Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: Crazy_Joe on June 15, 2007, 09:24:47 PM

Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Crazy_Joe on June 15, 2007, 09:24:47 PM
As a metalhead i don't really listen to much lighter guitar playing, apart from a bit of Hendrix etc.
Though recently i have discovered Eric Johnson and he is pure quality!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08oVRtpjQLw&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL8aeeSTthQ

He has a great tone, especially when he boosts for solos.
I've been learning/trying to learn ( :P ) Manhattan today and it's really cool to play.

Anyone else like his playing? and is there anyone similar to him which i would like?
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: indysmith on June 16, 2007, 12:09:31 PM
i picked up the VHS of that G3 off of the market the other day for a quid - i could send it your way if yu like?
Great player. rubbish performer :P
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: gingataff on June 16, 2007, 12:49:04 PM
Beautiful playing and great tone. It's actually not so hard to get his sound; use the bridge pickup, roll down the tone most of the way and use a fuzz pedal, it gets really smooth and warm. His playing is more tricky though, it's mostly pentatonics but with some notes stolen from Holdsworth 8)
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Tarzan on June 16, 2007, 01:36:25 PM
I've got the DVD of that gig, as Indysmith says, great player, rubbish performer.

In the songs all three of them do at the end of the gig, you can barely hear Vai's guitar though, which was dissapointing.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: dave_mc on June 16, 2007, 03:10:06 PM
EJ is one of my favourite players. His touch, feel aand tone are exquisite.

Man, he's awesome.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Jp. on June 16, 2007, 03:31:47 PM
Dont really dig his music.....

Really respect his playing....

Absolutely LOVE his Sig Stratocaster!!!! man what a guitar to play.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: maliciousteve on June 17, 2007, 01:44:18 PM
Ah Via Musicom, Venus Isle and the live G3 cd is some of Johnsons best recorded stuff. Amazing player. Seriously underated too
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: dave_mc on June 17, 2007, 03:25:16 PM
^ yeah.

oh yeah, for someone similar to EJ, neil zaza might be worth a look. Not really too similar, but "i'm alright" (it's on youtube) reminds me a wee bit of cliffs of dover.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Simon D on June 17, 2007, 07:26:11 PM
Never used to like EJ's stuff when I was younger, too into Satch and Vai, but in the last few years as my tastes have become broader, I've listened to him quite a lot. His stuff is very tasteful, and he has a great ear for tone, even if he is a little anal about it sometimes.

And his sig Strat is a really good guitar - a friend has one and I could not put it down when he let me try it. The only thing that stopped me buying one was the laquered neck and fretboard.

Oh, and the £1200 price tag...
Title: Re: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Johnny Mac on June 17, 2007, 07:56:22 PM
Quote from: Crazy_Joe
As a metalhead i don't really listen to much lighter guitar playing, apart from a bit of Hendrix etc.
Though recently i have discovered Eric Johnson and he is pure quality!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08oVRtpjQLw&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL8aeeSTthQ

He has a great tone, especially when he boosts for solos.
I've been learning/trying to learn ( :P ) Manhattan today and it's really cool to play.

Anyone else like his playing? and is there anyone similar to him which i would like?


Have a listen to some of Joe Walsh's solo stuff, he is a great player too with somegood songs.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: DeanS on June 17, 2007, 09:21:37 PM
As a guitarist I do love all things guitar from metal thro' blues to ballad stuff- and yes EJ is a class act..............
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: HTH AMPS on June 17, 2007, 09:56:06 PM
I've heard EJ play much better than in that Red House jam - Satriani takes the prize on that one for tone, phrasing and feel.

checkout Vai ripping it up here (and feeling MUCH more at home than on that blues jam)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35ft52fOiGQ&mode=related&search=
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: maliciousteve on June 17, 2007, 10:06:40 PM
Quote from: Simon D
Never used to like EJ's stuff when I was younger, too into Satch and Vai, but in the last few years as my tastes have become broader, I've listened to him quite a lot. His stuff is very tasteful, and he has a great ear for tone, even if he is a little anal about it sometimes.

And his sig Strat is a really good guitar - a friend has one and I could not put it down when he let me try it. The only thing that stopped me buying one was the laquered neck and fretboard.

Oh, and the £1200 price tag...


One of the best strats I've ever played. Incredibly resonant, comfortable and just wow. The laquer on the fretboard and neck is common on all fender strats but the layer is so thin on the EJ strats that it will wear in very quickly and look cool.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Philly Q on June 17, 2007, 10:49:00 PM
Quote from: indysmith
Great player. rubbish performer :P

He's a lot better if you see him in his own right - I don't think G3 totally suited him, he's a much more reserved character than Satch or Vai.

His albums are really good, but he's famously obsessive about tone and, I think, the records often end up sounding too slick and overproduced.  Tones and Ah Via Musicom are great, and the Alien Love Child - Live And Beyond album is live and more raw.

For another fantastic player who doesn't exactly sound like Eric Johnson, but has some of that sophisticated blues-meets-jazz feel, check out Robben Ford.  He's done loads of albums, but the ones by Robben Ford and the Blue Line are a bit more accessible for rock fans.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: JamesHealey on June 20, 2007, 01:24:19 PM
bit unsure about EJ, I like some of his stuff though he's a great player.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: jt on June 20, 2007, 03:15:11 PM
:D EJ is a great player. Great tone & blinding note selection. As for other great tone type players i have to agree with Robben Ford as a player you should track down excellent !

 :D  8)
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Crazy_Joe on June 20, 2007, 11:47:42 PM
I'll get on these recommendations asap, cheers!!
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: broken cord on June 21, 2007, 02:24:08 AM
As most on this forum are from the UK, EJ is one of the guitar greats we have. Do not underestimate his tone it is not an easy accomplishments to acheive.
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: Crazy_Joe on June 21, 2007, 02:35:09 PM
Yeah i heard he is a real tone whore :lol:
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: jt on June 21, 2007, 04:17:47 PM
:D He`s insperation for playing is his tone. Hence the fact that his a tone freak.

 :D  8)
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: maliciousteve on June 21, 2007, 09:49:21 PM
durracell batteries are the core of his tone  :lol:
Title: Eric Johnson fans
Post by: shaman on June 23, 2007, 01:34:40 AM
EJ-king of tone..loves that "octave displacement" stuff-I have found that I can get close to EJ thru zero-ing on the reverb-when you find it,you will know it(thanks to TC Electronics for helping me get there... 8) )