software

WTF?

Help me out here...

I'm not really an Eric Johnson fan or anything, I don't like Strat's that much and I'm soooo not a fan of sunburst but here I go again! Walked into GC to buy a box of strings and while perusing the floor I spotted an EJ stuffed between a slew of mexicasters and placed WAY high...out of reach of the kiddies.

After getting a quot;broquot; to get it down I took it back to the acoustic room for a while so I could get the vibe of what it sounded like unplugged and finally decided to plug it in...so I found an AC30 amp; dimed the beast. Holy crap man...I'm really not into Strats because I always feel like I'm imitating Jimi amp; SRV but I REALLY liked this one and felt like ME. It's practically perfect...from the neck shape to the pickup to pickup balance and even acoustically it's all there. Harmonics leaped without effort, it had BALLZ and shimmer, really it's everything I've ever wanted from a Strat. After an hour of wheelin' amp; dealin' and talking to just about everyone who worked there I left a deposit and said quot;See 'ya Thursday!quot;

So here's the thing...I have two Strats that I dig but don't LOVE. Don't get me wrong, they're great paddles otherwise I wouldn't own them. But I'm not in love with 'em 'ya know? There's the '62 reissue that's FS in my sig, I love the way it plays but notes on the the B amp; E don't really leap out and it's something with the guitar, not a pickup thing...maybe saddles? The other one is a weird quot;American Standardquot; with a '95 serial number amp; a December '94 stamp on the neck amp; body, it sounds GREAT but the neck is too thin for me. I say it's quot;weirdquot; because it's Candy Apple Red and that wasn't a stock color in '95 OR '94. When I worked retail long ago in a galaxy far far away...the Fender rep seemed to think that it was painted amp; assembled by the Custom Shop for a NAMM show, most likely to introduce a new color. It's a super light two piece body amp; the red is sprayed over silver so it's totally stock, plus I've owned it since '96 and I have the case amp; tags.

Here's the deal...I can trade in both of my Strat's and walk out the door with the EJ for $500, shell out $1000 or call the whole thing off. I was stoked on the deal when I left but after getting home and playing my two Strats back to back with memories of the EJ...

I dunno...

I could use some outside opinions here. What's your take?

If you don't use your strats much, sell them on ebay or something and get the eric johnson strat. If you still play the strats and you don't think the eric can replace them, don't go ahead, you'll probably end up regretting it.

Let me put it to you this way...

You know it when you meet the love of your life, or at least, I did. I KNEW that she was the woman for me. There were others, but they all had something that just didn't trip my trigger. They were all special in their own kind of way, but they didn't grab me in the way that SHE did.

With her, everything feels right. I don't have to make allowances for understandable imperfections, she just fits. I'm actually happy with the things that aren't perfect about her.

Does that answer the question?


Originally Posted by J MooseI'm really not into Strats because I always feel like I'm imitating Jimi amp; SRV but I REALLY liked this one and felt like ME.

You can't imitate SRV or Jimi. Nor Eric Johnson for that matter. Sell the other 2 and buy the EJ Strat, haven't played one personally yet, but I here good things.

When you find a guitar that really speaks to you and screams quot;take me, I'm yoursquot; when you play it, thats the one for you. I'll never forget the first timeI played a Music Man Silhouette... ahhhh memories.

Sell the strats on here or ebay and use the $$ to buy the EJ.

Being way out of the USA, any of the signature strats are out of financial/available reach. So i always had my Mexicaster. And always lusted for the American made version. The real deal as it were. So i decided to go buy some strings n things, and bumped into a HWY 1 there. Damn. Played it, loved it, had to have it. Needed to somehow justify it though. There was no doubt it was better than the Mex at home.

So i schemed, in a similar fashion to you, to unload MEX, put in a bit o cash, and have my HWY 1. But not in that order, it turned out.

Once i scraped the credit card through to the red-zone, i comforted myself with the thought of selling Mex and being okay. After a bit, I just let the mex stick around. I recovered my savings with other income. It wasn't worth selling. (hassle, sentiment, upgrades) And now i have a quot;holiday/travel/not-so-precious/loan-out/spare/buddy-comes-over-jammer/comparitive axequot; You can never have too many watches, sun-glasses or guitars.

Keep the other strats until they are completely unwelcome. Don't rid of them out the back door when the new EJ is knocking the front door.

Nice choice. Enjoy

I'd say, if you can afford it, get the EJ, keep the other two. If after a while you feel really certain it can outperform the other two, consider selling those on eBay or the like

wow man, sounds great! the EJ strat seems to be the best Fenders done in years. Just when you get it put up some pics.


Originally Posted by J Moose

but I REALLY liked this one and felt like ME. It's practically perfect...from the neck shape to the pickup to pickup balance and even acoustically it's all there. ...So here's the thing...I have two Strats that I dig but don't LOVE. Don't get me wrong, they're great paddles otherwise I wouldn't own them. But I'm not in love with 'em 'ya know?

You said it yourself, Moose. Go for it. Trust your instincts on gutars - those vibrations affect something deep down inside that doesn't really know how to talk to your brain in words. So you have to listen for that twinkly magic feeling... and run with it.

Sell (or trade in) the Strats that don't turn you on, and grab the one that does - before another man steals her away! Another EJ Strat might not feel the same as the one you found.
trade the axes, get the EJ.

when I look at the specs of the EJ, I really think he got it right - the right combination of vintage and modern features, light weight, nitro, etc

I haven't played one yet, but I'd like to. I'm curious about the pickups too, but I expect the best from them tonewise.

strats vary so much from one to another, so I'd agree - play the one you'll enjoy the most. If you have to, consider moving one or both of the other ones.

FWIW, there are stores with better prices than GC, but if you play one and really like it, then it's probably worth the difference.


Originally Posted by HamerPlyrThere were others, but they all had something that just didn't trip my trigger.

In Dave's absence, I cannot resist................they may not have tripped it, but they sure as hell had to have tripped over it a few times...ROTFLMFAO!!!!J. If you can, keep the two you have, get the EJ. Then go from there. Keep the RI for sale since you have it up for sale anyway. The only debate is whether to keep the potential mutt.

you gotta decide if the extra money you'll realize from a provate sale / ebay will justify the extra hassle involved .. if not, just trade em on the EJ and be done with it ... you walk away with an incredible axe and no fuss-no muss on the other two

enjoy
good luck
t4d


Originally Posted by HamerPlyrLet me put it to you this way...

You know it when you meet the love of your life, or at least, I did. I KNEW that she was the woman for me. There were others, but they all had something that just didn't trip my trigger. They were all special in their own kind of way, but they didn't grab me in the way that SHE did.

Oh yah...my ex-fiance was GREAT at grabbing amp; quot;tripping my triggerquot;

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Whooo!

But there's a reason she's my EX-fiance. We're still friends but that's probably because she lives in AZ and I'm in NJ! LOL

With her, everything feels right. I don't have to make allowances for understandable imperfections, she just fits. I'm actually happy with the things that aren't perfect about her.

Does that answer the question?

Ehhh, not really. I'm pretty happy with my two Strats and the only reason the green one is up for sale is because I'm not in LOVE with it and honestly...I could use some extra cash. Though I could also play it forever and be happy with it, but it's not like the ultimate or anything. I still think the American Std sounds better, hell even guys who hate Strats think it's a good one and really...that's probably the one I'd keep! I've owned it since high school so there's some sentiment there.

And 'ya I know there are places that are better then GC but I have a pretty solid relationship with the guys at the one store...I dropped almost $10K there a couple months ago on a DAW and uhh,they remember stuff like that lol. Anyway, I did beat 'em up on the price a little bit but it's not like they had to SELL me the guitar, I walked up and said; quot;This is the best Strat I've ever played!quot; I'm not about to buy a guitar out of a catalog and I'm trying to slim down the collection, own less guitars but better guitars.

Regarding the trades...dudes...I'm a studio rat, debt is a close yet feared friend and I'm already floating more then I'd like. Sure, I can do 12 months same as cash...but that can sneak up real quick. I'm trying to sensible about this because I don't need the guitar and I don't need three Strats in my life. The amount they offered for the two Strats I have is fair enough IMO that I while I could ask for more and I did, I KNEW that I wasn't going to get it...especially not sight unseen!

I guess the question is...what IS the ultimate Strat worth?

That's easy!!! $1500 out the door!

But honestly...will it improve my life/playing/recording by doing amp; offering something that my current guitars don't?

stop thinking.

if it is the ultimate strat for you, GET IT! no questions asked. why live with two strats that are ok, when you can have the one that is perfect?

Life's too short to not have the best. That's evident by looking at your studio rack gear!

The EJ strat IS the best Fender Stratocaster EVER made, in my picky opinion.
I'd love to have one, and will eventually. The problem is that I love my 3 strats too much to get rid of any, to free up funds for the EJ.

Congrats on that purchase. It's a spectacular guitar.

2 Strats for 500 is not a good deal for you - keep all your strats, and buy the EJ for 1000 if you can afford it.

The more strats you have the better!!! Have an arsenal!!

get it. Apparently an EJ has arrived at my local store and the word is it's astounding.

I'm still confused on the deal you haggled there. How can you get an EJ for $1000? That sounds like it's at or below dealer cost.

If I were you, I'd sell the green strat for as much as you can get, to pay back the price you pay for the EJ. That way, you'll only be 'outta pocket' a few hundred, and you'll still have your favorite old red strat.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserI'm still confused on the deal you haggled there. How can you get an EJ for $1000? That sounds like it's at or below dealer cost.

You can't...well maybe someone could get one for $1000 but that would be rough.

The EJ is $1500 out the door after dealer prep amp; tax. I can trade the two Strats in for a total of $1000 so the EJ would be $500 out of pocket. Not an amazing number...but it's liveable. Does that make sense?