
Eric Johnson and “Virginia.”
Dig the details of the shredder’s iconic guitar and recreate EJ’s wiring.
Hello, and welcome back to Mod Garage! You’ve probably heard about Eric Johnson’s passion for the smallest and oddest details when it comes to guitars and tone. There is a longstanding urban legend that EJ is able to hear what type of battery is used in his stompboxes and how long his guitar cables are. Regardless of whether or not that’s true, it speaks to his reputation that he really cares about his tone, down to the smallest details.
This month, let’s take a deep dive into the details of Eric Johnson’s 1954 “Virginia” Stratocaster, and discuss how to install its unique wiring scheme in your Stratocaster.
For much of Johnson’s career, he’s played his 1954 Stratocaster, which he nicknamed after a masking-tape label found in the pickup routes. In the ’50s, it was common for employees at the Fender factory to sign the guitars they assembled. This now-iconic instrument was built by an employee named Virginia, one of the earliest women Leo Fender had hired to work at the Fender factory. (Virginia’s last name is a mystery from the early Fender days. There are several photos of her, and other early employees remember Virginia, but none seem to remember her last name.)
In 2020, Fender released the Eric Johnson “Virginia” Stratocaster, as well as a Custom Shop version. It’s unknown when the modifications were done to this guitar. Let’s look at some of the things that make “Virginia” unique, and how you’d recreate this by building your own personal copy:
Body: Two-piece, offset-seam sassafras body painted in the classic Fender two-tone sunburst finish. Sassafras, also called golden elm or cinnamon wood, is native to North America. It’s not a common tonewood, but Fender used sassafras for some early Strat bodies. My guess is that it was used to substitute ash and swamp ash. Sassafras has a grain and appearance similar to ash and chestnut, as well as a similar weight and density, and it was easy and cheap to get in large quantities.
There are different companies offering sassafras Strat bodies, but you can also choose an ash or swamp ash body. If you want to be as close as possible, get a two-piece body. Whether it’s offset-seam or not is up to you.
Neck: One-piece maple neck with a soft V-shape, 12"-radius fretboard sporting 21 jumbo frets and black dots. It should be no problem to find such a Stratocaster neck. And the choice of standard or figured maple is a matter of personal taste.
Hardware: Basically the standard Fender hardware from the ’50s, such as the typical Fender ’50s Stratocaster tremolo and Kluson vintage tuners. Here is a list of what is not standard on this guitar’s hardware:
- A single Graph Tech String Saver saddle is used on the high E string. All the other saddles are ’50s standard bent-steel saddles.
- A flat washer on the output jack.
- The tremolo uses four springs (instead of five), and the one that’s under the B string is not installed.
- A single ’60s-style butterfly string tree with a nylon spacer underneath, instead of the ’50s-style round string tree
The plastic parts: This is also ’50s standard, sporting a single-ply offset-white pickguard with aged-white pickup covers, knobs, switch tip, and tremolo arm tip.
EJ plays pure nickel strings, so this is also recommended if you want to get as close as possible.
Now, let’s have a close look at the electronics and wiring. Here is a list of the electronic parts you’ll need:
- DiMarzio DP116 HS-2 stacked humbucker bridge pickup
- Fender ’57 or ’62 EJ middle and neck pickups
- Standard open-blade 5-way pickup selector switch
- Cloth wire for all connections
- 375k audio volume pot with a 90/10 taper ratio, no treble-bleed network
- Two 250k audio tone pots with a 90/10 taper ratio
- 0.1 μF/150 V wax-paper tone capacitor
- Standard mono output jack
Getting all these parts should be no problem at all. The pickups are in production, 375k pots are available from various companies, and new wax-paper capacitors are also available. All three pickups should use latex tubing instead of springs for pickup-height adjustment.
If you wish to use NOS wax-paper caps, don’t worry about the voltage. It will have absolutely no influence on the tone inside the guitar, only on its size. Be sure its capacitance is close to 0.1 μF, because these caps have a tendency to drift in capacitance over time.
The switching matrix is almost standard Stratocaster and goes like this:
#1: bridge pickup
#2: bridge + middle pickup in parallel (in phase)
#3: middle pickup
#4: middle + neck pickup in parallel (out of phase)
#5: neck pickup
The DiMarzio stacked humbucker is permanently used as a split single-coil pickup with only the upper spool being engaged, so no humbucking feature is activated. The upper tone control is assigned to the neck pickup, while the lower tone control is connected to the bridge pickup, leaving the middle pickup without tone control. The pickguard uses ’50s-style copper-foil shielding (connected to ground), but only under the area where the electronics are installed, not over the whole pickguard.
If you want to put this wiring into your Strat, take notice of the out-of-phase feature in switching position #4. On the “Virginia” Strat, the bridge pickup has a south polarity, while the middle and neck pickups both have a north polarity, and the middle pickup is reverse-wound. Please note that this is not a reverse-wound, reverse-polarity (RWRP) pickup, because both pickups need to have the same magnetic polarity. There are many pickup combinations where this feature will not work, so upgrading your pickups may be necessary if you want the full package. In short, you need a middle and neck pickup with the same magnetic polarity, one of them reverse-wound, and both in phase with the bridge pickup.
So, here we go for the wiring (Fig. 1). As always, I tried to keep it as clean as possible by substituting the ground-wire runs with the international symbol for ground. I used the DiMarzio humbucker color code for the bridge pickup. If you decide to use a different brand, you need to transfer the color code of the wires with the correct color-code chart.
That’s it. Next month, we will dissect the new Fender John 5 “Ghost Telecaster” wiring, so stay tuned.
Until then ... keep on modding!
The rising guitar star talks gear, labels, genre troubles, and how to network.
Grace Bowers just released her debut record, 2024’s Wine on Venus, with her band the Hodge Podge, but she’s already one the most well-known young guitarists in America. On this episode of Wong Notes, Bowers talks through the ups, downs, and detours of her whirlwind career.
Bowers started out livestreaming performances on Reddit at age 13, and came into the public eye as a performer on social media, so she’s well acquainted with the limits and benefits of being an “Instagram guitarist.” She and Cory talk about session work in Nashville (Bowers loathes it), her live performance rig, and Eddie Hazel’s influence.
Bowers plugs the importance of networking as a young musician: If you want gigs, you gotta go to gigs, and make acquaintances. But none of that elbow-rubbing will matter unless you’re solid on you’re instrument. “No one’s gonna hire you if you’re ass,” says Bowers. “Practice is important.
”Tune in to learn why Bowers is ready to move on from Wine on Venus, her takes on Nashville versus California, and why she hates “the blues-rock label.”
Learn about this iconic guitar's journey, its mods done by Frank, and hear how it sounds in the hands of his son Dweezil.
Join PG contributor Tom Butwin as he explores all-new versions of the Framus Hootenanny 12-string and 6-string acoustics—made famous by John Lennon and now available with modern upgrades. From vintage-inspired tone to unique features, these guitars are built to spark creativity.
Positive Grid's Spark NEO offers guitarists a wireless guitar rig built into premium headphones, with AI-powered tone customization, exceptional sound quality, and versatile connectivity.
Positive Grid announces Spark NEO, a groundbreaking wireless guitar rig built directly into premium over-ear headphones. Designed to deliver a seamless, personal guitar experience, Spark NEO combines Positive Grid’s award-winning guitar amp technology with true wireless connectivity and AI-powered guitar tone customization.
Spark NEO offers a seamless solution for guitarists seeking exceptional sound quality, advanced tone-shaping tools, and the freedom to play anywhere. Built with custom-designed 40mm drivers and an ultra-lightweight bio-fiber diaphragm, Spark NEO ensures rich, balanced sound for every style of music. The included wireless transmitter instantly pairs any guitar with the headphones for plug-and-play convenience, while Spark NEO’s built-in 1/4" input can also support traditional guitar cables, for added versatility.
With four onboard, customizable guitar presets, Spark NEO enables private playing anywhere, free from space limitations or noise constraints. For even more variety, connecting to the free Spark app unlocks additional presets, amps & effects, and advanced tone controls. Spark NEO also doubles as premium Bluetooth® headphones, offering exceptional clarity for music, podcasts, and more.
Key Features:
- Optimized for Guitarists: Spark NEO integrates Positive Grid’s renowned tone engine, delivering precise sound tailored to electric, acoustic, and bass guitars.
- True Wireless Freedom: A proprietary 2.4GHz system provides reliable, ultra-low latency connectivity between Spark NEO and the user’s guitar, for a smooth and stable playing experience.
- AI-Powered Guitar Tone Customization: Create and refine tones effortlessly with AI-driven tools that adapt to every playing style.
- Exceptional Sound Quality: Precision-engineered drivers deliver clarity and balance for both guitar playing and music listening.
- Portable Design: Spark NEO’s compact, foldable build and rechargeable battery with up to six hours of play time make it easy to take anywhere.
Built for Guitarists
Spark NEO bridges the gap between traditional guitar setups and modern technology. Unlike using generic headphones with a guitar amp, Spark NEO’s integrated design ensures every element—from app to drivers—delivers unparalleled performance.
Noise Isolating Design
Spark NEO’s ultra-soft, durable ear cups ensure a comfortable fit. With advanced damping materials, tuned venting, and precise port adjustments, Spark NEO provides passive noise isolation, letting every musical detail shine without external interference. Jam with backing tracks or favorite songs without disturbing a soul.
Enhanced Creativity with Spark App
The Spark App expands Spark NEO’s capabilities with access to 33 amps and 43 effects, plus over 100,000 tones on Positive Grid's online ToneCloud. Auto Chords helps players learn and jam along with any song by displaying its chords in real time as the song plays, while customizable presets offer endless creative possibilities. Play with backing tracks or along with favorite songs. Whether practicing, playing, or experimenting, Spark NEO delivers unmatched flexibility for guitar players at every level.
Availability and Pricing
Spark NEO is priced at USD $199, including the headphones, wireless transmitter, and full access to the Spark App. It will be available soon on Positive Grid’s website, Amazon, and select retailers.
For more info, please visit positivegrid.com.