“Lately I’ve been trying to think, ‘Where could you go with guitar if you decided there were no limitations at all?’” Eric Johnson on the $400,000 rig he hardly played, the Dumble that got away, and his masterplan for setting his playing free

Eric Johnson takes a solo onstage with his Gibson SG.

Here’s a scary thought. No matter who good you’ll get on guitar, you’ll never be satisfied. Take Eric Johnson.

Alongside Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, Johnson is of the original G3. He is the player who all-but redefined the guitar instrumental with Cliffs of Dover, and yet he is not altogether happy where his playing is at.