Model Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster
Intro The long awaited Eric Johnson Stratocaster was introduced in January of 2005, and has received accolades across the board ever since. Walk into your local music store, take one off the rack, and you’ll quickly see why. Simply put, the guitar is beautifully built, with all the vintage vibe and traditional Strat-appeal you could ask for.
With a deep-contoured, lightweight Alder body, single-piece quartersawn neck, a set of three “special design” Eric Johnson single-coil pickups, not to mention a host of other customizations, the EJ Strat feels and plays a lot more like a true Custom Shop guitar than a reasonably priced production model––but that’s exactly what it is.
The instrument was apparently designed by Custom Shop builder Michael Frank-Braun, in collaboration with Johnson himself, and the pedigree shows. For a production guitar, this thing has CS written all over it.
If you’re in the market for a truly high-quality Stratocaster with vintage styling and some modern amenities, you’ll definitely want to read on.
Specs
- Two-piece ’57-style lightweight Alder body
- One-piece quartersawn Maple neck (soft “V” shape, Nitro finish)
- Maple fretboard with 12“ Radius and 21 highly polished MJ frets
- Extra smooth neck-to-headstock volute
- ’57-style body cavities and taggered vintage style tuners (no need for string tree)
- Vintage tremolo w/silver painted block and ‘57-style string recess
- Three special design Eric Johnson Pickups w/countersunk mounting screws
The guitar also sports Fender’s Thin Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish, and is available in two-color Sunburst (shown here,) Black, Candy Apple Red, and White Blonde.
Ships with a deluxe Blonde hardshell case w/black ends, a black interior, strap, and a cable.
What I Liked The big story here is what you get for your money––in the last few months I’ve spent quality time with just about every production Strat model on the market, and in my opinion the Eric Johnson Stratocaster is about as good as it gets in the sub-$2,000 price range.
Period.
Granted, depending on your neck/fretboard preference the EJ still may not be the guitar for you, and there are certainly some fantastic Strats in the $1600 range if and when you can find them––take a look at some of the ”thin-skin“ ’62 Reissues… Mmmmm––but if you’re looking for a guitar that blends old-school Strat style & quality with a number of modern conveniences to boot, the EJ Stratocaster is at the top of the list.
Can you say resonant? Strum a few chords on the EJ Strat before you plug it in and you know you’re in for a treat––the guitar absolutely sings, even without amplification. Now I’m no luthier, but I suppose this is the effect of a top-shelf alder body paired with a true quartersawn maple neck, and perhaps even the complete lack of string trees. Whatever it is, it says loads about the quality of this guitar.
Plug it in and you’ve got a Strat that’s dripping with sustain, and a truly ear-pleasing variety of traditional yet somehow unique singlecoil Stratocaster tones. Between the three modified Custom Shop pickups, and that extra-thin Nitro finish, this thing is a veritable tone machine.
In fact, one of Johnson’s customizations––the re-wiring of the middle pickup tone control over to the bridge pickup––is one of those long-standing mods that really should at least be an option on Strats coming straight from Fender… there is very little downside to this tweak (how many of you spend time fiddling with the tone control of your middle pickup?) and the upside is a truly useable third pickup, with a darker, more punchy tone.
Another highlight of the EJ Strat is its gorgeous, vintage-tinted, Nitro-finished neck––now I’ll come right out and say that I’m not a big personal fan of the EJ’s soft ”V“ shape profile (it simply doesn’t fit right in my hands,) but I know plenty of folks who love it, and my own preference for a vintage ”C“ profile in no way diminishes the high quality and extreme playability of this neck.
I’ve read user reviews that complained of an annoying stickiness to the neck, usually attributed to the Nitrocellulose finish, but I experienced none of this myself. And while Fender’s own specs mention only ”maple“ in describing the neck material, the guitar I played boasted a beautiful flame pattern across the back of the neck and into the headstock.
When it comes to the fretboard, the Eric Johnson Strocaster steps right into modern territory––while the rest of the instrument exudes a thoroughly retro feel, the flat 12” radius fretboard makes for truly fast and accurate bends, and allows for what is arguably the lowest action I’ve come across on an otherwise vintage-style Strat.
Once again, if you’re a fan of Fender’s early, and much rounder 7.25“ neck radius (like me,) you may not take a liking to the EJ Strat’s downright flat fingerboard (we’re squarely into Les Paul territory here,) but it’s really just a matter of preference. This beauty absolutely excels at fast fret work.
Oh yeah, and forget those skinny, finger-eating vintage wires… the EJ is armed with 21 incredibly comfortable Medium Jumbo frets––the kind of modification you will find on the vintage instruments of many a serious player.
Rounding it all out, the Eric Johnson Stratocaster is just plain good to look at. All four of its available finishes––2-color Sunburst, Black, Candy Apple Red, and White Blonde––are lovely, traditional Strat colors. But on top of that, the EJ’s extra-thin Nitrocellulose finish is going to age like a fine bottle of wine––getting more complex, unique, and personal to the player as time goes by.
What I Didn’t Like To be honest, I can’t say there’s a whole lot about the Eric Johnson Stratocaster that really rubbed me the wrong way. My only issues with the guitar are ones of personal preference, and certainly not anything that could be considered a true gripe.
What stops the EJ Strat from being my perfect Strat is simply the fact that I much prefer Fender’s vintage 7.25” neck radius and comfy “C” shaped profile to the flatter 12′ radius and “soft V” profile of the EJ. These are minor issues however, and I have no qualms in stating that for many, many guitarists, the modern conveniences of the Eric Johnson Stratocaster will end up being just what the doctor ordered.
In the end, there’s really not much to dislike about this guitar.
Final Word Custom Shop quality in a production level instrument is kind of the holy grail of guitar buying, and it’s the reason that many of us can spend literally months hunting down, checking out, and madly tossing aside instruments in our search for the perfect guitar––the one that absolutely must go home with us today.
Simply put, Fender’s Eric Johnson Stratocaster is one of those guitars.
Before you blow $1200 on an American Deluxe, before you mortgage your house for that Custom Shop Relic, go out and spend some quality time with an EJ Strat––you won’t be disappointed.
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June 29th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Great review Cary!! I really like the EJ Strat too. In addition to the staggered posts eliminating the need for trees, the headstock face is scooped in more than the standard.
I tried a white one right off the wall at GC a few months ago, and it was so light and resonant. The resonance was extending to the Visa card in my wallet– I could actually feel it in my hip. Then a sudden phase cancellation from someone playing Stairway enabled me to escape to the parking lot unscathed, where my wife was chewing on a romance novel. Literally. The paperback was in her mouth, with a packet of Arbys horsey sauce. She felt the resonance too.
June 29th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Personally, it’s my favorite instrument i’ve ever played from Fender. It sounded exactly how I wanted it to sound, felt like I wanted it to feel, and did exactly what I wanted.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
My opinion is still that this is the best “production” Stratocaster that Fender offers….and I too have felt the resonance of the Visa card… but was lured away by the hope of finding a hand made Bill Nash Timewarp like the one my buddy has (which cost him approximately the same as the “production” EJ Strat)…which played more “worn in” and definitely had a twangy-er tone that the EJ. I ended up ordering my Tele from ThisOldGuitar.net instead.
I found out a couple of days ago that a colleague at work plays and collects….and has a 52 tele and a 64 strat…both authentic, and only one owner. In many parts, the value of those two instruments buys a nice house. He even has a signed picture of Leo Fender holding his tele. I can’t wait to jam with him in the coming weeks. I’ll get permission from him to post the pics in the forums…. but they are sweet.
July 3rd, 2007 at 6:34 am
Well, I’ve seen it hanging on the wall at GC, but wasn’t in the market for another strat. Now I’ll be going this weekend just to jam on it. Thanks for the great info!
September 8th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I’ve played on a lot of guitars in my time, and have been a big fan of gibson for years, but this EJ strat of mine sings. I would love to know what strings were put on this guitar from fender I don’t want to change a thing .
September 8th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Randy,
Congratulations on your EJ Strat :) Unless the retailer changed them out (doubtful) the guitar should be strung with a set of Fender Super 250R Nickel Plated Steel strings, Gauged: .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
I just bought a bunch of these from Musician’s Friend… they’re only about $3 a pack…
February 16th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
The search is over! I’ve drooled over the EJ strat for over a year and now I’m a proud owner. I’ve played them all and can honestly say that this guitar will never get lost under the bed collecting dust. Tone, sustain, playability, look’s, it has it all. I play it through a JCM 800 2210 model. It dosn’t sound any better than this!…Thank you EJ!
December 11th, 2008 at 4:48 am
GREETINGS-
Came across your site and read what ya’ll think about Eric Johnson’s Fender Strat.
I met Eric at The Hop in Fort Worth where he was play’in with his band
“THE ELECTROMAGNETS.” He was 17 or 18. When I came out of the “COMA” that their MUSIC produced in my “cells” I be-friended him and began learning about his take on gear, life, etc. Eric is either on his way to a gig AFTER PRACTICING all day, or on his way home to PRACTICE. I have had my Strats set-up like his for a while now.
When I played Fenders “EJ” strat (which I bought) I can say that it is not only the best Strat that is offered for purchase at a fair price – it is TRUE to what I know to be his preference in how he sets his various Strats up as well. I’m SURE that he can hear some strange harmonic or “FREQ” oddity in a couple of em’, but being the
run of the mill “AIR-BREATHING MAMAL” I am – well – it is the BEST STRAT not priced out in the “UN-OBTAIN’IUM” world.
It’s just as good as you can get – so – “GET ONE!”
Enough outt’a me-
Thanx to Fender and Eric for their time and effort! ( and for making me sound ok!)
rc
December 13th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I returned mine. I bought it for the 12″ radius and the polished frets, but I counld not handle the “soft V”. It was one of the most uncomfortable guitars I have played. I practiced at a studio with my band at the time and the EJ sounded phenomenal through every amp from fender to Marshall. Build quality was also excellent. I just could not grip the neck. Pity.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Waiting for the Rosewood model and hoping for the same high resonance and sustain.Only played 2 maple board EJs but does it seem like the back of the neck v to c shape has been softened slightly(a good thing for me)? I p0ersonally prefer necks that are consistene all over rather than changing shape.
June 2nd, 2010 at 9:10 am
I actually bought this rig in Dec. 2005 – I normally don’t go for this review kinda thing but have to on this one with the amount of comments I have received recently when bringing the rig out publically.
At the time I had an intensive travel schedule and used my spare time to comb through every music store I could get to on the road – needless to say I never found any magical rig hidden in a pawn shop /ma pa music store etc anywhere in this nation- go figure that I was killing time at a local GC fiddling with a SRV model, which I liked but not all the marketing of it – the guy said if I like that then try this – that is when he rolled the ladder over and at the very top almost out of view was an EJ (sunburst model) – exactly as in the review – I strummed a few chords and ripped a few tongues and said “Ok lets wrap this up” he said to try it plugged in – I said no need – it was that awesome..
Anyways it is all that everyone (who can hang with v neck- 12″radius, nitro stickyness, etc) says it is – and even though all reviews I have read don’t go into any details about the PUs – besides the classic bell tones associated with EJ, I detect a hint of CBS ’65 greybottoms (piano sound) when bridge tone is around 6 / neck tone 10 with selector set on neck – you can also get a quasi humbucker (thinking more specifically SG) with bridge tone at 0 / neck at 8-10 and middle PU is selected – still experimenting with tone – what a beautiful rig to do so with….
July 21st, 2010 at 12:04 pm
This is simply a fantastic review. I had always wanted to do what the pros do and get an old strat and modify it with modern playability, but of course I don’t have $5000 to do it. So you covered all the relevant points in your review, so now I know that the Fender EJ strat should be high on my list of guitars to try out. I really appreciate it!!