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Is Eric Johnson a liar?

PatentAppliedFor

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Nov 12, 2001
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And then the scoop from his own website:

Eric has used predominately Marshall and Fender Amps over the years.

From Mariani on, he has used vintage 100 Watt Marshall Heads with 4X12 Cabinets along with Fender Twin Reverb Amps. During the 70's, he also used a Hiwatt 100-watt head and a Mark One Boogie Head.

During the Electromagnets period he was using a one amp setup. After the recording of Tones, he went to a three amp setup with Twins for a clean rhythm sound, the Dumble for a dirty rhythm sound and Marshalls for solos.

He used a Dumble Head in the late 80's and early 90's. He dropped the Dumble in the early 90's after a power supply died, going to a two amp setup.

Lately, he has been using Deluxe Reverbs and 50 watt Marshalls. He has used so many different setups it's impossible to go into every one. We want to keep that option open to keep you coming back. He has stated he is trying to slim down the size of his rig.
 

plaintop

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Jul 15, 2001
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I'm the only one around here that will blast this guy. It's no surprise he has bad management and or agents. Also, it's no secret, he dosen't use anything manufactured before 1970.

Personally, I think his live tone on the G3 DVD is awful. It's so muffled and delayed. He has all that vintage horsepower up there and it sounds like he's plugged into a Crate. I don't get it. Must just be me.

:wtf
 

Marshallhead

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Jul 19, 2001
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Ill blast with ya PT59- What does he use live? Old amps.Who cares about the studio-You aint even close to the original sound when mixed,processed,blended and whatever the fuck else they do at production time.

I thought his tone on the G3 disc I have is exactly like PT described-muffled.

I have respect for the man as a player although I dont really listen to him much anymore. I loved his lead tone on "Cliffs of Dover" but not the rythm tone. I like "Righteous" as well. I dont see the big thing with his sound though. Give me Still got the blues era Gary Moore anyday.
 

Rev.WillieVK

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plaintop59 said:
Personally, I think his live tone on the G3 DVD is awful. It's so muffled and delayed. He has all that vintage horsepower up there and it sounds like he's plugged into a Crate. I don't get it. Must just be me. :wtf
I saw him on that tour, in front of the hometown crowd. His tone DID suck - it sounded like his amps were under a 1000 pound pile of dirty laundry.
There were rumors that on that tour Vai and Satriani were backstage turning down/messing with his amps while he was on stage.
I like EJ best when he plays melodically with some treble in the sound. Ah Via Musicom is a masterwork! However he sometimes likes to wallow in that mud sound...
 

ElTigre

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Jim Barth

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I walked out of a club a couple years ago after listening to him for about 1/2 hour.

Obviously, he is a major talent, he just did not trip my trigger (not that night at least).
 

Stroker Ace

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Jun 6, 2002
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I saw him live last year. His tone was all (like everyone else has said) muffled and sounded like shit. He was always bending over and messing with his foot pedals and messing with his rack through out the whole show. He messed with his gear more than he playd the guitar and it never seemed to improve anything. Derek Trucks opened for him and and put on a killer show. He just pluged in and let it rip! Derek should have been headlining that show. Him and his band had it together.
 
Last edited:

Gazza

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Nov 13, 2001
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He's okay,I kind of enjoyed that show "Nash Bridges".............oh wait that was Don Johnson,who then is Eric Johnson?:lol2 :lolspin
 

burstone

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Apr 5, 2002
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plaintop59 said:
I'm the only one around here that will blast this guy. It's no surprise he has bad management and or agents. Also, it's no secret, he dosen't use anything manufactured before 1970.

Personally, I think his live tone on the G3 DVD is awful. It's so muffled and delayed. He has all that vintage horsepower up there and it sounds like he's plugged into a Crate. I don't get it. Must just be me.

:wtf

Umm... Can I have the poster, then, Brian? :lol1
 

Mark Kane

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Jul 18, 2001
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My guess is that Eric is basically just a nice guy trying to help these builders out. The amps they're building are all nice work and at the time who's to say it wasn't the "best new amp" he'd heard. I can appreciate him as a guitar player and some of his tones are great. Whether you dig or appreciate all the tones he gets or not the guy walks on glass practically to get them.
 

PatentAppliedFor

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Nov 12, 2001
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I've got it!


*All* amps are the best Eric's heard cuz he uses so much shit in front of em, they *all* sound the same to him!

:lolspin
 
W

Wizard of Ozz

Guest
Eric is definitely a Marshall/Fender guy...despite other things you may read. ;)
 

plaintop

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Jul 15, 2001
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PatentAppliedFor said:
I've got it!


*All* amps are the best Eric's heard cuz he uses so much shit in front of em, they *all* sound the same to him!

:lolspin

No kidding, have you seen that pedal board. I thought it was a flipped over car ramp. :lol
 

badtone

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May 1, 2002
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I agree with alot that's been said, but the best live tone I ever experienced was EJ in Houston, at Rockefeller's, in ~92. I was side stage, table right behind the PA, six feet from his two Marshalls - when he kicked in lead I was engulfed in pure Plexi Super Lead tone. Oh, That was good. He is a weird dude, no doubt, but that night was magic.
 

plaintop

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I would like to be "engulphed in pure Plexi Super Lead tone". :dude
 
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