All user reviews for the Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple

The Fender Eric Johnson Strat is a guitar that was designed between fusion guitar master Eric Johnson and Fender. Eric has long been known for his endless quest for tone and the late fities Strats that he has played for years are a focal point. For many years people aspired to get that classic EJ "violin" tone, and now with his signature model you can get that next step closer. It features an alder body, a quartersawn maple neck and fretboard with 21 frets, Kluson tuners, a vintage style tremolo unit with larger tremolo block and 5 springs per EJ's spec. The pickups are Fender made and were designed by Eric and Michael Braun to get the vintage and clear tones that work for the "violin" sound as heard in Cliffs of Dover. It's wired to a volume, dual tones (neck and bridge) and a 5 way switch. Built in the USA.

UTILIZATION

The design of this guitar is pretty ergonomic for sure. The body is extremely contoured just like the real old Strats, and it's also quite light. The quartersawn maple neck feels very nice. The one major issue I have with this guitar is the glossy neck finish which gets quite sticky and annoying, so much so that I have turned down buying one for that reason alone. If the finish was satin, it would possibly be the perfect non Custom Shop Strat. The upper fret access is quite nice though which is good, and the tones are just stellar from this instrument. It's very resonant unplugged, and when put through good tube amps it's really a thing of beauty.

SOUNDS

The tones out of this ax are pretty amazing. The custom designed Fender pickups are just the perfect blend of that old world Strat tone brought into the modern context. They're extremely awesome and glassy sounding. Through a nice clean Fender like a Twin they just sing with bell like qualities. Whether you're doing jazzy chords, harmonic based passages or lead work a-la the master, the tones are right there delivering purity of sound through and through. Switching over to a drive sound brings this guitar to a whole other level. The punchiness of the pickups really comes through well and it's just awesome to use for blues, rock, or even some heavier tones if you want that bright sound. It's a pretty quiet instrument as well which is a nice plus.

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I think the Fender Eric Johnson Strat is awesome. People say it's probably the best non Custom Shop Fender made, and I'd have to agree. Other than the overly glossy neck, it's nearly perfect, and short of having a custom Suhr or Fender made, I'd argue that for the dollar you can't get better. The look is classic, the feel is very vintage, and the tones range from pristine to pretty raunchy and it does them all convincingly and with power. For about $1,900 new this guitar is a great deal and well worth looking into if you need a killer Strat.

Model Name: Eric Johnson Stratocaster® Maple
Series: Artist

Body: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster®
Body Finish:
(0117702803, 0117702806, 0117702809, 0117702801)
Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck

Neck Shape: Soft "V" Shape
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dot Position Inlays
Fretboard Radius: 12" Radius (305 mm)
Neck Material: 1-Piece Quartersawn Maple
Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Neck Plate: Custom 4 Bolt Neckplate
Truss Rod Nut: Original Vintage Style
Electronics

Pickup Configuration: S/S/S
Bridge Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Middle Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Neck Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Hardware

Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
Bridge Cover/Tailpiece: Includes Chrome Bridge Cover
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tip: Parchment Switch Tip
Tremolo Arm/Handle: American Vintage Tremolo Arm
Tools

Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench: .050" Hex (Allen) Wrench
Miscellaneous

Strings: Fender® USA Super 250R, NPS, (.010-.046 Gauges)
Unique Features: 12" Radius Fingerboard, Countersunk Holes in Pickguard for Pickup Mounting Screws, Height Staggered Vintage Style Tuners which Eliminate the Need for String Trees, Vintage Tremolo with Silver Painted Block and '57 Style String Recess (No Paint Between Base Plate and Block), 5 Tremolo Springs and No Back Tremolo Cover Plate
Accessories

Case/Gig Bag: Deluxe Blonde Hardshell Case with Black Ends (Black Interior)
Included Accessories: Deluxe Blonde Hardshell Case with Black Ends (Black Interior), Strap, Cable, "Ash Tray" Bridge Cover
Control Knobs: Parchment Plastic

UTILIZATION

Whether one is a fan of Eric Johnson or not, this Stratocaster is phenomenal. I daresay it is the finest Strat I've yet played. There are so many small details that Eric thought of to make this a perfect Strat. A few of these seemingly minor features include staggered tuners, to make string trees unnecessary; no finish underneath the pickguard, to keep the body resonant; no back plate, to assist in resonance as well as making tremolo adjustments very quick to make. The guitar plays like a dream, sounds wonderful, and looks like a million bucks.

SOUNDS

Anything one would expect a great Stratocaster to do, this does it. The pickups remind me a lot of a friend's old early 60s Strat - they have a nice brilliance to them, with the utmost of clarity even at the most distorted of tones. This guitar would be great for all but the most brutal of metal tones.

OVERALL OPINION

As far as Strats go, this guitar is utterly perfect. It does not get better than this for a Stratocaster. Perfect 10.

US-made, white blonde finish, revealing the wood grain, beautiful also.
Micro Fender Custom Shop (studies in collaboration with Eric Johnson Troit) axs on mdiums. The middle pickup is a marvel.
Vintage vibrato type 57 '.
Adjustments Start Classic Vol, Tone, Tone.
Attention cellulose varnish very fragile (sensitive to small strokes and scratches).
Note to nine because of the fragility of the varnish

UTILIZATION

Saddle handle one pice, hangs a little beginners. this effect disappears with small little use. Channel trs enjoyable: good in the hand like top (soft V), more bottom end to facilitate the ACCS in acute (C), flattened button.
The Saddle wish slap on the sounds "clean".
The "crunch" ale, ale, ale, trs bluse! Happiness
Trs saturated sounds: a strat is a right even, it is made more for cleans.

SOUNDS

I love Eric Johnson and the sounds it produces.
With lots and lots of patience I found little prs clean and crunch sounds of EJ:
Vox Tonelab SE with a branch in the effects loop of my amp and the following effects:
Echo, Delay, Chorus.
The rglages is, I get crystal clear sound breathtaking!
I do not have prtend find the EJ's, but a sound that comes close, which is personal to me and I drink as much as possible.

OVERALL OPINION

Résumé in a superb guitar with great care must be taken.
More on the cheek and we love it.
Only BMOL: the fragility of varnish, or a 9.

Model United States, finishing a little light considering the price of the instrument.
When will lower prices!

UTILIZATION

The handle is very nice, easy access to acute.
A very good grip, nothing to say.

SOUNDS

Test on a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, lack of a signature, fortunately that can be played on the settings of the amp.

OVERALL OPINION

I personally find the sound very poor, lack of depth and precision compared to other models signatures (Jeff Beck, Clapton).
It is a good scratch (Start) but a little expensive that m 'brings nothing more than my standart States, bought 10 years ago.

The Fender Stratocaster Eric Johnson is beautifully designed. In the words of Eric Johnson himself, the little details make all the difference.

The handle in one piece maple "quarter-sawn" (debited in the direction of the fiber) provides for the comfort profile to "Soft V". The button has a rather flat radius of 12 "for better" bends ". The electronic part is not left with 3 Custom pickups specially designed for this model: the neck pickup is derived from a stratum in which the magnets 54 alnico III were magnified, in a central microphone type 63 changed to avoid hum and hand vibrato is an original design of micro (very good by the way)
Mechanical Quality
A super nitro cellulose lacquer which is however very fragile but beautiful
21 boxes

UTILIZATION

What really makes the difference in my guitar is that it vibrates and reasons, it is impressive.
This guitar is worthy of the best guitars in the Fender Custom Shop.
Mine is sunburt, 2 That a body are.
Be sure to choose the instrument, as I have seen some that had small cosmetic defects. (Ineligible)
Crunch and clean sounds are the strong points of this guitar.

SOUNDS

They are suitable to your style of music?
Yes, although I do not play the only Eric Johnson.
The sound is crystalline.
I love the neck pickup

OVERALL OPINION

It's a great instrument, finishes, woods used, the microphones in a sense justify its price.
Look at the reviews on Harmony Central, they are largely positive.
Only drawback, the patent is too fragile. It takes a daily maintenance.

Good will surprise you but I am not a fool of strata. I have yet many of which true and I or 75 I had kind of strat amliores Blade Texas, or 86 or US Schecter Warmoth etc ...
But if I had to have one, it would be Eric Johnson because it is not a stratum as all other such as, precisely!

UTILIZATION

The handle is just not tight as a standart but with a large easy to bend above the 12th, in the high doncertante! Its handle is extraordinary is a kind of strat "les-paulise" if you like the wide sleeves
As for microphones, Sound Start, the True! Y appears that Johnson, he broke the balls Fender up to them 17 versions diffrent microphone before being happy but in any case, because each position Arussi rings of fire of God and everything is homogeneous.
In addition to not con the boys he has done for a Tone on the acute and the other on the grave which is much more convenient than the standarts

SOUNDS

Perfect for all styles (except steel): the position of lens 2, slamming vintage, crunchy blues, saturax the lead of the ball is what? In fact, since I like my 75 more, neither Clapton nor Jeff Beck

OVERALL OPINION

Try before you buy one if you want a vintage Start neck mapple, you'll be surprised. The price is a hundred thousand times justified.
And I put 10 out of 10 because it is too good like a beast

I said that I listen to a bit of Eric Johnson, but I'm not a fan of what he produces or the remains of his sound. Do not rely on it for purchase.
Basically an American Vintage 57 Start modernized: maple veneer neck, vintage pickups boosted the sound (especially the bridge pickup), medium jumbo frets and radius of 12 (rather flat)
The EJ combines what has made the reputation of the vintage and modern instruments. It is subtle at the interface between two worlds
Nitro varnish because I wanted a Start that I would keep my life and to improve with time.
No detail is left to chance to make it the most: the varnish, the handle carved specifically for the wood grain convey perfectly the sound of the top of the neck to the body, a bone nut, stepped to the mechanical to do without eyelets retention, lack of paint in the vibrato block for it to fit perfectly to the body and that any vibration is transmitted.
The sound possibilities are multiplied by the tone knobs very effective and progressive. Unlike other strats, the button traditionally dedicated to the tone of the micro environment that is dedicated to the bridge pickup.
In short, in terms of specifications, what I like:

Channel maple a little tiger is beautiful but also the sound is slamming
-Jumbo frets and radius of 12: all the comforts of modern fabric
Form-original sleeve: very big at the base, slightly V, C and fine then quietly for Solotti
-Tuners: vintage, which made me a little scared, but they do not move a hair
Tone-effective and very wise choice to devote a button rather than micro micro bridge of the environment.

What I like a little less
Channel sticky after a while
-Vibrato, but more because I never got too interested in this stuff and I can not adjust the spring tension for my liking.

UTILIZATION

Handle very nice, perfect playability.
Access to acute: There's good but it will only 21 boxes which is sometimes inconvenient for some songs
Ergonomics: I forgot to say that it is very light, much more than my old strat RI
Do you get a good sound easy? : Yes but you have to use its full potential, that play with volume and tone knobs

SOUNDS

Here is the top. Of all the strats I've tried is the one that has the largest range of sounds. I mean there are bridges and middle pickups and very bright pops and a neck pickup so deaf, gross (some would say flat). For some songs it's great for others you will find there are too many medium and slamming. But the tone very progressive can always find a solution very satisfactory. After must be adjusted according to their tastes. Fan of Fender, I think it still sounds great in a mesa studio preamp and it is the solution for which I chose. Basically what I mean is that you can be surprised or disappointed at first but it must be time to try it, play with all settings and perfect it all with a good quality amp.
Note that even in a Pod sound is much more dynamic than other guitars.

OVERALL OPINION

Stratum is my dream and that perfectly matches my needs.
It's a beautiful guitar but hey I think there's a good handful of euros for the brand name + the name of the artist (2290 euros). New: count between 1300 and 1600, according to the state.

United States splitting pure juice
Perfect finish
Light guitar
Initially the handle seemed confusing but three days later I felt more comfortable on my EJ on my other strata., Les Paul and others ... So super comfortable!
I put 9 out of 10 because we can not say that access to acute or top, but ...

UTILIZATION

On top of this guitar I think it's "subtle" micro really respond to the touch and we like to rework his vibrato so we can do sing!
Otherwise it was the vintage Fender type 57 with a snapping sound (thank you button maple) but not aggressive.

SOUNDS

I plug this beauty in the Marshall or Fender: top in both cases.
This is obviously not a guitar for metalheads, but if you play pop-rock-funk-blues (etc etc ...) you need to test the scratch.
Voila.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought € 2100 a month ago.
I had tried before ten strat "vintage" (custom shop, RI57 and 62 occasions ...)
I did not think at all to the EJ because I was not looking at all have the same sound as Mr. Johnson (I like incidentally).
Finally she convinced me immediately and I do not regret my purchase: you can feel that plays on the high-end ...

I suppose there are enough Eric Johnson fans out there that want his fender Stratocaster guitar. Fender has produced a number of these in different models and colors. They are great guitars and not really any different that a standard Stratocaster. It has a signature print on it that changes but there really isn't anything to jump up and down about. you are going to sound like Eric Johnson with this guitar any more than you wouldn't with a standard Stratocaster.

If you are a fan of the 60's neck then you probably won't jive with the feel of this guitar. This is modeled after the '57 neck specs and has a bit more rounded and beefier neck shape. You will get used to it but if you switch over from the 60's profile you will have to readjust you hand positions.

UTILIZATION

Neck
Neck Shape: Soft "V" Shape
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dot Position Inlays
Fretboard Radius: 12" Radius (305 mm)
Fretboard: Maple
Neck Material: 1-Piece Quartersawn Maple
Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Neck Plate: Custom 4 Bolt Neckplate
Truss Rod Nut: Original Vintage Style
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: S/S/S
Bridge Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Middle Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Neck Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
Hardware
Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
Bridge Cover/Tailpiece: Includes Chrome Bridge Cover
Tuning Machines: Staggered Vintage Style Tuning Machines
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tip: Parchment Switch Tip
Tremolo Arm/Handle: American Vintage Tremolo Arm

SOUNDS

These guitars are great guitars ad I suppose they are built a little better than a standard but you would need to A?B then to get a feel for that. The guitar has a great sound and a polished tone for blues and lead /rhythm playing. They work well with just about any amp that you have and especially well with a Fender amp of some kind. they also sound phenomenal with a Marshall or Bogner amp to which Eric Johnson has been know to play both amps. I guess I like it best with a good sounding Bogner XTC. Something about the dark qualities that make up the XTC really fit with this type of guitar shape and pickups. They blend better with each other than same a Fender Twin Reverb or some of that nature. The Bogner and Fender Strat are a great macth.

OVERALL OPINION

At new you can find these guitars around the price of $1899, which isn't bad of a price but certainly not worth paying an extra $$800-900 more for the signature guitar. I would save that extra money and put it towards some other piece of gear that you need. unless you are a die hard Johnson fan than this is a miss of a buy.

I would only recommend this guitar to the Eric Johnson fanboy out their who wants anything he has his name behind. You are going to pay more for that name and that better count for your extra money.

I think the Eric Johnson Stratocaster is what the modern standard Strat should be. Eric Johnson got Fender to make him a guitar with all the old features that effect the tone but with new modern features that improve playability. Starting up top at the headstock the tuners are staggered to eliminate the need for string trees. This greatly increases the tuning stability. The neck itself is a 1 piece quartersawn piece of maple with a nitro lacquer. The fretboard has a flatter radius that you would find on any vintage Stratocaster and the frets are larger. The neck profile has a soft V shape which blends well with your hand. On the back of the body there is no spring cover plate because you dont really need one. It has 3 special Eric Johnson single coils with a 5 way switch. The controls are a Master Volume with a tone control for the neck pickup and a tone control for the bridge pickup instead of the middle pickup.

UTILIZATION

These guitars play very nicely. With the flatter fretboard and the larger frets you can get a very low action on these guitars. The back of the neck is sanded and super fast. With the staggered tuners you do not need string trees and this stops the strings from hanging up on them and makes your tuning stability a lot better. Everyone takes off the trem plate anyway so why bother having one thats just extra screws to lose and some people including Eric says it sounds better without them.

SOUNDS

The Eric Johnson pickups in this guitar are pretty hot but have a super smooth tone. The tone control on the bridge pickup is something I think every strat should come with. You need a tone control on the bridge position of a strat most of all because it can be so trebely at times. With the tone control you can dial off some of the high end so it doesnt bite your head off and get a really smooth tone. The neck position is buttery smooth as you would expect with this kind of out put. They Eric Johnson pickups ring out well and have lots of bite but with a smooth edge.

OVERALL OPINION

The Eric Johnson Stratocaster is a great mix of vintage and modern. Eric did not limit himself to vintage concepts when coming up with this guitar. He took the good Stratconcepts from all eras and put them together. This guitar is helping to evolve the stratocaster. There is no reason for a guitar in this day and age to come with string trees of all things. Staggered tuners have been around since the 70s. With this guitar you get the best of the best with great playability and great tone. If you are looking for a strat that comes with neat features top to bottom but still looks the part the Eric Johnson strat is a good deal.

I suppose there are enough Eric Johnson fans out there that want his fender Stratocaster guitar. Fender has produced a number of these in different models and colors. They are great guitars and not really any different that a standard Stratocaster. It has a signature print on it that changes but there really isn't anything to jump up and down about. you are going to sound like Eric Johnson with this guitar any more than you wouldn't with a standard Stratocaster.

I think there a four or five different colors to choose from and all sound exactly the same, a Strat.

UTILIZATION

Body: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster®
Body Finish:

Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Neck
Neck Shape: Soft "V" Shape
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dot Position Inlays
Fretboard Radius: 12" Radius (305 mm)
Fretboard: Maple
Neck Material: 1-Piece Quartersawn Maple
Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Neck Plate: Custom 4 Bolt Neckplate
Truss Rod Nut: Original Vintage Style
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: S/S/S
Bridge Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Middle Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Neck Pickup: Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil Pickup with Countersunk Mounting Screws
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)

SOUNDS

These guitars are great guitars ad I suppose they are built a little better than a standard but you would need to A?B then to get a feel for that. The guitar has a great sound and a polished tone for blues and lead /rhythm playing. They work well with just about any amp that you have and especially well with a Fender amp of some kind. they also sound phenomenal with a Marshall or Bogner amp to which Eric Johnson has been know to play both amps. I guess I like it best with a good sounding Bogner XTC. Something about the dark qualities that make up the XTC really fit with this type of guitar shape and pickups.

OVERALL OPINION

At new you can find these guitars around the price of $1899, which isn't bad of a price but certainly not were paying an extra $$800-900 more for the signature guitar. I would save that extra money and put it towards some other piece of gear that you need. unless you are a die hard Johnson fan than this is a miss of a buy.

I would only recommend this guitar to the Eric Johnson fanboy out their who wants anything he has his name behind. You are going to pay more for that name and that better count for your extra money.

This is an American Stratocaster, which is based off of guitar hero Eric Johnson's personal input. The guitar has an alder body with a maple neck and maple fretboard. The guitar has 21 medium sized frets. The pickups are 3 single-coil pickups that are custom designed to Eric Johnson's specifications. The guitar also features a five-way selector switch, and has a master volume and two tone knobs (one controls the tone of individual pickups, the other controls the tone of two pickups in conjunction.)

UTILIZATION

Playing this guitar is pretty easy. It's easy to get really fast leads going on it, as well as play solid rhythm parts. The design makes the guitar really feel almost effortless to play. I don't know if it is my ideal guitar, but the design and comfortability of playing this guitar is superior to the vast majority of guitars I've tried. The sounds that come out of it are pretty varied, and the pickups are some of the best I've ever heard in a Strat. The guitar isn't very heavy or awkward so ergonomics are fine. The drivers are all stable and everything seems to be in order.

SOUNDS

This guitar has a pretty particular sound. It won't be ideal for everyone, however, it's pretty much one of the greatest sounding guitars I've played. This is mainly because every sound and nuance of the guitar comes through, and the pickups are probably the main reason for this. Considering that Eric Johnson designed this guitar mainly for his fans' use, and eventually started using it himself (a surprisingly rare occurrence), that gives testament to how well this thing plays and how good it sounds. The leads ring through with a surprisingly clear tone. My only beef with the guitar is that it can make everything sound slightly "80s", and by that I mean similar to guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai and Johnson himself. This can be kind of unfortunate, so make sure you use the right amp and distortion to avoid falling into this trap, since I don't know anybody who really likes those tones anymore.

OVERALL OPINION

I think that the playability and the sound of the guitar (when played tastefully) are pretty much the best things about it. It doesn't look much nicer than any other Stratocaster out there. I think that it's a pretty ridiculously expensive guitar, but it's also one of the only brand new Strats that I've played in a long time that I even remotely liked. A good vintage strat will run you almost twice as much as this, so I'd say this isn't a particularly irresponsible choice. The guitar is pretty stellar and doesn't fall into the same traps that a lot of Stratocasters do.