I am offering here the legendary Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster model from 2005, a crafted in Corona, California (USA), premium signature model of the elite guitar virtuoso Eric Johnson from the Artist Series, featuring a resonant alder body (weighing 3.38kg in total!), bolt-on one-piece quartersawn maple neck with Soft V neck profile and 42 mm bone nut, premium maple fingerboard with black dot inlays and 21 medium jumbo frets, three super-hot Fender Specially Voiced Eric Johnson singlecoil pickups, as well as a Fender American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo bridge in a brilliant Candy Apple Red high-gloss nitrocellulose finish with parchment-colored pickguard in excellent collector’s condition, including Fender G&G luxury hardshell case, manufacturer’s paperwork, and professional setup with 10-46 Elixir Optiweb strings.

The guitar was developed according to Eric Johnson’s vision and specifications in collaboration with Fender Custom Shop guru Michael Frank-Braun and was first introduced in 2005. Based on a ’57 Strat with a maple fretboard, this beautiful Strat combines many vintage details with modern electronics, resulting in a uniquely hot sound paired with fantastic playability. Particularly noteworthy are the pickups wound at the Fender Custom Shop according to Johnson’s specifications, the one-piece maple neck with a Soft V neck profile, a maple fingerboard with a 12-inch radius, and the ultra-thin Custom Shop-quality nitrocellulose lacquer finish, which results in outstanding resonance.

According to the story, as many as 19 different prototype pickups were produced for this guitar before Johnson found the tone he was looking for. The single-coil pickups wound in the Custom Shop use a new wire material and a new winding technique for the magnets, giving them a unique sound approved by Eric Johnson. Johnson and Braun also implemented one of Eric’s most famous Strat modifications by wiring the tone controls to the neck and bridge pickups, rather than the standard neck/middle-tone configuration found on most Strats.

A sound sample of the model can be found above at the end of the photo gallery.

In terms of playability, the soft V-shaped neck profile feels great in the hand right away and allows for smooth playing across the 21 medium jumbo frets.

Visually, the guitar impresses with a timeless, classic look, where the Candy Apple Red nitro finish complements the parchment-colored, one-piece pickguard and matching plastic parts aesthetically.

In short, an incredible signature Strat on par with the Fender Custom Shop, combining perfection in playability, tone, and aesthetics—all at a comparatively affordable price.

Technical Specifications:

• Origin: Corona, CA, USA
• Year of Manufacture: 2005
• Body: ’57 Lightweight Alder Body, Deep Contoured
• Neck: One-piece quartersawn maple neck, bolt-on
• Neck Profile: Soft V
• Fingerboard: Maple with black dot inlays
• Fingerboard Radius: 12″
• Frets: 21, Medium Jumbo
• Nut: 42mm, bone
• Pickups: 3x Fender USA Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Singlecoil pickups
• Electronics: 5-way switch, 1x Volume & 2x Tone controls
• Tuners: Fender American Vintage Style Staggered
• Bridge: Fender US Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo with curved steel saddles and ash tray bridge cover
• Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
• Pickguard: Parchment, single-ply
• Finish: Candy Apple Red high-gloss, nitrocellulose
• Scale length: 648mm
• Weight: 3.38kg
• Serial No.: EJ013805
• Includes G&G deluxe hardshell case, manufacturer’s paperwork, Case Candy

This Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster in Candy Apple Red dates from the first year of production of the signature model and is no longer manufactured in this configuration.

This guitar is in excellent collector’s condition and technically flawless. Visually, it shows only the finest superficial wear, if any (see photos). The frets are practically flawless.

The instrument has been professionally set up with 10-46 Elixir Optiweb strings, and I (a long-time guitar teacher) will ship it fully insured with DHL for €29.99 within Germany or for €79.99 within the EU. Worldwide shipping is available—individual shipping costs upon request.

All photos shown are of the actual instrument for sale.