Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton owned a circa 1980 Fender Stratocaster 'The Strat,' which was donated by Jimmy Page, as verified by Christie's auction listing.

"When Clapton first began playing the SG, it was still fitted with the original Deluxe Vibrolo arm; Clapton simply fixed the mechanism in place with arm reversed. The vibrato bar was eventually removed and replaced with two other tailpieces: another Gibson tremolo with a flexible piece of metal instead of springs; and a non-tremolo trapeze-style unit. The tuners were changed from the factory-issue Klusons to Grovers." - Gibson.

At 1:20 you can see Clapton playing this infamous guitar.

He can be seen with the guitar throughout the Concert for George.

Eric Clapton said that he bought this guitar via his manager Roger Forrester, from a fan in Austin, Texas in c.1983. He has used it on stage and is photographed playing it during the ARMS concert at The Royal Albert Hall, London, September 21, 1983.

This guitar resides in the London Hard Rock Cafè. It's one of the first of the HRC memorabilia collection.

This was the guitar that Eric Clapton used with Delaney & Bonnie. He gave it to Albert Lee as a gift.

This is one of the few Strats. in Eric Clapton's collection with a neck variation i.e. rosewood, rather than maple. It's a composite guitar.

Eric Clapton said that he bought this guitar "...for nostalgic reasons..." wanting "... to recreate the same experience as the psychedelic guitar ..." he'd used with Cream [see illustration]. He thinks that this model is ..."an incredible design.." but found that he couldn't switch back into using it having got so accustomed to Fenders. Lee Dickson recalls that Clapton disliked the tremolo [vibrato] on this particular model.

Eric Clapton experimented with the 1980s Fender Stratocaster Elite model, as documented by Christie's.

Freddy Tavares and John Page of Fender presented this guitar to Eric Clapton in 1982 after a show in the States.

In an interview with Dan Forte for Guitar Player magazine in 1985, Clapton commented: "Strings & Things from Memphis tried to get me interested in a fairly revolutionary-looking guitar, the St. Blues. I tried it, and I liked it, and I played it on stage liked, it a lot. But, while I was doing that, I was thinking, "Well, Blackie's back there. If I get into this new guitar too deeply, it's tricky, because then I won't be able to go back to Blackie. And what will happen to that?" This all happens in my head while I'm actually playing [laughs]. I can be miles away thinking about this stuff, and suddenly I shut down and say, "This is enough. No more. Nice new guitar. Sorry. You're very nice, but ..."

Clapton visited Strings & Things in Memphis and purchased this and its companion in Lot 55 on 19 February 1983, on which occasion a discussion took place about building an Eric Clapton model. Clapton took with him the guitar in Lot 55 but left this guitar with the company to be modified and shipped to him at a later date. When the guitar was shipped, the personalized neckplate was added. After some correspondence with Clapton discussing the specs of the Eric Clapton model, in which Clapton's idea of three pickups was replaced with two pickups. Two prototypes of the Eric Clapton model were completed and shipped to him in England in April 1983. According to Charles Lawing's statement: "[Eric] called and said he loved the guitars and how great they were... We got geared up to promote the Eric Clapton guitar at the next trade show when we received a letter from Eric's manager Roger Forrester letting us know that Eric was going to sign with The Fender Guitar Company... We were told that Clapton wanted us to keep one of his Eric Clapton prototype model guitars and sent back to us serial #00002...."

The returned prototype pictured in the advertisement is currently exhibited at the Smithsonian Rock and Soul Museum in Memphis.

Clapton used a Danelectro 59 DC during Blind Faith. It was handpainted in a very psychedelic way.

Eric Clapton acquired this guitar for collecting purposes and has played it now and then.

Eric Clapton is associated with a 1970s Gibson Les Paul Custom, as documented by Christie's. He appreciated the guitar's aesthetics but noted it was quite heavy to play.

One was used with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, while another one from 1999 was auctioned via Christie's on June 23, 1999.

Details

A 1999 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Serial No. 9 9272, in sunburst finish, mahogany body, with single cutaway maple top, mahogany neck, twenty-two fret bound rosewood fingerboard with crown inlays, headstock face with Les Paul MODEL, two humbucking pickups, four rotary controls, selector switch, metal bridge, stud tailpiece and cream pickguard; and a black hardshell contour case Gibson Les Paul Standard/Sunburst

Literature

FORTE, Dan, interview Out From Behind The Sun Interview in Guitar Player, GPI Publications, July, 1985 and Tribute To Slowhand Interview in Guitar World, Harris Publications Inc., December, 1989

(...) Lot Essay

In an interview with Dan Forte in 1985, Clapton remembers: "The best Les Paul that I ever had was stolen during rehearsals for Cream's first gig. It was the one I had with John Mayall, just a regular sunburst Les Paul that I bought in one of the shops in London right after I'd seen Freddie King's album cover of 'Let's Hide Away And Dance Away', where he's playing a gold top. It had humbuckers and was almost brand new - original case with that lovely purple velvet lining. Just magnificent. I never really found one as good as that. I do miss that one. And in the 1989 interview, Clapton reiterates: "All during Cream, I never really had a favourite guitar because I never really replaced the Les Paul and I was constantly looking for something to come up to scratch - I'd play the ES-335 or the SG or the Firebird. I don't think I had a Fender - I think it was only Gibsons - but I may have toyed with it..."

The stage-shot illustrated shows Eric Clapton playing a Les Paul Standard with Cream at The Marquee, London, September 27, 1966.

Serial No. 91703343, in sunburst finish, mahogany body with single pointed cutaway, flame maple top, mahogany neck, twenty-two fret bound ebony fingerboard with crest inlays, headstock facing with crown motif inlay, two pickups, two rotary controls, selector switch, strings-through-body construction with bridge baseplate and six adjustable saddles; and a black hardshell contour case with black plush lining and handwritten label with various inscriptions including Gibson Nighthawk Sunburst

This guitar served as Eric Clapton's main stage guitar during 1997. It was used when Clapton joined B.B. King to play Rock Me Baby during the latter's recording session for the album Deuces Wild in 1997. It was used as the main stage instrument when Eric Clapton joined a one-off fusion jazz super group, 'Legends', formed by Marcus Miller with Joe Sample, Steve Gadd and David Sanborn to play a fortnight tour of European jazz festivals in July 1997. This guitar made the front page of the world press when Clapton joined Paul McCartney, Elton John, Sting and Mark Knopfler for the Music For Montserrat concert at the Royal Albert Hall, organised by Sir George Martin, on 15th September 1997. On this occasion Clapton used it for The Same Old Blues, Layla and Hey Jude with the all-star cast. It went on to serve as the main guitar on the tour of Korea and Japan in October, 1997 and was used as a back-up guitar during the 1998 Pilgrim World Tour.

In 2010, Clapton appeared on the US TV advertisement for the limited edition mobile phone in which he demonstrates the telephone's features while his song Got A Rock'n'Roll Heart plays in the background only to be interrupted by a call from Buddy Guy. This guitar, which commemorates his participation in the advertising campaign was built by Todd Krause of Fender Custom Shop in accordance with the current specifications of Clapton's stage guitars with the exception of the choice of wood and the finish. The mobile phone's cover had a special design which emulated book-matched figured maple in sunburst finish. Fender used book-matched figured maple sprayed in sunburst to match the telephone on this guitar.

Eric Clapton played a Gibson Firebird I during Cream's Farewell Tour, as seen in footage from their performance at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

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

Eric Clapton said that he was given this guitar as a Christmas present by his manager Roger Forrester in the 1990s. It is a similar model to one of the first guitars that he owned, which he bought from a shop in Surbiton called Bells. Clapton recalled seeing this model as the top of the range guitar in the Hofner catalogue when he was 13 years old.

Eric Clapton owned the 1975 Ovation Preacher 12-String Model 1285, which was donated by Roger Waters, as documented by Christie's.

Serial No. 15100, in black finish, Explorer 'style' offset body, twenty-four fret bound fingerboard with dot inlays, two pickups, two rotary controls, selector switch and bridge/tremolo tailpiece; and black rectangular hardshell case with black plush lining; with two handwritten labels with various inscriptions including DEAN 'MINI EXPLORER' SER 15100; signed and inscribed on the body in silver felt pen Eric Clapton 2010

Serial No. A007037, in sunburst finish, maple neck with skunk-stripe routing, twenty-one fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, three single-coil pickups, three rotary controls, selector switch, tremolo/bridge tailblock and white pickguard; and a black Fender rectangular hardshell case with black plush lining; and various accessories; the back of the headstock signed by Eric Clapton in black felt pen

Eric Clapton frequently used the 1996 Fender Eric Clapton Master Built Stratocaster as one of his main stage guitars from 1998 to 1999. This guitar was notably featured on the Pilgrim World Tour, which included performances with a 20-piece orchestra and a 10-piece band. During the Japanese leg of the tour in late 1999, it served as his primary instrument. Additionally, Clapton played this guitar at several high-profile events, including two appearances at the White House in 1998 and 1999, the Crossroads Benefit Concert at Madison Square Garden, and Sheryl Crow's Central Park concert in 1999. Documentation of this guitar's significance can be found in the Christie's listing.

Eric Clapton owned an Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee SSS guitar, as verified by its listing at Christie's, where it was noted to have been donated by Albert Lee.

The most recent addition to Eric Clapton's collection of signature Stratocasters custom painted by graffiti artists, the third by the artist "Crash", this guitar has become Clapton's main stage instrument since its appearance at the concert One Generation 4 Another at the Royal Albert Hall, 15 March, 2004. Clapton has been using this guitar for the 2004 European Tour thus far.

Eric Clapton's connection to the 2010 Gibson Les Paul Standard Eric Clapton Beano Tribute Model 1 is rooted in his quest for a guitar reminiscent of his original 1960 cherry sunburst Les Paul, famously used during his Bluesbreaker period. Clapton, in a 1989 Guitar World interview with Dan Forte, expressed his ongoing search for a guitar that matched the neck shape and fingerboard of his original Les Paul, which was stolen during Cream rehearsals. This tribute model reflects Clapton's enduring appreciation for the iconic instrument. The Bonhams auction listing further highlights Clapton's involvement with this special edition guitar.

n Eric Clapton 'Signature' series Fender Stratocaster, s/n 6940281, black finish, three Lace Sensor pickups, maple neck and fingerboard, headstock with Fender, Eric Clapton signature and ''Blackie'' transfers, in gig bag with two tremolo arms and lead

Tommy Clarke is a native New Yorker and was a first-responder at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. His experience at the tragedy profoundly changed his life. Clarke felt a duty to keep alive the memory of those who died that day, as well as the survivors who still suffer effects from the attacks and the collapse of the towers.

Clarke enlisted his longtime friend and three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Eric Clapton to create something to honor the three services of first responders – the New York Police Department, the Fire Department of New York and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Clapton brought in master luthier Todd Krause from the Fender Guitar Custom Shop and legendary graffiti artist Lee Quinones to design and build three guitars.

Quinones interviewed many 9/11 survivors to get their thoughts and impressions about the events. With their stories as inspiration, Quinones and Clarke conceptualized the renderings that Quinones then painted on the back of each guitar. Clarke secured authentic badges and commendation bars, and Krause installed them on the instruments he built himself. Clapton brought these guitars on tour with him in 2011 and played them onstage in Brazil.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will bring the guitars to the 2013 Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival as part of a special guitar exhibit from April 12-13 at Madison Square Garden. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will also bring Muddy Waters' 1958 Fender Telecaster, which is part of the Museum's permanent collection and featured in the Roots of Rock gallery. All four guitars will return to exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, after the Crossroads Festival.

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