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Post subject: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:09 pm
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Hi all,

I recently got my hands on one of the new Eric Johnson signature semi-hollow body Strats. On close inspection I noticed a 'line' across the top of the body and the grain of the wood is different on either side. I was wondering if this is due to the routing process. I own a few Strats, but this is the first semi-hollow body. Please see link below and thank you!

http://geekyfreq.com/ejs.jpg


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 3:22 am
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That's a big and good pic, but I still can't quite get what you're asking. Is it the diagonal line from 8 o'clock to the strap button (the line looks like light reflecting, but could be a scratch)?

Could you take a pic of the body (front & back) straight on, that would tell the wood grains, pieces & such better. AFAIK, Fender doesn't make one piece bodies, though.

Oh yeah, please post pics on the forum, like this:
Image


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 4:00 am
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I suspected I knew what that picture shows -- a Google image search confirms it to me.

When Fender makes thinline semi-hollows, they slice the body blank into a thick back and a thin top. They rout a chamber into the back, and rout an f-hole into the top, then glue the top and back together.

On flat top Teles that works very well. Because the top and back are cut from the same piece the thin kerf of the saw cut is barely noticeable. Even with a natural/clear finish, the grain discontinuity isn't obnoxious.

I'm surprised they offer the EJ Thinline in sunburst. The angle of the forearm contour really highlights/exaggerates the top/back join.

You can see the top and back were cut from the same body blank. But the missing 1/32" or so that got turned into sawdust makes an obvious grain discontinuity when the forearm angle slices diagonally through the join.
------------------
Anyway, yes it's a normal artifact of the way they manufacture thinlines. All the images of EJ Thinlines in sunburst show it. Bodies with blander, less dramatic grain hide it a little better.

Your's doesn't look horrible. Maybe even kind of cool looking.

If it doesn't bother you, just accept it's normal and enjoy your awesome new guitar.

If it does bother you, the only way to completely avoid it is to get one of the solid/opaque finishes instead. All the sunbursts are like that.

Or search through dozens/hundreds of sunbursts to find one where the grain hides/disguises it a bit better.


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 4:17 am
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Warmoth offers thinline Strat bodies that don't have that line.

They cut the forearm contour into the body back, then steam heat the top so they can bend it to conform to the forearm contour.

A more expensive, labor intensive process. But if someone desperately wants a sunburst or other clear/translucent thinline Strat that doesn't have a join line in the forearm contour, it is possible.


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 5:46 am
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strayedstrater wrote:
When Fender makes thinline semi-hollows, they slice the body blank into a thick back and a thin top. They rout a chamber into the back, and rout an f-hole into the top, then glue the top and back together.

Didn't know that about Thinline Strats, and your explanation fits the pic perfectly; same wood pattern on top&bottom, but it's missing the amount of wood the slicing needed.

Is it the same method with Select/FMT/QMT/such Strats?


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 6:00 am
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strayedstrater wrote:

....You can see the top and back were cut from the same body blank. But the missing 1/32" or so that got turned into sawdust makes an obvious grain discontinuity when the forearm angle slices diagonally through the join.
...


I agree and it is nice they are using one slab to match the grain through. However, I think it is also as a result of the adhesive. The feather edge of the face exposes the adhesive line and the timber which has absorbed adhesive.

My assumption is they are using a tinted 1st coat and the adhesive contaminated wood doesn't absorb the tint in the same way the raw timber does. If they used a clear 1st coat this wouldn't be so much of an issue aside having more coats of lacquer.....perhaps. Also the tint would be more "on the surface" and less able to emphasise the grain of the wood. I am further assuming they clear lacquered the bodies back in the 50's and 60's which is why the wood grain on these guitars is so bland and flat looking compared to more modern sunbursts.

Personally, it would annoy me.

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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 6:20 am
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The maple capped Strats/Teles are a little different but same priniciple. They start with a thinner body blank and glue on a maple cap.

On some versions they do a flat top and omit the forearm carve. On others they carve the contour into the body blank and bend the top to conform.

B.Hefner/Musikraft claims to have supplied Fender with specialty necks and bodies. So it's within the realm of possibility that the Fender maple cap bodies with forearm contours are actually Warmoth "Droptops", though doubtful either Fender or Warmoth would acknowledge that.

But there are pictures on the web of the body blanks Fender received for older Mexican Standard Strats. They came from the lumber supplier as rectangular blanks glued up out of 5 to 7 pieces with forearm and belly contours already cut and thin top and bottom veneers already applied. Fender then cut the outline and radiused the edges.

Since Warmoth developed the technology for Droptops and is already set up with steam ovens and special presses, a financial argument could easily be made that it makes more sense to buy those rather than invest is special tooling for low production models.
-------------
It's possible that the EJ Thinlines are like that because EJ specified in-house Fender production of that model.


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 6:32 am
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John Sims wrote:
strayedstrater wrote:

....You can see the top and back were cut from the same body blank. But the missing 1/32" or so that got turned into sawdust makes an obvious grain discontinuity when the forearm angle slices diagonally through the join.
...


I agree and it is nice they are using one slab to match the grain through. However, I think it is also as a result of the adhesive. The feather edge of the face exposes the adhesive line and the timber which has absorbed adhesive.

My assumption is they are using a tinted 1st coat and the adhesive contaminated wood doesn't absorb the tint in the same way the raw timber does. If they used a clear 1st coat this wouldn't be so much of an issue aside having more coats of lacquer.....perhaps. Also the tint would be more "on the surface" and less able to emphasise the grain of the wood. I am further assuming they clear lacquered the bodies back in the 50's and 60's which is why the wood grain on these guitars is so bland and flat looking compared to more modern sunbursts.

Personally, it would annoy me.


Yes, the glue line is definitely a factor. Even though it's very thin, when you carve a forearm contour at an angle through the joint it visually exaggerates the width/thickness of the glue line.

And like I said, I have mixed feelings about it. It's kind of cool/interesting/honest in a way, but I'm surprised that they offer a sunburst finish on the EJ Thinline. Especially since the EJ Rosewood is only available in solid colors.

Then again, in a few years as the thin nitro shrinks into the joint on the opaque EJ Thinlines, we'll be seeing posts asking "what's wrong with my guitar -- is it cracking?"

And we'll be able to point to the sunburst EJ Thinlines and say "relax, it's normal and just the top/bottom joint revealing itself."


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:32 am
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Thanks for the replies guys. Very interesting. I am not concerned about the ‘line’. I was just curious why the grain doesn’t match. I have a lot of strats, but this is my first semi-hollow body.

Thanks again.


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:40 am
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How's it sound? I've never played any of the Thinline Fenders. Given that the chamber is relatively small and most of the body is solid, I've always assumed that the sonic differences are subtle at most.

Confession: I've worn out and replaced all of the Cream albums, and I'm not entirely sure which tracks were a Les Paul, SG, Firebird, or ES-335. Of course a dimed Plexi blurs things a bit compared to a clean amp...


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:05 am
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It sounds good! It is good played unplugged too since the semi-hollow body helps the guitar ring louder. Plugged in it has a very pleasant sound although typical single coil noise etc..totally controllable though. Overall a very nice guitar..usually use it unplugged just for noodling and keep in my fingers in shape when i cant plug in.


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:20 am
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The EJ thinlines are available only in 2-tone burst and vintage white though there are pictures of Eric playing the same guitar in candy apple red. I wonder for which reasons Fender doesn't offer the EJ thinline in that colour.

Image

Hope they'll also release a bound rosewood neck thinline soon!


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 6:27 am
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I looked at a couple in a Nashville Guitar shop and was impressed. I really like the tuners and may get some for one of my Strats.


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Post subject: Re: Eric Johnson signature Strat
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 8:19 pm
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How much does this guitar cost? I tried to look for it on amazon but it's not available

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