Sometimes the truss rods were cut a little bit longer, sometimes a little bit shorter. So the sticking out threads is not a standard of the truss rod life of these kinds of guitars.
Santana asked Paul Reid Smith to give him a switch that would let it sound like it was playing through about a 20 foot cable so it would sound the same in the studio with a shorter cable as it did on stage. So PRS did that and that's the PRS sweet switch from the 80s/90s. It gives a sound a bit like a cocked wah sound (to quote Paul Reid Smith). I kinda sorta hear something like that in the bridge on this one (in the dirty samples). So perhaps they did play around with the pickup specifically for Santana, who knows?
This is a great-looking and sounding guitar. It grabbed my attention straight away as I am seriously attracted to a guitar with a red finish. The one change I'd add to those suggested by Trogly is to swap the gold binding for a red sparkle one.
About the weight, Yamaha approached Santana about the SG175, but he found it too light and thought it needed more sustain. They developed the SG2000, that weighted 10 pounds. So, unless he changed his mind, I don't think that weight would be a problem. This recalls me that your never documented a Yanaha SG.
Hey Trogly could you do a video talking about all the different Gibson pick ups? I struggle to find info on what things like t tops and other types are and think it would make a really cool video.
You were more than lucky at the auction, you were extremely lucky when you pulled that neck pick-up out of the cavity. and found that prototype stamp in the cavity. that definitely was a score for sure. I'm surprised how good that guitar sounds with that scale length.
This 1992 "Santana" LP Super 400 Custom "Prototype" is 25.5 scale but PRS Santana Signature current models (Core and SE) are only 24.5 scale and his first Signature with PRS (1995) was only 24.25 scale based on his earlier custom guitar short scale. So maybe this wasn't a "Santana" prototype but still a really cool guitar. BTW for us Gibson fanatics, heads up that Andertons just posted a 1.75hr Gibson USA factory tour with Lee Anderton and Jim DeCola hosting. Thoroughly covered the entire build process for various familiar Gibson models from wood blanks to finish coats, really fascinating. Look for new SG colors hiding in the racks.
I don't think Gibson would make a guitar for Santana with 20 frets. He plays a lot of really high notes and bends and I believe that's one of the reasons he went to PRS at first they had a Gibson flavored guitar with 24 frets. That said no clue what it could be.
The bridge isn't just set deep into the body because of the extra scale length. If you measure the length of the neck from nut to the start of the body, you'll see it's set deeper into the guitar, just like an archtop. The hollow body requires a deeper-set neck for stability in order to have enough contact for a solid joint, like the Casino/330 vs the 335. Unnecessary on a Les Paul but might make for a unique feel while playing. The opposite of a Firebird, which puts the neck way way way toward the left.
I actually like that it doesn't have all the empty space behind the tailpiece. That's why I am drawn towards tremolo/Floyd Rose guitars. Also that gold binding with candy apple is reminiscent of lowriders.
That’s one wild LesPaul there is a lot going on, this is got to be a one off I bet you had to drop some coin on it, I don’t know if Carlos signature adds anything to a rare LP like this?
@@l.a.rodriguez9581Neal was with them off and on from 69- 70 depending on the venue and he didn't tour out of state until ' 71 when he was 17, I guess you might knew that already.
Candy apple red by definition is a metallic gold undercoat with a translucent red topcoat. Chrome red is by definition a metallic silver undercoat with a translucent red topcoat.
This is one of the best guitars I've seen and heard on your channel. I really loved hearing the clean tones from it, and you obviously enjoyed playing it. Don't sell this one, whatever you do!
I’m pretty sure that Carlos would never go anywhere near a guitar with only 20 frets , he predominantly lives and plays from the 12th fret to the 24th fret , but I do like the L5s vibe on this guitar
Jim Hutchins probably had something to do with building this guitar . As far as the speed winder tuners when you open them up, there is a screw tighten the screw and it will tune better.
I really love the look of the 25.5" on the Les Paul. I love the combo of the red, white and gold too. It's so chunky though! 4.88kg!🫨 Yikes! I love the bridge and middle sounds. Definitely a lot more jangle than a normal LP. It sounds great!
I'm glad you mentioned the possible inspiration of a florentine style, as I can kind of see that its horn is not as rounded as the one you did side by side with. At least that's what my eyes are telling me . I'm with you on the gold neck binding as well. Although for an additional reason. The gold around the side of the body looks pretty great, but on the neck it just looks like too much is going on. I would classify it as doofy, all day long.
In the early 90s you could find a lot of weird Gibson prototypes in the then V&R shop in London’s Denmark St. Most were high end jazz guitars (some very crazy stuff). I think this was the last gasp of the UK custom shop. Carlos played a run in Ronnie Scott’s so was in the area in 1992.
10:44 - you just refuted why this guitar would NOT be a long neck tenon. It is a standard tenon because the neck pickup has been relocated. Simply put, the neck tenon length is NOT long enough to be a long neck tenon.
Almost looks like it says fame not fan, I wonder if it was from rock n roll hall of fame or something similar. The r&r hall of fame might be guitars biggest fan. And wow that does sound great, the long scale must help. Have you had a regular long scale on the show yet
Great demo, Austin & great WYRON guitar! First Les Paul I've seen with a Super 400 neck. I'd definitely love to ROCK this axe. 22 frets would take some getting used to. All 3 pups sound great with the neck pup sounding really warm and 'Strat-sounding'. The headstock wouldn't bother me either. Wish I could've been there to see your reaction when the neck pup was removed. Don't blame you for keeping this beaut...Bottom Line: Congrats and enjoy!
Very nice. If they weren't so thick headed they would have put a Nashville Bridge on it, which is 10x better than the ABR-1. And it was out way before then. Just think, if they used a Nashville Bridge, he might have switched from PRS who has bridges that don't lean and collapse. Still I'm a Gibson fanboy. I just hate that they turn a blind eye to the obvious shortcomings of the poorly designed ABR-1 bridge. It IS the reason they UPGRADED to the Nashville style bridge.
Agreed, The Yamaha SG from the 80s Great Quality Guitars for they're time My Buddy bought one Brand new for 350 bucks around 1984,... and he brought me a that 63 Gibson SG for 300 bucks!!! I remember it WELL . Good Friend, Got an Inheritance at 18 and we went Straight to The NEW GUITAR CENTER On the Northside of Chicago,.... GREAT TIMES👍🤘🍺🎸💯
From what I understand, the position of the pickups relative to the bridge and neck affects the tone. If that's true, then these same pickups might sound different in a more traditional Les Paul.
The pickups are wider spaced because longer scale length means not only a longer neck, but a longer strung area on the body. So Gibson had to move the bridge and stop bar further away from the neck joint and chose to move the pickup along with it.
Hey, I've got Epi. Barits', and they do not look doofy- but i am partial. That thing looks and sounds great, esp. neck pup. Heavy and bad tuners, not a winning combo. I think those are the reasons Carlos jumped the Gibson ship. Ü ♫
I could tell by the way you jammed out on this guitar that you enjoyed playing it. I hope Carlos sees this video. It really does sound very good; it has a shimmering sound.
So I'm gonna ask it. Why would anyone waste the time to put a maple veneer Top on a Les Paul and then proceed to paint it with layers and not have any flamage going on or translucent paint to show the grain
I've asked the same question myself in the past and I think it comes down to the maple tops are already plentiful and ready to go they probably do cull out the really nice flamed tops for transparent coats. If you look at enough bursted guitars you'll see some that don't have Flames at all and are pretty plain. Those are probably the ones that they will put a solid color on
I can’t imagine Gibson tried to lure back a former SG player with a 10 lb guitar with poor upper fret access and lousy tuners. Trogs excellent detective work with the black light shows it was more likely a guitar someone else owned and got him to sign. Whether he owned it or not it’s a great sounding guitar
Congrats on winning the bid. Cool story about that. But wow i didn't even really know that Santana used a Les Paul. Good video. Also, i thought that was interesting when the blacklight showed the erased writing.
most people dont know that santana started out in the mid 70s playing L6S guitars and was the poster boy for that guitar in 76 77. my rhythm guitarist and lead singer in the late 70s played a L6S at it was a great guitar. this santana guitar signed and all is interesting, but weird and not inviting for me, but you enjoy it, im sure you payed alot for it. will fit right in your collection. i dont think santana played this one
Looks like someone who knows what "candy apple red" does and how its applied got curious and took a flat end screwdriver and, ever so gingerly, "pushed" the paint to see for themselves if it's gold or silver or what's under there. Did so in a cavity that doesnt really effect anything. Just a guess...
