After years of painstaking research and design, the Eric Johnson Stratocaster¨ has finally arrived. Designed with Eric by Custom Shop guru Michael Frank-Braun, this beauty is based on a '57, and combines the best of vintage design with modern electronics technology.
The '57-style, 2-piece alder body has an ultra-thin, Custom Shop-quality nitrocellulose lacquer finish that results in better resonance. Johnson opted for a one-piece, quartersawn maple neck with a 12" radius that's finished with a thin-skinned glossy lacquer and vintage tint. 19 prototype pickups were created before Johnson found the tone he was looking for. The Custom Shop-modified single coils use a new wire material for the magnets. Johnson and Braun also included one of Eric's most famous Strat¨ modifications by wiring the tone controls to the neck and bridge pickups, instead of the standard neck/middle tone configuration of most Strats. This guitar is tonal perfection thanks to the discerning ear of one of the best players to ever pick up an axe. And it's pleasing to the eye as well, with it's large arm contour, '57-style pickguard and shallow pickup cavities, plus thin headstock with vintage tuners. Unbelievable Custom Shop quality in a production axe. Thanks Fender, this one was well worth the wait!