Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (with Case)

No longer available at zZounds
This is a carousel with one large image and a track of thumbnails on the left side. Select any of the thumbnail buttons to change the main image. You may also use the left and right arrow keys to navigate between images.
Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (with Case), Mercedes Blue
Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (with Case), Mercedes Blue
Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (with Case), Mercedes Blue
Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (with Case), Mercedes Blue Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (with Case), Mercedes Blue Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (with Case), Mercedes Blue
Any Eric Clapton fan will relish the opportunity to own this replica of his prized "Blackie" Stratocaster guitar, built to Slowhand's exact specifications.

What's special about this item?

Feature: What it does:
Soft V-shape profile Straight grain cut for more sustain; vintage feel
Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups Stacked single-coil pickups; vintage output
Blocked synchronized tremolo Holds tremolo static to body; increasing resonance
Active mid-boost circuit Fender/Clapton 25 dB mid-boost circuit

In 2004, Eric Clapton's favorite stage instrument from the 1970s and 1980s, a custom Fender Strat known as "Blackie" for its distinctive color, went on the Christie's auction block. The iconic guitar sold for almost a million dollars, making it, at the time, the world's most expensive guitar. Clapton had assembled Blackie himself in the early 1970s from the best parts of three vintage '56 and '57 Strats that he had purchased for a hundred bucks each. After debuting onstage in 1973, it became his favorite guitar until 1985 -- the year Fender asked Clapton to design a custom Stratocaster that would be built to his own precise specifications.

Fender's First Artist Model

Clapton instructed Fender to build him a new version of Blackie, with a slightly softer and more comfortable version of the V-shaped neck profile from his favorite Martin acoustic, and pickups that could emulate the legendary "woman tone" he developed while playing with Cream. And so, in 1987, Fender introduced their first artist model -- which Clapton has played onstage ever since. Modifications have been made on the Clapton models over the years, but they're still made to Slowhand's own exact specifications. Contrary to what the graffiti says, Clapton may not actually be God, but he's the god of the Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster.

The Stratocaster: A Legend in its Own Time

The 1950 release of the Fender Telecaster may have changed the world, but Leo Fender and his partner,… read more George Fullerton, didn't stop looking for ways to improve their instruments. By day, they worked long hours in the shop, refining their designs, and at night, they'd haunt juke joints, dance halls and blues clubs to find out -- straight from the guitarists themselves -- exactly what players needed and wanted from their electric guitars. Released in 1954, the Stratocaster introduced several new features to Fender guitars, including a contoured body for more comfortable playing, a double cutaway to make the higher frets easier to reach, a third pickup between the bridge and the neck to make even more tones available, and a tremolo bar to make notes easier than ever to bend. The large, 8-screw pickguard allowed almost all of the Stratocaster's electronic components to be mounted on one metal plate, making them especially easy to service. By the time Buddy Holly appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show playing one, Strats were well on their way to becoming icons.

Built to Clapton's Exact Specifications

Eric Clapton first made a name for himself playing Gibson guitars, but in 1970, Steve Winwood helped convince him to turn to Strats. It was on his '56 Strat, which he nicknamed "Brownie" for its tobacco sunburst finish, that he played the famous licks on "Layla." But it was Blackie, the Frankenstein-like custom Strat made from vintage Strat parts, that became the template for the signature model he developed with Fender -- continuing Fender's tradition of making guitars the way guitarists wanted them. Only this time the design didn't come from a pool of suggestions from random guitarists -- they were from one guitarist; one some say was the greatest of them all. The Clapton model has all of the features you expect from any Strat -- a lightweight alder body, comfortable contoured design, sparkling tone, and stunning versatility. The three vintage noiseless pickups bring that searing vintage single-coil sound without that annoying hum, reproducing Eric's bright, clean tones with ease.

Let's just go ahead and state the obvious: even though Eric Clapton could probably make a guitar made from a cigar box and a rubber band sound amazing, you know that Clapton isn't going to go around playing a guitar that he doesn't think is perfect. He can play any kind of guitar he wants -- and the one he wants is available to you in this signature model. Clapton didn't simply sign his name to a nice guitar that Fender built; he works with the company to make sure every single Eric Clapton signature Strat is made to his own exact specifications. After all, he uses these guitars onstage and in the studio. And he's not the only one -- Pete Townshend of The Who has used the Clapton model exclusively for over 20 years. read less

Series: Custom Artist Series

Model Name: Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster

Model Number: 015-0082-(Color)

Color: (806) Black

Body: Select Alder

Neck: 1-Piece Maple, Soft "V" Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)

Fingerboard: Maple, 9.5 in. Radius (241mm)

No. of Frets: 22 Vintage Style Frets

Pickups: 3 Vintage Noiseless(TM) Pickups (Neck, Middle, Bridge)

Controls:
Master Volume,
- Tone 1. Master Tone Control,
- Tone 2. Master Active Mid Boost (0-25dB)

Pickup Switching:
5-Position Blade:
- Position 1. Bridge Pickup
- Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup
- Position 3. Middle Pickup
- Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup
- Position 5. Neck Pickup

Bridge: "Blocked" American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo

Machine Heads: Fender(R)/Gotoh(R) Vintage Style Tuning Machines

Hardware: Nickel/Chrome

Pickguard: 1-Ply White

Scale Length: 25.5 in. (648 mm)

Width at Nut: 1.650 in. (42 mm)

Unique Features:
- Special Soft "V" Shape Neck,
- Blocked Tremolo,
- Active Mid-Boost Circuit,
- Eric Clapton's Signature on Headstock

Strings: Fender Super 250R, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046), p/n 073-0250-006

Accessories Included: Vintage Tweed Case, Strap, Cable

Case: Vintage Tweed Case with Orange Interior

Notice: Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-488-1818

Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Strat

Built to Slowhand's exacting specifications, the Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster guitar -- among the "Cream" of the Fender crop, so to speak -- is powered by three Vintage Noiseless pickups and features a special soft V-shaped maple neck, blocked tremolo and Clapton's signature on the headstock.

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (9 ratings)
Submitted March 13, 2014 by Michael G in Baltimore, MD

"One stunning strat"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This instrument, the David Gilmour custom shop strat and the 60th anniversary are without a doubt the best guitars Fender has created in recent memory. I own all three and can honestly say that they're flawless. Perfect tone, versatility and impeccable construction - they're like going back in time and being able to purchase a proper Strat or the parts to build your perfect guitar.

Sound
Warm, quiet pickups. Very creamy tone. You can get your usual Strat single coil brightness as well with the mid boost or plug into an overdrive pedal and get monstrous tone. I've played mine with a TS-9, OCD and a Bogner Uberschall through my twin reverb as well as my turret board Vox AC-30 and I can't get over the range of tones I can get without the sound beginning to fall apart.

Features
The neck is a dream. Slim, smooth, perfectly crafted. The active mid boost is great when you want to brighten up your tone or add more bite to solos while on overdrive.

Ease of Use
Mine came with a flawless setup right out of the case, the trem is great and doesn't wreck my tuning at all even under heavy use.

Quality
This guitar is, for lack of a better term, lovingly crafted. It feels perfect in my hands and the fit and finish are flawless. I expect to enjoy it for many, many years.

Value
The price is a bit on the high side, granted.… read more However, to put together a guitar with this level of craftsmanship and attention to detail is obviously an expensive and time consuming process. You get what you pay for, and this one is certainly worth the money.

The Wow Factor
It's a Blackie. It feels right, it sounds spot on, it delivers Clapton's tone very faithfully. If you're a fan of his, as I am, you'll be in love the first time you pick it up.

Musical Background:
I play acoustic and electric guitar as well as piano and have been playing for around 20 years.

Musical Style:
Rock, classic rock, folk, indie. read less
14 of 16 people (88%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Rate and Review this Product
Read more reviews

No longer available at zZounds

In most cases, a product is unavailable because it has been discontinued by the manufacturer