Anyone got an Eric Johnson strat yet?

[buddastrat]

I hear they are starting to show up in stores and Musicians Friend is shipping them now. This guitar has been giving me more GAS than I know what to do with. Who's played one? Tell me anything!!

 

[OWENMUSTANG]

LOL i would like to know too!
sounds like fender might have a winner with this one.

 

[OldSchool]

Ahhhhhhhh. I'll wait until next year when they will be giving them away...........

 

[fjs1962]

I was pretty excited about them until I heard the neck carve is slimmer like the 57RI instead of the fat 10/56 Fender neck I like.

 

[buddastrat]

Yeah I like a chunky neck too, but I can get used to most anything. But, I don't like a hard V or a skinny/flat Ibanez feel.

I have played some '56 relics that had thinnish necks too. Maybe they'll vary like every other Fender.

 

[fjs1962]

Originally posted by buddastrat
I have played some '56 relics that had thinnish necks too. Maybe they'll vary like every other Fender.

That's true, and it seems to me the 10/56 has grown over the recent years, at least the ones I've tried in the stores. The only thing is Fender is making such a big deal about the close tolerances of the EJ I wonder if they will vary much, at least at first.

Actually I can't really imagine I'll like a EJ better than my Suhrs with the 56 Big V necks, but being a Strat fan I still want to check one out.

 

[OWENMUSTANG]

the only thing i'm not crazy about is 12 radius. a little flat if you ask me..

 

[fjs1962]

Originally posted by OWENMUSTANG
the only thing i'm not crazy about is 12 radius. a little flat if you ask me..

I feel the same way. My Suhrs have 10-14, which is a nice blend of easy chording low and clean bending up high. I also like the straight 10" on my PRSs. I have a Anderson with 12-14, and it feels a little flat to me for chords, although it's not terrible.

 

[buddastrat]

You're pro'lly right about the tolerance being stricter on the EJ's. But you never know 'till ya try.

I think a 9.5" or 10" or 12" radius is the ultimate blend of feel and playability. Gibson is 12" and it doesn't feel too flat for me.

I really like the old Hamer Daytona USA strats and they had a 14". That was pretty flat feeling but I got along with it. But that's pushing it, and every time I play it, it feels a little uncomfortable for chords and lead. I like the curve for leads too.


I'm reading these are showing up and I gotta read some reviews from people. Anyone got one??? I WANT my EJ dammit!!!!!! I'm gonna explode with GAS!

 

[fjs1962]

Originally posted by buddastrat
Gibson is 12" and it doesn't feel too flat for me.

The funny thing is 12" doesn't bother me so much on a Gibson. I guess it is the shorter scale length or something.

 

[OWENMUSTANG]

Originally posted by fjs1962
The funny thing is 12" doesn't bother me so much on a Gibson. I guess it is the shorter scale length or something.

I agree. with strats i seem to be happy with either 9.5 or 10
might be a mental thing or something

 

[buddastrat]

Originally posted by fjs1962
I was pretty excited about them until I heard the neck carve is slimmer like the 57RI instead of the fat 10/56 Fender neck I like.

Hey bro', I just read a review by a guy who got his black EJ strat. He said you better like fat necks. Says it's as fat as his R8! That's fat.

 

[fjs1962]

Originally posted by buddastrat
Hey bro', I just read a review by a guy who got his black EJ strat. He said you better like fat necks. Says it's as fat as his R8! That's fat.

That sounds promising! The couple of guys I talked to who got to play the EJ at NAMM said they had the 57RI V neck carve. I have a friend who writes a gear column for one of the trade papers and he's supposed to have a EJ coming to review, so I'll get to try one in the next month or so.

 

[buddastrat]

Yeah the guy that wrote the review has a 57 and says it's way thicker like a gibby reissue. He warned that many might be turned off by it. I was like, bring it on!!

 

[buddastrat]

I have a sunburst one coming to me early next week. I'll let you know how it feels. I also have an R8 and a Nocaster. No punk necks here!

 

[tuna]

Here is where you can find his review

http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=486822

 

[KLB]

The thing about necks is that you can have a really thick neck -- I mean 1" continuous from the 1st fret to the 12th -- but if the nut width is 1.63-1.65" and the sides are tapered enough, you don't notice the bigness. Meanwhile, you will have a really stable and good sounding piece of wood.

I play a Morgaine Mintage '57 with a neck like I described above. I would never thought I would like it so much, but I do. I've owned a really big neck Jeff Beck Strat in the past. The Morgaine neck is actually thicker, but the narrower nut width and soft "V" shape make it much more playable. Very comfortable, in fact. I never could bond with the JB neck because it had too much shoulder that got in the way, along with the 1-11/16" nut width.

I look forward to trying the EJ strat, preferably in Candy Apple Red.

Cheers,
Ken

 

[fjs1962]

Originally posted by KLB
if the nut width is 1.63-1.65" and the sides are tapered enough, you don't notice the bigness.

That's what I've found as well. I like the PRS wide/fats on my McCartys, but I also like the SUhr 56 Big V, which is deeper but not as wide at the nut, and also has a nice soft V shape. I tried a Suhr with the Even C Huge neck, which is the same depth as the Big V but in a C shape, and it was too clubby for me. I also have a R7 Les Paul and the neck on it is pretty clubby to me, but it sounds so good I don't mind fighting it a little

I want to try a EJ Strat, and I may have to have one if the neck isn't too slim. I think I want a black one since I already have a 2 color burst Suhr.

 

[KLB]

I just got off the phone with Musician's Friend.
A Black EJ Strat is coming my way next week.
I will report back here after getting it.

Black isn't my first choice in color, but I reasoned that it will have a thinner finish than on the CAR and Sunburst guitars. Plus since they can choose the wood strictly for tone, they don't have to worry about how the wood grain looks as with the Sunburst and Blonde finishes. Maybe that's why Black ones are available first?

Candy Apple red has multiple, heavier finish coats, so should give the most muted tone of all.

The pickups really have me tweaked! Here is the Fender description included in a note in the guitar case:

"Each pickup is unique in structure and performance. The neck pickup is based on the 54 strat pickup with oversize Alnico 3 magnets. The middle pickup is based on a 63 strat pickup, uses specially treated alnico magnets and is wound for hum cancellation when used with the neck or bridge pickup. The bridge pickup uses alnico 5 magnets and is specially voiced to be hotter without sacrificing sparkle."

Except for early studio stuff from Seven Worlds, I have not heard EJ use the middle pickup in combination with neck or bridge. Even nowadays, I think he rarely uses the middle by itself.

I better stop thinking about this baby now or I'll get real gas!

Cheers,
Ken

 

[fjs1962]

Originally posted by KLB
Maybe that's why Black ones are available first?

I was thinking the other colors had already been gobbled up by pre-orders? I know Sweetwater has (or did have) a sunburst and a CAR in stock.

Be sure to report back when you get it. I'm going to hold off until I hear more about the necks.