Matthew3Man
10-18-2006, 08:40 PM
When I first played an Eric Johnson, it was out of tune, the action had been fooled with, and the pickup height was thrashed. But...it still had tone. I went to another shop and played a stock set-up one (in tune this time!) and took in just how amazing this instrument really is.
Appearance:10/10
You've looked at it right? It's gorgeous. The nitro finish is very appealing from a glance, as is the tinted neck. It's when you get into the details that this guitar really comes alive.
First off, Fender equipped this thing with staggered, vintage style tuners. If you're confused by this, it basically keeps the guitar in tune and gets rid of string trees. When you look across the tops of the tuning posts, you notice that they are all at different heights, sloping from the nut to the tip of the headstock.
The headstock, neck, and body woodgrain really blew me away. The entire neck has a nice subtle flame to it and the grain is perfectly matched with the body.
The attempt to make this guitar seem as vintage as possible is very cool. From less screws in the pickguard to the ashtray cover on the bridge, it looks like it came out of the 50's.
Playability:9.5/10
For most players, the neck might seem a bit clubby. I personally love clubby necks so it's perfect for me. As a comparison, it is clubbier than something say a Gibson Les Paul or a Peavey Wolfgang. It's very comfortable, however, and will be very enjoyable once you get used to it.
Another thing that takes getting used to is the finished neck/fingerboard. You don't notice it after an hour or so of playing when you first get it out of the case, but at first, it seems sticky and hindering. I, personally, don't even notice it anymore. You get used to it.
The guitar is maybe 7 pounds. That says something right there. It is very balanced, so there doesn't seem to be any strange distribution of weight. It also has very large arm and body contours. This further reduces the weight as well as makes the guitar even more comfortable to play.
Sound:10/10
It's Eric Johnson...do I even need to say anything? I will :p
On a clean setting, this guitar can compete with (if not beat) any other guitar. It's just simply beautiful. There is no pickup setting that doesn't sound good.
Overdriven, this thing is a beast. You can play with bluesy OD or metal-like distortion and the bridge pickup will burn right through it. I personally have the tone knobs rolled off a bit to give it that powerful, silky Eric Johnson feel.
All of the pickups sound incredible, and the resonance is apparent when you strike a high e. I've never played a better sounding Strat.
Overall: 10/10
This guitar is incredible. It is the best Strat I've played (which is why I bought it!) and is an all around great instrument.
Price Paid: $1660 USD
Appearance:10/10
You've looked at it right? It's gorgeous. The nitro finish is very appealing from a glance, as is the tinted neck. It's when you get into the details that this guitar really comes alive.
First off, Fender equipped this thing with staggered, vintage style tuners. If you're confused by this, it basically keeps the guitar in tune and gets rid of string trees. When you look across the tops of the tuning posts, you notice that they are all at different heights, sloping from the nut to the tip of the headstock.
The headstock, neck, and body woodgrain really blew me away. The entire neck has a nice subtle flame to it and the grain is perfectly matched with the body.
The attempt to make this guitar seem as vintage as possible is very cool. From less screws in the pickguard to the ashtray cover on the bridge, it looks like it came out of the 50's.
Playability:9.5/10
For most players, the neck might seem a bit clubby. I personally love clubby necks so it's perfect for me. As a comparison, it is clubbier than something say a Gibson Les Paul or a Peavey Wolfgang. It's very comfortable, however, and will be very enjoyable once you get used to it.
Another thing that takes getting used to is the finished neck/fingerboard. You don't notice it after an hour or so of playing when you first get it out of the case, but at first, it seems sticky and hindering. I, personally, don't even notice it anymore. You get used to it.
The guitar is maybe 7 pounds. That says something right there. It is very balanced, so there doesn't seem to be any strange distribution of weight. It also has very large arm and body contours. This further reduces the weight as well as makes the guitar even more comfortable to play.
Sound:10/10
It's Eric Johnson...do I even need to say anything? I will :p
On a clean setting, this guitar can compete with (if not beat) any other guitar. It's just simply beautiful. There is no pickup setting that doesn't sound good.
Overdriven, this thing is a beast. You can play with bluesy OD or metal-like distortion and the bridge pickup will burn right through it. I personally have the tone knobs rolled off a bit to give it that powerful, silky Eric Johnson feel.
All of the pickups sound incredible, and the resonance is apparent when you strike a high e. I've never played a better sounding Strat.
Overall: 10/10
This guitar is incredible. It is the best Strat I've played (which is why I bought it!) and is an all around great instrument.
Price Paid: $1660 USD