Modification Monday: Fender Eric Johson Stratocaster

It never fails.

Every time I spend more than pocket change on a guitar, I say to myself "I'll never change a thing. It was designed this way for a reason, and I shall therefore keep it that way."

The Eric Johnson Stratocaster took this credo to a new level.  I mean, Eric Johnson is considered THE tone nut, and the entire guitar was designed by him (apparently).  Heck, you can't even buy these pickups separately, and when they show up on the used market, they fetch ridiculous prices.

Here's the thing though - I am not Eric Johnson, and "it" never fails.

"Don't hurt me!"

What Never Fails? Puppies with bionic legs?

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I say I'll never change a guitar but eventually the scalpel comes out, because it could be better.  And dammit, we will make it better. 

Imagine you just got a puppy.  You love your puppy, and would never do anything to hurt it, but after 3 years, you're pretty sure your puppy would be way better with bionic legs. 

You know - Bionics.  From the Greek.  For kick ass?

So sure, your puppy got bionic puppy legs, but we're not going to send it to the glue factory either (my farm animal analogies get confused sometimes). Win win if you ask me.

Changing the look

The first thing to go was the pickguard.  White on white is simple and elegant, but my first guitar was white "E-Series" Squier Strat with a black pickguard, and by golly this guitar screamed for a black guard. I ordered one from Warmoth.com - a 3 ply (B/W/B) 8 hole.  Not traditional, what with 8 holes typically being the single ply guards of the '50s, but I wanted 3 ply.

I made a mistake though, forgetting that the EJ Strat had counter-sunk screws.  This was an option I didn't check, so the pickup screws look a little wonky on close inspection, but I can live, and love, little idiosyncrasies like that.

Black Guarded.

Pickups

Even on his vintage Stratocasters, Eric Johnson swaps out his bridge pickup, typically with a Dimarzio HS-2. The reason? Stratocaster bridge pickups suck, and he knows it.  So can someone please explain to me why his signature Stratocaster has this weak ass bridge pickup?!?!?

Look, I get him having this "vintage correct" thing about his signature guitar, but it's pointless.  Eventually, I too began the search for an appropriate bridge pickup, confident that if EJ himself swapped it out, I probably wasn't crazy.

I wanted something bigger than tha HS-2, so I went with the Dimarzio Tone Zone S.  The reason? I wanted HB sounds, and recall that Fender had a Hot Rod '50s Stratocaster with this very pickup in the bridge. Something about having a "super versatile" guitar.  Sultans of Swing to Panama on the same guitar.  Good enough for me.

 

Results?  Love it.  Can't recommend that pickup enough, so long as you want a bridge that is really just a big old slap in the face.  Subtle it is not. Had a friend say "that is not a Strat".

Anyone want to buy an EJ bridge pickup?  Just the bridge.  Crickets?  Thought so.

Next on the agenda?  I'm toying with the idea of throwing in a brass block from Guitarfetish.com after the success of the switch in the Blacktop, but other than that I'm happy.

I do have one complaint about this guitar though, and we probably have Mr. Eric Johnson to thank.  Being true to a 1950s Strat design means the truss rod adjustment is done at the neck heel.  If you're not savvy, that means you have to TAKE THE NECK OFF TO ADJUST THE TRUSS ROD!!!

Vintage is cool, but not when vintage means "obviously stupid design".  Thanks Mr. Johnson.

That walnut insert is a cold reminder that it could be better.