Has Anyone Actually Played an Eric Johnson Strat?

[Stratcat]

THe Blue Strat is way Cool.

[Gearjoneser]

I'm not one for signature models, but that Eric Johnson strat would be an exception.
I want one, but I'm not plunking down over a $1200 for one. If a sunburst/maple one comes up for sale locally, I'm gonna snap it up, but only if the price is right and I can part with something that week to recoup. I've gotten to a point where I can't justify spending money on more gear. When I buy something, I have to sacrifice something. Last week, I bought those 50th Ann Seths, and sold two roadcases to pay for them......and free up some closet space!

[Mincer]

seems to me that they keep repackaging the same guitar over and over with very minor differences. very few of the sig strats are really different- the blackmore one was (set neck, 2 pickups, synth pickup, scalloped neck) and that hellecaster one was wacky too.

[JOLLY]

John,
It is no secret that EJ is trying to make some money with Fender since he is not selling a lot of CD's these days.

Well he went to the wrong company then. He should've gone to Gibson. They'd have put out an Eric Johnson ES-335 and charged $7000 for it.

[Scott_F]

He's a great guitar player out of Austin, but you'll not likely find any of his CD's in Best Buy.

[Benjy_26]

Aside from the fingerboard material and the pickups, what's the difference between the EJ strat and the Knoplfer strat. At casual glance, they look pretty similar to me.

[Stratcat]

Well he went to the wrong company then. He should've gone to Gibson. They'd have put out an Eric Johnson ES-335 and charged $7000 for it.

You are absolutly right.

[Hot _Grits]

Why can't they make a fatas$ neck for a strat like a vintage les paul?

I like fat necks and I cannot lie,
you other brothers can't deny...

They do, but you pretty much have to get a custom shop model. The relic nocasters and 64 ri CS strats are pretty hefty. I've also played a relic 54 strat that had the coolest chunky V neck. As far as production guitars go, the SRV is a decent size (shame about the pau ferro) and my 72 tele custom ri is a good sized grip.

[Scott_F]

Don't suppose you'd happen to remember what type of neck is on my ESP Strat, do you?

I'm curious, so as i know what to compare other strat necks to in future.

I think it's supposed to be a copy of a 1962 Strat, Rosewood Fretboard. It's more of a U shape I seem to remember, but not as big a U as the 50's. Not quite a modern C either though.

[Scott_F]

The coolest V neck I ever got my paws on was that Jackson Sweetone Jazz'r that Evan owns. Fit your hand like a glove. That's a guitar that seems to have disappeared off the planet the day Jackson got bought by Fender.

Not to highjack the thread, but has anyone ever seen a Sweetone Jazz'r for sale anywhere?

[B2D]

Better question... I wonder if Eric Johnson has played one!

I saw one at the Fender NAMM booth, but didn't pick it up as I'm just not a Strat guy.

I saw him live on 1/20/05 at the Grove Theater in Anaheim (down the street from NAMM) and he was using a brand-spankin new EJ sig Strat. a Black one to be precise.

[RGN]

When I saw EJ perform at the Crossroads Festival he was using his old stand-by strat. I guess that before these were offically available.

[JOLLY]

Not to highjack the thread, but has anyone ever seen a Sweetone Jazz'r for sale anywhere?

I never have anywhere. Actually, the only ones I''ve ever seen anywhere are Evan's in pictures and the one I played at NAMM a couple of years ago.

[Kelsey]

Jeesh, Gearjoneser, how big are those 50th Anniversary Seths? I mean, if you had to clear out closet space for them and all, they must be like that humbucker Seymour made for that BIG show.

[Zhangliqun]

They have a review of it in Guitar Player. The most interesting things to me are:

1) Headstock recessed a bit more to increase string tension and remove the need for string trees.

2) Neck and middle pu's have Alnico 3 mags, bridge is Alnico 5.

3) Tone pots are for bridge and neck, not bridge and middle. No big deal because it's a snap DIY mod but it's nice to not have to go to the extra trouble, though I would probably switch the bridge cap to one of the .00638 uf Mallories I have laying around.