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PRS Santana Retro
PRS 509
VS
Playability
83
Sound
75
Build
72
Value
62
Score
77
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Playability
68
Sound
76
Build
73
Value
57
Score
72
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PRS Santana Retro vs 509

Reasons to Get
PRS Santana Retro over 509

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Santana Retro vs Pattern Regular
Thick neck that gives you a better grip
Pickups
HH vs HSH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Scale Length
24.5'' (622.3mm) vs 25.25'' (641.4mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
11.5'' (292.1mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
62 vs 57
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
PRS 509 over Santana Retro

Release Year
2020 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Pattern Regular vs Santana Retro
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSH vs HH
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Scale Length
25.25'' (641.4mm) vs 24.5'' (622.3mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 11.5'' (292.1mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
PRS Santana Retro vs 509

Bridge Pickup
PRS Santana vs PRS 509 Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
PRS Santana vs PRS 509 Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
PRS Santana Retro vs 509

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
PRS Propietary
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Nut Width
1.656'' (42.1mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Carved Figured Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the PRS Santana Retro is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the PRS 509's 72 score, although not by a lot.

The PRS Santana Retro wins when it comes to playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the PRS 509 has the upper hand when it comes to sound, build quality.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the PRS Santana Retro is the better choice.

The PRS Santana Retro meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the PRS 509 meets only 6. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

PRS Santana Retro
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard

New Player Friendliness

PRS 509
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

PRS Santana Retro Overview

  • From PRS's 2018 Core series
  • Carlos Santana Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.5"'' scale
  • 11.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Carved Figured Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS Santana (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS Santana (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III bridge
  • Santana Retro Set neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • PRS Phase III Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

PRS 509 Overview

  • From PRS's 2020 Core series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.25"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Carved Figured Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS 509 Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: PRS 509 Singlecoil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS 509 Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III bridge
  • Pattern Regular Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • PRS Phase III Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The PRS Santana Retro has an HH configuration while the PRS 509 has HSH pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, HSH is a versatile pickup configuration that will give you the high output, full tone, and quiet sound of humbucker pickups, but with the possibility of using a single coil for cleaner tones. The disadvantage is that the middle single-coil pickup will have a noticeable lower volume, so you might want to adjust the height of the pickups. Another problem is that if you set the middle pickup too high, it might interfere with your picking hand.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the PRS 509 has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: PRS 509.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The PRS 509 gives you 5 switch options while the PRS Santana Retro gives you 3. This means that the PRS 509 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the PRS 509 comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

PRS Santana Retro pickups switch and push knobs diagram
PRS Santana Retro's switch options
PRS 509 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
PRS 509's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: PRS 509.

Final Sound Quality Scores

PRS Santana Retro
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 75
PRS 509
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 76

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the PRS Santana Retro compares to the PRS 509.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have PRS Propietary nuts. It's similar to TUSQ nuts, but they're not as hard, and the tone is not as bright. However, the material is self-lubricating, and it's usually well cut, so they have good tuning stability.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS Santana Retro
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS 509
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

PRS Santana Retro
Quality of materials 50
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 72
PRS 509
Quality of materials 50
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 73

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

PRS Santana Retro Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.1mm (1.656'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

PRS Santana Retro's Scale Length
PRS Santana Retro's Scale Length
PRS 509's Scale Length
PRS 509's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The PRS 509 has the longest scale: 25.25". The PRS Santana Retro is only 24.5" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

PRS Santana Retro Neck Profile
PRS Santana Retro's neck profile
PRS 509 Neck Profile
PRS 509's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The PRS Santana Retro has a Vintage type of neck. This means that it's thicker than most modern necks, and makes it a better fit for playing chords and slow solos. Some people prefer this type of neck because it gives them a better grip thanks to the extra mass. Still, the vast majority prefer a thinner, faster, and more ''modern'' neck.

The PRS 509, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

PRS Santana Retro Fingerboard Radius
PRS Santana Retro's Fingerboard radius
PRS 509 Fingerboard Radius
PRS 509's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the PRS 509's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the PRS Santana Retro's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the PRS Santana Retro.

Still, both are closer to a Stratocaster radius than a Les Paul, so both of them will favor chord playing rather than soloing.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

PRS Santana Retro:
Big Hands
Small Hands
PRS 509:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

PRS Santana Retro Frets Size
PRS Santana Retro's Frets Size
PRS 509 Frets Size
PRS 509's Frets Size

The PRS Santana Retro has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the PRS 509's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

PRS Santana Retro
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 75
Playability 83
PRS 509
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 65
Playability 68

Specs Side-by-Side

PRS Santana Retro vs 509
General PRS Santana Retro 509
Brand: PRS PRS
Year: 2018 2020
Configuration: HH HSH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Core Core
Colors: Gold, White, Black, Blue, Green, Black Burst, Orange, Purple, Yellow, Red Burst, Gold Burst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, McCarty Sunburst, McCarty Tobacco Sunburst Gold, White, Black, Blue, Green, Black Burst, Orange, Purple, Yellow, Red Burst, Gold Burst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, McCarty Sunburst, McCarty Tobacco Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: PRS Phase III Locking PRS Phase III Locking
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Birds Birds
Scale Size: 24.5" 25.25"
Shape: Santana Retro Pattern Regular
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 11.5" 10"
Nut: PRS Propietary PRS Propietary
Nut Width: 42.1mm (1.656'') 42.1mm (1.656'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: PRS Santana (Humbucker / Passive) PRS 509 Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: PRS 509 Singlecoil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: PRS Santana (Humbucker / Passive) PRS 509 Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1