Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Review - How is it Unique?

!±8± Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Review - How is it Unique?

The Eric Johnson Stratocaster is an unbeatable instrument at an attainable price.

Stories about Eric Johnson's ear for details are legendary. Honestly, how many people do you know who can hear the difference between various battery types used in effects pedals? Not many. This is a guy who's somewhat meticulous about his gear, to say the least.

When I learned that Fender would be bringing about an Artist Model Eric Johnson Stratocaster, I knew it was going to be superior because, quite frankly, Eric wouldn't attach his name to something that wasn't top notch.

Since Johnson prefers a 1957 Fender Stratocaster as his main guitar, the company used that as the basis for the Eric Johnson Stratocaster, where the talented Mr. Johnson would have ultimate say on everything from the screws to the pickguard.

Features
The Eric Johnson Stratocaster uses an alder body and a one-piece quartersawn maple neck with a 12" radius on its maple fretboard with 21 American Series style frets. A string tree is eliminated through the use of staggered machine heads. The electronics are custom designed single-coil pickups with a master volume, neck tone, and bridge tone control. A thin nitrocellulose finish allows the guitar to "breathe" better over time.

Performance
The first thing Eric wanted was a superb finish that didn't hurt the guitar's natural sonorousness, so Fender chose a super-thin nitrocellulose lacquer.

The neck is also a thing of beauty, since Johnson decided on a one-piece, quartersawn maple neck. The 12" radius results in terrific playability, and the thin-skinned glossy lacquer and vintage tint give the neck a gorgeous appearance.

The pickups bear the same level of detail and care. The Fender team (with Johnson's input) previewed nineteen kinds of pickups before settling on the final model. Though it took some time, the payoff was worth it in the end. These pickups are world-class and some of the most intriguing pickups we have heard.

Another move to meet EJ's attention to detail was the wiring configuration. Traditionally, Stratocaster wiring has the tone control affecting only the neck and middle pickups. Johnson's taste is to have the tone wired to affect the neck and bridge pickups, so his signature guitar reflects that preference.

The other "little" particulars ensure that you're getting a one-of-a-kind design. Not a fan of string trees, Johnson insisted that his signature guitar use staggered tuners instead, which increases tuning stability.

Though it seems like an odd request, EJ also insisted that the tremolo cavity not have a cover plate. Moreover, he wanted the cavity left paint-free, insisting that this helps the vibrant qualities of the instrument.

In the end, what you have is an instrument that reflects the class and virtuosity of its architect. While it has a vintage vibe, the Eric Johnson Stratocaster is well-suited for a wide variety of genres.

What we treasured the most, aside from the playability, were the pickups. They have a vibrancy, presence, and personality that make then some of the finest Strat pickups we've ever heard. It was hard not to pull off our best "Cliffs of Dover" riffs when we strapped on the EJ Strat.

The Bottom Line
When you throw in the classic vintage-styled case, you've got a package that is worthy of Mr. Johnson itself. The Eric Johnson Stratocaster is an unbeatable instrument at an attainable price. Well done, Fender!

Name of Gear: Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster
List Price: ,599.99
Manufacturer Info: Fender Musical Instruments; fender.com
Pros: Nice pickups; resonant body; very playable; versatile array of sounds
Cons: None

Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Review - How is it Unique?

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Fender Custom '56 Stratocaster Relic • SN: R58694

!±8± Fender Custom '56 Stratocaster Relic • SN: R58694

Site: www.wildwoodguitars.com Serial Number: R58694 Brand: Fender Custom Shop Model: '56 Stratocaster Relic Year: 1956 Finish Color: Faded Firemist Red Aging: Relic Finish Type: Nitrocellulose Lacquer Weight: 7.32 lbs. Body Wood: Select Alder Neck Wood: Maple Neck Shape: 10/56 "V" Fingerboard Radius: Custom 9.5" Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm) Width at Nut: 1.650" (42 mm) Frets: 21 Dunlop 6105 Pickups: 3 Custom '50s Single-Coils Controls: Master Volume, 2 Tone, 5-Way Switch Hardware : Nickel/Chrome Bridge: American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo Tuners: Fender/Gotoh Vintage Style Pickguard: Single-Ply White Case: Vintage Style Tweed Case Case Candy: Strap, Cable COA: Yes

Fender Custom '56 Stratocaster Relic • SN: R58694

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Fender American Vintage '62 Stratocaster Olympic White

!±8± Fender American Vintage '62 Stratocaster Olympic White

Brand : Fender | Rate : | Price :
Post Date : Dec 04, 2011 14:24:46 | Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Straight from the Time Machine™ to You!While the Telecaster® (and the single pickup version, the Esquire) was a success, Leo Fender listened to players who were looking for an instrument that was a step up from the "plain vanilla" Tele®. The company had moved into a new factory and now had the ability to build an upscale solid body electric. In 1954, the Fender Stratocaster made its debut and a true American icon was born. By 1957, some would say the maple neck Strat had been perfected with features like the "custom contoured" body. In 1962, the Strat had finally become available with the more traditional rosewood fingerboard.Fender employees Dan Smith and John Page flew all over the country and looked at every vintage Strat®, eventually deciding that the 1957 model, as well as the 1962 model with rosewood fingerboard, were the quintessential Strats. Recreated using measurements taken from over 200 Stratocasters, the '62 Strat truly looks like it came straight from the Time Machine™. Its sleek, stylish lines in some ways seem to owe more to contemporary automobile designs than traditional guitar building. This recreation features a three-color sunburst with a nitro-cellulose lacquer finish over a solid alder body, along with all the other features that made the original instrument such an overwhelming success. These include a multi-ply "mint green"-ply white pickguard and an American Vintage synchronized tremolo.That Trademark Strat SoundGood looks are just part of the story. The '62 Strat also sounds faithful to the original thanks to three newly designed '57/'62 American Vintage single coil pickups with aged covers. This delivers all the "spank and sparkle" you'd expect, and just like the original, the '62 Strat comes with the three-position blade selector switch (back then, players had to carefully place their switches in the "in between" positions to access pickup combinations for what was inaccurately called the "out-of-phase"...

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Fender 62: American Vintage 62 Stratocaster Review

!±8± Fender 62: American Vintage 62 Stratocaster Review

Since the introduction of the American Vintage 57 Strat, Fender 62 has marked a significant point in the history of Fender. One of the most apparent changes, for instance, is the 3-ply pickguards in the '62 model instead of the single-ply pickguards in the earlier Strat.

The following is the review of the American Vintage 62 Stratocaster:

The bridge pickup has a chewy, grindy quality with suppressed bass and vibrant mid-range. At lower gain levels it's thin but not particularly brittle, while various levels of overdrive bring out successive layers of fatness and chunk that'll mask some of the treble. Some players would wire the bridge pickup to one of the tone controls to tame its edge. The harder you play, the brighter it sounds, giving an interactive experience.

The middle pickup has a hollow voice with more bass and less treble than the bridge pickup. Although many players consider the bridge pickup as the main pickup, some feel that the middle pickup is the default position. If you need more treble, simple flip to the bridge. Need something rounder and juicier, switch to the neck. The middle pickup is also good for Hendrix tones, clean and driven, and it seems to favor complex chords between the 5th and 12th frets.

The neck pickup has a great lively tone: it's fat, loud and articulate. Like the interactivity of the bridge pickup, you'll hear that classic Strat sound if you dig in hard here. Or you'll get a softer, rounder voice that sound great when played with fingerstyle.

The neck may take some getting used to. The rounded fretboard radius (7.25?) may not suit everyone. If you like the jumbo frets and flatter radii, you might find it even somewhat confronting.

There's a 60 cycle hum, although it's not really a bad thing. The control cavity is very well screened. The pickguard is completely backed with a sheet of metal to block out external interference. If the hiss is a problem you could upgrade the pickups, although many players prefer the subtle background noise that represents vintageness.

Features of this 62 Stratocaster:

* Alder body: finished with nitrocellulose lacquer allowing the wood to breathe and age elegantly
* Neck: features 21 small vintage frets with white pearloid postition markers
* 3 Fender American Vintage 57/62 Strat single-coil pickups
* Master volume pot and tone control for the neck and middle pickup with a 5-way switch
* Original strap and cable and the "ashtray" bridge cover

In conclusion, if the hum, the rounded fretboard radius and the nitro finish bother you, then look for something else. However, if you are attracted to the tone, vibe, nuance, construction, responsiveness and the interactive playability, then give this Fender 62 a try.

Fender 62: American Vintage 62 Stratocaster Review

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