Eric Johnson Tone - How to get it? - GuitarTalk Community

james62 · 2010-07-01T12:03:25+00:00

I've recently been getting back to my old Eric Johnson CD's and I'm just constantly amazed at his solo tone. ? I own an Eric Johnson Strat too but my tone...

Eric Johnson Tone - How to get it?

james62

Arjun Menon wrote: Hey James, firstly, great topic and conversation starter. Which EJ solo tone are you specifically looking for?
Tones, Souvenir, Seven Worlds, Ah via musicom, Venus Isle, Live in Austin or Bloom? Each of these albums have different tones.

A great place to start is http://www.guitargeek.com/rigview/588/

Good reference! Thanks!

I've got every album there is including about 10 bootlegs, but I have to say that "Manhattan" off the Venus Isle album is probably the one for me at this point in time (as some would say on TV)

If I can get THAT one I wouldn't worry about the recession no more! ?

MoJo-JoJoe

I'm not a fan of EJ, but I took a listen to that track and I'd say you need some way to soften the attack (compressor with attack turned way down) and cascading gains (something like a Tubescreamer into a heavily distorted amp with mids and tops turned up and presence turned down quite low). You should be able to get something like that from your RP1000, but analogue pedals (Keeley Compressor->TS9->Crunchbox) into a clean Fender amp would be where I'd start. Then of course on top of all that you need to add some nice reverb and light delay. Don't forget a cocked-wah to get into some of his other tones from this basic setup. Then use bridge/middle pickup selection and roll off tone pot to taste; and use the volume pot to clean up or saturate as needed.

Of course I do realise that EJ is revered for his tone and there's no way you'd cop his tone easily even with the same gear he has ... and we're not even going there ... but I think you could get into the ballpark.

singemonkey

I'm sitting with an interview with him in an '89 guitar mag. Now I'm no fan, but I do respect his take on getting the sound you want.

"To me, though, it's a cumulative thing. To get my sound, there are certain prerequisites. It's not so much that one thing is going to make a difference, but if I do all three or four of them, it will make a substantial difference in sound. So I try to do these integral cumulative things to add up to a sum. In fact, you know how guitar sounds fluctuate? One day it will sound one way and the next day it will sound different. I've found, through my own experience, that it has to do with all these variables every time you set your rig up. If you have the same way of doing it all the time, you can home in on a consistent sound."

What I take from this: forget trying to simulate his rig with inferior components (Dumble simulating pedals and stuff.) Would EJ do that? No ways. If he had to start all over again with a different guitar, and different amps, he'd build a completely different rig that nonetheless sounded just as good. As he says, it's from refining the rig he's working with until it's perfect.

So if you start with a decent guitar, and (more importantly) a decent amp, and you learn to listen like he does, you'll get a tone that would make EJ smile - even if it might be different to his. He put his rig through an evolutionary algorithm - he allowed minor mutations to a very standardised setup and then, if a mutation made it sound better, it stayed, if it didn't, it went. His tone is so good, simply because of the obsessiveness with which he was prepared to do this.

This may not be the answer you're looking for. But as a non-fan, I found his insights from his tone obsession fascinating. And yet it was obvious that it wasn't about one particular set up. It was simply the culmination of a basic starting point (Strat into a Marshall for example), doing it the same every time, with slight variations. The man bred great tone like it was a fancy chicken.

evolucian

I think Eric Johnson is one of the worst players, terrible tone, terrible strat... and the guy plays country like Chet and Gatton... what a loser. His hands must fall off now to save himself further embarassment.

That being said, I do like his cables. They are nice and... cabley.

Good luck with the tone thing thing. His video he made a long while back he demo'd his setup. Although it was brief. Probably cos he knew no one would make it sound like him... selfish bastard... hands... floor... now

BMU

evolucian wrote: I think Eric Johnson is one of the worst players, terrible tone, terrible strat...

LOL!!! Is that sarcastic? 'Cos I hate his tone too but I'm used to being the odd-one-out, uncultured philistine.

I hate that his tone doesn't "get" there. It's pretty but it has no edge, it frustrates the stuffing out of me listening to him. I want to grab him and shake him and scream "YOU CAN PLAY, SO ROCK OUT ALREADY" (The Richard Clayderman of Strat players ? )

That said, no disrespect to the OP on his tone quest. To each his own, many people obviously do revere his tone so I hope you get there!

[deleted]

Hahahaha, he's elevator muzak, for sure.

evolucian

BMU wrote:
LOL!!! Is that sarcastic? 'Cos I hate his tone too but I'm used to being the odd-one-out, uncultured philistine.

I hate that his tone doesn't "get" there. It's pretty but it has no edge, it frustrates the stuffing out of me listening to him. I want to grab him and shake him and scream "YOU CAN PLAY, SO ROCK OUT ALREADY" (The Richard Clayderman of Strat players ? )

That said, no disrespect to the OP on his tone quest. To each his own, many people obviously do revere his tone so I hope you get there!

Nah, it was sarcasm... Eric's cool

james62

Woah! So it appears that almost everyone hates RJ! ?

If I criticize him it would be to say that although his solo phrasing is unique it is that he uses those solo passages over and over and repeats the same thing up the neck, then down again, then up again, then down again, albeit through various chord changes. It can get boring hearing the same thing over and over.

However! He's obviously a loud player, which I like, and he loves feedback, which I like, and he can play nice lines like in the song Manhattan, which I like!

I've recently installed a set of Tonerider Classic Blues pups into a mid 80's Vintage Jap Strat (re-profiled to 12" radius) and I tell you this baby plays the Fender EJ Strat into the ground in terms of tone, balance, action and feel.

Last night I plugged it through an MXR Classic Fuzz, then through an old Digitech ME unit (using only the delay & graphic in line) and started messing with the EQ. I have to thank MoJo JoJoe for his insights and ideas! Then from the Digitech it went into the Marshall's clean channel (with crunch "on") and the volumes pre and post on 4 respectively. Loud!

I set the eq like this:
80HZ = -5db
140hz = unity
250hz = unity
450hz = +2db
800hz = -4db
1.5K = +3db
2.5k = +3db
4.5k = unity
8k = -5db
15k= -5db

Not bad at all! :dance:

AlanRatcliffe

I like his tones, but his music doesn't really grab me. Watching his Total Electric Guitar video one thing struck me though: he discusses how different players play certain things, his tone changes to suit - all from how his fingers and how he plays.

Warren

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: ...Watching his Total Electric Guitar video one thing struck me though: he discusses how different players play certain things, his tone changes to suit - all from how his fingers and how he plays.

John Wheatcroft from Guitar Techniques is always going on about how the single most defining feature of good tone is the proper use of technique. I'm sort of only really beginning to understand what he means by that.

tonerider

james62 wrote: Woah! So it appears that almost everyone hates RJ! ?

If I criticize him it would be to say that although his solo phrasing is unique it is that he uses those solo passages over and over and repeats the same thing up the neck, then down again, then up again, then down again, albeit through various chord changes. It can get boring hearing the same thing over and over.

However! He's obviously a loud player, which I like, and he loves feedback, which I like, and he can play nice lines like in the song Manhattan, which I like!

I've recently installed a set of Tonerider Classic Blues pups into a mid 80's Vintage Jap Strat (re-profiled to 12" radius) and I tell you this baby plays the Fender EJ Strat into the ground in terms of tone, balance, action and feel.

Last night I plugged it through an MXR Classic Fuzz, then through an old Digitech ME unit (using only the delay & graphic in line) and started messing with the EQ. I have to thank MoJo JoJoe for his insights and ideas! Then from the Digitech it went into the Marshall's clean channel (with crunch "on") and the volumes pre and post on 4 respectively. Loud!

I set the eq like this:
80HZ = -5db
140hz = unity
250hz = unity
450hz = +2db
800hz = -4db
1.5K = +3db
2.5k = +3db
4.5k = unity
8k = -5db
15k= -5db

Not bad at all! :dance:

Hi James62,

We have a lot in common, without even referring to the Tonerider Classic Blues, which I see you like a lot and is indeed a good set to have to chase Eric Johnson's tone. I really love his tone too, especially on Desert Rose from the Ah Via Musicom album. The last solo section gives me goosebumps every time I hear the feedback parts - so you're not alone out there as a fan!

May I ask which Digitech ME you're using? Your EQ bands seems identical to my old 2120 Valve Artist. The graphics and the valve pre-amp is the reason why I'm still using mine. Unsurpassed even today, and its situated post input valves. The MXR can play a major part in getting a good Eric Johnson tone too.

Your EQ looks good and you roll off 8K to -8db and 15k all the way down to the lowest setting. You can even take 4.5k down to -2db as an experiment, but play around with this and write things down.
I'd like to hear more about what you're doing there! ?

(PS: He can get a bit much with those repetitive scale patterns though!)

james62

AndreM wrote: We have a lot in common, without even referring to the Tonerider Classic Blues, which I see you like a lot and is indeed a good set to have to chase Eric Johnson's tone. I really love his tone too, especially on Desert Rose from the Ah Via Musicom album. The last solo section gives me goosebumps every time I hear the feedback parts - so you're not alone out there as a fan!

May I ask which Digitech ME you're using? Your EQ bands seems identical to my old 2120 Valve Artist. The graphics and the valve pre-amp is the reason why I'm still using mine. Unsurpassed even today, and its situated post input valves. The MXR can play a major part in getting a good Eric Johnson tone too.

Your EQ looks good and you roll off 8K to -8db and 15k all the way down to the lowest setting. You can even take 4.5k down to -2db as an experiment, but play around with this and write things down.
I'd like to hear more about what you're doing there! ?

Aah, Mr Tonerider himself. Hi!

Firstly, I love the Classic Blues set, just a pity I didn't wait for the sale. ?

The Digitech is a model 2112, from 1997 I think. I bought it from eBay complete with the foot controller for $310. It's amazing! Mine has the new eprom upgrade pre-fitted which makes it identical to the Valve Artist 2120.

I have edited a bit and applied your suggested eq settings too, and my EJ tone is closer. I added a bit of the 2112's analogue delay and plate reverb (very subtly) and with the suggestions of others here are getting a lot closer to an "authentic" Eric Johnson tone. A softer touch and loads of gain helps too.

dan77

+1 on Eric Johnson's Desert Rose. ? I've just downloaded (dare I say that here) the album Ah Via Musicom today and boy there's some good stuff here. It's dated now and it may be a bit indulgent - but its frighteningly awesome playing none the less!

You can hear it's single coils he's playing with. I have set of Classic Blues too and this seems like a good exercise in tone.

Just wondering whether one of these Digitech units might be for sale! :? I've actually heard "Mr Tonerider" playing his 2120 and was amazing, but then again, it was in the "right" hands. I've never seen another one locally. As far as I know that one was specially imported for him.

tonerider

james62 wrote: I have edited a bit and applied your suggested eq settings too, and my EJ tone is closer. I added a bit of the 2112's analogue delay and plate reverb (very subtly) and with the suggestions of others here are getting a lot closer to an "authentic" Eric Johnson tone. A softer touch and loads of gain helps too.

I thought that EQ setup looked familiar! ? And you're right, the e-prom mod makes your 2112 the same as mine.

The Classic Blues is a great set to use as a starting point for an Eric Johnson tone. In fact you don't even need the MXR. Why not use the great tube saturation distortions in the 2112 itself. Since you're using true single coils always remember to activate and set the Noise Gate up nicely, so that you don't lose long sustains and feedback (fast attack, long decay).

Your amp EQ is also important. Nowadays younger guitarists seem to be fixated with mid-scoop and waaay unnatural low end that sucks all the tone out of a good guitar sound. Get rid of everything below 120Hz and there's also no need for any boosting beyond the 6-8KHz mark. Good tone is all about the mid frequencies!

Good luck!

dan77 wrote: Just wondering whether one of these Digitech units might be for sale! :? I've actually heard "Mr Tonerider" playing his 2120 and was amazing, but then again, it was in the "right" hands. I've never seen another one locally. As far as I know that one was specially imported for him.

Unless I'm a bit thick or egotistical I take it you gave me a compliment - Thanks! My 2120 was indeed imported after reading reviews in a guitar magazine in the late 1990's. It's hard to replace, what with the two 12AX7's in the pre-amp section, fantastic EQ and the dedicated foot controller.

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