ERIC JOHNSON

[thinskin57]

well, i for one HATE his tone. there, i said it! :twisted:

 

[giantstepjoe]

You sound like you feel better now that you got that off your chest. Let me guess; you are so sick of hearing people say how awesome his tone is.

 

[thinskin57]

You sound like you feel better now that you got that off your chest. Let me guess; you are so sick of hearing people say how awesome his tone is.

LOL yeah, pretty much! nothing against him. i've got a couple of his c.d.'s, so you can see i'm not a hater. i shouldn't say i "hate" his tone. just that it's blown way out of proportion. it's funny, i was expecting to have a ton of hate-mail responses to this post by now, but...

well, it's still early...

 

[SonicProvocateur]

I've seen him live twice. Once on G3 and once here locally. He was pretty good at G3...not like "OMG GUITAR MASTER LEVEL" but more like...ok, pretty good...

The second time was here locally at City Stages and he opened for Steve Miller Band...and he was F*IN WASTED! His tone...nor playing, was particularly breathtaking, but again, he was alright...then half way through the SMB's set they asked him to come out and play a few songs (which turned into like 7 songs, and about 3 deep you could see he was getting frustrated and tried to leave, but they made him stay and play more...)

All in all...still not a huge Eric Johnson fan.

 

[thinskin57]

I've seen him live twice. Once on G3 and once here locally. He was pretty good at G3...not like "OMG GUITAR MASTER LEVEL" but more like...ok, pretty good...

The second time was here locally at City Stages and he opened for Steve Miller Band...and he was F*IN WASTED! His tone...nor playing, was particularly breathtaking, but again, he was alright...then half way through the SMB's set they asked him to come out and play a few songs (which turned into like 7 songs, and about 3 deep you could see he was getting frustrated and tried to leave, but they made him stay and play more...)

All in all...still not a huge Eric Johnson fan.

he got on stage wasted? he seems like such a boy scout!

 

[lesterpaul]

I've seen him live twice. Once on G3 and once here locally. He was pretty good at G3...not like "OMG GUITAR MASTER LEVEL" but more like...ok, pretty good...

The second time was here locally at City Stages and he opened for Steve Miller Band...and he was F*IN WASTED! His tone...nor playing, was particularly breathtaking, but again, he was alright...then half way through the SMB's set they asked him to come out and play a few songs (which turned into like 7 songs, and about 3 deep you could see he was getting frustrated and tried to leave, but they made him stay and play more...)

All in all...still not a huge Eric Johnson fan.

..this show..2007?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN_666deWfw
-I was there in 07..this vid seems like it is the right one..I don't recall him being "wasted", but then again, I am sure I was 8)

 

[RR]

I'm a Eric Johnson fan but I sort of agree with thinkin57. For all the talks how he's able to tell the difference between regular batteries and alkaline and has an ear for amp / guitar tone, when he goes for that sustain distortion, sustaining solos of his (click on his stomp boxes), seems like its not to difficult too obtain that type of tone. ... but playing like him is a different story. He's awesome.

Talking about great guitarists but so-so tone what about Randy Rhodes? Sensational rock guitarist but that fuzzy buzzy tone gets to me.

 

[lesterpaul]

I'm a Eric Johnson fan but I sort of agree with thinkin57. For all the talks how he's able to tell the difference between regular batteries and alkaline and has an ear for amp / guitar tone, when he goes for that sustain distortion, sustaining solos of his (click on his stomp boxes), seems like its not to difficult too obtain that type of tone. ... but playing like him is a different story. He's awesome.

Talking about great guitarists but so-so tone what about Randy Rhodes? Sensational rock guitarist but that fuzzy buzzy tone gets to me.

I always think of him(EJ) when the ol' "the tone is in your hands" statement comes up-would love to hear RR thru a Mark 8)

 

[MesaENGR412]

Talking about great guitarists but so-so tone what about Randy Rhodes? Sensational rock guitarist but that fuzzy buzzy tone gets to me.

I might step on even more people's toes, but...if we're going there, then I'll have to mention that I think Dimebag's tone is atrocious. The man was a mastermind at guitar, no doubt about that, but his SS thin as a toothpick, sharp as an icepick tone is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I think the tone he had in the later years going into Damageplan was a little better, including the brief time he was using Kranks, I will say that.

-AJH

 

[talltxguy]

Saw Johnson twice, but both of them were large venues; so I don't feel like I could judge his tone as well as if it was a club or even a room. I've never thought negative thoughts about his tone although his tone has never been dazzling either. His technique has always impressed me.

The first time there was an issue with EQ. His highs were piercing & the lows a bit muffled. Somebody fixed it about 15 minutes into the set. Don't think it was his fault. I enjoyed watching him play.

I saw Steve Vai play in a large room and did not think his tone was all that. It wasn't poor but wasn't dazzling either, yet his technique was to die for.

 

[Martin]

The best guitar tone I have ever heard is David Gilmour's.... that's it !

 

[gonzo]

all this talk about johnson, seems to orient back to about 20 years ago...

anybody bothered to listen to his most recent stuff?

how can you hate that pristine clean strat tone?

i don't get it.

 

[Vogelsong]

The best guitar tone I have ever heard is David Gilmour's.... that's it !

My two faves for tone and style are Gilmore and SRV. Totally opposite ends of the spectrum on both accounts but they did their own thing oh so right.

 

[fishyfishfish]

His tones on Bloom and Up Close sound OK to me. Anyone that can make that pedalboard he has work on a nightly basis should be given an award.
I saw Pink Floyd at the LA Colosseum and it was the best live guitar tone I have ever heard/seen. Looked like he was using four Music Mann 2X12 combos on top of 2X12 cabs on stage. Played a red strat all night and didn't miss a note.
It's funny I used to see these guys play in the clubs in town that had great tone, and I would go up to the stage to see only a ratty old Marshall and a tube screamer or DS1.