Eric Clapton's Blackie Stratocaster Specs

Blackie, a mid-1950s Fender Stratocaster guitar pieced together by Eric Clapton himself from numerous individual guitars, was Clapton’s main instrument throughout the ’70s and ’80s. Clapton’s albums 461 Ocean Boulevard, Slowhand, No Reason To Cry and Just One Night among others, were all recorded with Blackie. And in addition to memorable solo tours, Clapton and Blackie shared the stage with the likes of Pete Townshend, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters and The Band.

In 2004, Eric Clapton's legendary black strat Blackie was auctioned off and commanded an amazing US $959,000 at a Christie’s auction that benefited the Crossroads Centre, Antigua, a charity founded by Clapton.

In 2006, Fender Custom Shop, with the permission of Eric Clapton himself, took on the task on recreating a limited number (275 units) of Eric Clapton's beloved Blackie Sratocaster guitar. Each replica, meticulously reconstructed down to the smallest detail, was priced at US $ 24,000.

Listed below are the specifications and items included with the Blackie package:

Fender Custom Shop Tribute Series Series
Standard Colors: Black (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Pick Ups: 3 Staggered Pole Custom Wound Single Coil Pickups
Body: 3 Piece Alder
Neck: Maple, Soft "V" Shape (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Fingerboard: Maple, 9½" Radius
Number of Frets: 21
Scale Length: 25 ½ inches
Options:
- Bolt-On Neck
- Special Soft "V" Shape Neck
- Cigarette-burned Head Stock
- 21 Vintage Style Frets
- American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
- Five Vintage Chrome Tuning Keys
- One Worn Gold-plated "F" Type Key For Top E-string
- Dulled Nickel Hardware
- Single-Ply White Pickguard With 8 Screw Holes
- White Plastic Knobs and Pickup Covers
- One Master Volume Knob
- Two Tone Knobs (Neck and Middle - Pickups)
- 5-way pick-up selector as per original (3-way included separately)
- Original Headstock Shape
- Original Body Shape with "Original Contour Body" Decal on Headstock
- Replica-aged "Duck Brother" Anvil Case
- Certificate signed by Fender Masterbuilder Who Made The Guitar
- Certificate signed by Eric Clapton
- Making of Blackie DVD
- Leather Presentation Folder for certificates and DVD
- Christies Auction Book
- Crossroads CD Set
- Crossroads DVD
- Letter from the Crossroads Center
- Original List Price: 24,000.00


Related post:
Eric Clapton and his Blackie Stratocaster

Source:
www.fendercustomshop.com.au
www.zuitar.com

Eric Clapton's Blackie

Blackie was the affectionate nickname given by Eric Clapton to his favorite Fender Stratocaster guitar.


In 1970, Eric Clapton, largely due to the influence of Jimi Hendrix and of Blind Faith bandmate Steve Winwood, switched from using Gibson guitars and began to use Stratocasters. His first, nicknamed "Brownie", due to its sunburst brown finish, was used on his albums Eric Clapton and Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.


In the same year, Clapton found the Sho-Bud guitar shop in Nashville, Tennessee. He bought six vintage guitars, all Fender Strats, for a hundred dollars each. After giving one each to George Harrison, Pete Townshend, and Steve Winwood, he took the best parts of the remaining three guitars (built c. 1956 and 1957) and assembled "Blackie", so named for its black finish.


It was first played live January 13, 1973 at the Rainbow Concert. Clapton would play Blackie for many years on and off stage (such as in his guest appearance in The Last Waltz); finally, after a tour concert in Hartford in 1985, it was retired due to issues with the neck. In 1987 the Eric Clapton Stratocaster was released according to Clapton's specifications; he began playing his new signature guitar shortly after.


One of the last known occasions when Blackie was seen by the public was for a 1990 television commercial for the Japanese automobile firm Honda when, at the specific request of the company, Clapton used Blackie to record a new guitar solo on Bad Love in New York and was filmed for the commercial doing so. Blackie was also brought out on stage for one number during the Royal Albert Hall shows in 1991.


Related post:

Eric Clapton's Blackie Stratocaster Specs





Photo source:
www.wikipedia.org