Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

Rig Rundown: Eric Johnson [2017]

The man behind some of the most iconic electric tones shows off his unplugged side.

Eric Johnson has been a longtime Martin fan, using them in the studio and on tour in the past, but for this acoustic tour, Johnson took a page out of Tommy Emmanuel’s book and went with two Matons. Johnson’s No. 1 is a Maton C.S Classic with a European spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides, and the proprietary Maton pickup system.

Click to subscribe to our weekly Rig Rundown podcast:


Eric Johnson's Gear

Nineties-style high-gain heaviness that can be surgically tailored with a powerful EQ.

Excellent variations on high-gain modern distortion tones. Powerful EQ.

Not many low- or mid-gain sounds here.

$199

JHS Hard Drive
jhspedals.com

4
5
4.5
4.5

JHS makes many great and varied overdrive stomps. Their Pack Rat is a staple on one of my boards, and I can personally attest to the quality of their builds. The new Hard Drive has been in the works since as far back as 2016, when Josh Scott and his staff were finishing off workdays by jamming on ’90s hard rock riffs.

Read MoreShow less

Tailored for Yngwie Malmsteen's signature sound, the MXR Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive is designd to offer simple controls for maximum impact.

Read MoreShow less

Voltage Cable Company's new Voltage Vintage Coil 30-foot guitar cable is now protected with ISO-COAT technology to provide unsurpassed reliability.

Read MoreShow less

Featuring dual-engine processing, dynamic room modeling, and classic mic/speaker pairings, this pedal delivers complete album-ready tones for rock and metal players.

Read MoreShow less