After letting it sit on the shelf for almost 2 years, I began reading Eric Clapton’s Autobiography.

On page 217, Eric describes the opening date of a 1984 tour in Sweden with Roger Waters, he says:

” I am back to using Blackie again, it just seems to have that extra bite for stage work, although it’s definitely harder to play, perhaps that’s what makes it preferable?”

The question I have for those on this forum that are much more familiar with Clapton’s history is:

What was he using before and what might have made Blackie harder to play?

Wasnt 84 when fender started pushing the signature guitar envelope at him? If so he could of been playing and comparing it to any number of plus's and ultra's. Thats just the fender guitars too. Imagine the sheer number of gibsons, prs's, ric's, martins and other stuff he owns. I bet he's even got a bc rich or 2. It could be a comparison to anything

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No no and no

As I recall it from the book, he's comparing Blackie to Gibsons which he played because his idols did
It's a common MYTH that fenders are harder to play than gibson

I haven't experienced claptons career like some of you guys so please correct me if I'm wrong

I also recall that he somewhere in the book, directly says that he thinks gibsons are easier to play, but prefer the strat as it him forces to be more personal and sensitive in his playing

That may be something that I haven't gotten to yet....still about 100 pages to go - or - I missed it in the earlyier pages.

Wonder if that was something that he encountered in the early '80's and later "corrected" with modifications to the Fender's or if it s trait he still lives with?

I feel the same way about the two brands, i play faster and more 'flashy' on a LP or SG but I can't quite get the same feeling as when playing a strat

The statement might not come from the book, perhaps someone said it on here or clapton said it in an interview, but my best guess is that it's somewhere in the book
I've been looking for it a little bit but can't seem to find it, will try again tonight

Please note that i unfortunately have a translated version of the book, what he said has probably been rewritten quite a bunch of times (mine is the second danish edition, released in 2008)

Would it have anything to do with the neck? I seem to remember reading that Blackie had the neck of a different strat on it. Or was it Brownie with the replacement neck? Sorry, I appear to be adding more questions here.

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I tried to think of something clever to put here but- OH! Something shiny!!!

Compared to Gibsons, the Strat's scale length makes it a bit tougher to bend that steel. When you do though...it's great!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I thought it was unusual in that in the prior 200+ pages of the book, the only specific mention was of his first guitar, unless I blew right past it.

The quote was from a journal that he apparently kept and maybe still does.

I do suspect that it was due to the neck in one form or another....just wish he would have been more specific.

However, the book was released in 2007, so he probably wouldn't have wanted to upset the EC signature Fender apple cart.

I recall reading somewhere that Blackie was a combination of three Strats, all found hanging in a Nashville shop for $100 each. He took them back with him and combined the parts of each he liked best. In that story, the neck and body were not from the same original and I don't recall what parts of the third he used.

It's Clapton. He probably has everything

Wasn't he playing Brownie prior to Blackie? I think he liked that Brownie neck, he mounted the Brownie neck on a Tele while in Blind Faith. If you look at the Blind Faith Hyde Park DVD or You Tube video you can see that neck on the Tele.

Philip602 is right in that blackie was made from 3 different guitars of 6 that Clapton had purchased at Sho Bud guitars in Nashville he gave the other 3 away as gifts to George Harrison,Steve Winwood,and Pete Townshend. I read t6he book so long ago that I dont remember that statement but from personal experiance and just about everyone I know all feels a Gibson is easier to play than a strat but that is not meant in a bad way its just the way you have to fight it a bit that makes it so great.You know the same way guys like there action so low the strings are right on top of the freats and others like there action higher because they like to fight the guitar and plus it gives you more string to bend. I am trying to see where Clapton was coming from with this statement as he was playing Strats for a period of time already and had already just about used up brownie which is on the back of the Layla album .Clapton used a tele and Jazzmaster with the Yardbirds,then with Mayal and Cream and Blind Faith he was all Gibson then its been the Strat ever since. You know Blackie was played so much over the years the neck is several millimeters thinner than it originaly was. I am starting to realise I have spent maybe a little to much time following Clapton throughout the years lol.

Didn't Clapton retire Blackie becouse the neck was completely worn down, but he wouldn't change the neck?

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It's a mix between Jazz and Funk, it's called "Junk"

I remember from the announcement of the repro sale (some of the proceeds to his charity) that Blackie could no longer be re-fretted and was in general in a seriously worn condition. So that would imply that the neck would have to have been replaced to continue using it.

At that point the end result makes sense: sold as he did and then allowing Fender to make a limited run exact reproduction raised a lot of money.

But that also left me wondering: I recall that the GC price was well up in the 6 figures. If it was a true exact repro, then shouldn't you have gotten a guitar with a worn neck and dead frets ... essentially unplayable? I wondered at the time if they did that or if you got a reproduction that represented a still playable state. (You might argue "who would" for that price, but still ..)