https://www.premierguitar.com/…ig-rundown-carlos-santana
Don't worry about the snake skin it really won't improve your tone.
A Les Paul, SG or PRS plus a Mesa Boogie profile may help. Look for it in the Rig Exch first. Also the Hearttbreaker pack profiled by Choptones has a couple of rigs close (Just Play pack) to the older Santana sound.
Humbuckers with the tone rolled off a bit and a loud, pushed amp interacting with the guitar. A light touch also lets you achieve his dynamic approach.
Most times when I've heard people try to cover him they use too much gain, too much treble and not enough volume.
The idea that you need incredibly expensive gear is propagated by the manufacturers that have used his brand to increase their brand value.
