This has to be a great guitar.  Here's the details:



After years of painstaking research and design, the Eric Johnson Stratocaster® has finally arrived. Designed with Eric by Custom Shop guru Michael Frank-Braun, this beauty is based on a '57, and combines the best of vintage design with modern electronics technology.

The '57-style, 2-piece alder body has an ultrathin, Custom Shop-quality nitrocellulose lacquer finish that results in better resonance. Johnson opted for a one-piece, quartersawn maple neck with a 12" radius that's finished with a thin-skinned glossy lacquer and vintage tint. 19 prototype pickups were created before Johnson found the tone he was looking for. The Custom Shop-modified single coils use a new wire material for the magnets. Johnson and Braun also included one of Eric's most famous Strat® modifications by wiring the tone controls to the neck and bridge pickups, instead of the standard neck/middle tone configuration of most Strats. This guitar is tonal perfection thanks to the discerning ear of one of the best players to ever pick up an axe. And it's pleasing to the eye as well, with it's large arm contour, '57-style pickguard and shallow pickup cavities, plus thin headstock with vintage staggered tuners that eliminate the need for a string tree. Unbelievable Custom Shop quality in a production axe. Thanks Fender, this one was well worth the wait!

Features:

'57-style, 2-piece alder body
Body cavities true to '57 specs
One-piece, quartersawn plain maple neck
Thinner, vintage-style headstock
12" radius American Series-style frets
Staggered vintage machine heads eliminate string tree
Thin neck cap
Bone nut
Custom Shop-modified single-coil pickups
Master volume, neck tone, and bridge tone controls
Vintage tremolo with silver painted block
'57-style string recess
Thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish

Played one about two weeks ago(its great knowing a couple of managers at Guitar Center!) All I have to say is, its a great guitar. Very slick and playable. You will enjoy it. Cause I know I sure did.

I haven't really liked too many of the sig strats...except for the Malmsteen one I bought lol.  And to be honest, Warmoth makes such a *killer* scalloped neck, I'd probably just go ahead and get another one of those before I bought another Malmsteen Strat, or had any of my necks done.  

This one sounds nice, though, going by the specs.  

As for EJ, have you ever seen that guy's setup?  He has more stuff cobbled together, I don't know how he can get it all to work...but he does.  I've seen him twice...great show both times.  

Just to make some $$. This will be a over priced but prob great guitar for the collectors.

The reason it took 5 years is because EJ is such a perfectionist.  I've heard he is VERY difficult to play for because everything must be absolutely PERFECT.  Of course, his music kicks ass and the quality is superb.

I've been very pleased with his pick of Chris Maresh on bass for the ALC album and his latest about to be released.  However, I'm sad to not see Chris touring with Monte Montgomery.  I have to admit, I happened to see Monte live on a Saturday night and then saw EJ and ALC live the next Wednesday night (3rd row center, no less)...and Monte's gig was far more enjoyable.  But let's face it...EJ is awesome, and I'm sure this guitar will be a real player.