Player's Perspective

We're stoked to present this beautiful Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster from the Fender Custom Shop! This one's in a classic black finish, and is an "NOS" spitting image of his legendary "Blackie" Strat. Here's a fun fact: the Eric Clapton Stratocaster was the Fender Custom Shop's first Fender artist signature guitar, and the non-Custom Shop version was the first Fender artist signature production line guitar!

It all starts with the model. Eric Clapton's original Blackie was a bit of a cobbled-together Fender "partscaster" from the 1950s - a '56 body, and a '57 neck. This strong late-'50s influence definitely came through in all of his subsequent signature models years later - the v-shape neck and one-piece maple construction makes this a classic '50s-style Strat, through and through.

From there, though, the modern enhancements that "Slowhand" himself prefers shine brightly. The Vintage Noiseless pickups that have all the amazing vintage Strat tone you could ever want without the annoying 60-cycle hum will help you a lot on stage and in the studio. In addition to sounding just as good as any classic Strat out there, these pickups make this Strat an excellent rock guitar, allowing you to play higher-octane riffs and soaring solos using high-gain settings with zero noise - which is something Clapton did a lot of himself while riffing on power ballads through Soldano amps in the 1980s. And speaking of high gain, the onboard active mid-boost circuit allows you to punch through a crowded mix on demand, or simply drive your amp extra hard for some searing distortion.

Lastly, this guitar features a blocked/decked vintage tremolo as per Clapton's preference. Forgoing a floating trem, this essentially makes the guitar a hardtail, giving you rock-solid tuning stability and increased resonance and sustain.

You know you're getting a special instrument in your hands any time you pick up something built by Fender's Custom Shop team, and this guitar is sure to not only meet but exceed your expectations!

Manufacturer's Description

Built to Clapton’s specs, the Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster guitar features an alder body, special soft V-shaped maple neck, three Vintage Noiseless pickups, blocked tremolo and Clapton’s signature on the headstock.

Fender®, Squier®, Stratocaster®, Telecaster®, Precision Bass®, Jazz Bass® and the distinctive headstock designs commonly found on the Strat®, Tele® & P Bass® guitars are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation

Specifications

General

• Model Name: Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster, Maple Fingerboard, Black
• Model Number: 9235001322
• Series: Custom Artist
• Color: Black

Body

• Body Shape: Stratocaster
• Body Material: Select Alder
• Body Finish: Urethane

Neck

• Neck Material: Maple
• Neck Shape: Soft "V"
• Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
• Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (241 mm)
• Number of Frets: 22
• Fret Size: Vintage Style
• String Nut: Synthetic Bone
• Nut Width: 1.650" (42 mm)
• Neck Plate: 4-Bolt Serialized
• Neck Finish: Satin Urethane
• Fingerboard: Maple
• Position Inlays: Black Dot

Hardware

• Bridge: Blocked American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
• Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
• Orientation: Right-Hand
• Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
• Pickguard: 1-Ply White
• Control Knobs: White Plastic
• Switch Tips: White

Electronics

• Bridge Pickup: Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
• Middle Pickup: Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
• Neck Pickup: Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
• Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. Master TBX Tone Control, Tone 2. Master Active Mid Boost (0-25dB). Mid boost kit
• 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
• Pickup Configuration: SSS
• Special Electronics: TBX Tone Circuit

Misc.

• Strings: Fender USA 250R Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046 Gauges), PN 0730250406
• Unique Features: Special Soft "V" Shape Neck, Blocked Tremolo, Active Mid-Boost Circuit, Eric Clapton's Signature on Headstock
• Included Accessories: Deluxe Hardshell Case, Strap, Certificate of Authenticity
• Instrument Weight: 8 lbs
• Serial #: CZ574199
  

Overall Condition

Music Store Live is proud to be an authorized dealer for Fender. This Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster is 100% brand new and is being sold with a full manufacturer's warranty. Photos are of the exact guitar you'll receive.

Our in-house guitar tech will inspect, test, set up, and clean all of our instruments on site prior to shipping. All of our instruments are guaranteed to be fully functional upon arrival.