Eric Johnson maple Strat signature owners - your thoughts please

[rze99]

I’ve read several opinions on forums that talk about neck stiffness of some Strats and a few that mention it specifically regarding the EJ Strat.

It’s obviously a thing because enough people mention it but I’m not sure what it is. I bet if you were to play mine, you’d find it is the same as the ones you’ve had. Maybe I haven’t played enough Strats to know the difference. I’ve had 4 Strats in the same period you’ve had 200 so I’m sure you’re going to have a different level of knowledge of them.

I should get it Saturday. I see that the former owner has kept it as intended in terms of the trem arm and block.

I’m pretty experienced in setting up Strats - I have 3 and used to gig them as my main guitar for years.

For physics reasons that I don’t understand, the trem setup is a key factor in perceived stiffness.

I set mine to pivot - as Leo designed - and move up and down fairly easily,
often with just two or three springs. Basically it provides more “give”. It’s also key that the nut is well cut and deeply cut. They also seem to perform better with lighter EBG strings and heavier DAE.

We will see. I will report back.

 

[awasson]

I should get it Saturday. I see that the former owner has kept it as intended in terms of the trem arm and block.

I’m pretty experienced in setting up Strats - I have 3 and used to gig them as my main guitar for years.

For physics reasons that I don’t understand, the trem setup is a key factor in perceived stiffness.

I set mine to pivot - as Leo designed - and move up and down fairly easily,
often with just two or three springs. Basically it provides more “give”. It’s also key that the nut is well cut and deeply cut. They also seem to perform better with lighter EBG strings and heavier DAE.

We will see. I will report back.

Excellent! I'm sure you'll be impressed with it.

I was wondering is the perceived stiffness is due to the setup too. I've got all of mine setup for full-floating with 3 springs as well. I've got EB Hybrid Slinky 9-46's on two of my Strats and 10-46 on the Eric Johnson. Any stiffness I perceive on the EJ I put down to the heavier gauge strings. You'll have to let us know your first impressions when it arrives.

 

[rze99]

Excellent! I'm sure you'll be impressed with it.

I was wondering is the perceived stiffness is due to the setup too. I've got all of mine setup for full-floating with 3 springs as well. I've got EB Hybrid Slinky 9-46's on two of my Strats and 10-46 on the Eric Johnson. Any stiffness I perceive on the EJ I put down to the heavier gauge strings. You'll have to let us know your first impressions when it arrives.

I will.

To expand on this, my mid-70s Strat I’ve had since the ‘80s was always a bit “stiff” for many years with the standard .10s That I used then.

A few years ago I spent a lot of time setting it up and just giving it a lot of focus. I tried different gauge strings in each individual string position until the tension felt even and “right” for
My playing style, and that it sounded good and it stayed in tune.

The best results on that specific Strat for me - are:

E .09
B .10
G .15
D .24
A .36
E .46

It has three trem springs and it pivots beautifully.

So I plan to do the same With the EJ. Just give it loads of set up time until it’s “mine”.

 

[nojazzhere]

I really like mine.
It’s a 2008.
This one.
View attachment 743201 View attachment 743202
I changed the pickups to Kinman noiseless.
I gig a fair bit so I need pickups that don’t hum.
The original pickups sound great, too.
IMO, the EJ’s are the best sounding production US made Strats.
I covet one of the rosewood board models, the light blue (turquoise) one.

Did you do the one knob modification, or buy it that way?
When I played Strats, I always made them ONE master volume and ONE master tone.....but never volume only........interesting.

 

[brookdalebill]

Did you do the one knob modification, or buy it that way?
When I played Strats, I always made them ONE master volume and ONE master tone.....but never volume only........interesting.

I don’t like, want or use potentiometers much.
I also like them out of my picking hand’s way.
The knob/pot is also a switch that lets me get the two outside pickups.

 

[rze99]

I don’t like, want or use potentiometers much.
I also like them out of my picking hand’s way.
The knob/pot is also a switch that lets me get the two outside pickups.

cool. So the tone is set to ON for all pickups all settings?

 

[nojazzhere]

I don’t like, want or use potentiometers much.
I also like them out of my picking hand’s way.
The knob/pot is also a switch that lets me get the two outside pickups.

I always found the "upper" volume knob on a Strat (closest to bridge) to be "in the way". That, and preferring simplicity of one volume/one tone was why I always removed that bothersome knob.
But I "ride" my tone control almost as much as the volume.

 

[rze99]

Just arrived. Am working a lot today so a v quick look.

• Wow - fab condition for 2005 (I think the first run of these). All case candy. It has mostly had an easy home based life.
• Very light and resonant through he body. Maybe 7 1/4 pounds?
• thicker strings and higher action than I'll use, so yes it does feel a bit stiff but it would until setup to my preferences.
• Neck is quite chunky (a little less chunky than a 50s Baja?) and super comfy in the hand .86 at first fret. All the gloss is on there and there is indeed a touch of gloss drag bit not sticky. I will sort that.
• Nut not cut as deeply as I'd like - will sort.
• Quick plug in to THR10C - sounds lovely as it should.

I'll do new strings and complete set-up at the weekend and play it a bit next week. I have a sore cut on my left index finger that's now healing so not quite ready to play properly yet.

Quick unpack pics

 

[chillybilly]

A black beauty. I also have an early-era EJ Strat in black. It was already somewhat weathered when I bought it but it's a lifetime keeper so bring on more weathering.

When I first read about the specs I thought 'Most of this makes so much sense that it should be the standard for all Strats' particularly the staggered tuners and the removal of the string tree (it also looks better) and the body contours.

Obviously the neck is unique and probably couldn't be the standard for all Strats but I moved from a 7.25 radius (AVRI Strat) to the EJ with no complaints. It's a little bit chunky but hardly the baseball bat of Reissue Nocasters and some other CS Fenders.

Quibbles:
-The middle/bridge tone issue has flummoxed many Strat players. I understand EJ's desire to control the bridge with the lower tone knob but I ended up wiring the control to both middle and bridge. It has made the middle just as versatile therefore as usable as the bridge and I used the middle pickup as my primary rhythm, even lead, setting for the two years or so that the EJ was my main stage guitar.

-The back of the neck. Lots and lots of goopy nitro. High heat, high humidity, outdoor gigs...it was like flypaper. Since this guitar is a keeper I have steel wool-ed, scrub padded, and sanded many times to get the neck rather similar to the factory stock-condition of my Nash Tele neck ie very smooth.

I was so knocked out by the black EJ that I bought a blonde one. I have always loved the Mary Kaye color but not the gold hardware so the blonde with nickel was ideal. The seller had done a total pickup swap with some noiseless types AND a grounding system to reduce RF noise further. But proving that no two guitars are the same regardless of spec, the blonde was just not a player. It was quite stiff where the black EJ was languid and loose even with similar setups. I was actually surprised at the starkness of contrast. I soon sold it on despite its good looks.

As of this writing the EJ is my only Strat and that's probably the way it will stay as I've purchased (among others) the aforementioned Nash Tele along with a Fender Jazzmaster and Johnny Marr Jaguar - the latter two for surf/instrumental purposes.

Like so many on this board and elsewhere, I've 'graduated' from Strat comfort to Tele monastic purism including bruised ribs. But the Strat still has its uses and the EJ in particular is top drawer.

 

[StevesBoogie]

Nice score! Great condition.

 

[awasson]

That’s a beauty alright! Looks like it’s in fantastic shape for the 1st run.

The nitro finish is very thin on these. I’m the third owner of mine. The first owner gigged it and it has some wear as a result. It’s definitely not relic’d but up close you can see that it wasn’t a museum piece.

I love having the tone control on the bridge pickup. It’s a mod I did on all of my Strats even before getting the EJ Strat. I roll my tone back on the bridge pickup and run it through a high gain amp for that syrupy violin tone. I never seem to use the tone control on the neck pickup so for a while I’ve considered doing what @chillybilly suggested and switch the front tone off the neck pickup and onto the middle.

You’ve got me motivated to do some fine tuning on mine this weekend. I’ve got a set of 9’s just waiting to go on so maybe after faithfully playing 10’s on it for the last year and a half it’s time to go to 9’s. While I’m at it I’ll switch the tone controls so that tone is on the middle and bridge; the neck can be wide open.

BTW: Happy New Guitar Day!

 

[rze99]

Just posted the NGD with some more pics and after setting it up at the weekend. Did some recording with it of a track but it's not ready to post yet.

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/ngd-e...er-black-and-maple-2005.1039663/#post-9999823

 

[schmee]

I always found the "upper" volume knob on a Strat (closest to bridge) to be "in the way". That, and preferring simplicity of one volume/one tone was why I always removed that bothersome knob.
But I "ride" my tone control almost as much as the volume.

To each his own for sure, THAT is exactly why I like Strats. Work it a lot with my little finger. Heck, I dont even know I'm doing it anymore....

 

[ThatTeleGuy95]

Been offered one at a nice price and I’m tempted. I don’t have a a maple
necked Strat and This gets great reviews. It looks fantastic and I like the flatter board with the chunky but not baseball dimensions (.86 at first fret) I’ve read the Eric is selling his vintage Strats because he likes playing his signature models more.

Do you love yours, would you buy differently now, have you left yours stock?

my EJ was the best things that ever happen to me, bought by my wife, and sounds like heaven to me

medium-jumbo frets 12 radius, quarter shawn maple, amazing usable pickup

our hands will get used to every neck profile after hours of noodling

i also have the american original 60s strats with RWFB and Les Paul Original 50s and all of them have different neck profiles and radius and i loved all of them

 

[rze99]

View attachment 831158 View attachment 831159 View attachment 831160

my EJ was the best things that ever happen to me, bought by my wife, and sounds like heaven to me

medium-jumbo frets 12 radius, quarter shawn maple, amazing usable pickup

our hands will get used to every neck profile after hours of noodling

i also have the american original 60s strats with RWFB and Les Paul Original 50s and all of them have different neck profiles and radius and i loved all of them

Dig your style there... very nice

 

[windwalker9649]

I just bought a 08 Candy apple red one. I don't know how this dude played but he got it Plek'd a few years ago and i honestly don't know if i could get another leveling and crowning from it. But i was able to buy it for a few hundred less than the lowest price ones I've seen. The finish on the neck has worn down so much that it practically feels like raw wood.
I've been repairing guitars for 15+years and this is my 3rd if that is any indication. Neck wise they can really vary with the profile. I've had one that felt like a 57 soft V, the second one felt like a damn 54 boat neck, actually it essentially was a boat neck (much more shoulder on both sides). This one is between a V and C, and isn't nearly as chunky, it actually doesn't feel much bigger than a modern C on an American Deluxe i used to own*.
* It should be noted that the modern C on those older later 00s American Deluxe feel larger than the profile will lead you to believe because the fretboards are wider than on a vintage type which are 1⁵/⁸" as opposed to 1 ¹¹/¹⁶". (might still be this way, but I've went to working on amps several years ago, and besides certain clients i don't work on guitars full time). Plus the lower frets make a big difference.
A lot of people prefer the older ones, 2005-2008/09, i like the Rosewood models myself.
If you can get an EJ for a good price and a vintage neck with larger feel doesn't bother you, id definitely recommend them.
Whenever someone asked my opinion if they were looking for an higher-end pro model, but weren't ready to go to a Custom Shop, the. EJ was always my suggestion. Besides having a really good design, i found them to just be better guitars. Every once in a while id find a loose wire to a pot or something like that when doing setups, but little more. I would find things with the John Mayer Strats all the time. The guy who owned the repair shop i worked at used to call them $1000 Mexican Strats (obviously by the price you can tell it was a long time ago).

 

[awasson]

I just bought a 08 Candy apple red one. I don't know how this dude played but he got it Plek'd a few years ago and i honestly don't know if i could get another leveling and crowning from it. But i was able to buy it for a few hundred less than the lowest price ones I've seen. The finish on the neck has worn down so much that it practically feels like raw wood.
I've been repairing guitars for 15+years and this is my 3rd if that is any indication. Neck wise they can really vary with the profile. I've had one that felt like a 57 soft V, the second one felt like a damn 54 boat neck, actually it essentially was a boat neck (much more shoulder on both sides). This one is between a V and C, and isn't nearly as chunky, it actually doesn't feel much bigger than a modern C on an American Deluxe i used to own*.
* It should be noted that the modern C on those older later 00s American Deluxe feel larger than the profile will lead you to believe because the fretboards are wider than on a vintage type which are 1⁵/⁸" as opposed to 1 ¹¹/¹⁶". (might still be this way, but I've went to working on amps several years ago, and besides certain clients i don't work on guitars full time). Plus the lower frets make a big difference.
A lot of people prefer the older ones, 2005-2008/09, i like the Rosewood models myself.
If you can get an EJ for a good price and a vintage neck with larger feel doesn't bother you, id definitely recommend them.
Whenever someone asked my opinion if they were looking for an higher-end pro model, but weren't ready to go to a Custom Shop, the. EJ was always my suggestion. Besides having a really good design, i found them to just be better guitars. Every once in a while id find a loose wire to a pot or something like that when doing setups, but little more. I would find things with the John Mayer Strats all the time. The guy who owned the repair shop i worked at used to call them $1000 Mexican Strats (obviously by the price you can tell it was a long time ago).

Cool! Nice to read some details about differences between the years.

I've had my 07 for about 3 years I guess and it amazes me every time I play it. I've got a couple of Stats and the neck on the EJ is just the right fit. Mine has the maple neck. I'd like a rosewood board one too but I'm trying to keep the strat "collection" small. I really like a 12" radius but the neck on mine doesn't feel as big as most of the 12" radius strat necks I've played and the soft-v feels just right. I think the lacquer is part of the reason I like the neck so much. I've got super dry hands so the lacquer works well for me whereas some say they're sticky. I don't have that problem at all.

 

[brookdalebill]

Still love mine.
I've started to beat it up a little.
I've had it over 10 years, that's a long time, for me.