Eric Johnson Rig/Info Dump

[DrewJD82]

I was looking up some EJ stuff a few weeks back and came across some old HRI posts from James Santiago, who has been buds with EJ for a while and gave up some great info and pics. @Blix might remember this, I believe I saw you in the HRI thread as well! We should probably make a 'Rigs' subforum for full rigs that are a combination of amps/pedals/modeers.

Continued below-

 

[DrewJD82]

I could have cropped these.....but no.

 

[DrewJD82]

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

This is peak tuner

 

[DrewJD82]

View attachment 54920

This is peak tuner

I totally would have assumed it were a tone thing. Actually, it still might be, I'm not sure why he hates string trees so much though.

 

[dk_ace]

I totally would have assumed it were a tone thing. Actually, it still might be, I'm not sure why he hates string trees so much though.

Because the trem stays in tune better without them. One less contact point to hang up on.

Cool stuff you dug up! I’ve been curious to try his plexi tonestack settings since it’s so different than how I’ve always set that type of tonestack. Might get around to doing that this week.

D

 

[DrewJD82]

Because the trem stays in tune better without them. One less contact point to hang up on.

Cool stuff you dug up! I’ve been curious to try his plexi tonestack settings since it’s so different than how I’ve always set that type of tonestack. Might get around to doing that this week.

D

I tried the settings w/ my 50-watt Plexi and the PastFX Tube Driver.....it didn't sound anything like EJ.

I need to get a Y-cable to try it exactly how he's doing it and just so I know the difference between a jumper cable and feeding both inputs.

I just lube the shit out of all the contact points on my Strats and use the trem like a Floyd. Maybe EJ don't like goo on his nuts.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

View attachment 54920

This is peak tuner

I totally would have assumed it were a tone thing. Actually, it still might be, I'm not sure why he hates string trees so much though.

It's for break angle over the nut. The more winds on the post the lower the angle over the nut. That makes sense if he doesn't like string trees, seeing as that's what the string tree is doing.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I can't believe how low the volume is on that black FF. This is excellent info @DrewJD82

 

[unix-guy]

I don't recall ever seeing EJ's board look this professionally crafted:

It is usually very haphazard...

 

[DrewJD82]

It's for break angle over the nut. The more winds on the post the lower the angle over the nut. That makes sense if he doesn't like string trees, seeing as that's what the string tree is doing.

Oh for sure, I just don't know if his preference for a different break angle is tone related or not.

 

[DrewJD82]

I don't recall ever seeing EJ's board look this professionally crafted:
View attachment 54936

It is usually very haphazard...

L.A.S.D has made a couple boards for him now, this was the first and it took like a month before EJ ripped some stuff up and put some older vintage stuff in it's place, with the wiring all jacked up. He made a travel board for him using Zen and Dover Drives to plug into Fender combos and then this new board just a few months ago for clinics-

 

[sashimi]

View attachment 54920

This is peak tuner

I actually use the whole string on all the unwound strings, and as much as I can fit on the post for the wound strings. My strat tuners look just like this. I’ve been doing it that way for decades. But I never considered that it could make the string tree unnecessary.

What is interesting is that the end of the string is not in the hole. Isn’t that the point of the vintage tuners, that your string ends are neatly tucked away?

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

I dunno, I just do it the normal way and remove any surplus.
I don't think it really matters, but ymmv etc.

 

[FuzzyAce]

View attachment 54920

This is peak tuner

This was his secret all along!?

 

[Jarick]

It's wild how EJ's old boards look like something an 8 year old would put together compared to the LA Sound Design boards (who always does killer stuff).

 

[FuzzyAce]

It's wild how EJ's old boards look like something an 8 year old would put together compared to the LA Sound Design boards (who always does killer stuff).

I prefer his old boards tbh. They're more spread out and makes it easier to change/fix things in the heat of battle.

 

[metropolis_4]

I wonder if cartage expenses have something to do with the board changes.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Oh for sure, I just don't know if his preference for a different break angle is tone related or not.

On my Bacchus Strat w/ no string tree, if I don't give the B-string enough winds I can get a wonky sitar-like buzz/rattle even before using the trem. Nothing like this, mind you...that's kinda bonkers.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

On my Bacchus Strat w/ no string tree, if I don't give the B-string enough winds I can get a wonky sitar-like buzz/rattle even before using the trem. Nothing like this, mind you...that's kinda bonkers.

I had one of those Fender modern spec strats with no string tree which was the same. Even with enough winds it still wasn't great so when I'd gotten properly annoyed with it I added a string tree and after that it was fine.