Anthony Gring
Gold Supporting Member
- Messages
- 4,026
After reading the reviews and specs. on these guitars which were quite favorable, I've been wanting to play one. In the last two weeks I've had the chance to play two- They were both different and hence my question. WHY were they different? Is it Fender QC or are they modifying the specs. w/ each production run? I first played a red one w/ a low ser. # EJ0000xx. The neck was as spec'd: maple V to C shape w/ fairly flat radius ( 12''?). It was supposed to be quartersawn but I couldn't tell. Is there a visual way to confirm this? The pups did NOT have staggered polepieces and were kind of shiny/chromy looking. In short, the neck felt really great but the tone of the guitar was not superior. I compared it to my SRV Strat that has Suhr V60's in it as well as a few other higher end Strats off the rack. I left thinking great neck, very so-so tone. The other I tried was in a different store in a different town. It was a sunburst w/ a more current ser. # EJ00xxxx. This guitar had a completely different neck: same flatter radius but All C shape. No V to C at all. Also no evidence/flame of a quartersawn neck. The pups on this one WERE staggered and had the dark grey brushed steel look to them. This guitar played OK but I much preferred the neck on the red one. The pups on the sunburst however absolutely killed. I was really blown away. I should state that I played the red EJ through a Fender Tone-King set clean and the burst EJ through a Mesa Lone Star 1X12 combo also set clean. I compared the burst EJ with a new John Mayer, SRV, and Am. Std. The EJ just killed all of them. It had the best Strat tone I think I've ever heard in each of the five positions. I didn't compare it to my SRV Strat but I'm sure it would've smoked it as well. So--- Where is the EJ Strat that has the red ones neck and the burst ones tone ?? I thought a " Signature " model guitar is supposed to have the same specs on EACH one. Can anyone shed any light on this? Owners-- Do you have the V to C neck as well as the Staggered pups w/ dark grey polepieces on your EJ ? thanks for your help.