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Post subject: New Eric Johnson Strat??
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:07 am
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Hi,
I am new to this forum. There have been rumours going on for a long time now that a new rosewood bound neck Eric Johnson strat would be out sometime in Jan 09.

Does anyone know anything about this? This"rumour" seems to be substantiated by an Eric Johnson interview video in Harmony central.

The exact specs and release date are of course only privy to Fender but i would like to at least find out if such a strat is due for release within Jan/Feb 09.

Thanks.


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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:12 am
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I've also heard this- I would be very interested in a two-tone sunburst EJ Start with a rosewood board!!

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Post subject: Re: New Eric Johnson Strat??
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:00 am
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mangala wrote:
The exact specs and release date are of course only privy to Fender but i would like to at least find out if such a strat is due for release within Jan/Feb 09.


Hi Mangala, welcome to the Forum.

I'm guessing Fender won't announce the date - until they announce it, if you see what I mean. Last I heard Eric and Fender were still sorting out details about the instrument, though that was a few months ago now. When you're working with EJ I'd bet that is probably a very exacting process, and he won't put his name to that guitar till he's sure it's exactly what he wants.

Given how highly regarded the current EJ model is I think we have to thank him for his attention to detail. I'm hoping that the new model will add to the existing one rather than replace it, because I believe it is a real Fender classic, along side the EC as well as some of the Vintage Reissues. Lot of people here love it.

Can't wait to see how the new EJ turns out!

Cheers - C


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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:48 am
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Hi Ceri,
Thanks for the welcome. Yes i know what you mean. Commercially too it makes no sense to announce another new strat when they are trying their darnest to draw publicity to the David Gilmour and Malmsteen strat.
Both of which are good strats i believe.

However the EJ strat is by far the BES strat that i have seen, felt and played. And i have played quite a few including many custom shop models.
2 piece weight relieved alder, thin nitro finish, quarter sawn one piece neck, bone nut.. i mean these are custom shop specs on a production guitar. I have musician mates swearing by their clapton strat or esquire or 52 tele or even a 64 ES-335 and i don't want to get into a best guitar argument with anyone as its a personal choice but for sheer quality and value, the EJ strat cant be beat. (i hope fender does not take my post seriously and increase the prices again...)

Seriously i waited a while when the current EJ strat was launched as i wanted to see if EJ would actually play the strat regularly. Too many musicians rush to sign on their signature guitar and then whip out some vintage beat up 63 or 59 mongrel strat during their live gigs. This pisses me off no end.

Needless to say my patience was rewarded and i found a serial number EJ03549 2 tone sunburst which weighs exactly 7.3Lbs with 5 trem springs on, on an accurate industrial digital scale. How great is that? Numbers aside, the guitar is highly resonant and the notes seem to sustain and bloom even when i experimented it with 009s gauge. I balanced out the PU pole pieces and changed the saddle and trem block to a bill callaham unit. Now its perfect. The original EJ trem block has greater mass than the typical strat block but i believe its not 100% cold rolled steel. My electric magnets can attest to this. I also thin out the sticky lacquer to the bare minimum under the neck. Its now fast and smooth even for sweaty palms.

I am hoping the new EJ model keeps this quality and maybe even surpass it. That will put most if not all the custom shop models to shame. Too much time and effort is put into relicing of the guitars instead of making 200% sure that the wood and construction sings together.

This current EJ model is based on his 57 strat with maple neck. I have heard that the new model will be based on an early 60s strat. I am guessing the neck shape and profile will adhere to the era. The known differences would be the modified PU which i believe Fender could still be tweaking and of course the bound rosewood fretboard. If i was EJ i would insist on a brazilian RW slab board, quarter sawn as usual over the quartersawn neck. 10 " - 15" compound radiusing. How bout a one piece alder body this time? Also a thinner lacquer base and lesser vintage toner would be nice this time round over the neck.

Personally like most people, i appreciate the increased smoothness of rosewood or ebony over maple but i feel that the strat sound best with maple. When its clean, its clean but when its driven hard, it retains a tight bottom end and clear mids that will cut through. Rosewood offers a little sparkle and shimmer over the treble and a looser bottom end but its not something thats critical for most people. Diverse players such as Malmsteen, Gilmour, Johnson, Clapton, Hendrix and Buddy guy have all shown an eventual preference for the maple neck strats even though they have flirted with rosewood strats early in their careers . i cant think of any other reason why. SRV is an oddity but it could well be his love for jazz supremos kenny burrell and wes montgomery that shaped his ear for a preference for a warmer and bigger bottom end. Another favourite player of mine Rory Gallagher too played a rosewood strat but i can understand why. It was a gift from his mother and at the time, it was the ONLY strat in Ireland. That makes it special whatever wood is used as the fretboard.

Sorry about the rambling. I could talk guitars all night if i don't stop myself.
Over the years i have forced myself to thin the guitar herd as its damn near impossible playing 5 guitars in just a gig or 2 a week whilst holding down a full time day job. Now the GAS is growing and this new EJ strat is a mighty tempter... Of course a 63 custom shop ES-335 block and John lennon casino would follow IF the market recovers.

peace


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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:51 am
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according to EJ that strat should have been out in Jan/Feb this year or was it '07 i don't remember, anyways they have been working on that strat for a long time.
all i know is that it is going to have a bound Rosewood fretboard and some other sligthly different pickups that suit the RW better.....

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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:01 am
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bet we see it at the namm show this january


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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 12:03 pm
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EJ is a very meticulous person. It took him a long time to produce CDs because he always wanted to get everything just right. He claims he has conquered his perfectionism.

It took him years to research the details -- what the best fretboard radius was, what magnets and wire gauge made the best sounding pickups, maple vs rosewood, etc. So after years of research and development you're telling me they are going to offer changes to EJ's design? I'll believe it when I see it.


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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 12:04 pm
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Of course there will be changes to the current EJ model but don't take my word for it.

EJ himself said it in an interview video off harmony central if you care to read my previous posts.

The rosewood board is already a marked difference not to mention changes to the PUs and also other aesthetic details like a laminated pickguard instead of the current single ply.

The main thing is that the current model is a modification of a 50s strat while the new model's supposed to be the 60s strat version for EJ.

I own the current EJ model and happen to think its perfect so unless i am blown away buy the new PUs in the new model, i am unlikely to get one for myself. 50s strat have the one piece maple plus deeper contoured body which suits me best as it is.

peace


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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 12:14 pm
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mangala wrote:
EJ himself said it in an interview video off harmony central if you care to read my previous posts.


Hi again, Mangala: some of us have seen that interview but I'm sure others would like to as well. Why don't you post a link to it?

I believe what you say is correct. The current model is essentially Eric's take on a '50s Strat: the new one is to be a Johnson-ised '60s Strat.

That bound fingerboard will divide opinion, but I like it. I prefer maple fingerboards on Fenders, but I could be lured over to rosewood by that binding! And anything EJ says is OK must be good...

Cheers - C


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Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:39 am
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stratmansteve wrote:
He claims he has conquered his perfectionism.


I sure hope that isn't true, because I think that trait is what makes him unique and great. Although it has its downsides ie..taking too long to make a record or anything for that matter, but the end result pays off. His perfectionism gave us one of the best signature guitars Fender has ever put out, in my opinion of course.


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Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 6:42 pm
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Anyone who is interested. Here is the link to that EJ interview.

Go to this site and go to interviews. Find Eric Johnson on the left side of the page and Scroll down to "Electrics" Eric actually shows the new greenish blue signature with the bound rosewood neck, talks about it, and plays it.

http://www.harmony-central.com/theater/ ... video.html

Looks like a 65' based strat.


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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:30 pm
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its listed under the artist models at Fender.com now. i don't remember seeing it on there yesterday!!!

http://www.fender.com/products//search. ... 0117700898


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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:20 pm
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Twelvebar wrote:
its listed under the artist models at Fender.com now. i don't remember seeing it on there yesterday!!!

http://www.fender.com/products//search. ... 0117700898


It surprised me the first time that I saw it actually. I had, of course, heard the rumors, but I had merely forgotten about it and am very intrigued to give it a run. Anybody played one yet?

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