To guitarists and music aficionados (including those at Music Experience), few modern axemen are as revered as Eric Johnson. Known for his unique, genre-hopping style, matchless virtuosity, and relentless tone chasing, Eric knows how to spot a great-sounding and soul-inspiring guitar. Looking back over his lifetime as a guitar connoisseur, certain instruments stand out to Eric for their sound, playability, and other intangible qualities impossible to define. One such guitar was Eric’s 1954 “Virginia” Strat, which had a starring role in Eric’s Grammy-winning albums Tones and Ah Via Musicom. The 1954 “Virginia” Strat was a gem among Eric’s collection, featuring a rare sassafras body, maple neck, a gorgeous nitrocellulose lacquer finish, and customized electronics, designed to produce a sublime vintage tone with a clarity fit for Eric’s intricate fretwork. Released as part of The Fender Stories Collection, the Eric Johnson 1954 “Virginia” Stratocaster is loving replication of one of Eric’s favorite guitars, and it’s one you’re sure to love, too.

Fender Stories Collection Eric Johnson 1954 "Virginia" Stratocaster at a Glance:

• Two-piece, offset-seam sassafrass body
• “Soft V”-shaped maple neck; 12”-radius fingerboard with 21 jumbo frets
• DiMarzio® HS2 bridge pickup; Fender ’57/62 single-coil Strat® middle and neck pickups
• Custom wiring and artist-specific setup
• Includes G&G tweed hardshell case and Certificate of Authenticity

Sublime tonewood combination

1950s Fender Stratocasters are known for their ash bodies. However, in some of the early 1954 runs (of which Eric Johnson’s 1954 “Virginia” Strat was a part), sassafras entered the mix. Sonically similar to mahogany and walnut, sassafras has creamy mids and lows and a shimmering high end with superb note separation. Moving on from the body — the guitar’s single-piece maple neck contributes a strong fundamental tone and crisp articulation, and its Soft “V” shape sinks into your hand for an exceptionally comfortable feel. To cement the classic vibe and vintage aesthetic of this superb instrument, both body and neck are finished in gloss nitrocellulose lacquer — just like they would have been in 1954.

Eric Johnson spec’d electronics

The Eric Johnson 1954 “Virginia” Strat features Eric’s custom wiring and personal pickup selection, including a DiMarzio HS-2 with an active top coil in the bridge and a Fender-original ‘57/’62 single-coil Strat set in the middle and neck. The HS-2 possesses a clean and crisp humbucking tone, with a more natural quality different from comparable humbuckers, and, in single-coil mode, it has a throwback sound that complements the 1954 “Virginia” Strat’s vintage character. The 57’/62’ Strat set contains period-correct replications of old-school Fender Strat pickups, reverse-engineered from an authentic 1963 Strat. Containing Alnico V magnets with Formvar-coated wire, fiber bobbins, cloth-covered lead wires, and staggered, hand-beveled pole pieces, the 57’/62’ Strat set produces a timeless Fender tone full of glassy highs and rich lows.

What Fender Says...

Eric Johnson already had his 1954 "Virginia" Stratocaster® when he recorded Tones* and the Platinum Ah Via Musicom**, groundbreaking albums that made him a hero to music fans and guitarists alike. To this day, Eric continues to release brilliant music, tour constantly and is, to the electric guitar community, a savant and widely followed tastemaker. In 2020, for the first time, Eric's 1954 Virginia Stratocaster will be replicated by both Fender Custom Shop and the Fender Corona Production line in limited numbers. With its rare rift/quartersawn sassafras body, lacquer finish, custom wiring and more, the Eric Johnson 1954 Virginia Stratocaster will thrill players and collectors alike with its distinctive look and exceptional tone. *(1987 Grammy nominated for best Rock Instrumental Performance) **(1991 Grammy for best Rock Instrumental Performance)

Two-Piece Sassafras Body

A rare tone wood, Sassafras has a distinctive, fine-grained appearance and produces silky tone with focused midrange.

Custom Pickup Configuration

Combining a DiMarzio HS-2 stacked humbucking pickup with a pair of Fender 57/62 pickups, this guitar has Johnson’s unique tone while offering plenty of variety.

Custom Wiring

The middle and neck pickups are out of phase with the bridge pickup, giving you Johnson’s unique “koto” tone in position two.

Custom Maple Neck

The comfortable “Soft V”-shaped neck provides clear tone, while the 12”-radius makes it easier to solo.

Lacquer Finish

A period-correct touch, the lacquer finish lets wood breathe while wearing in a distinctive way.

Vintage-Style Tuning Machines

Vintage-style tuning machines offer solid, stable tuning with era-correct style.