Eric Johnson's Pedalboard

[marnold]

Eric Johnson is notorious for being able to detect minute changes in tone, infamously down to how tightly a screw is holding a pedal together. Here's his pedalboard from the November Premier Guitar:

http://digital.premierguitar.com/premierguitar/201011_4/?pg=29&pm=2&u1=friend

Some of the pedals are at odd angles, some are on blocks of wood. Others have really long patch cords. Why? He says it sound better that way. If he actually can hear some difference, I'd be inclined to call that a curse and not a blessing. Seems borderline insanity, actually.

[Zip]

His board's way different now (that was the one he used 14 years ago), but he's still pretty whacked if you ask me (which you didn't, but just sayin'). Those echo units look pretty sweet, tho.
And brown rubber door stops? My MXR sits on the board and sounds just fine. Then again I don't play like Eric :thwap

[Eric]

If he actually can hear some difference, I'd be inclined to call that a curse and not a blessing. Seems borderline insanity, actually.
Agreed. I'd venture to say this these nuances are not noticed by the listening public, but rather something that he needs just right in order to be happy with his sound and play his best. I don't see how that wouldn't be considered a curse.

Makes me think a bit more about other things frequently thought of as gifts...

[Jx2]

I think when a artist developes that ear for his sound they have to have it all the time or it just doesnt sound right regardless. I also beleive thats why sometimes a guy changes a pedal or amp because while its close its not 100% what they hear in their head. I think being someone like Eric Johnson only helps his cause because some of us just dont have the fiance to acheive what we hear in our heads. What I enjoy is seeing someone like SRV who only used basically 2 pedals and I think 2 amps? Search Dunlop TV and find the clip with Joe Perry's stage set up. That make Eric Johnson's look weak.

[ZMAN]

O. C. D., Not the pedal. I really doubt if a guy who has stood in front of 100 watt amps all his life can hear that good!

[Jimi75]

Eric Johnson = Spock's Son

We all know the different stories abtou batteries, screws for Fuzzes etc.
It's like with everything in life. Don't go to far. I have seen EJ live and I was standing only couple feets away from his board. It was huge and consited of two parts. I didn't hear big changes in sound, except Delay on, delay off, clean and crunch.