Eric Clapton – Unplugged (Live)

This guitar was the main instrument for Eric Clapton's MTV Unplugged appearance, one of the pivotal moments in his career. The picture of Clapton playing this guitar which appeared on the c.d. cover for the multi-million seller Unplugged album, has became one of the most enduring images of recent music history. Clapton used it to play the acoustic version of: Layla, Before You Accuse Me and Old Love, as well as early versions of My Father's Eyes and Lonely Stranger.

The guitar first appeared on stage at the first of the Blues only seasons at the Royal Albert Hall in February/March 1993, used in the opening acoustic segments of the show for pre-war Blues covers such as Alabama Women, How Long Blues and Four Until Late. It went on to serve as Clapton's main stage acoustic guitar between 1993 and 1995, mostly used in the opening acoustic segments of the Blues concerts for numbers such as Malted Milk.

When Martin was developing its first Eric Clapton signature model 000-42EC, Eric Clapton requested that the construction of that guitar should be based on the structure of this pre-war 000-42. A Martin publicity photograph at the time shows Clapton holding this guitar in one hand, and the new signature model in the other.

Although Clapton Signature Martin guitars with built-in pickups began to be used for larger concert venues from 1996 onwards, this guitar remained as the main stage acoustic guitar through the 1997 Far Eastern Tour and the first leg of the Pilgrim US Tour in 1998.

Eric Clapton was seen playing this guitar in the promotional video for Tears in Heaven, released as a single from the soundtrack album to the Lili Zanuck film Rush in 1991. In the video, Clapton is seen performing on the rehearsal set for the 1991 George Harrison Japan tour at Bray Studios. However, it is most recognisable from its appearance on MTV's Unplugged in January 1992, when Eric Clapton used it to play the opening number Signe as well as Tears in Heaven and Circus Left Town.

Clapton also used this guitar for the solo performance of Tears In Heaven at the end of a television special in 1992 featuring an exclusive interview with the British TV presenter Sue Lawley, filmed at his London home. This guitar was also used for performing Tears In Heaven, Circus Left Town and Signe during the 1992 UK Tour which incorporated the 12 show season at the Royal Albert Hall in February/March.

Eric Clapton used this guitar on MTV's Unplugged for the songs 'Alberta' and 'San Fransico Bay Blues' and he hasn't sold it yet in the public eye.

This Platinum sales award was presented to Eric Clapton by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON) to commemorate the sale of more than 250,000 copies of "Unplugged" in Mexico.

This is a 2x Platinum record award presented to rock guitarist Eric Clapton by the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) to commemorate album sales of more than 200,000 copies of "Unplugged" in Italy.

This 2x Platinum sales award was presented to Eric Clapton by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) to commemorate the sale of more than 600,000 copies of "Unplugged" in the United Kingdom.