2018 Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster (Thinline, R&D Version) Electric Guitar

This guitar is neat in that it has a Fender R&D tag on the back because it's one of the few prototype guitars used for the Eric Johnson thinline-model Strat development. This one was shipped back and forth with said player and tweaked until he was happy with the features. It's contoured and thinline, with weight reduction to the instrument overall while yet maintaining a familiar feel and comfort. It also looks snazzy.

The current owner of this guitar had me swap the pickguard and wiring harness out because the original pots and switch had gotten finicky. I kept the same wiring scheme, though, so it's still "stock" in that regard. We also shielded it better at the same time. The original wiring harness is in the case pocket along with the old (slightly damaged) pickguard.

It's got a thin, satin, nitro finish that has crackled some all over for a mild texture (see glare pics). Ah, Vermont heat and cold! The original pickguard was white and 1-ply but the new one is mint green. We swapped the knobs to cream at the same time, too.

As far as handling goes -- it plays like a late '50s Strat in the neck and profile, though the frets are a little taller than vintage stock, for sure. Tonewise it's excellent, with a lot of note separation, sparkle, and classic Strat tones. It doesn't feel too "goosed" in any particular position.

Repairs included: new wiring harness, setup tweaks, minor adjustments.

Body wood: alder

Bridge: 6-saddle traditional

Fretboard: maple

Neck wood: maple

Pickups: 3x EJ vintage-style single coils

Action height at 12th fret: 1/16” overall (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 46w-10

Neck shape: medium-fuller C

Board radius: 10"

Truss rod: adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-modern

Scale length: 25 1/2"

Nut width: 1 5/8"

Body width: 12 5/8"

Body depth: 1 3/4"

Weight: 6 lbs 15 oz

Condition notes: the finish on the body has weather-checked throughout and shows some wear and tear -- a few small dings near the jackplate on the lower bout and two bumps in the back of the treble "horn" were apparently made by Eric himself when testing it out at shows. The pickguard is a replacement but the original is in the case. It has one small crack near a mounting hole near the bridge. The original wiring bits are included as well.

It comes with: a Fender Custom Shop case.