Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

Just spent about an hour with an EJ and an Deluxe Reverb RI.......LOVE that neck! The one thing that I really noticed was the lack of personality of the pups in comparison to the Antiquities. Put a set of ant's in this guitar and I think that you'd melt down from tone bliss.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

Yeah, the EJ is really the best Fender strat I've ever played.....and I'm usually more of a fan of rosewood fretboards. I can't justify buying the guitar, since I have 3 strats totally dialed in. Still, it's a fantasy guitar to own, at this point.
Eric Johnson knows what a good strat is, and luckily Fender let him run with it.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

i think it is that expensive because they don't put screw holes for the back plate. :)
actually, its a great strat, but i don't think i'd pay that much for something i'd change the pickups on- i'd rather pay for something i like everything about.
i do like the guitar a lot, but i still think the price is too high for any strat.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

I love the guy's playing and the guitar looks killer, but I can't ever see myself buying the guitar. The price tag doesn't justify to me. I could put together a strat of equal or greater quality using USACG and other parts dealers. The things that set this guitar apart, and make it really great (and I have played it, and it IS great): thin, high-quality nitro finish and the neck. You can get a great piece of alder (in a one piece, no less. The EJ is a 2-piece) and a one piece neck (12" radius is available at warmoth, USACG) and knock together a killer strat for less money. You'd probably have enough left over to throw in new pickups or a callaham tremolo unit before you hit $1600. Maybe even both.

I'm just sayin...
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

I hope they end up making a lot of them, so eventually the used price drops.
If I could get it for $1200-$1300, I'd figure out a way to get it, but not for $1600.....Les Paul prices for a bolt-on Fender is a bit high for my wallet.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

gOgIver said:
Not even the Frets, Tremolo Springs, Pickguard or strings?:laugh2:

Seriously, I was just quoting that article:

So are you saying both of these are Custom Shop guitars?

Fender® Eric Clapton Stratocaster

Fender® Custom-Built Eric Clapton Stratocaster


BTW: Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
Click to expand...
:laugh2:

They're definitely not made on the same production line as MIA Standards. The Custom Shop does have a production line, last I knew they did anyway.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

Gearjoneser said:
Les Paul prices for a bolt-on Fender is a bit high for my wallet.
Click to expand...

come on now, you of all people should know that bolt on or not a good strat is a tone machine!! the price doesn't bother me too much. although i do like the mayer better which is $200 cheaper at $1400. $1200 would be a great deal on the mayer IMO. i still don't get why the EJ is $200 more than the mayer though.

-Mike
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

The John Mayer is pretty much like all other Fender Strats...that is, there is nothing really special about it...the EJ is 100% nitro (base coat and all), it uses Alnico 3 magnets in the neck and middle pickups, it has a special tremolo unit that only comes on the EJ Strat that had to be special made for it...there are several reasons.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

well then i guess $200 extra isn't bad lol.

but the mayer isn't like just any other strat...however most of it lies in the neck and the paint. i don't count the pickups for me since we all know when i get one those will be out 1-2-3 and the router will be out opening it up for a hum in the bridge LOL

anyway, it has:
thick C shaped neck satin finish (big plus for me)
6105 frets vs regular med jumbos (big plus for me)
special "big dipper" pickups (not a big deal to me)
5 trem springs and no backplate (sinilar to the EJ and something i do anyway)
and the big thing which makes the price go up...the string tree is moved closer to the end of the headstock LOL. (actually one thing that visually bugs me a bit but i can deal with)

either way i still like the mayer better due to the bigger frets, fatter neck and cooler paintjob (shorline with stripes) i never count pickups in when buying a strat since i never play singles anyway.

-Mike
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

Just to be honest, I wouldn't bother with either of them...both are too much money for a Strat...but if I had to pick on eit would be the EJ...bigger necj that the JM (and V shaped too), same frets, better tremolo, and the maple neck is a plus in my book!
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

I love the John Mayer strat too, but I have a SB alder/rosewood strat that plays just as good, that's been my main strat for years. Unfortunately, the JM looks just like it, although the JM has a vintage bridge and tuners.

The EJ, on the other hand, is something I've always wanted, a vintage guitar with a neck that couldn't possibly be better, top notch woods, and details that make the tremolo unit work better, and stay in tune. I especially like the 2 color SB and black one. The Mary Kaye colored one is pretty sweet too, but I'm not a fan of candy red. If I bought one, I'd put in a Twangbanger/2 Surfers.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

For clarification:

Is the 12" radius a flat radius, or a compound radius? Also, to GJ's last post: what details make the tremelo work better?
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

Ocifer said:
For clarification:

Is the 12" radius a flat radius, or a compound radius? Also, to GJ's last post: what details make the tremelo work better?
Click to expand...

The back of the neck is a chunky soft V, moving towards a chunky C, as it heads toward the body. I think the fretboard is 12" radius completely, and has slightly bigger frets. The neck is as perfect as could be.

On the trem, I think they drilled the block deeper, so the strings can't slack in that area. I'm not sure what the purpose of leaving no paint on the wood, surrounding the trem block, but they did that too. They did as much as possible to the headstock to get it to resonate better (thinner), and created a straighter string path between the nut and staggered vintage tuners.... Little details that allow the trem to stay in tune better.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

I absolutly love the EJ strat but I just cant get past having somone elses name on it.And for that much money I think they sould leave the back plate on and let you take it off if you want.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

GJ: thanks for the info. I'm thinking of eventually trying to replicate that neck. I played the EJ the other day and I loved it. I'm thinking I could get something quite close from USACG, and finish it myself (or professionally) in a nitro finish.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

john5959 said:
I absolutly love the EJ strat but I just cant get past having somone elses name on it.And for that much money I think they sould leave the back plate on and let you take it off if you want.
Click to expand...

Interestingly enough Eric Johnson's signature does not appear on this guitar, which is unusual for a Fender sig model. The only evidence of his involvement is shown in a little kokopelli figure and the initials "EJ" in the neck plate.

I don't imagine it'd be hard to add a back plate into the guitar should you prefer one there. You could always ask the salesman to "throw it in" for you. ;)

Personally signature instruments are hit and miss with me but let me put it this way... If you really, and I mean REALLY dig an instrument then the fine detail of a name on it shouldn't really matter.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

Gearjoneser said:
I love the John Mayer strat too, but I have a SB alder/rosewood strat that plays just as good, that's been my main strat for years. Unfortunately, the JM looks just like it, although the JM has a vintage bridge and tuners.

The EJ, on the other hand, is something I've always wanted, a vintage guitar with a neck that couldn't possibly be better, top notch woods, and details that make the tremolo unit work better, and stay in tune. I especially like the 2 color SB and black one. The Mary Kaye colored one is pretty sweet too, but I'm not a fan of candy red. If I bought one, I'd put in a Twangbanger/2 Surfers.
Click to expand...


I call dibs on the stock pickups. Seriously.
 
Re: Jonesing HARD on the Eric Johnson Strat!!!

To clafiry: The string pockets are cut more shallow so that the windings where the ball end is connected does not get caught up in the saddle. The EJ tremolo is almost exactally like a 57/62 reissue trem but the string pockets are cut even more shallow (the 57/62 has shallow pockets as well), the colour is period correct with a 57 Fender tremolo, and as for thte removal of the paint from the tremolo cavity, that is EJ mojo...I see no real reason for that except Eric wanted it that way.
 
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