Web. However, I've played Fender amps for a long time and find that they're ideal for Johnson's lead tone, simply because of the warmth of the tube resonance and the lushness of Fender's reverb.It just works, so I'm sure there's some crossover between the two brands in terms of what works best for the "genuine" Eric Johnson lead sound.The first thing I would note is that we see Johnson has his Marshall JMP amplifier turned A closeup look of Eric Johnson's amp settings on his Marshall JMP. We don't have to go out and buy a new amp to do that.Keep in mind that as you tinker with amp settings and effects (as I previously mentioned, both are important), the meat of Eric Johnson's lead tone is to be found in his technique, namely the following:Spend some time getting your gear right (or as close as possible to Eric Johnson's settings), then zero in on the technique.Not only will it improve your playing in regards to Johnson's style, but it will give you tools to use in all the music you play as well.Getting good at any one technique is agnostic of musical context. Rather than try to mimic his amp settings alone, I recommend taking the time to understand how his signal gets from his guitar to his amplifier.Let's start with this shot of Johnson's pedalboard as of 2009.Eric Johnson's pedalboard as of 2009. N.p., 13 Oct. 2015. Image Courtesy of MyLesPaul.comDuring this same period of time, Johnson was using the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face (mostly for rhythm) and the Tube Driver going into the Marshall JMP.Here's a closeup of his Tube Driver, which looks to be on a fairly low setting.Settings on Eric Johnson's Tube Driver overdrive.
The below can get you started and has a legitimate connection with a manufacturer of his pickups. It appears as though the Marshall photo above was posted by a guitar tech from a band that might have been touring with Johnson at one point.A look at part of Eric Johnson's pedalboard. 15 Dec. 2016. YouTube. (Here's the diagram that Johnson provides on his website with a complete diagram of how his signal travels.Eric Johnson's signal processing diagram. Much appreciated.I like the way this is presented. "Guitarist Eric Johnson Interview | Guitarhoo.com." N.p., n.d. Image Courtesy of MyLesPaul.comThose are basic amp configurations, where it seems like a major part of his tone is the drop in treble, which (if you pay attention) is really noticeable in a lot of his playing, particularly in his studio interviews and gear demos.Note too that, as of 2009, our same forum poster claims to be at gigs where Johnson is setting up Forum post from a suspected "Eric Johnson Insider" claiming that he's not using Marshall amps for small gigs. The Gear Page. - Once you get good at it, then I think it's advisable to not always play that wayIt sounds a little more legato or "smoother" if I don't do it a lot. 15 Dec. 2016. Thank you for your support. "Guitar Player Magazine" Obsessive Perfectionist Eric Johnson Is Trying Go With the. By "Violin delay" I was just trying to describe the delay setting he uses to help get to that "violin" tone he's so well known for. I've been curious about the whole Memory Man vs. DD-2 thing.K. Web. In fact, it's a helpful answer to a question that I think a lot of guitar players have.When do I pick and when do I use hammer-ons and pull-offs?I'm convinced that this, along with the anti-treble amp settings, is one of the biggest factors contributing to his unique lead tone. He has simply taken the time to make sure that every single note is mastered and under control before trying to apply more difficult playing techniques.We can easily take the same approach, if we have enough patience to do so.If we want to apply the above picking tactic, we can get even more contextual by looking at some of the guitar scales that Eric Johnson routinely uses.Here is a short list I've compiled from several of his interviews:What we can do is take a few of these guitar scales and start playing through them at a speed that allows us to pick every single note.Stick to alternate picking until you can really breeze through each one.Once you're comfortable with that, you can move onto more advanced legato techniques.Eric Johnson commonly employs wider intervals, both for his chord progressions and solo construction.As an offshoot of this technique, he commonly employs a chord pattern called open-voiced triads.In order for his chords to better-accommodate a distorted tone, Johnson spread the intervals of his chords out further, giving rise to his use of open-voiced triads and chord shapes.The basis of this tactic is to take the middle note of a closed-voice triad (where the intervals are stacked as closely together as possible) and play it either an octave higher or lower.Here are some of the examples that Eric Johnson uses.The third is simply moved up to the E string (an octave higher), giving the chord an open-voiced form.For those of us who already know a lot of triads, it's a quick and easy way to give our playing more variety and flavor.It's also a hallmark features of Johnson's lead tone.Eric Johnson's tone is not just about his gear or amp settings.In fact, as I've studied his playing and read his interviews, I'm becoming convinced that it is more largely due to the technique he employs and the style of his physical playing that guides most of his tonal accomplishments. MusicPlayers.com: Features Guitars Eric Johnson.