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Suede·Social·Issue No. 20
Tone recipes·2026 · JUL
Rock1970

01Santana

Black Magic Woman

The singing PRS-style lead tone (originally a Gibson SG in 1970, later PRS Custom 24). Saturated humbucker through a Mesa Boogie with substantial sustain on every note. Phrasing is sparse and vocal — long held notes with wide vibrato, then bursts of fast lines. The tone has thick midrange with no fizz, like a saxophone. Reverb is light, mostly amp-room. Most of the sustain is from the amp at volume — not a sustainer or compressor.

02Signal chain

Guitar to amp, 1 pedal between.

  1. In
    Guitar

    Gibson SG Special (1970 era), later PRS Santana signature

  2. 01
    Used sparingly for octave-up texture on specific solo phrases
    Tycobrahe Octavia

    Mode: octave up, Mix: 50%

  3. Out
    Amp

    Mesa Boogie Mark I (overdriven)

03Field note

The secret sauce

Santana's vibrato — wider than rock vibrato, with the fingertip rolling rather than wrist shaking. That, plus the amp doing 80% of the saturation, is the entire tone formula. Pedals are an accent, not a base layer.