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Post subject: Questions for EJ strat owners
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:26 am
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I recently traded for a nice EJ strat and have a couple of questions.

Mine is white with vintage off-shade white pick-up covers and knobs. However, the tremolo arm I got has the bright white tip. Does the tip of the tremolo arm that comes with this guitar match the pu's and knobs? No biggie as I don't really use it, but if it's not the one that came with the guitar I'm going to try and buy the right one just so I have it.

I got most of the case candy that came with the gutiar originally, i.e. chord, bridge cover, etc., but the manual I got was the standard Fender manual. I know the pu's are modified custom shop and the neck design is unique as well, so I thought there might have been some guidance included for recommended set-up specifications.

If nothing like this was included could some of you share your set-up's with me. Any of you still have them set-up them way they came new?

I wonder how Eric would have it set up? :0)

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Questions for EJ strat owners
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:50 am
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Jack Dotson wrote:
Mine is white with vintage off-shade white pick-up covers and knobs. However, the tremolo arm I got has the bright white tip. Does the tip of the tremolo arm that comes with this guitar match the pu's and knobs?

I just checked my EJ (got it last Fall) and the trem tip is indeed an "aged" white and does match the knobs and pickup covers.

Jack Dotson wrote:
I got most of the case candy that came with the gutiar originally, i.e. chord, bridge cover, etc., but the manual I got was the standard Fender manual.

I bought my EJ new in the box and it came with a standard owners manual. However it also came with a "Lacquer Finishes: Precautions and Care" pamphlet and an "Eric Johnson Stratocaster Control Description" sheet which describes the modified tone control circuit on the EJ. The reverse side lists some "Special features of the Eric Johnson Artist Series Stratocaster Guitar". I do not find any EJ specific setup instructions in the paperwork I received.


Jack Dotson wrote:
I know the pu's are modified custom shop and the neck design is unique as well, so I thought there might have been some guidance included for recommended set-up specifications.

If nothing like this was included could some of you share your set-up's with me. Any of you still have them set-up them way they came new?

I wonder how Eric would have it set up? :0)

Here are the measurements on my EJ. I have not modified the setup from stock (it played great out of the box). However, in the last couple of weeks I have noticed that the intonation is off on the 1st string so something has changed. My setup specs are almost all the same as the recommended values but I don't guarantee that these are the precise setup specifications that the guitar had the day I bought it. But it should be close enough to give you a good reference point for your own setup.

Neck Curvature:
With capo at 1st fret and last fret depressed. 6th string height at 8th fret .015" (this is the same as recommended in the manual).

Bridge:
Non-floating. Set up with 5 springs. Flush with body.

String Height:
Measured at 17th fret.

1st-6th: 5/64" (manual recommends - Strings 1-4: 5/64" +/- 1/64"; Strings 5-6: 3/32" +/- 1/64")

So my EJ is setup as recommended except the 5th and 6th strings are 1/64" lower which is within the +/- perimeters.


Pickup Height:

Neck - Bass side: 8/64"; Treble side: 5/64"
Middle - Bass side: 9/64"; Treble side: 7/64"
Bridge - Bass side: 9/64"; Treble side: 7/64"

For "vintage style" pickups the manual recommends Bass side: 6/64"; Treble side: 5/64".


Strings:
The EJ came with 10s. I think they were 10-48 but I am not absolutely postive about the stock low string gauges.

---------------------
EDIT: Erroneous pickup height measurements corrected.

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Last edited by riversitter on Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:11 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:17 am
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Riversitter, thanks so much for your help. I apprecite it.


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Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:24 am
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Jack Dotson wrote:
Riversitter, thanks so much for your help. I apprecite it.

I added the specs to my post above. :)

Also, here's a snippit from a EJ interview about string gauges and pickup height:
Quote:
“There were no compromises made, other than the higher price point, and that’s only because we were unwilling to make any other compromises. This guitar is real close to an old-school Strat, except it’s easier to play. I’ve played several production models, and they’re very similar, but, like all Strats, there is some difference in feel and tone that’s unique to each guitar. The one I’m playing in rehearsal is totally stock. I adjusted the neck a little bit because the strings I use—GHS Nickel Rockers, gauged .010, .013, .018, .026, .038, .050—are slightly different than stock Fender Super Bullets [which are gauged .010, .013, .017, .032, .042, .052]. I also adjusted the pickup height, because I like the treble side higher than the bass side. I try to get the bridge pieces to reflect the curvature of the fretboard, so the feel of the strings is uniform throughout. I’m still tweaking it, but I love this guitar, and I’m taking it on the road!”

from: http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/obs ... g-05/12234

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Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:52 pm
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Pretty much what Riversitter said. Mine is set up the same except I'm keeping the treble side of the bridge pup a little lower then spec. I found it was affecting the high E when played open. My trem arm tip is aged.

I can never say enough good things about that guitar. Best damn stratocaster I've ever played.

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Post subject: Re: Questions for EJ strat owners
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:12 pm
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Pickup Height:

Neck - Bass side: 8/64"; Treble side: 13/64"
Middle - Bass side: 9/64"; Treble side: 13/64"
Bridge - Bass side: 11/64"; Treble side: 14/64"

These values are different than what the manual recommends. For "vintage style" pickups the manual recommends Bass side: 6/64"; Treble side: 5/64". As you can see, my EJ's pickups came raised on the treble side.

Wouldn't 13/64's be lower than 8/64? How are you measuring? I measure mine by depressing the low and high E's at the last fret, then I measure the distance from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.

Is this how you take your measurements?


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Post subject: Re: Questions for EJ strat owners
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:09 pm
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Jack Dotson wrote:
Wouldn't 13/64's be lower than 8/64? How are you measuring? I measure mine by depressing the low and high E's at the last fret, then I measure the distance from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.

Is this how you take your measurements?

Dangit! I have never measured pickup height before. I was actually measuring from the pickguard to the top of the pickup cover. I see now from the manual that this is not correct.

Measuring from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece with the string depressed at the last fret here are the corrected measurements. Sorry about that.

Corrected Pickup Height:
Neck - Bass side: 8/64"; Treble side: 5/64"
Middle - Bass side: 9/64"; Treble side: 7/64"
Bridge - Bass side: 9/64"; Treble side: 7/64"

However, the treble side of the pickup covers are still raised because of the way the treble side pole pieces are inset on the EJ.

I edited my post above to reflect the correct measurements.

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"If at first you don't succeed, keep on suckin' til you do succeed." -Curly Howard


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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:54 pm
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Thaks so much riversitter. Those setting are a little out of the ordinary. The neck pick-up is usually a bit lower. I'll have to set mine up like yours and give it a run.

Anyone else?

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