Kong ( super guy ..by the way), and I spent about three hours today, browsing the Bonhams showroom checking out the gear which 'our man in the UK" has already done an excellent photo essay on for us. There were not many people there, so we were able to check things out in a leisurely fashion.
The details in the catalog and our own observations were of interest. The setups on his guitars, particularly the Strats, are spot on and nearly identical to each other with respect to the positions of the bridge saddles. It's almost a blue print. You look at the height of the E-string from the side of the Daphne Blue and it's pretty much the same height from the frets from the point where it leaves the nut to where it crosses the 22nd fret. The details on the Diaz amp mods to and Fender replication of the famed '57 Twin, the Cornish version of same, and his switching system for the impressive Soldano SLO 100's, leave no doubt as to how well engineered his tone is.(the chalk marks on the pot setting were there as witness), and I've been saying all along that the one thing we've never learned from Clapton is how his sound system is EQ'd. For those of you who have been pursuing this sound in your bedrooms all these years...fuggeddaboutit!! You can't believe the thickness of the electrical cables hooked into that Soldano rig. Like to charge Dr.Frankenstein's creature.
A couple of things which caught my eye of interest:
-the bird's eye maple neck on the '05 Strat Mark Kendrick built spare for the Cream concert is a drop-dead gorgeous piece of wood, as is the top on the T-Mobile Clapton, which definitely should become a Custom Shop finish option but likely won't, out of respect for who ever purchases it.
-JJ Cale's Sunburst Elite Stratocaster donated for the auction is signed by him on the back, and in lovely condition.
-the '04 sapphire blue metallic Custom Shop Acoustosonic Stratocaster, a completely different build from the acoustosonic guitars presently in production.....has a 22-fret Clapton neck, a standard soft-contour arm and waist relieved body. Wonder if the Custom Shop would build one to order or if this is another one of their lots which will never be repeated? It's a sweet guitar, and very different from the John Page/Mark Kendrick set neck black Telecoustic, whose conception gets a great deal of space in the catalog, and is also a lovely piece.
-JB's Gold Sparkle Strat about which we gave a lot of space in these pages is soooooo over the top gaudy and definitely nothing like what Fender marketed. A pair of gold lame'
boots would go well with it.
-a 1948 Gibson L-5P likely going to see some serious bidding.
I figured that if I were going to enter into seriouscompetition for the Cale, the T-Mobile, and the blue Stratosonic, to the extent that I would bid until I won it, I'd probably need a reserve of $100K as a comfortable cushion, perhaps more. Not this time.
Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

Awesome info and thanks Doc, as well as Mr C's wonderful photo journal, which I still refer back to.

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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!

Thanks Doc....the pics in that other thread and your descriptions are the closest I'll ever be to that stuff.

Great meeting you today, Doc.

The auction preview was very enjoyable. I second Doc's statement that you are not going to get the Clapton tone in your bedroom. The Soldano rig must be seen to be believed. If I brought it home, I'd probably cause a blackout for my entire county.

Bonham's had a really nice setup for the preview. You could get up close and personal with all the goodies and there was not too much of a crowd today. I think the soggy weather may have had something to do with this. It really was interesting how similarly the setups are on the guitars that Clapton has actually played. Also have to agree too that the birdseye neck on the Kendrick strat is really one gorgeous piece of wood .

Looking forward to hanging with the good Doctor again.

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I tend to feel the same way about Beal Street, the Grand 'Ol Opry, and Sun Studios.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I understand,we tend to take some of our music history for granted here in Tennessee. and there's some great music in the here and now also.

Roger that....There was video from the Crossroads '10 running today and we stopped to watch Vince Gill, James Burton, and Albert Lee hold forth. (We were also, at the same time, remembering Danny Gatton.} I said to Hank..."I gotta learn to play like that!''

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"Another day in paradise!"

Thanks for the detailed info Doc....it is nice to hear about the tools of the trade, especially those of a master musician.

Beaubs

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I Can't Explain

[quote="Beaubs"]Thanks for the detailed info Doc....it is nice to hear about the tools of the trade, especially those of a master musician.
We should all be so lucky. You can't believe how much of the gear being offered for sale were corporate and private gifts. Talking about the Emperor's New Clothes. It's like he's cleaning out this enormous gear attic and, if George Carlin's observations hold any truth, I'd bet there's new stuff coming in every day. Hell.....that's his old workhorse '57 Twin going out the door....."reputed to be his favourite amp", plus the two Fender clones, and the Cornish, among other well used sound systems of yore. What's the current backline

I haven't paid much attention.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Here is the link to Ceri's thread with the pics from the auction preview, if you haven't seen it.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=49118

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Great info Doc...I personnally would love to have one of his Music Man's and a good Explorer as I always loved the tone he got on his live E.C was Here album...nothing quite like that combo of guitar and amp for sound Of course I will also need his fingers, brain, and like you said a whole lot more

Thanks.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

That's the old Blackie as well, a completely different signal chain from the active circuit of the Signature guitars. In the development of that, Clapton is quoted as looking for 'more compression' than the Elite circuit had, hence the 25db midboost. He was seeking the 'energy' of the Les Paul in a Stratocaster, a far different tone than the '56/57 era's.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Thank You for the update Doc...
Sorry I could not attend but right now I have had my hands full with life's priorities. I'm grateful that the forum allows me to travel and.....

Surprizeee..!!!...Surprizeee....Surrprizzee....
I can actually see the ground as 3/4 of the snow has receded, winter may finally be over for us in the NE corner of CT.

I wonder who the bidders in general will be Mostly collectors or actual musicians who are wealthy enough to be collectors.
I find it sad that much of that gear will get stowed and locked away somewhere only to be looked at and rarely played...
Except for the JB controversial Strat, no stage lights needed with that bit of sparkle..

Sounds like you guy's had a great time...

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Hi Doc and Kong: so - and I mean this seriously - are you thinking of bidding on anything?

We assume the final prices will be multiples of the estimates, but that isn't necessarily the case. These are hard times in the auction house world and sometimes estimates turn out to be high rather than low. I saw keen prices on many of the less famous items there: could be a chance to pick up a nice accoustic or electric for sensible money with the fact it had been officially pre-owned by EC merely the icing on the cake.

A possibility, anyhow.

My wife was encouraging me to go for the Soldano rig - I don't think she necessarily understands what that might sound like...

Cheers - C

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Yes, Blackie is on there, but the Songs Have You Ever Loved A Woman, and Ramlin On My Mind was done with a shaved Explorer. If you listen you can hear the humbuckers of his explorer cranking on those two, not Blackie...

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.