Samba Pa' Ti amp settings — Vox vt 30
The Santana guitar tone for “Samba Pa' Ti”, dialed in for a Vox vt 30 with a PRS SE Custom 22. Studio version, Abraxas (1970)
Gibson SG with humbuckers → Wah pedal (cocked/parked position) → Overdriven Fender Twin Reverb
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 5 |
| Bass | 4 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 4 |
| Presence | 3 |
| Reverb | 3 |
| Master | 5 |
01Wah Pedal (any basic wah — Dunlop Cry Baby, VOX V845)
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Park the wah at 70% toward toe-down and leave it there for the entire song. This creates the signature nasal midrange peak. Without this pedal, boost the MID knob to 8 and roll your guitar tone knob to 4 as a partial substitute.
The VT30's UK Modern model approximates the warm Class-A compression Santana achieved with the overdriven Twin. Mid pushed to 7 compensates for the lack of a parked wah. Treble dropped to 4 because the Vox voicing is already brighter than the original Fender setup, and Santana's tone is notably dark and smooth. Gain at 5 gives singing sustain without harsh breakup.
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These settings are for a Vox vt 30. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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