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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:00 pm
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orvilleowner wrote:
Have you been able to find any reference to the other 11 on the internet?

I haven't been successful finding any info on these.

I don't have the VG price guide.

I went to the book store by work. they had the new VG guide, i couldn't find this. If I had i would have bought the guide, and scanned the page here. Sorry to say, i agree someone dressed up an EC to get more money from it.

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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:26 pm
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In the 2009 VG Price Guide it is on page 69 amongst all the other Blackie entries. It is actually the first on page 69 of the 2009 Book.

Reads:
Blackie Stratocaster (Custom Shop 1987)
1987. 12 Made, includes Certificate of Authenticity.

the reference reads the same in the 2008 book, except it is on page 65 in the middle of the column.

The first reference I ever saw and I have all the VG Price Guides going back to 1995....came in 2007, and it does mention more, like a stencilled tweed case....which mine had and eventually opened up my eyes.

That reference is on 2007 VG Price guide page 66 first column towards the bottom!


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:42 pm
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[quote="jk456"]In the 2009 VG Price Guide

Reads:
Blackie Stratocaster (Custom Shop 1987)
1987. 12 Made, includes Certificate of Authenticity.

The problem for me would have been the absence of the COA. I don't care what a book said and what type of paperwork(unless it was directly from FMIC) they offered, I would not spend that much money. If I'm not mistaken given the correct information and proof needed by Fender you may be able to get a duplicate COA, I'm not sure though. I imagine it would be tough.


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:53 pm
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yes the lack of Coa was impressive, but there was an equally impressive letter that came with the guitar...from a former employee at Fender CUstom Shop who wrote the Beauty of the Burst book and is now very important in Gibson Japan.


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:55 pm
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The crucial thing that blew my mind was the mention of a "Stencilled" tweed case in the 07 VG PRice guide.
They haven't seen one since, and I guess they dropped the description size to accomodate new entries.

I spoke with Editor Gil Hembree and he said to me he had no pics on Archive. He had seen one though.

Too bad no pics were taken.

Mine is obviously a prototype of anything at all. But it is numbered one of twelve in the body, on the plate, and in the case.


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:00 pm
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You have a very nice guitar no doubt. Just that Fender does not recognize it. Nothing to do now but enjoy it. :) Again , I feel for you my friend but what to do .....


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:13 pm
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There are a few crucial things that I would love to get clarified.
I understand Fender dismisses it, or ME has, but by the same token, I am left wondering things like the dates of the preamp boost. why is it a lower number than the current one...02816 vs 02817....when was the 02817 revision in place. That I suppose is easier to find buy i'd have to buy an 88 and disassemble it!
lol
You are right, it just has a mystery that I can't explain. Whoever did this had a sample was a Fender insider.
my question has always been why would Fender have sold the protos? unless they were authorized by EC...which I don't see happening....
Anyways, it is a big loss, I hope I can get more specific answers so I can perhaps try to fight a case of some sort. The shop that sold me this guitar is still out there.


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:56 pm
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That doesn't look real to me... Isn't the string tree a modern one (and in the wrong place" and the "Blackie" decal didn't come along until a few years after the Clapton's had been out.... Why would George Blanda sign the neck pocket at all or even sign his name so slowly and carefully that the ink would get all blotchy at points in each letter... someone spent time trying to forge this... Those "F" neck plates are easy to order and engrave... Also the "F" is not the vintage F so why even put that on a prototype that has vintage styling (except the modern string tree) string tree)... What about the pickups? can you peel back the bogus masking tape and see any markings? Are the pickup wires wrapped with blue painter's tape to neaten the wires? UGH....

3-ply pickguard? Looks like a Clapton body with an Allparts neck and fake decals... I'd call the store if they are an authorized Fender dealer and try to get my money back...

At this point I'm just rambling... but it doesn't look real to me but I am no expert.

There has to be a picture of Eric Clapton out there with a real "prototype"


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:08 pm
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fhopkins wrote:
I was wondering if you had seen this thread Doc. Sad is it not?


Roger :!:

The guitar in the photo has a standard Clapton routing. I've never seen the routing for the Elite so I can't comment on how they went forward from that. Duchossoir shows the wiring for the pickguard.

Pity the OP did consult the Forum in advance. If any of those prototypes survived they'd have to have gone 'out the back door' from Fender R&D which is where I am sure it was developed. I expect them to be either in a company vault or have been destroye.d

It's a matter of record that the prototype "Blackie" version of the Lace Sensor guitar became a stage guitar of his for some time and was sold at auction in 2004.

Doc

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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:24 pm
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Two things catch my eye.

1) the string tree seems to be upside down ... I think that type are usually oriented 180 degrees around.

2) the body seems to be set up for a micro-tilt, but I don't see the hole in the neck plate or the corresponding metal plate on the neck.

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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:24 pm
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jk456 wrote:
The protos that Stevens made the neck for are the final ones, i.e. based on the stuff that Eric had approved. And that is how the Pewter one was born, which sold for 109,000 as the first prototype. I would have called it final prototype, or prototype number one of the final version, but not simply prototype number one. There were prior protos that are documented elsewhere including several references to the Blanda protos.


If the above reference is to the first Christies Auction anyone fortunate to have a copy of the catalog for that one can quote to us the description of the guitar. All of the details pertinent to it, including numbering will be found therein. I've tried to track one down for my collection to no avail. I have the '04 within which there is a reference to it, the color being originally described as 'anthracite', then changed to pewter. I wondered that it was originally a darker color, perhaps closer to this 'grigio' we are seeing lately, than the final pewter color.

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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:18 pm
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I was thinking about the Christie's Auction book as well... I went, had the book but sold it about a year ago... :cry:


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:38 pm
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davidos wrote:
I was thinking about the Christie's Auction book as well... I went, had the book but sold it about a year ago... :cry:


The reference in the 2004 catalog is to l"ot #67 in the 1999 auction."

The 'Stratocaster Chronicles' describes the beginning of the evolution of the Clapton with John Page and Freddy Tavares visiting EC in 1983 during the ARMS concert tour, bringing one of the first '57 RI Strats. (If you recall, this guitar also figures in the Davie Gilmour "Black Strat" saga, not only with respect to the neck, but with respect to what became known as "The Red Strat" with the EMG's). He was also introduced to the Elite whose electronics he liked, but wanted more boost. According to A.R. Duchossoir, Dan Smith, in 1985, brought EC two hard-tailed Elites, while EC was in Dallas on the 'Behind The Sun Tour.' He continues to say that two prototypes were built, one red, one pewter, with Elite electronics: stacked coil Alnico II pickups and a 12db midboost. This evolved into Lace Sensors and a 21db midboost. (I don't know the source of the 21...perhaps it eventually went to 25). It was shown as a prototype at the 1987 NAMM conventions but not produced until Spring of 1988. It is interesting to note that the 'pre-series samples shown at the 1988 Winter NAMM and the 1988 catalog were fitted with a 21 fret neck and a mode switch...active to passive. This was ultimately changed to 22 frets and no mode switch. One of our number has posted a picture of the 21 fret guitar in a past thread on this topic. The 1988 Fender Custom Shop Black Stratocaster in black had a neck end stamped R&D #1CS 2/23/88 and the pocket stamped Custom Shop/Fender USA. Mike Stevens was the builder.
It was the first black EC Signature Stratocaster. It had no signature on it.

That's all I've got presently.

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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:45 pm
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The artists were thrilled that they could finally have easy access to real Fender guitars made to their specs. When Mike and I first started, before we even started making the walnut benches, we worked on the Eric Clapton Signature Model. Dan Smith and George Blanda had already begun work on the early instruments, so when we started, we all pitched in to make the final versions and the ones that went to the trade show.

FROM THE JOHN PAGE INTERVIEW BY TOM WATSON


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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:51 pm
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About the G Blanda sigs, I am not saying they are authentic. I've nothing to compare these to. But up close, it is obvious that the one on the neck pocket had the typical struggle that a felt tip fine pen would have on a relatively unpolished surface.
The G Blanda on the neck heel however is entirely different although quite faint, it is much more fluid. Is it real? That I don't know. I wrote to gblanda@fender.com, with no reply as of yet (I did this late last week so it is not unreasonable).


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