Guitars
Fender Stratocaster Eric Clapton Crossroads Antigua Limited Edition
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Considered by many as one of the best bluesman and guitarists in the history of music, Eric Clapton is part of the Pantheon of the most virtuoso musicians. Among his weapons of choice is his eternal Blackie, the famous black Fender Stratocaster erected as a symbol of the English prodigy. This guitar is undoubtedly one of the most unique and legendary instruments in the history of rock, which shaped the divinely inspired blues of Eric Clapton who went so far as to confide that it had become a part of him. Despite his visceral attachment to this fabulous Strat, Eric Clapton parted with it at an exceptional auction in 2004 to finance the Crossroads Centre, the rehab center opened by the guitarist in 1998, a sign of his ultimate commitment to this cause that is so dear to him.
Since then, he has designed several exclusive and ultra-limited models with Fender, which have quickly become highly coveted items. This Eric Clapton Crossroads Stratocaster, or "Sun Strat," is part of a limited edition of 100 numbered guitars. The one available at Matt's Guitar Shop is number 1 out of 100.
The Crossroads Centre is a drug rehabilitation center created in 1998 and supported by Eric Clapton on the island of Antigua and Barbuda, in the Caribbean. The guitarist has been personally involved since its creation to finance it, organizing the Crossroads Guitar Festival which hosts a selection of exceptional guitarists invited by Clapton. After the historic sale of his signature Blackie guitar in 2004, the guitarist designed this signature model to support the center. This Eric Clapton Crossroads guitar is part of a unique series of 100 guitars built in 2007 by Fender's Custom Shop in California. It was created under the legendary guitarist’s guidance and supervision by the very same artisans who handcraft his personal instruments. The top side of the body features a smiling sun above "Crossroads Antigua" designed by Eric Clapton and reproduced on the guitar. The guitar comes in a custom flight case and includes a certificate signed by Eric Clapton himself. There is also a facsimile of Clapton's signature on the back of the headstock, as well as a plaque stating that this is the guitar number 1 out of 100. A rare guitar from one of the undisputed masters of the 6-string instrument available at Matt's Guitar Shop!
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Eric Clapton
(1945)
Group : Cream
Main guitar : Fender Stratocaster
An absolute “must-hear” track : Crossroads
More than just a musician, Clapton has become a global icon. He is undoubtedly the best-known bluesman and guitarist to the general public, but certainly not overlooked by real connoisseurs. It must be said that the role of the young Eric was more than decisive in the creation of a real British blues scene and its export to the United States.
Clapton made his debut with The Yardbirds, a band that combined Chicago Blues and pop influences, playing his Telecaster plugged into an AC30. But after the single For Your Love (1965), which was just too poppy for his taste, he joined a group of purists called John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. He spent just a few months with Mayall, but that was time enough to lay down the memorable tracks that made up the eponymous 1966 album "With Eric Clapton". It was that historical album that revealed to the world the deadly combination of a Les Paul Sunburst—at the time a model that no one was interested in—and a Marshall Combo amp. That recipe was subsequently adopted by countless rock stars, but Clapton’s super-powerful playing electricity on that album would never really be equalled. He inspired a whole generation of British guitarists and fans who nicknamed him “God”.
In 1966, he joined the trio that drummer Ginger Baker had just formed with Jack Bruce (also a former member of John Mayall’s band): And so, Cream was born. The trio of virtuosos reinvented the electric blues by returning to its roots, injecting a psychedelic urgency into the works of the great elders. In that band, we saw Clapton with an SG covered in crazy drawings (“The Fool”) and a Cherry Red ES-335. Then Cream imploded under the weight of the different egos involved, and Clapton formed Blind Faith with Steve Winwood. In that band, he played a Telecaster with a Strat neck, the first sign of his strong taste for Fenders.
In 1970, Clapton hid behind the band name Derek And The Dominos for the superb album Layla. Later, he finally decided to accept his solo status and started releasing records under his own name, starting with the eponymous album of 1970 then 461 Ocean Boulevard in 1974. He then went on to record several more or less exciting albums, on all of which we find the sound of his Strat, which he made essential. Generally his faithful Blackie, a fifties black Strat assembled from several vintage instruments.
The definitive album that propelled Clapton even further than he already was finally came out in 1992 with Unplugged, a simple acoustic concert for an MTV show that would become a real cultural phenomenon and boost Martin’s sales like never before. The 000-28 then became a desirable object again. Since then, Eric has made an album in tribute to Robert Johnson, and duo albums with B.B. King and J.J. Cale. He has also organised the excellent Crossroads festivals and sold many guitars at auctions. His rare live performances are still large-scale guitar-based events, even more than half a century after he made his debut.
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