Fender Eric Johnson Strat

[fritzreiser]

Has anyone had one delivered yet or played one long enough to do an in depth review?.....Pete? Ralph E.?

[Twisteramps]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

I want one so bad I can taste it, but haven't handled one in person. I think Ralph had one on the way though.

Pete

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

Ralph got his.
I think you should be able to find his thread.

[fritzreiser]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

Thanks for the heads up, Toru. I didn't see that he had posted a review in his original thread. His review is pretty consistent with the so so reviews on HC. I'm kinda glad I didn't spend the $1600 for one.

I preferred a hardtail anyway, so I picked this one up:

Red Hardtail Strat

[Mr Graphic]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

I'm waiting on mine...should be here soon.

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

That looks more like Chuckracer's guitar than EJ except it is in Red and Fender...
I know EJ had a Candy Apple Red Strat from 64 or 65 and looked great and sounded great.

[jgcable]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

[ QUOTE ]
I want one so bad I can taste it, but haven't handled one in person. I think Ralph had one on the way though.

Pete

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too Pete. Really bad.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

Hey, I LIKE that strat!
Of course I would...it's a "Chuckracer Model"!

[Spider Riff]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

I played two on Sunday for a few hours. A two tone and the White blonde one at Alto music in NY. The white blonde played excellent but it's still an overpriced Poly covered Fender factory guitar. It's overpriced. You know that Eric Johnson plays a Masterbuilt one. You are better off saving $400 more and buying a custom shop guitar re-issue.

[Twisteramps]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

They aren't finished with Poly, are they?

Pete

[Ralph E.]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

I was disgusted with mine and returned it. My friend at GC was shocked, he had been blown away by the few that had gone thru his store and had one sent in from Texas for me. I called him and said it sucked and he didn't believe me till he had it in his hands. I apparently got a crappy one. The neck wasn't even straight on mine (the strings got closer to the low E fretboard edge as you looked down the neck.) The action was horrendous, major fretting out, which is terrible on a 12" radius neck. And they spray the laquer on to thick to the fretboard and it drys very thick on the fretedges.

The only good thing I can say is it did sound great. But it sure played like a dog.

And they are finished in nitro, not poly.

[Flatpicker]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

That whole Fender Nitro/Poly thing dosen't make sense to me.
I recall reading that the original Fender instruments were dipped in fullerplast(some kind of poly mixture) as a primer coat before color. So would a poly base coat be truer to vintage than pure nitro?

[Joe_Steeler]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

I got mine recently.
Three words: I Love It.

It sounds great and has fluid-smooth-spanky kind of tone, but you will have to hear it and make your own mind.
As far as playability, unlike Ralph I got a good one.
I love the fat neck, very comfortable on my hand and along with the 12" radius it just feels great. The factory setup was great and played great right out of the box.

Fender published that it has rounded fretboard edges. I did not find it to be like an Am Dlx, where they are REALLY rounded.
But the EJ has a bit of softening of the edges and makes feel a bit broken in.

I guess if you pay the $1600 tag you may feel it is overpriced, I mean at that point you are talking CS pricing point. But who pays that?, I certainly got it for less since I have a long standing relationship with my dealer. I buy tons of stuff from him and eventually makes it up.

The finish was flawless and they took their time to do it too. Since there is no trem cavity cover, they even cleaned up finished and polished the cavity.

If I had to gripe, I would say that there is a bit too much lacquer on the fretboard. It is a bit sticky. I've been think on giving it the 'ol steel wool treatment to soften it up. Don't know yet.
The other weird thing is the thin headstock. If look on to the profile you see a big fat neck and then it transitions into a thin headstock. I am not used to that and looks weird, like the headstock could snap any minute. I know it won't happen (i.e. quartersawn maple neck) but sure looks odd.

All in all, it is a great axe and feels like a player, not a demo piece.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

Joe, you can't write a glowing review of an awesome guitar like that and not include pics!

[Joe_Steeler]

Re: Fender Eric Johnson Strat

I know, I've got to get some pics taken.
I bought the two tone burst, I sort of wanted the red one but once I tried the one I got it was game over.

BTW, I love the tinted neck, it kinda gives it vintage feel thingy.