Eric Johnson Shares How to Find Your Sound

00:03:55 - Traumatized by a Childhood Ride at Magic Kingdom
00:06:03 - Chasing Cyclists and Shooting Races
00:09:09 - Join our Patreon for exclusive benefits and discounts
00:12:06 - A Conversation with Eric Johnson
00:15:16 - Chasing New Sounds and Techniques
00:18:34 - Finding the Right Guitar Tone
00:21:47 - The Beauty of Faults
00:24:52 - The Impact of Capacitance on Signal Quality
00:27:48 - The Mystery of Vintage Fuzz Faces
00:30:50 - The Debate Between Digital and Analog Amps
00:34:01 - Chasing the Perfect Guitar Tone
00:37:07 - The Unfinished Drive Circuit
00:38:08 - Modern Guitar Players
00:40:11 - The Importance of Stage Volume
00:43:24 - The Relationship Between Guitar and Sound
00:44:40 - Finding Your Own Identity on the Instrument
00:45:30 - Having a Sonic Vision
00:46:24 - Breaking Out of a Rut in Playing
00:49:38 - Exploring the Roland JX-3P Synthesizer
00:52:22 - The Victory VC35 Lunchbox Head
After Rhett shares his childhood trauma of riding an immersive horror coaster at Tomorrowland and Zach recovers from the emotional experience of viewing the Millennium Falcon in person on a family vacation, Texas-born guitarist Eric Johnson joins them for a revelatory discussion on tone, gear, and the never-ending hunt for creative inspiration.
Rhett starts by noting that Johnson’s DNA isn’t just in his playing and composition, but his sound, too. How does one sculpt a signature tone? “It starts with your intention and your design of your vision,” Johnson starts. He says that when he was young, he learned that there was great guitar playing to be found in nearly every style of music, and calls his sound a “hodge-podge” of all the styles he loved, name-checking the Beatles, the Yardbirds, Jimi Hendrix, and Wes Montgomery as stylistic signposts.
Rhett and Zack wonder how important Johnson’s rig is to him nowadays. He’s a classic man-a Stratocaster into an old Marshall is his little slice of paradise-but he warns young guitarists from focusing too much on the sizzle and forgetting about the steak. “I always say to anybody chasing [gear], ‘Don’t go so deep in the rabbit hole that you just analyze too much,’” he says. “It’s part of the thing, but it’s not the main thing.” Plus, Johnson hints that he finds inspiration in instruments’ oddities-and even their defects.
Johnson reveals that he’s experimenting with a Neural DSP, but the new tech might be too polished for his liking. He explains that when he tried designing a signature Fuzz Face with Dunlop, he only got close once they swapped out the high-quality wiring and pots for older, degraded materials. “It’s just a mystery,” he grins.
Ultimately, Johnson says it doesn’t matter what tool artists use, they have to learn to “negotiate the medium.” Whether it’s a particular amplifier’s quirks or “the horse hairs on the paintbrush,” Johnson says it’s up to the individual to make something special with what they’ve got.
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[@RhettShull]

This was one of those “how did I get here?” moments. Thanks everyone, for the support of this little show over the years. We couldn’t do this without y’all!

[@VisualGuy]

I was not expecting those answers! 🫠

[@fiveeyes2802]

This was fantastic! Thanks, Rhett.

[@CommanderMarsh]

Imagine if EJ played a Peavey

[@tomnorris4339]

Rhett it felt like we just listened to the Grand Zen Master of Guitar!!! Your joy and awe was written all over face as im sure was mine just watching and listening. What a gem this interview was. thanks man!

[@timkarvelis3523]

Damn dawg how did you pull this off? Any way congrats

[@jessekerley8625]

Dipped In Tone: "What would you say to people who like digital amps about tube amps" Eric Johnson: "We are all living in a digital simulation anyway, so who cares"

[@daddyrawkgames]

😂😂😂

[@BobGuido]

Eric is a genius. Also very eloquent at speaking about work that goes into pulling the sounds out of an instrument.

[@KenCarver]

Thank you for having this conversation with Eric. I first saw him in 1978...a few years before his first album (Tones) came out. What an amazing talent and great human being.

[@brandonleespitler]

Saw Eric a week ago.... the most amazing concert guitar experience I've ever witnessed. Dude is wonderful.

[@user-mb4md1qj8k]

I had the great pleasure of working with him on his signature guitar speaker while I was with Eminence. Great guy.

[@profoundsinger]

Eric Freakin Johnson is a MONSTER! I’ve seen him 9 times live, and each time his tone, whether acoustic, through his regular rig, or on the piano, was a lesson in what good tone is! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this interview!

[@jamproject9]

Only Jimi played both the amp and guitar and no one since has gotten that. Listen to Tax Free or I Don’t Live Today and it’s jaw dropping the control and creative way he “Played” the amp just as he played the guitar . Eric is one of the last greats.

[@rigorhead01]

I watch Eric Johnson's live performances all the time, and I'm always struck by how in tune he plays. Watch the strings on his guitar. He's playing all this amazing, fast passages, and the strings aren't moving at all. He frets the notes so accurately that the strings don't even look like they're being played unless he bends. His technique is flawless. For real, after reading this go watch one of his live performances and check out his strings as he's playing

[@ericwarrington6650]

Been a chef for over 30 years.. Eric nailed the essence of the trade dead on..I've always said playing guitar is just like cooking..it's all about what you can take from the next guy..put your own spin on it and call it by a different name..🤘❤️🎸🍽️🎶

[@ericwarrington6650]

Rhett wasted no time to dive in and ask Eric the secret to his tone and how to get it..lol..my man...great interview with a living legend.🤘😁🎸

[@kennethmuxlow8626]

highlandrons has to be the coolest guitar oriented song ever just incredible

[@lazerusnyc]

Incredible interview. NeuralDSP has transformed my soul. To hear Eric say, yeah, this is close to replacing his amps and pedals is epic!

[@joshuajkoplin]

Maaaaaaaan so awesome. Yes he’s an amazing player but his demeanor, how he speaks and communicates is really admirable. He’s very thoughtful and positive. I love him.

[@sixstringsofsam]

It’s like I went into Eric Johnson’s brain. Crazy. Thanks Zac and Rhett!

[@UnboundOdysseus]

I wish my brain and fingers had even half of his abilities. I think he exists in another musical dimension than I do. ;)

[@MusicByDamienA]

He always seems to give that vibe in interviews, gotta love it lol

[@MrDavemiley]

I met EJ and started going to his shows at THE ROX in Lubbock TX in 1981-83 . Have been a huge fan ever since . Always a joy and privilege to go see Eric live ! I loved observing "Roy Buchannon's reaction to Eric Johnson one night . Priceless !

[@Drk-oz8tn]

Eric is a true Master of the guitar, yet he is so humble and down to earth. So looking forward to seeing him live again soon, can’t wait.

[@bethgovan]

Congratulations Rhett and Zach on an amazing interview!! 👏👏

[@mikedr1549]

Eric Johnson??? Big Time!!! Eric is so well thought out. And I agree - it's not the technology - it's all about liking your sound.

[@jimmyowenmusic]

I love that comment on Tube Amps being an instrument within of itself, I thought that for so long, like when you're playing an old Plexi or something, you have to get the alchemy of all the bits of playing together, I guess that's why we think of so many of the greats as "touch" players, Learning to play the amps is part of the sound and that string contact.. Great interview guys! Big love from the UK

[@cynthia6389]

So true

[@christianthompson7495]

Eric is the best! I can remember seeing him live in '86 just after Tones came out. The audience was just "Jaw-Dropped" in his sounds and ability to tell a story on the guitar and take the listener on a complete journey. have been a fan ever since.

[@bryantcochran5065]

What an inspiring interview. I love Mr. Johnsons comments on simplicity some times results in better tonality.

[@BrianVallotton]

"You have to learn to negotiate the Medium." --Eric Johnson

[@andyafi1]

Eric Johnson's secret to his masterful guitar playing is that his fingers are merely a secondary representation and extension of his unique brain, his imagination, his wisdom, his vocabulary, his intuition and his discernment.... ie - it cannot be TRULY replicated by anyone else... He's done as much to advance and revolutionise the instrument as Jimi Hendrix (in my lowly opinion)...To me he is the greatest of all time and set a new standard in what was possible on electric guitar. I'm blown away with envy when I see other guitar players that have managed to get that EJ sound and technique down -which is a hell of an achievement (Andy Wood for example),,,,, but then I think "Eric came up with this unique and instantly recognisable style all by himself....!!!!" and I've remained stunned by that notion for 20 years. Amazing interview with an absolute guitar legend :) Thank you!!!

[@VisualGuy]

I'm just starting, and I can't wait for EJ to dip a rig. LOL

[@KrenarCilkuGuitar]

Spoiler alert, there's no dipping... 😢

[@VisualGuy]

@@KrenarCilkuGuitar Canceling my Patreon. Unsubscribing. Damn it Rhett. I know it is your fault... 🤣🙌🍻

[@levik19]

Great interview. Shows how truly a remarkable genius Eric Johnson is. I have been chasing at least a part of his both clean and fuzz tones in my youth but man his words are right and inspiring into playing using my own sound.

[@eupraxis1]

I found, to my utter delight, that playing a Strat through a Keeley Halo gave me the essence of that Johnson sound, like on his Cliffs of Dover, say.

[@eweesplace]

What an amazing interview! Eric is always a wonderful and humble person while remaining to be an amazing thinker on guitar and music in general. Really blown away by some of those responses. I too have to watch this again just to really internalize the insight. Great job all around. Cheers.

[@jooooeeeeyyy]

Awesome interview. EJ is probably my favorite player. I really enjoy Rhett's videos also. As someone who has recently went down the rabbit hole of electric guitar tone this video is a gem. Thank you.

[@TheRealHucasys]

Nice one guys, love that he even brought up sacred geometry 🙌

[@playthechanges]

For such an utter genius, so down to earth and humble! ❤

[@b4she4144]

Great interview, Eric is a tone genius also the attraction in the Magic Kingdom is called Alien Encounter and it was a wild experience especially for Walt Disney World!

[@audioglenngineer]

All of this. I’ve been playing 30 years, and have gone on those deep dives for years at a time. But, it was all driven by a vision, which kept me from getting lost, albeit frustrated many times.

[@DanielBobke]

Can't agree more about guitarists knowing how to solder. It is an essential skill to do easy repairs and mods to guitars. Highly recommend Seymour Duncan's free video course on how to swap pickups in various different kinds of guitars (including active pickups). Very informative, great tips/tricks, and you can't beat the cost!

[@joshuagarcia5689]

Thank you love the show . Wow Eric Johnson ❤🎉

[@songboy40]

Such an incredible voice on the instrument. So glad you guys had him on. Wow.

[@austinsandefer649]

Thank You, really enjoyed it. Eric Johnson always perfect guest... 🎸

[@cheintz44]

“It’s like a smaller wave to surf on” wise words

[@steveweilhart2359]

wow that was amazing - great interview guys - what a cool guy and amazing talent an iconic player/artist for sure

[@warrencantero]

From a guy who works there... you wanna go in the cool season... summer sucks in FL. Great video guys

[@TheDirtyBeloved]

Interveiw starts at the 12:00 minute mark

[@zenlandzipline]

Thanx!!

[@DanielBrophyMusic]

Eric's voice is so soothing, I want him to read me a bedtime story.

[@BaroqueBlues]

Starts at: 12:18

[@gejskelly]

Suppressed memories brought to the surface with that Disney Alien ride thing, was 8 years old when we went and even now I’m not sure I’ll sleep too easy tonight.

[@gregg7233]

"the sacred geometry is too huge, the mandala is too complicated" ^ this (for me) perfectly summed up why I am a tone chaser and will NEVER stop modifying my current gear, and constantly be trying new gear

[@Andreorsel]

Exact how I feel about the digital stuff. If you have the experience to play through a real good tube amp at a certain volume it is superior in every way!

[@Andreorsel]

@@InjectBleach , Hahaha!

[@patpuckett240]

Great episode ! EJ has one of the most articulate ways of answering gear questions. Also, a super nice guy. When I was playing guitar w Alejandro Escovedo he loaned us a chopped B3 for a SXSW show from his studio. We couldn't take the bench because Eric had a cable in a figure 8 draped over it that was doing something that probably only he could hear ! Thanks for the content.

[@tomfoolery2082]

As u kno when Eric Johnson talks we listen .

[@JesseeSage]

I'd read an article in a guitar magazine with Eric several years ago, where he made the recommendation of learning some basic piano so to better understand and improve guitar playing I liked the idea and found a used Casio CTK573. For me it was one of the best recommendations, really brought my playing and appreciation to the next level. Great podcast, awesome guest interview! Cheers

[@CraigEllsworth]

The ride was called the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, only existed in the 90's, and they altered it to become a Lilo & Stitch ride in 2003. Absolutely one of my favorite rides as a kid, and I was disappointed to hear they changed it.

[@KB24toogood]

Dude no way you guys got Eric Johnson on the podcast!! That’s is so awesome, thanks guys.

[@AMPSHOWS]

Dang cool interview guys. Thanx

[@musicalSFCat]

Stellar interview, various in-depth musical topics with the legendary Eric Johnson. Amazing passion, experience, knowledge. Truly one of the most humble musicians ever met in my lifetime, back in '84. Cheers to your channel.

[@all41n14lla]

I like using 18 , 24 & 36 inch heavy PVC pipes to mic speakers .. This yields what I call the Circle Tone !!! .. This is a new way of doing mic'ing & I believe in sharing with others .. Bending the tube to create lengths of 24-36 ft to add spatial delay then use them for spatial widening & stereo .. Circle tones I developed but I want to share .. Tubes aid in shaving off the hair in overdrive to give the tone a more violin like sound .. The reason for the haircut the phasing in the tubes ..

[@BOOLsheet]

Wow they got Eric Johnson!

[@GuitarJawn]

I know the ride you went on, it did the same to me too. The hot air on the back of your neck was where I freaked out.

[@Cre8alotsound]

I really enjoyed watching this episode. Thanks for the quality conversation.

[@dr.gregoryweisswassernd7251]

Deep guitar guru thank you for your wisdom. MAJIK BAND loves you.

[@SteveKercherMusic]

I love his simplistic approach!

[@JMichaelThurman]

Éric Johnson is awesome. Tornadoes suck. (I drive by the NSSL at University of Oklahoma every day.)

[@jetblak1111]

Wow! That was the coolest interview I've seen in awhile... Rhett, Zach and Eric had a great connection.

[@StratsRUs]

'Discorporated'. I learnt a new word ! Thanks.

[@Youtubemademeaddahandle]

The old real estate adage "location, location, location" is also true of "the system, the system, the system". It's not just where you go but how you do what happens there.

[@basdenchris]

I have nothing productive to add to the Disney conversation, but I will say the only time I ever went was when I was five years old. I was terrified of every ride, including “It’s a Small World.” Maybe someday I’ll go back and try to experience it correctly 😂

[@DrKevGuitar]

EJ is right about DSP failing doing fuzz. Yes, they are fickle devices but also the direct interaction of the guitar with the fuzz circuit (because of the super low input impedance of fuzz circuits) can't be replicated by DSP for the same reason that buffered pedals or active output guitars don't always work well with fuzz. You know that magic "roll off the volume for bright cleans" trick works that works so well with fuzz circuits? You just can't do that unless you get the right combinations of guitar and device impedances.

[@stevestarr6395]

Such a great interview with Eric revealing a lot about gear and tone!!

[@kerrykile3490]

As far as chasing tornadoes in Kansas, Dig Miracles out of Nowhere from the Leftoverture Album by Kansas . Had the privilege of seeing them live at Kaufman Stadium Summer Jam in the late 70"s They headlined that show. Van Halen opened, Steve Miller, i cant remember the other band. Great Channel and Video EJ is phenomenal.

[@davelouis4004]

Eric Johnson , definitely an incredible guitarist , pianist, vocalist , musician , genuine love for music , seems like a really great guy ! I pick up anything he puts out !

[@noahfella9312]

i chuckled when rhett asked abt atlanta and eric said they already went. and the topic changed completely 💀

[@jimmyrigs]

100% remember this alien ride at Disney, and yes terrifying lol

[@frankglad2989]

My daughter got totally freaked by that ride when she was young. The sounds of alien footsteps behind you was scary too.

[@duncanhiggins999]

I'm not a passing fan of his music, though he did drop some great truth nuggets...felt real !!

[@coltonrayguitar8223]

I don’t comment much, but this was a fantastic episode!!

[@theelectricvoyage]

Genuinely Awesome Rhett, a beautiful enlightenment for me man, great video, thank you.

[@Benz2112]

So timely, I just bought tickets to see EJ in September. Great work.

[@Sailor_Man_Music]

I can’t wait to see what’s next.

[@zenmaestro04]

This was a great interview. I've watched everything I could find with Eric over the years and he definitely dropped some heady stuff on this one...

[@MoreMeRecording]

Great job, guys. EJ has been a huge inspiration on me going back to the first time I heard Cliffs on the vinyl sound page I tore out of a GW rag many years ago. Love the guy and hearing him talk about tone in depth like this was a real treat.

[@mattbluesmain1359]

you just pushed us deeper into the rabbit hole !!

[@reverb.deluxe]

Eric's compositions and tone always take me to another dimension. I heard him play Hendrix' "May This Be Love" a couple of times. Fuhgeddaboudit. Guitar tone so good I want it to wash over me and soak into my flesh and bones. Fuhgeddaboudit!

[@urkosh]

Eric: "the guitar almost became like bigger than life" Rhett and Zach: nodding

[@mxracer158]

Pure genius. Thank you for posting

[@reverb508]

You got EJ!? What?! Oh man, can't wait to listen to this one.

[@kennethquintini658]

Great interview with Eric Johnson 👍🎸, I have the CD In Europe live, fantastic 😊, have some 60s pa amps converted to guitar amps, Bogen chb35a and Bell carrillion 35 watt, just like the vintage equipment, 12ax7s from old Hammond organs, my newest rig is a fender bassbreaker 007 Ltd combo and a zoom 505 pedal setting f-2 or f3 for a fusion tone . . Thanks for the interview

[@dallasvanderzeil9631]

I loved this interview with EJ But since it’s only Americans who pronounces Solder as Sodder. As technician in Australia. And other English speaking countries actually pronounce the “I” is not silent. Sol der. You guys are perfectionists. Cheers Dallas

[@sroelit]

The Flint Hills are beautiful. And home to Mass Street-one of the best music shops around. Eric Johnson? Whoa.

[@DRChevalier]

Wonderful episode gentlemen, my great thanks

[@guitardude1981]

Great interview and your chemistry for the show!

[@mgscheue]

Great interview. What an interesting and thoughtful person. Love the JX-3P!

[@Youtubemademeaddahandle]

All artist absolutely need to recreate what happens in them as they enjoy other artists. This is true of all at forms. Without a recreative bent based on what is perceived there is no art.

[@clos87]

Eric Johnson using a Neural DSP Quad Cortex. Wow, what an endorsement.

[@StephenOshea]

great video its so good to learn so much from such a amazing musician .

[@jordananderson3543]

Crazy to hear Eric Johnson might use Neural DSP. Shows how far technology can reach these days in mimicking analog sounds.

[@swiney2639]

great show guys

[@lachlanm5364]

As a Star Wars nerd, cycling romanticist, and Mamiya tragic, really? Are you trying to overwhelm me with goodness? I can't say I was expecting to hear about any of these extremely lovely things as an entree to a conversation with EJ, but I adore it. New subscriber woohoo 🥳

[@Amish_Trivedi]

Just upgraded my soldering station- started soldering a few years back but never really invested in it. So much better and more awesome. Have done all kinds of small projects, like StewMac pedal kits. So much fun!

[@masterofreality230]

It seems like back in the day, it might have been a tad easier to get "your sound" now, it seems we can get into option paralysis too easily.

[@hbebee1]

Immediacy & dynamics the words that come to mind while listening to Johnson's comments pertaining to amps, picking, etc. Obviously, these two elements are relative to one another. These elements become a form of feedback in feel to the player who manipulates response in sound with their hands. After discovering the joy of building a technique around how the gear characteristically responds based on these elements can seem stale, even disconcerting when playing through something absent of that feedback, which translates into being unable to feel the sound with the hands and through the body.

[@TheGuitarModder]

Being from Scotland, I had the pleasure of paying a visit to Carter Vintage, around March this year. I was so overwhelmed with the amount of vintage guitars in one place. We just don't see that kind of thing in the UK!!

[@janofdelft]

One of the great heartbreaks of my life - a garage studio demo project done in 1975, Eric before "Tones" and fresh out of the Electromagnets. Eric's guitar, some of my vocals. My only copy of the demo went away in 1984 when my car burned right down to the wheel wells. Sob. Now, about gear: I recall back in about '08 Eric doing a G-DEC demo, and sounded amazing. So, is it the gear or is it the player that most determines the tone? (deliberately inflammatory question)

[@bryanwaldron9076]

That scary ride at Disney was the Lilo and Stitch ride. Plenty of kids were tricked into being terrified by that one