Such a lovely toy! 
by A.B. from Hillsboro, OR USA, July 2008
Music Background:  Hobbyist

This guitar is so beautiful in all appearance and sound. I got 2-tone sunburst one. Everything is absolutely perfect. I own Gibson LP standard with 60s neck and Fender American Deluxe QMT HSS, but I like EJ the most. I love the neck and body very much. It is very hard to put it down once you start playing it.

  Yes... 
by Aaron from Nashville, TN, April 2007
Music Background:  Pro Musician

In short, the best strat I've ever played... I had a 50's tele re-issue that I thought was a pretty decent guitar and when I got the EJ home, it just blew away the tele. The tele is cool, but I have a new #1 axe.. and I've been playing that tele for the last 5 years too. The breath of this guitar is just amazing... I was able to play 5 different EJ's and selected the one that most suited me. Be aware, there ARE differences between individual guitars.. I played one with hotter pickups then the others.. One that just didn't have the same amount of resonance, another that just didn't play "quite" as good to my hands... etc.
The thickly painted tele almost seemed more dead and dull sounding next to the clarity and sonic-width of this guitar...

I'm not an EJ fan by any means, just don't really know his music much.. but this is a quality vintage style guitar, period.

OK I bought it! 
by Dave Turner from Spokane, WA, August 2005

This is now my number 1 guitar. Custom shop quality without the pricetag. Excellent workmanship. Stunning to look at. Sounds awesome, well balanced tonally - love the pickups. Plays excellent. Everything works well. Wasn't sure I'd like the V neck profile but it felt familiar from the get-go. Love the lack of string tree(s) as this leaves one less place for the strings to hangup and go out of tune. Well thought out and made guitar. Eric Johnson, I'd say you designed a guitar player's guitar. I've drolled for years over the custom shop 50's and 60's reissues and with this guitar I get a 1957 based strat with new features while still very much retaining the vintage vibe. Highly recommended. You have to see it and play it to appreciate it fully (duh). Drop dead sexy!

e j strat 
by Terry from Michigan, August 2005

I own an Am Std strat, PRS, Gibson. Played an EJ strat. Sweet. Played it with a Clapton model. Two Erics, no waiting. The EJ blew the EC away (unless it was just a bad EC and since I'm now waiting on my 3rd set of Vintage Noiseless pickups (defective), that is possible). I didn't want to put the EJ down. The only question I had is the location of the truss rod adjustment. What do you have to do, remove the pick guard to adjust it? And quality. Don't know why you have to spend more money to get good quality from Fender and Gibson. The PRS I bought from Sweetwater was spot on out of the box. Other than that, I'll have to sell my Am Std and get the Eric Johnson. Now, do I want the candy apple red or the two tone....

EJ bridges, falling down... 
by Terry from Michigan, August 2005

I guess I should have bought that first EJ I reviewed earlier. It was perfect. I prefereed it to my Am Std or the Clapton Strat I played. But,I played two other EJs at Guitar Center recently. They both had defective bridges. One was totally missalligned. The other had a crooked screw and the high E string was almost off the fretboard. Unacceptable. I can't believe Fender let these two out of the plant. PRS would have cut them in half. I wonder if the perfectionist Mr. Johnson is aware of the quality issues with his "signature" axe? No wonder the Fender website has no "contact us" option. Come on, Fender. When even a US made "artist" strat is hit and miss, it's time to hire some QC guys. Fix it, Fender!

Nice one! 
by Dave Turner from Spoakne, WA, June 2005

I played this model at the local shop. This is a well thought out strat. It feels solid and playable and sounds great. Has the cosmetic appointments of a 50's model (strat that is). It really resonated with me and now I must have one.

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