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How to Sound Like Eric Johnson

Get a look at the gear and techniques that make EJ's ethereal tone possible.

Few guitarists can say the name “Eric Johnson” without taking a deep breath
and wondering aloud how the heck he gets his sound. Although Johnson is
known for his rock instrumental/experimental fretboard gymnastics, he is
also proficient in blues, soul, new-age and jazz fusion. Somehow, he weaves
elements of these genres (and a few more) into his playing, rising above
predictable pentatonic scales and, instead, sailing his melodic ship into
uncharted waters.

Though influences such as Hendrix and Beck are clear in his music, they
“dissolve” rather than melt into his sound. Johnson’s techniques are not new,
but they enamored millions of fans who made his 1990 album Ah Via
Musicom go platinum.

Here, a quick primer to Johnson's gear, technique and particular brand of jaw-
dropping je ne sais quoi.

THE GUITAR: STRATS, STRATS AND MORE STRATS

Anyone who has the pleasure of playing or (even better) owning an Eric
Johnson Artist model Fender Stratocaster will notice two distinct features: the
’57 hard “V” neck—refresh your knowledge of common neck shapes—and a
headstock without string trees. EJ felt the string tree messes with his guitar’s
tone, so he had them removed. Of course, this causes an “angle” problem in
that the strings are less anchored in the nut slots. To counter this, the guitar’s
headstock pitch was physically lowered, naturally descending the angle of the
strings and maintaining the instrument’s natural (and uninterrupted) sustain,
which is further enhanced by staggered tuners.

For strings, Johnson's gauge range—.010, .013, .018, .026, .038, .050—is
fairly close to what's available in Fender's Super 250RH Nickel-Plated Steel
Strings: .010, .013, .017, .032, .042, .052.

READ MORE: C-V-U? Which Neck Shape Is for You?

READ MORE: What Is a String Tree?
READ MORE: What Are Tuning Pegs and Why Are They so Important?
READ MORE: Go With the Grain: The Many Benefits of a Quartersawn Neck

THE TECHNIQUE: DOWNWARD PICKSLANTING

A technique often employed by players including Marty Friedman and Yngwie
Malmsteen, downward pickslanting is integral to Johnson's smooth dynamic
sound.

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