Huge thank you to Eric Johnson for coming by to hang out and show off his beautiful Virginia Strat! Like, comment, and subscribe for more great artist interviews like this one 🤘

Eric Johnson is just one of those players that I love everything he plays

Mitch is just hands down one of the best interviewers in the guitar world. Well informed, classy, chill.

This guy should be considered a National treasure and be protected at all cost.

I always marvel at how thoughtful and well-spoken Eric is.

He's more chilled than Snoop Dog after a blunt.

I love that Eric Johnson never lost his sound. It still sounds like a "sound from the 80s" Guitar.

Did you know sassafras roots are used to make rootbeer? And did you know that EJ likes arpeggios and pedals on the root note?

Its amazing that he can play in such a familiar way but at the same time, never says the exact same lick twice.

one day Mitch is working with Steve Vai, the next he's got Eric Johnson.......what a job!

Great questions and awesome responses! Very cool stuff

Finally somebody interested in asking about relief action etc of the player !! That is as important as the gear itself. People always forget that.

My all time favorite player

We saw Eric in Toronto just a few days ago. Incredible playing, and Virginia sounded wonderful 💚💛

I have actually been looking at EJ Strats. Excited to see this!

I love listening to Eric explain his reasoning behind the guitar design cues and his interests and motivations "wind at your back". "pixels". I appreciate Eric's dedication to his craft and highly respect it - I did not even start talking about his playing yet - what does that tell you? What a great musician.

Even when he "noodles" around, the sound is breathtaking!

EJ is amazing... it's wild to me how deep he is into the details of the pots, etc., in his instruments. I guess when you're EJ, you have the leisure (and support from instrument manufacturers, etc.) to really get into that stuff in depth.

Now I have 2 favorite stratocaster sounds the original from the early years and the late 70's of course Eric Johnson and Ritchie Blackmore ( even Ritchie mentioned on a Interview talking about his favorites guitar players and Eric was one of the huge list .

An HS2 but only the top coil works, a 500K pot, degraded down to 400 "something", a different saddle for the high E....THIS KID'S JUST A FREAK !!!

We can all learn something from EJ; an example that I really like is: despite his incredible chops, you can tell he treats each note with importance; he doesn't rush; he wants each note to sound beautiful. How many of us consistently do that?

EJ is the best and worst reviewer; he makes every guitar sounding great, and he can make wood plank sounding great. True enjoyment!

I saw his first show of this tour - Salt Lake City. Awesome show, great sound and there is nothing like his virtuosity.

I just don't think he's relaxed enough

Great release and a TREMENDOUS player!!! Thanks Mitch for a great video!!!

What a beautiful Strat. He looks positively baked, too.

@17:12 the question of all questions. Thank you to this interviewer and to EJ for answering. Now I can sleep at night

Interesting watching this today. This was just weeks, days even, before COVID smacked us all around.

such a beautiful guitar!

Met Eric at this las (2020) Namm. Very gentle and humble guy. I’m more of a Les Paul guy. Even lucky enough to be sponsored by Gibson. But I’ve always loved 54 strats. And now that Eric has a signature 54 coming out I know exactly what I’m buying.

It's pretty strange to see that one solid saddle for the high-E when the rest are just stamped.

Mitch is on adderall as usual and Eric just got done meditating. 😂

Man I'd love to see him live.

With all the affiliate marketers and shady drop shippers sweet water year after year provides a valuable service to those of us looking to build up our music studios with quality equipment that we can feel comfortable knowing we're buying exactly what we're looking for you got my support for sure

Great interview! Eric is really something else. God bless EJ.

Ray Romano and Eric Johnson are morphing into the same person.

D'addario Pure Nickel strings now! This is interesting.

I love EJ’s playing. 🎸👍 Do we really need another EJ Strat. 🤔

Totally epic I wish these had been done lefty :)

A relaxed EJ.

I spy with my little eyes that Eric Johnson has a different high E saddle on his tremolo. Cheers!

It's hard to discount anything EJ says about those little things that add up given his results.

"Sassafrash"

Imma gone have to check if my Strat is an SD, HD or 4K or 8K sound resolution. :-) Eric's analogy does make sense....

Wow sassafras Wood Was What my Granddad Would use for A Belly Ace Back in the Day I love the Smell of the Wood A Guitar you Can Boil for Tea That's Great Thanks For the video 🎸🎹🎻💟☮

Well done interview. So he’s abandoned his thinline signature Strat? So interesting to hear about all the small tweaks done that make his tone.

Yeah Yeah 😆 Love Eric

That High E saddle is bugging my eye

I sure wish Squier would make an Eric Johnson model.

What was the string gauge sizes of the original 2005 EJ strat.

Is that string tree supposed to be wonky like that?

So why the different high E saddle?

sassafras has a slighter lighter density to ash (lighter density means less grains don't it?)..so i don't know about the pixel analogy..maybe more to do with that bridge pickup..

Are guitar channels reading my mind? Yes, yes they are.

It's the Fender version of the Ibanez Root Beer Jem.

How does wood has headroom? I love EJ, but I really don't get it...

does this guitar come with a real tweed case or one like his others that are a replica vinyl?

Wow, has he always used 500k pots on his strats?

Is the high E saddle different?

the interesting thing is that Johnson changes his guitar but the timbre sounds the same, you can't understand what an amazing thing

Can you buys this set of pickups?

EJ looks exhausted...I hope he's well.

Sounds good. Although I have to say copy get lost

4 springs. Not 5. only 4. WTF.

Why Dimarzio HS-2 pickups??? Yuk!

Why do they always make a guitar that's just like this one of mine but with a few changes??? Lmfao!!!

Eric Johnson (born August 17, 1954) ……

I have to say i don't like Eric's tine any more. It isn't the same. It is too fuzzy and sharp. Not sweet and liquidy anymore.

All of this talk about this and that making things better and his tone is not even close to the amazing huge warm tone of his Austin City Limits days, in the clean, dirty rhythm and lead tones...he doesn't dig in now like he did in the past, and that affects the tone too

Hm, he's not his usual aggressive, braggadocious rock star self.

Jeez chill out Eric......

Lmao the bs tone wood!

It’s more exactly like my guitar😂. So stupid! So much BS!

Just no songs besides the instrumental that is popular. I like his work with playing with Christopher cross however.

He can not play as fast and precise as before, he was like a machine that put bonamassa to shame but he is still a legend on my top - 10. By the way, that new Strat sounds sterile like shit, the real - 54 is so much better.

Eric Johnson's new guitar is also coated in snake oil

By hand ? the custom shop uses cnc machines they cut the bodies and necks on a cnc machine.. The ones building them by hand were driven out of business lets get real here shall we ? Id love to see just one master builder shape one by hand and a matter of fact ill bring my tools and we can do them side by side and see who shapes what by hand... Does Lance Keltner shape fake les pauls by hand Eric ? or is he just building fake dumble amps now ? I gotta catch my breath from laughing so hard. Now See Allan Will told me George Fullerton told you both in front of Leo that was spruce .. Now its Sassafras Come on now lets get real.... You remember when I was shaping them by Hand Eric ? You should I bet Lance Keltner remembers he destroyed my business...See I dont forget a thing.. Ask Scott Lentz about Keltner If you recall Fender sued Lentz that kinda blew up in their face didnt it While Keltner was having Lentz crank fake after fake out ... Fender sued Lentz on account of Lance Keltner that should bring your memory back at 10,000 miles an hour. The ones that hand shaped guitars Eric were driven out of business when that happened someone picked up that phone and called Legal at Fender you got a good idea who that was now ? Ask Scott Lentz about hand shaping fender guitars for Lance Keltner and you can ask Tony Nobles about the fake les pauls he was making and selling right there in Austin Tx Keltner was having them made and selling them You remember Lance Keltner dont you Eric ?