Guitar tone · rock, jazz

Eric Johnson guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 10 Eric Johnson songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1954 Fender Stratocaster into 1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head.

Guitars Eric Johnson used

1954 Fender Stratocaster5 songs
1954 Fender Stratocaster (modified wiring, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)2 songs
1963 Gibson ES-3352 songs
Fender Stratocaster (1954 or 1957 reissue, maple neck, stock or DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, as per Johnson's typical live clean rig)1 song
1954 Fender Stratocaster (with DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, bridge pickup setting, custom wiring for bridge/middle tone control)1 song
1954 Fender Stratocaster (modded, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, tone wired to bridge and middle)1 song
Fender Stratocaster (likely 1954 or Eric Johnson Signature Thinline, vintage white, with DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)1 song
Fender Stratocaster (1954, vintage white, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)1 song

Amps Eric Johnson used

1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head3 songs
1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 with Celestion G12-80 speakers2 songs
Fender Twin Reverb (used for clean tones in live rig, as per Premier Guitar Rig Rundown 2018)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (silverface, vintage, studio recording)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s)1 song
1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 cab with Celestion G12-80 speakers1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (studio clean rig, Ah Via Musicom era, 1989 recording)1 song
Two-Rock Traditional Clean head into Marshall 4x12 with Celestion 30-watt speakers (studio: likely Marshall 100W Super Lead or Two-Rock, see warnings)1 song

18 Eric Johnson tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Cliffs of Dover · solo	Solo · distorted	1963 Gibson ES-335	1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head	7.5
Cliffs of Dover · riff	Riff · distorted	1963 Gibson ES-335	1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head	7
Cliffs of Dover (Live) · solo	Solo · distorted	1954 Fender Stratocaster (with DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, bridge pickup setting, custom wiring for bridge/middle tone control)	1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 cab with Celestion G12-80 speakers	7.5
Cliffs of Dover (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	1954 Fender Stratocaster (modified wiring, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)	1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 with Celestion G12-80 speakers	7.5
Venus Isle · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (1957 or 1962, likely maple neck, vintage spec, stock single-coil pickups)	Marshall 100-watt Plexi (Super Lead, likely with 4x12 cab, studio recording)	5.5
Cliffs of Dover · riff	Riff · clean	1954 Fender Stratocaster (modded, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, tone wired to bridge and middle)	Fender Twin Reverb (studio clean rig, Ah Via Musicom era, 1989 recording)	3
Cliffs of Dover (Live) · riff	Riff · clean	1954 Fender Stratocaster (modified wiring, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)	1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head	3
Desert Rose · riff	Riff · clean	1954 Fender Stratocaster	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s)	3
Desert Rose · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (1954 or 1962, likely maple neck, stock single coils)	Marshall 100-watt Plexi (Super Lead, late 1960s/early 1970s, likely with Marshall 4x12 cab, Celestion speakers)	5.5
Desert Rose · riff	Riff · distorted	1954 Fender Stratocaster	100-watt Marshall head (likely Marshall JMP or Super Lead, vintage spec)	4.5
Friends · riff	Riff · clean	1954 Fender Stratocaster	Fender Twin Reverb (silverface, vintage, studio recording)	3
Gem · riff	Riff · distorted	1954 Fender Stratocaster	1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 with Celestion G12-80 speakers	7.5
Manhattan · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (1954, vintage white, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)	Marshall 50-watt or 100-watt head (likely JMP or JCM800 era) into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	5
Manhattan · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1957 or 1962 reissue, maple neck, stock pickups)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, vintage or reissue, studio recording)	0
Manhattan · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-335	Marshall amplifier (exact model not specified, likely 100-watt Super Lead or JCM800 based on era and Johnson's typical studio rig)	3.5
S. R. V. · riff	Riff · distorted	1954 Fender Stratocaster	1968 Marshall Plexi (Super Lead 100-watt head) with Marshall 4x12 cabinet loaded with Celestion G12-80 speakers	6
Trademark · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1954 or Eric Johnson Signature Thinline, vintage white, with DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)	Two-Rock Traditional Clean head into Marshall 4x12 with Celestion 30-watt speakers (studio: likely Marshall 100W Super Lead or Two-Rock, see warnings)	5
Trail of Tears (Live) · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (1954 or 1957 reissue, maple neck, stock or DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, as per Johnson's typical live clean rig)	Fender Twin Reverb (used for clean tones in live rig, as per Premier Guitar Rig Rundown 2018)	3

Eric Johnson songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Eric Johnson use?

Across 10 researched songs, the amps that come up most are 1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head (3 songs), 1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 with Celestion G12-80 speakers (2 songs), Fender Twin Reverb (used for clean tones in live rig, as per Premier Guitar Rig Rundown 2018) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (silverface, vintage, studio recording) (1 song).

What guitar did Eric Johnson use?

Most often: 1954 Fender Stratocaster (5 songs), 1954 Fender Stratocaster (modified wiring, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup) (2 songs), 1963 Gibson ES-335 (2 songs), Fender Stratocaster (1954 or 1957 reissue, maple neck, stock or DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, as per Johnson's typical live clean rig) (1 song).

How do I get Eric Johnson's tone on my amp?

Open any Eric Johnson song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.