A
agent007
Guest
anyone know how much gain eric johnson uses? how does he get his distortion to sound almost like a clean channel?
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
Vintage spec pickups in a great sounding strat
Vintage Marshalls and Fenders.
Good clean boost OD
He uses a lot of reverb/delay from his Chandler rack unit, so it smooths out the grit and gives it an airy violin type tone.
Vintage spec pickups in a great sounding strat
Vintage Marshalls and Fenders.
Good clean boost OD
He uses a lot of reverb/delay from his Chandler rack unit, so it smooths out the grit and gives it an airy violin type tone.
Hot _Grits
Buttery Toneologist
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
Get hold of his first hot licks instructional video/dvd. That has a good run-through of his gear, shown by the man himself, as well as pedalboard shots.
His rig changes a bit, but for that DVD it was (from memory) twins and plexis with a fuzz face and pre-chandler tube driver.
From memory, he would hit the twins with the tube driver for an overdriven rhythm sound, and hit the marshalls with the fuzz face for that violin lead tone.
Get hold of his first hot licks instructional video/dvd. That has a good run-through of his gear, shown by the man himself, as well as pedalboard shots.
His rig changes a bit, but for that DVD it was (from memory) twins and plexis with a fuzz face and pre-chandler tube driver.
From memory, he would hit the twins with the tube driver for an overdriven rhythm sound, and hit the marshalls with the fuzz face for that violin lead tone.
ravendouglas
New member
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
eric and gain go together like naked bodys and jelly fish,im not sure but one would think his gain amount would be minimal,because of his very fluid style but then again like i said i am not sure and hes very evasive when discussing his secretes in interviews
eric and gain go together like naked bodys and jelly fish,im not sure but one would think his gain amount would be minimal,because of his very fluid style but then again like i said i am not sure and hes very evasive when discussing his secretes in interviews
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
Slightly off topic, but I read a recent interview with EJ, and when asked about some of his obsessive "that's the wrong brand of battery" tendencies, he laughed it off, and said he's kinda over it. No joke, he said that he no longer obsesses about stuff like that, and just likes to plug in and play.
I couldn't believe it either.
Slightly off topic, but I read a recent interview with EJ, and when asked about some of his obsessive "that's the wrong brand of battery" tendencies, he laughed it off, and said he's kinda over it. No joke, he said that he no longer obsesses about stuff like that, and just likes to plug in and play.
I couldn't believe it either.
vinterland
New member
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
Best strat tone ever. I've seen a few guys come close to his tone but to no avail.
Best strat tone ever. I've seen a few guys come close to his tone but to no avail.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
That video is my reference point when it comes to all things EJ. By the end of it, you just realize it's all about his hands, ear, and brain......moreso than any gear.
It's one of my favorite lesson videos. Robben Ford's Back to the Blues is also another bible of mine. The section where Robben is kicking back in a studio with a white relic Strat is a goldmine.
That video is my reference point when it comes to all things EJ. By the end of it, you just realize it's all about his hands, ear, and brain......moreso than any gear.
It's one of my favorite lesson videos. Robben Ford's Back to the Blues is also another bible of mine. The section where Robben is kicking back in a studio with a white relic Strat is a goldmine.
ravendouglas
New member
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
is there a better tone and a more fluid player on the planet?i hope not or ill have to take up basket weaving
is there a better tone and a more fluid player on the planet?i hope not or ill have to take up basket weaving
coachc55
New member
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
Here is the link to his gear. This might give you a better idea.
http://ericjohnson.com/flash/amps.html
Coachc
Here is the link to his gear. This might give you a better idea.
http://ericjohnson.com/flash/amps.html
Coachc
A
agent007
Guest
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
he he, maybe there's something to your statement. apparently, eric johnson is very knowledgable about electronics and circuitry. i think his big secret is that $300 chandler tube overdrive. ****! that thing is expensive. know of any good tube overdrives that don't cost that much?
he he, maybe there's something to your statement. apparently, eric johnson is very knowledgable about electronics and circuitry. i think his big secret is that $300 chandler tube overdrive. ****! that thing is expensive. know of any good tube overdrives that don't cost that much?
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
word is that his 'ocd-like' ways cost him his marriage and landed him in therapy .. he is said to truly be doing much better
i hope its true that he has found a more peaceful center and can create with less struggle now
and yeah, i do not associate him with 'gain' in the usually thought of sense
lotsa great tone
t4d
word is that his 'ocd-like' ways cost him his marriage and landed him in therapy .. he is said to truly be doing much better
i hope its true that he has found a more peaceful center and can create with less struggle now
and yeah, i do not associate him with 'gain' in the usually thought of sense
lotsa great tone
t4d
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
and sounds NOTHING like the chandler...completely different sounding units
Eric's tone is very special but not hard to get at all...get a couple of BF Fender amps (He prefers a pair of Twin Reverbs or Deluxe Reverbs) and a pair of Plexi Marshalls (50 or 100 watters...it's all the same to Eric), grab a TC Chorus/Flanger, an echoplex (EP-3), a crybaby, a fuzz face (silcon...NOT germanium) and a chandler tube driver. Run 3 seperate signal paths...one of the Echoplex and the TC Chorus/Flanger run in stereo to the pair of Fenders. The second path is a Crybaby and the fuzz face into a Plexi Marshall while the thirid is simply the tube driver into another Plexi Marshall. Eric also runs his own small PA set up, micing his own amps and adding his own delay "in the mix" via an old rack mount MXR unit as well as an old Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man then sends the sub feeds from his PA to the house PA. Don't forget JBL's in the Fenders and Greenbacks in the Marshall cabs and run the Chandler with VERY LITTLE gain and both tone controls all the way down...
Now that you know all you have to do is cough up the cash to make it happen...and practice everyday from now until the end of time!
Good luck!
and sounds NOTHING like the chandler...completely different sounding units
Eric's tone is very special but not hard to get at all...get a couple of BF Fender amps (He prefers a pair of Twin Reverbs or Deluxe Reverbs) and a pair of Plexi Marshalls (50 or 100 watters...it's all the same to Eric), grab a TC Chorus/Flanger, an echoplex (EP-3), a crybaby, a fuzz face (silcon...NOT germanium) and a chandler tube driver. Run 3 seperate signal paths...one of the Echoplex and the TC Chorus/Flanger run in stereo to the pair of Fenders. The second path is a Crybaby and the fuzz face into a Plexi Marshall while the thirid is simply the tube driver into another Plexi Marshall. Eric also runs his own small PA set up, micing his own amps and adding his own delay "in the mix" via an old rack mount MXR unit as well as an old Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man then sends the sub feeds from his PA to the house PA. Don't forget JBL's in the Fenders and Greenbacks in the Marshall cabs and run the Chandler with VERY LITTLE gain and both tone controls all the way down...
Now that you know all you have to do is cough up the cash to make it happen...and practice everyday from now until the end of time!
Good luck!
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
Those two and Danny Gatton's "Strictly Rythym". Lew
Those two and Danny Gatton's "Strictly Rythym". Lew
grendeltone
New member
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
This is from Guitar Player Magazine..
EJ Gives You a Tour of his Live Rig
“The main changes to my live rig over the past few years are that I’m back to using more powerful amps, I’m doing some additional signal processing after the sound from the amps hits the mics, and I’m using some different guitars,” details Johnson. “In addition to my ’57 maple-neck Strat and my ’61 rosewood-neck Strat, I’m bringing my new Signature Stratocaster, and a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul that’s modeled after a ’59. My pedalboard routing system still has two passive, double-pole A/B boxes. The first box dictates if I’m going to the lead or rhythm signal chain, and the second box selects either a clean or dirty rhythm sound.
“The clean signal goes to a stock T.C. Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger, which runs to the Vibrato channel 1 inputs on a pair of ’66 blackface Fender Twin Reverbs loaded with eight JBL D120F speakers. [Note: the left Twin’s settings are Bright On, Volume 3, Treble 5, Middle 8, Bass 8.5, Reverb 4, Speed 6, Intensity 4. The right Twin’s settings are Bright On, Volume 3, Treble 4, Middle 8, Bass 7, Reverb 4, Speed 0, Intensity 0].
“The dirty rhythm goes to a stock, late-’60s Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face, from which I remove the bottom screw because it messes with the rig’s polarity and produces a clacky sound when I pick. The dirty rhythm amp is channel 1 of a ’68 50-watt Marshall Tremolo head modified with 6L6 power tubes for a more Fender–style high end. [Settings are Speed 0, Intensity 0, Presence 8, Bass 1, Mid 6, Treble 3, Volume I 8, Volume II 7.] I place the head on a chair behind the cabinets simply for aesthetic purposes. I’m looking for a 100-watt Marshall to use in bigger rooms. A Monster Cable connects the head to the angled-top Marshall 4x12, which is loaded with 30-watt G12H Celestions.
“The lead chain goes from a stock, late-’60s Italian-made Vox CryBaby to a stock ’80s BK Butler Tube Driver loaded with a Yugoslavian 12AX7. I set the Tube Driver up on a block because, for some reason, it sounds better set apart from the rest of the pedalboard. The signal then flows to channels 1 and 2 of a ’69 100-watt Marshall Super Lead. [Settings: Polarity Switch Up, Presence 0, Bass 5, Middle 3, Treble 0, Volume I 9, Volume II 10]. A Monster Cable connects the head to the straight-bottom Marshall 4x12, which is loaded with 25-watt Celestion Greenbacks.
“I plug into the same positions on the power strips every time, because once you get the polarity right, the tone is more consistent. [Note: No part of Johnson’s rig is grounded, because the vintage amps and Waber power strips don’t have AC ground pins. Johnson also feels that ground pins attract “dirty” power. Therefore, he has carefully arranged the polarity flow of each piece in order to prevent hum or shock.] I figure out which position has the best tone with the least amount of buzz, and I mark it. I also use separate power strips for each thing, which makes the sound more pure, although I’m not sure why. The dirty rhythm head plugs into the main power strip that goes to the wall. The lead head plugs into another strip that feeds off the main one. The Fenders’ power strip feeds off the lead one, and the pedalboard’s power strip feeds off the Fenders’ power strip. If I plug everything into one power strip, the distortion sounds hashy.
“The guitar cords are all Bill Lawrence and George L’s cable, because I think the solderless ends provide a purer tone. The chrome cables seem to have better treble than the brass ones, so I like chrome for rhythm and brass for lead.
“I want to emphasize the treble of the dirty rhythm cabinet, so I place the mic up near the grille, angled slightly away from the speaker cone. For the lead cabinet, I back the mic off the grille a bit more, and I angle it off-axis towards the speaker’s bottom quadrant, which produces more of a violin-tone quality. For the Twins, I place the mic right up on the grille, facing near the speaker’s center at a slight angle. It seems the mics pick up a better tone when there’s a slight deflection. In the studio, I use either vintage Shure SM57s or AKG C414s, but live I’ll just go with whatever 57s are around. It’s the new me!
This is from Guitar Player Magazine..
EJ Gives You a Tour of his Live Rig
“The main changes to my live rig over the past few years are that I’m back to using more powerful amps, I’m doing some additional signal processing after the sound from the amps hits the mics, and I’m using some different guitars,” details Johnson. “In addition to my ’57 maple-neck Strat and my ’61 rosewood-neck Strat, I’m bringing my new Signature Stratocaster, and a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul that’s modeled after a ’59. My pedalboard routing system still has two passive, double-pole A/B boxes. The first box dictates if I’m going to the lead or rhythm signal chain, and the second box selects either a clean or dirty rhythm sound.
“The clean signal goes to a stock T.C. Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger, which runs to the Vibrato channel 1 inputs on a pair of ’66 blackface Fender Twin Reverbs loaded with eight JBL D120F speakers. [Note: the left Twin’s settings are Bright On, Volume 3, Treble 5, Middle 8, Bass 8.5, Reverb 4, Speed 6, Intensity 4. The right Twin’s settings are Bright On, Volume 3, Treble 4, Middle 8, Bass 7, Reverb 4, Speed 0, Intensity 0].
“The dirty rhythm goes to a stock, late-’60s Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face, from which I remove the bottom screw because it messes with the rig’s polarity and produces a clacky sound when I pick. The dirty rhythm amp is channel 1 of a ’68 50-watt Marshall Tremolo head modified with 6L6 power tubes for a more Fender–style high end. [Settings are Speed 0, Intensity 0, Presence 8, Bass 1, Mid 6, Treble 3, Volume I 8, Volume II 7.] I place the head on a chair behind the cabinets simply for aesthetic purposes. I’m looking for a 100-watt Marshall to use in bigger rooms. A Monster Cable connects the head to the angled-top Marshall 4x12, which is loaded with 30-watt G12H Celestions.
“The lead chain goes from a stock, late-’60s Italian-made Vox CryBaby to a stock ’80s BK Butler Tube Driver loaded with a Yugoslavian 12AX7. I set the Tube Driver up on a block because, for some reason, it sounds better set apart from the rest of the pedalboard. The signal then flows to channels 1 and 2 of a ’69 100-watt Marshall Super Lead. [Settings: Polarity Switch Up, Presence 0, Bass 5, Middle 3, Treble 0, Volume I 9, Volume II 10]. A Monster Cable connects the head to the straight-bottom Marshall 4x12, which is loaded with 25-watt Celestion Greenbacks.
“I plug into the same positions on the power strips every time, because once you get the polarity right, the tone is more consistent. [Note: No part of Johnson’s rig is grounded, because the vintage amps and Waber power strips don’t have AC ground pins. Johnson also feels that ground pins attract “dirty” power. Therefore, he has carefully arranged the polarity flow of each piece in order to prevent hum or shock.] I figure out which position has the best tone with the least amount of buzz, and I mark it. I also use separate power strips for each thing, which makes the sound more pure, although I’m not sure why. The dirty rhythm head plugs into the main power strip that goes to the wall. The lead head plugs into another strip that feeds off the main one. The Fenders’ power strip feeds off the lead one, and the pedalboard’s power strip feeds off the Fenders’ power strip. If I plug everything into one power strip, the distortion sounds hashy.
“The guitar cords are all Bill Lawrence and George L’s cable, because I think the solderless ends provide a purer tone. The chrome cables seem to have better treble than the brass ones, so I like chrome for rhythm and brass for lead.
“I want to emphasize the treble of the dirty rhythm cabinet, so I place the mic up near the grille, angled slightly away from the speaker cone. For the lead cabinet, I back the mic off the grille a bit more, and I angle it off-axis towards the speaker’s bottom quadrant, which produces more of a violin-tone quality. For the Twins, I place the mic right up on the grille, facing near the speaker’s center at a slight angle. It seems the mics pick up a better tone when there’s a slight deflection. In the studio, I use either vintage Shure SM57s or AKG C414s, but live I’ll just go with whatever 57s are around. It’s the new me!
grendeltone
New member
Re: eric johnson gain settings and stomps
“To keep my tone pure while allowing me to experiment, a lot of signal processing is now done from my personal stage rack. The miked signals from the four amps run through an Allen & Heath Mix Wizard mixer that passes the dry signals to the house mixer, and also to a series of processors in my rack—an MXR Flanger/Doubler, a Lexicon MPX500 [Twin 1 delay], an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man [Twin 2 delay], a Line 6 Echo Pro Studio Modeler [dirty rhythm echo], a Korg DRV3000 [lead echo], and a T.C. Electronic 2290 Digital Delay—each set to a 100 percent wet mix. Every processor is routed to a specific mixer input, and I can control the amount of wet signal via each channel’s fader, or I can bypass the processor completely with custom-made on/off pedals. The stereo wet signal is routed to the house, and also to a pair of JBL EON10 G2 powered monitors, which I place just to my right side. In addition to keeping my root tone pure, putting most of the processing ‘post-mic’ ensures that neither the house mixer nor the audience get too much wet signal. Everybody’s happy!”
“To keep my tone pure while allowing me to experiment, a lot of signal processing is now done from my personal stage rack. The miked signals from the four amps run through an Allen & Heath Mix Wizard mixer that passes the dry signals to the house mixer, and also to a series of processors in my rack—an MXR Flanger/Doubler, a Lexicon MPX500 [Twin 1 delay], an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man [Twin 2 delay], a Line 6 Echo Pro Studio Modeler [dirty rhythm echo], a Korg DRV3000 [lead echo], and a T.C. Electronic 2290 Digital Delay—each set to a 100 percent wet mix. Every processor is routed to a specific mixer input, and I can control the amount of wet signal via each channel’s fader, or I can bypass the processor completely with custom-made on/off pedals. The stereo wet signal is routed to the house, and also to a pair of JBL EON10 G2 powered monitors, which I place just to my right side. In addition to keeping my root tone pure, putting most of the processing ‘post-mic’ ensures that neither the house mixer nor the audience get too much wet signal. Everybody’s happy!”
