Blackie, the Custom Shop Fender and the signatures
An old Clapton Stratocaster advert, Fender Frontline
In 1985 Eric Clapton realized that unfortunately his beloved Blackie, an assembled "V" shaped Stratocaster from the late 1950s, had to be replaced as it couldn’t be subjected to another refret and couldn’t be played any more. “Blackie is simply worn out. It's unplayable. The problem is in the neck. The rest of the guitar is okay, but the neck is worn out. The frets are almost down to the wood, and it's already been refretted once and couldn't take another refret. I've played it so much that even the sides of the neck, running along the length of the fingerboard, are wearing down - the neck is actually getting thinner. It's not even wide enough to support six strings, so I simply had to go with something else. Dan Smith and I came up with some ideas, and the guitars I'm playing now are the result,” Eric Clapton recalled in an interview with Tom Wheeler.
Actually both Master Builder Todd Krause and Lee Dickson, Clapton's historical technician, stated in other interviews that Blackie was not so ruined, it simply exhibited the signs of an intense use and was a little more difficult to play, but Eric was still determined to change guitars.
Actually both Master Builder Todd Krause and Lee Dickson, Clapton's historical technician, stated in other interviews that Blackie was not so ruined, it simply exhibited the signs of an intense use and was a little more difficult to play, but Eric was still determined to change guitars.
John Page and Freddie Tavares with Eric Clapton in 1983
The real reason behind this change was probably due to an agreement between Clapton and Fender, which urgently needed the money to build the new Corona factory. In fact, the first signature should have been that of Jeff Beck, but Eric was the best known guitarist in the world and his signature model would have been allowed to collect the necessary amount sooner, so Fender first contacted Roger Forrester, Clapton's manager.
The first contact between Fender and Clapton took place in 1983, when Dan Smith sent John Page and Freddie Tavares, with one of the first '57 Vintage Reissues, to the guitarist who, at the time, was engaged in the ARMS Charity Concert. After this first meeting others followed. In particular Dan Smith remembers that he personally visited Clapton in Dallas in 1985, on his birthday (April 5), and together they decided to create a new series of guitars with his signature. On this occasion, Slow Hand tried one of the few Elite Stratocasters, with a blocked tremolo, that remained after the closure of Fullerton factory.
Though he liked Elite TBX and MDX systems very much, the sound was far from the compressed one that Clapton was looking for; moreover, the Elites didn’t feature the "V" shaped neck, like that of his old 1930s Martin, basic requirement for the English guitarist.
In late 1985 Dan Smith and new-hire George Blanda picked some factory neck blanks and carved them to different shapes, from a sharp "V", like that of Martin, to a softer one, similar to that of Blackie. George Blanda, helped and recommended by Lee Dickson, made three prototypes, based on the ’57 reissues, with blocked tremolo and the two neck profiles selected by Clapton: one in Torino Red finish (also called Ferrari Red) on which he mounted the sharper "V" neck, and two Pewter, with a softer neck shape (which Clapton would have played later during the Prince Trust Live Aid, the Live in Montreux, and the Eric Clapton and friends shows in 1986). This finish was very similar to the anthracite wanted by Clapton and which he sometimes called Mercedes Charcoal Gray. The electronics of these prototypes was improved by replacing the Elite pickups with three Gold Lace Sensors associated with a 21dB boost.
These guitars were shown to Eric while recording his August album: the guitarist was so enthusiastic that he also recorded some solos of his album with the prototypes.
The first contact between Fender and Clapton took place in 1983, when Dan Smith sent John Page and Freddie Tavares, with one of the first '57 Vintage Reissues, to the guitarist who, at the time, was engaged in the ARMS Charity Concert. After this first meeting others followed. In particular Dan Smith remembers that he personally visited Clapton in Dallas in 1985, on his birthday (April 5), and together they decided to create a new series of guitars with his signature. On this occasion, Slow Hand tried one of the few Elite Stratocasters, with a blocked tremolo, that remained after the closure of Fullerton factory.
Though he liked Elite TBX and MDX systems very much, the sound was far from the compressed one that Clapton was looking for; moreover, the Elites didn’t feature the "V" shaped neck, like that of his old 1930s Martin, basic requirement for the English guitarist.
In late 1985 Dan Smith and new-hire George Blanda picked some factory neck blanks and carved them to different shapes, from a sharp "V", like that of Martin, to a softer one, similar to that of Blackie. George Blanda, helped and recommended by Lee Dickson, made three prototypes, based on the ’57 reissues, with blocked tremolo and the two neck profiles selected by Clapton: one in Torino Red finish (also called Ferrari Red) on which he mounted the sharper "V" neck, and two Pewter, with a softer neck shape (which Clapton would have played later during the Prince Trust Live Aid, the Live in Montreux, and the Eric Clapton and friends shows in 1986). This finish was very similar to the anthracite wanted by Clapton and which he sometimes called Mercedes Charcoal Gray. The electronics of these prototypes was improved by replacing the Elite pickups with three Gold Lace Sensors associated with a 21dB boost.
These guitars were shown to Eric while recording his August album: the guitarist was so enthusiastic that he also recorded some solos of his album with the prototypes.
One of the very first advert of the Eric Clapton Stratocaster, Rolling Stone magazine. "There really is only one Eric Clapton and there really is only one Fender" emphasizes the rebirth and rebranding of the new post-CBS Fender.
The contract between Eric Clapton and Fender Musical Instruments was signed on May 7, 1987. In the same year, the Custom Shop produced the very first models of the new vintage looking signature guitar, the Eric Clapton Statocaster (1st model pre-factory), reminiscent of a ’57 Stratocaster with the characteristic 21 frets and a sharp “V” maple neck, but equipped with three Gold Lace Sensors, a TBX tone control, a MDX circuit, which ensured a 21dB boost on the mids, a flatter fretboard and a tremolo blocked with a piece of wood. As a distinctive feature of the new series, the guitarist’s signature was applied on the front of the headstock. Also a small switch to select the active and passive electronics was inserted on these first models, mostly quite rare prototypes.
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One of the first signature ever built, "pre-factory" Clapton Stratocaster, dated 1987, mini switch on the pickguard and 21 frets (Courtesy of Andrew Kastner).
But, at the beginning of 1988, before the factory production started, Eric asked for three more guitars and a new neck for one of the two Pewter original prototypes. This was the first time that John Page and Michael Stevens made a guitar for the English musician (though Michael had built some of the first signature prototypes exhibited at the 1987 NAMM in Chicago). It wasn’t an easy job for the two master builders: Eric was increasingly demanding and perfectionist and the new prototypes necks didn’t seem to be going well.
Michael Stevens remembers that, after other attempts gone wrong, Lee Dickson arrived from England with Blackie and told him: “Like this!” So he built other necks similar to that of Blackie and mounted them together with George Blanda and John Page on two new prototypes, one Pewter and the other Candy Apple Green, also called 7-Up Green, another color required by the artist. This time the slightly softer shaped necks (curly maple for the Pewter and bird's eye for the 7-Up Green) were perfect. Eric asked Michael Stevens to reverse the necks of the new Pewter and of the Candy Apple Green and to add the twenty-second fret to the green Stratocaster (which subsequently would have been refinished in Black)
Michael Stevens remembers that, after other attempts gone wrong, Lee Dickson arrived from England with Blackie and told him: “Like this!” So he built other necks similar to that of Blackie and mounted them together with George Blanda and John Page on two new prototypes, one Pewter and the other Candy Apple Green, also called 7-Up Green, another color required by the artist. This time the slightly softer shaped necks (curly maple for the Pewter and bird's eye for the 7-Up Green) were perfect. Eric asked Michael Stevens to reverse the necks of the new Pewter and of the Candy Apple Green and to add the twenty-second fret to the green Stratocaster (which subsequently would have been refinished in Black)
Dan Smith suggested adding the twenty-second fret on all Clapton signatures and the BiFlex truss rod, while, on Clapton’s request, the mini-switch was eliminated and the boost was increased to 25 dB. These new rare 2nd pre-factory models made by Custom Shop were followed by the factory production of the newEric Clapton Stratocaster (1st series), at first available only in Torino Red, Candy Apple Green and Pewter; in 1991 the Black finish was added and in 1994 the Olympic White one. The black signatures exhibited the “BLACKIE” decal together with Clapton’s signature; however, it is important not to confuse these guitars with the Blackie Tribute Replica made in limited edition in 2006 without this decal.
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Second "pre-factory" model, dated 1988. There is no longer the mini switch. The old Custom Shop oval logo stood out on the back of the headstock. This color is not very common. (Very special thanks to Nino Fazio from realvintage.it)
It makes one smile to think how the old version of the Clapton Stratocaster still appeared in the 1988 Fender catalog, with 21 frets and mini-switch and the “But not Eric. He wouldn't change a thing” writing, when actually, it was he who pushed to modify the first version of his signature.
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The new factory Clapton Stratocaster, first series, dated 1996, Pewter finish, without mini switch and with 22 frets
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In 1991 Fender, in agreement with Clapton, produced some signatures with rosewood fretboards to meet the tastes of the guitarists that didn’t like the maple ones. However only 95 units were made and sold before the production stopped.
The Clapton Stratocaster was equipped with the Lace Sensors until 2001, when they were replaced by the new Vintage Noiseless. Though the contract with the Actodyne General, producer of the Lace Sensors, ended in 1996 and Fender gradually began to substitute them with the new Noiseless, Lee Dickson declared that it was Eric who preferred the Noiseless to the old pickups. The Second Clapton Series was born.
The Clapton Stratocaster was equipped with the Lace Sensors until 2001, when they were replaced by the new Vintage Noiseless. Though the contract with the Actodyne General, producer of the Lace Sensors, ended in 1996 and Fender gradually began to substitute them with the new Noiseless, Lee Dickson declared that it was Eric who preferred the Noiseless to the old pickups. The Second Clapton Series was born.
2004: The Custom Artist
In 2004 the team-built Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster was introduced; it was identifiable by the Clapton's signature, together with the Custom Shop Logo, which were applied on the back of the headstock.
Midnight Blue, Mercedes Blue and Black were the available finishes. Also the black Custom Shop signatures, like the factory ones, exhibited the "BLACKIE" decal together with Clapton’s signature and not to be confused with the Blackie Tribute Replica made in limited edition in 2006.
Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster master-built models were also made; they were slightly different from the team-built ones: better woods and paints, different frets, but above all, necks with different profiles and without TBX. In 2009 Todd Krause declared that the team built had TBX because when it was created in 2004 Eric used it and the guitar was never changed; on the contrary the master-built was always updated in tune with the variations that Eric made on his guitars and, as he no longer used TBX and the necks had different shapes, these changes were also implemented in the master built versions of the Clapton signature.
In 2017 the Journeyman Relic Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster team-built version with aged 2-Color Sunburst or Aged White Blonde finish, was presented.
Midnight Blue, Mercedes Blue and Black were the available finishes. Also the black Custom Shop signatures, like the factory ones, exhibited the "BLACKIE" decal together with Clapton’s signature and not to be confused with the Blackie Tribute Replica made in limited edition in 2006.
Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster master-built models were also made; they were slightly different from the team-built ones: better woods and paints, different frets, but above all, necks with different profiles and without TBX. In 2009 Todd Krause declared that the team built had TBX because when it was created in 2004 Eric used it and the guitar was never changed; on the contrary the master-built was always updated in tune with the variations that Eric made on his guitars and, as he no longer used TBX and the necks had different shapes, these changes were also implemented in the master built versions of the Clapton signature.
In 2017 the Journeyman Relic Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster team-built version with aged 2-Color Sunburst or Aged White Blonde finish, was presented.
2005 Clapton Strat, Custom Shop
Master built black Clapton Stratocaster del Custom Shop. It exhibited "Blackie" decal on the back of the headstock
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2017 Journeyman Relic advert
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Other special versions
During the years, Fender Custom Shop had made special editions of the Clapton Stratocaster, but also some guitars only for Slow Hand.
For the recording of the 1992 Jimi Hendrix Stone Free tribute album, Eric asked the Custom Shop to build a special Stratocaster based on his white signature, but equipped with the Texas Special pickups. This guitar has been used many times in studio but never played live.
For the recording of the 1992 Jimi Hendrix Stone Free tribute album, Eric asked the Custom Shop to build a special Stratocaster based on his white signature, but equipped with the Texas Special pickups. This guitar has been used many times in studio but never played live.
The Gold Leaf Stratocaster
The Gold Leaf Stratocaster is a custom order guitar made by the Master Builder Mark Kendrick in 1996 for the 50th anniversary of Fender.
Eric was looking for something that had an old appearance, something “that could be hung in the Louvre,” the English guitarist remembers, and after three attempts this Stratocaster arrived: it was composed by a two piece alder body with a golden foil finish applied by George Amicay, covered by a thin and transparent lacquer. The neck plate, on which the “EC1” serial number was engraved, refers to Fender anniversary. Mark Kendrick remembers that this guitar at first had a completely golden pickguard, which Clapton immediately replaced with a white one.
Clapton played this Stratocaster between ’96 and ’97; its last appearance dated to 2001, during the One More Car, One More Rider tour, before being sold for $455,000.
In 2004 Custom Shop master builders re-purposed it with the name Clapton Gold Leaf Stratocaster in 50 unit limited edition, equipped with Vintage Noiseless pickups and standard tone control, instead of the Gold Lace Sensors and the TBX present on the original Gold Leaf Strat and with the "ORIGINAL Contour Body" decal, which the original did not have.
It is still possible to order a Gold Leaf Replica from the master builders of the Custom Shop.
Eric was looking for something that had an old appearance, something “that could be hung in the Louvre,” the English guitarist remembers, and after three attempts this Stratocaster arrived: it was composed by a two piece alder body with a golden foil finish applied by George Amicay, covered by a thin and transparent lacquer. The neck plate, on which the “EC1” serial number was engraved, refers to Fender anniversary. Mark Kendrick remembers that this guitar at first had a completely golden pickguard, which Clapton immediately replaced with a white one.
Clapton played this Stratocaster between ’96 and ’97; its last appearance dated to 2001, during the One More Car, One More Rider tour, before being sold for $455,000.
In 2004 Custom Shop master builders re-purposed it with the name Clapton Gold Leaf Stratocaster in 50 unit limited edition, equipped with Vintage Noiseless pickups and standard tone control, instead of the Gold Lace Sensors and the TBX present on the original Gold Leaf Strat and with the "ORIGINAL Contour Body" decal, which the original did not have.
It is still possible to order a Gold Leaf Replica from the master builders of the Custom Shop.
The Clapton Gold Leaf Stratocaster Replica
The "Graffiti" Stratocasters
Lee Dickson, the technician who had supported Slow Hand for more than twenty years, remembers that between 2001 and 2004 Eric played, most of the time, two guitars built by Master Builder Todd Krause, which were identical to the factory signature Stratocasters including the Vintage Noiseless pickups. They differed from most guitars because of their weight, which contrasted with the trend of the period that wanted guitarists looking for lighter and lighter bodies. On the occasion of his 2001 tour, Clapton sent the bodies of his guitars to John Matos, better known as Crash, a famous New York graffiti artist, who painted them by hand; subsequently the bodies returned to Todd Krause for the clear coating and the assembly.
“Creating a painted guitar is very different than painting a canvas. Canvases are painted against a wall, or easel. Walls, well, they don't move, as simple as can be. The Stratocaster has no edges, the designs revolve from front to back, so it's quite tricky. Also, because of that same reason, when I paint them, I hang them from the ceiling so that I can easily move them, therefore creating a seamless design... yes, tricky indeed,” John declared in 2019.
Clapton Crashocasters debuted at the 2001 Wyclef Jean All-Star Jam at Carnegie Hall. They were also used for the 2001 Reptile Tour, in the Ain’t gonna stand for it video and in other live performances.
“Creating a painted guitar is very different than painting a canvas. Canvases are painted against a wall, or easel. Walls, well, they don't move, as simple as can be. The Stratocaster has no edges, the designs revolve from front to back, so it's quite tricky. Also, because of that same reason, when I paint them, I hang them from the ceiling so that I can easily move them, therefore creating a seamless design... yes, tricky indeed,” John declared in 2019.
Clapton Crashocasters debuted at the 2001 Wyclef Jean All-Star Jam at Carnegie Hall. They were also used for the 2001 Reptile Tour, in the Ain’t gonna stand for it video and in other live performances.
The Crashocaster #1 debuted at the 2001 Wyclef Jean All-Star Jam. It was also used in the 2001 Reptile tour, the 2003 Japan tour and in 2004. Clapton used Crash #1 for the video "Ain’t gonna stand for it".
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Clapton played Crashocaster #2 during the Japan Tour in November and December 2001 and in few concerts in 2004.
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Clapton introduced Crashocaster #3, which sported a metallic pickguard designed by Mark Kendrick, at the benefit concert One Generation for Another at London’s Royal Albert Hall, on 15 March 2004. Clapton played this guitar during the 2004 Crossroads Festival. He played Crash #3 for the last time on 23 June 2004 in Albany, New York.
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Between 2004 and 2007 Crash painted other fifty Stratocasters made by Todd Krause - although not Clapton signatures - each with a different design, which exhibited a Crash signature on the neck plate and that of the master builder on the back of the headstock. They featured a metallic pickguard, similar to that of the Crash #3, equipped with black covered Noiseless pickups. Despite this, many Crashcaster guitars that aren’t designed by John Matos, but pretend to be, circulate nowadays.
In 2019 Crash painted a new Crashocaster, which Eric Clapton played at the 2019 Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas.
In 2019 Crash painted a new Crashocaster, which Eric Clapton played at the 2019 Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas.
The 2019 Crashocaster
In an interview with the Where's Eric #34 magazine, Clapton declared that he had commissioned an entire “graffiti” series and claimed to own, besides the Crashcasters used live, other eight guitars painted by other artists including Stash, Daze and Futura. The photos of these guitars were published in the next edition of the magazine.
Daze
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D'Zine
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Futura
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Kaws
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Next Sky
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She1 #1
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She1 #2
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Stash
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The other "Graffiti" Stratocasters published in Where's Eric magazine
The Blackie Tribute Replica
Clapton's real Blackie was auctioned at Christie's in New York on June 24, 2004 and purchased for a record $ 959,500 for the Guitar Center represented by David Belzer and Drew Berlin, known among the vintage lovers as the Burst Brothers.
About a year later, on October 24, 2005, the guitar was "loaned" to the Corona Custom Shop to be studied and analyzed. In 2006, with Clapton's approval, Custom Shop master builders, under the supervision of Todd Krause, brought out 270 Blackie Tribute Replica, faithful replicas of the legendary Blackie, which were sold in one day, on November 24, 2006, for an amount that was around $ 20,000 per guitar; a part of the proceeds was donated to charity to the Crossroads Centre on the Caribbean island of Antigua, a drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation center founded by Clapton in 1998.
The replicas were obviously unsigned (and did not have the "BLACKIE" decal, present on all black signatures, with which they should not be confused) and also exhibited signs of cigarette burns on the headstock. Though the hardware was nickel and the tuning machines were chromed (all in relic version), the key of the high E was golden and oxidized like that of the original.
About a year later, on October 24, 2005, the guitar was "loaned" to the Corona Custom Shop to be studied and analyzed. In 2006, with Clapton's approval, Custom Shop master builders, under the supervision of Todd Krause, brought out 270 Blackie Tribute Replica, faithful replicas of the legendary Blackie, which were sold in one day, on November 24, 2006, for an amount that was around $ 20,000 per guitar; a part of the proceeds was donated to charity to the Crossroads Centre on the Caribbean island of Antigua, a drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation center founded by Clapton in 1998.
The replicas were obviously unsigned (and did not have the "BLACKIE" decal, present on all black signatures, with which they should not be confused) and also exhibited signs of cigarette burns on the headstock. Though the hardware was nickel and the tuning machines were chromed (all in relic version), the key of the high E was golden and oxidized like that of the original.
The Blackie Tribute Replica with the "Duck Bros" case, with London telephone number. With this guitar: Certificate signed by Fender Master Builder who made the guitar, Certificate signed by Eric Clapton, a Making of Blackie DVD, Leather Presentation Folder for certificates and DVD, Christies Auction Book, Crossroads CD Set, Crossroads DVD, Letter from the Crossroads Center (photo courtesy of Fender Musical Instruments Corp.).
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Blckie Tribute Replica tuning machines. Note the golden high E golden key.
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The Sun Strat
In 2007 Fender released a hundred Eric Clapton Crossroads Stratocasters (known also as Sun Strat) and fifty Crossroads '57 Twin Amps, produced simultaneously. Proceeds from the sale of these packages went to the drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation center founded by Clapton, the Crossroads Centre in the Caribbean island of Antigua. Each guitar and each amp bore a unique Crossroads Antigua drawing, a smiling sun designed by Eric himself.
Crossroads Stratocaster and '57 Twin Amp
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10th Anniversary Crossroads Antigua Clapton StratocasterIn 2008, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Crossroads Center in Antigua, Richard Ash, CEO of Sam Ash Music, asked Fender Custom Shop to produce, for charity purposes, a limited edition Stratocaster to bring back to life the Antigua finish of the late '70s, maybe one of the most controversial color of Fender history.
Corona factory made one hundred units of the Eric Clapton Antigua 10th Anniversary Crossroads Stratocaster, sold each for $5,000, of which 1000 were donated to the recovery center. This Stratocaster, which followed the specs of the Custom Artist Clapton Strat (alder body, 1-piece maple neck with soft "V" profile, 22 vintage style frets, Vintage Noiseless pickups, blocked vintage style tremolo, MDX, TBX), was refined by Jesus Andrade, who had painted the Antigua Stratocasters between 1977 and 1979. |
2010 Limited Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster
Daphne Blue and Gray Clapton Strats
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In 2010 the Custom Shop released the Limited Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster, available both in the Daphne Blue finish, a meticulous copy of the guitar that Eric used in his Australian tour in 2009, and in the Gray version, a color slightly darker than Pewter, a faithful replica of his Fender played in the 2006 and 2007 world tour.
Both had an alder body, soft "V" maple neck, 22 vintage style frets, bone nut, Vintage Noiseless pickups, MDX and blocked vintage style tremolo; they could be distinguished from similar models for the "LIMITED EDITION" decal present together with the Custom Shop logo on the back of the headstock. |
Brownie Tribute Replica
Brownie replica advert
In the spring of 2013, Custom Shop Master Builder Todd Krause presented his Eric Clapton Brownie Tribute Stratocaster, bringing back to life Brownie, Eric Clapton’s first guitar.
Brownie was a '56 sunburst Stratocaster, serial number 12073, purchased by Clapton in London on May 7, 1967, during his tour with the Cream, and sold at auction to finance the Crossroads Center in Antigua. The original guitar became famous because it was used by Eric for the recordings of Layla, in 1970.
The whole project cost Todd about a year of work: “It might have seemed to the public that it took a couple of months, but I had been working in secret for months and months before word go out.” The one hundred replicas made were a faithful reconstruction of the original: nitro finished three-pieces alder body, custom large soft "V" shaped maple neck, 21 vintage style frets, Custom Shielded '56 Stratocaster pickups, five way switch, vintage style bridge and nickel hardware. The instrument reproduced the original guitar in the smallest details, down to the smallest scratches and dents; even the cigarette burns and the asymmetrical 2-Color Sunburst finish of the body were the same as the real Brownie.
The guitar was sold with a special case bearing the inscriptions “FRAGILE” and “DEREK AND THE DOMINOS” and a certificate of authenticity, numbered and hand signed by Clapton.
Brownie was a '56 sunburst Stratocaster, serial number 12073, purchased by Clapton in London on May 7, 1967, during his tour with the Cream, and sold at auction to finance the Crossroads Center in Antigua. The original guitar became famous because it was used by Eric for the recordings of Layla, in 1970.
The whole project cost Todd about a year of work: “It might have seemed to the public that it took a couple of months, but I had been working in secret for months and months before word go out.” The one hundred replicas made were a faithful reconstruction of the original: nitro finished three-pieces alder body, custom large soft "V" shaped maple neck, 21 vintage style frets, Custom Shielded '56 Stratocaster pickups, five way switch, vintage style bridge and nickel hardware. The instrument reproduced the original guitar in the smallest details, down to the smallest scratches and dents; even the cigarette burns and the asymmetrical 2-Color Sunburst finish of the body were the same as the real Brownie.
The guitar was sold with a special case bearing the inscriptions “FRAGILE” and “DEREK AND THE DOMINOS” and a certificate of authenticity, numbered and hand signed by Clapton.
Antonio Calvosa
Thanks to Giovanni Gelli
