Eric Clapton

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 owned a circa 1920 Gibson L-3 acoustic guitar, as noted in a listing by Christie's. This model connects to his admiration for blues legend Robert Johnson, who was famously photographed with a similar Gibson L-1.

Eric Clapton owned a 1928 Gibson L-3 guitar, which was gifted to him by a fellow Mississippi Blues enthusiast. According to Christie's, Clapton kept the guitar at his home for some time.

Eric Clapton remarked that this Gibson is "Important" and "very personal" to him. He has owned this guitar for a long time - at least twenty years. He said that he particularly loves it's sound and the look of it - its cello shape and round soundhole. Clapton kept this guitar for writing and playing on at home, rather than as a studio or road guitar.

Eric Clapton recalls that he has owned this guitar for a long time - at least twenty years. He commented that he used this National for playing slide both at home and in recording sessions.

Eric Clapton acquired this guitar in circa 1990s and had it set up for slide with a high action. The guitar has been mostly used tuned to open G.

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 recalled that he used this guitar for a lot of recording work in the early 1980s. In 2016, it was announced that this guitar was a gift to Clapton from George Harrison and was put on the market for a potential auction estimate of one million US dollars. (https://connect.invaluable.com/levine/auction-lot/ES345-TD-Eric-Clapton-George-Harrison-1964_E304D3C8A1 Source) and https://reverb.com/item/3515596-gibson-es-345-owned-by-eric-clapton

Eric Clapton described this Martin as his chief guitar throughout the 1970s. He said that this guitar was "very important" to him, and that he was never separated from it during this period. Clapton used this guitar extensively for recording, writing and stage work and is pictured playing it on a number of occasions including a concert at The Hammersmith Odeon, April 1977. The lettering on the side of the guitar refers to the title of one of his favourite artists, Don Williams', songs.

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

Eric Clapton used the 1982 Gibson Chet Atkins Standard guitar during his live performances in the late 1980s and early 1990s, 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's band often utilized the 1985 Martin Shenandoah OOO-2832 guitar, primarily played by Andy Fairweather Low, as noted by Lee Dickson on Christie's.

Eric Clapton received a 1991 Taylor 955-C acoustic guitar as a gift from Richie Sambora in appreciation for Clapton's contribution to Sambora's album "Stranger In This Town," as detailed by Christie's.

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.

Eric Clapton is seen using this amp or its companion at his concerts at Staples Center, Los Angeles, 18 and 19 August 2001 in the live video One More Car One More Rider released in November 2002.

Eric Clapton owned a 2003 Fender Bass Breaker Model '59 'Nike', as documented by Bonhams. This amplifier blends the design of a Fender tweed Bassman with a Marshall Bluesbreaker, featuring a Bassman amp section paired with two 12-inch Celestion G12 speakers, instead of the original four 10-inch Jensen alnico speakers.

Clapton ordered this amp the day before the opening of the first Crossroads Guitar Festival, 3 June 2004. Fender delivered it directly to him at Fair Park Centennial Hall in Dallas, where the Festival was held.

In his 1988 interview with the Japanese Young Guitar magazine, Eric Clapton referred to the Fender Dual Showman as being his stage amp before he started using Soldano amps (see lot 91). Clapton used these Dual Showmans as his main stage amps between 1987 and 1988.

Eric Clapton owned a mid-1960s Supro S6698 Sportsman amplifier, as documented by Bonhams.

This portable amp, although not big enough to be Clapton's main stage amp, was featured in Clapton's first ever video shoot, directed by Godley & Cream in 1985, for his hit single with Warner Brothers, Forever Man. Clapton also used this amp during a number of low key appearances including with Stan Webb at Finchley Cricket Club following a charity cricket match in August 1986.

The OM-ECHF Navy Blues is the third in a series of collaborations with Eric Clapton and Hiroshi Fujiwara. This OM edition incorporates the longer 25.4" scale for added string tension and tonal projection. The neck and body are lacquered and polished with a striking dark navy coloration combined with East Indian rosewood back and sides and a European spruce soundboard.

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.

• See more at: https://rockhall.com/blog/post/in-the-museum-9-11-fender-custom-memorial-guitars/#sthash.ienY3Bzv.dpuf

Eric Clapton said: "I recognise this as the guitar that I had given to Paul Kossoff while on tour with Blind Faith 1968/9. I acquired this guitar while I was with Cream and used it until I exchanged it with Paul..."