Derek and the Dominos – Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Remastered 2010)

'Brownie' is one of Eric Clapton's favourite guitars. Clapton said that he used 'Brownie' on the whole of the Layla album including the title track - the song which is generally regarded as being his most famous love song of all. According to the receipt from Sound City pictured here, Clapton bought this guitar on May 7th, 1967 while he was still with Cream. Clapton used 'Brownie' extensively for recordings and concerts over a number of years. Notably, on his first solo album Eric Clapton, 1970, where it shares the front cover photograph with him; and more significantly in the same year, on the whole of the Layla album where 'Brownie' is again pictured on the album cover, this time on the back, photographed on the floor of Criteria Studios. Brownie was auctioned by Christies for $497,500

Brownie was the affectionate name for a Fender Stratocaster that was used extensively by Eric Clapton during the early 1970s, most notably with Derek and the Dominos on their album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.

The guitar has an alder body, two-tone sunburst finish, a maple neck, skunk-stripe routing and black dot inlays. It was manufactured in 1956 and the serial number is 12073. Clapton purchased the guitar at London's Sound City while touring with Cream on 7 May 1967 for US$400 and used it for both concert and studio. The guitar appeared on his debut album Eric Clapton where it can be seen on the cover. Its most noteworthy usage can be heard on the Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs album also recorded in 1970. But after 1971, Brownie served as back-up for Clapton's main Fender Stratocaster, Blackie. At the 1969 Blind Faith concert in Hyde Park, London, Clapton played a Fender Custom Telecaster, which was fitted with Brownie's neck. Clapton preferred to buy a neck with a worn fretboard rather than a new one as he felt that a neck worn from playing had obviously been favoured by players, and was likely to play very well.

source: WIKIPEDIA

In the gatefold of "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs", Clapton is seen with a Gretsch Rancher acoustic guitar. It's speculated that the guitar was used as one of the two acoustic guitars on the title track's coda section along with his custom Zemaitis "Ivan the Terrible" 12-string.

In this picture from Derek and the Dominos' performance at the Fillmore East in October 1970, Eric Clapton can be seen using a Fender Vibratone rotary speaker. According to an article from Guitar Player Magazine, engineers Ron and Howard Albert recall that Clapton used a Fender Vibratone on the recording of "Layla" during the piano coda section.

This was Duane’s main guitar during the first year of the Allman Brothers Band, and he also used it on the recording sessions of “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” with Eric Clapton. He eventually traded it for the 1959 Les Paul, but kept both PAF pickups from this one. After Duane’s death, the guitar changed a couple of hands before ending up with Scot LaMar who often borrows it to Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Vince Gill and others for live performances.

Auctioned via Julien’s as Lot #1273 of Music Icons.

A pair of vintage Sound City brand B140 model speaker cabinets bearing Derek and The Dominos identification stencils in white aerosol. The group, helmed by Eric Clapton, only lasted a little over a year but produced one of the most iconic rock 'n roll albums, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.

The speakers were obtained by the current owner from a former guitar tech for Johnny Winter.

YEAR

c.1970-73

BRAND

Sound City

MODEL

B 140

TYPE

Speaker Cabinets

SERIAL NUMBER

B87F1061 and B87F1062

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Sturdy Baltic Birchwood pair of 4x12 speaker cabinets probably intended for bass due to the rear rectangular ports and the "B" in the model number. Loaded with likely non-original Celestion g12-75 speakers (Fanes usually with Sound City logo were stock), 300W RMS each cab. The front baffles have been re-painted and the non-original grill cloth is of a non-vintage style. They have been stenciled with spray paint: the numbers "3" and "4" in silver on the respective cab sides and "Derek & The Dominoes" in white on each unit as is found on other examples of Dominoes equipment. 1/4" speaker jacks.

OPERATION

Both cabs are in working order and sound good.

CONDITION NOTES

In good non-original condition with some scuffs

Rock 'N' Roll

Estimate:

$2000-$4000

The final auction price was $4,480.