Greetings

OK so I love Eric Clapton...probably my favorite all around performer. Wouldn't it be great to have an Eric Clapton model Stratocaster? WOW I would love to have the same guitar that Eric plays.

I just want the one that Eric play's, and here is what I get instead. Confusion!

The Fender Eric Clapton Artist Model
The Fender Eric Clapton Custom Shop Artist Model
The Fender Eric Clapton Custom Shop Signature Model
The Fender Eric Clapton Crossroads Model
The Fender Eric Clapton Antigua Model
The Fender Eric Clapton Crashocaster
The Fender Eric Clapton Mastercraft Model

And believe it or not...NONE of these are the Guitar that Eric actually plays. We all know that Eric has his guitars made for him by one of the Master Builder Dudes to his exact specs, needs and desires. Can I do that? Can I have Fender build me the SAME guitar that Eric actually plays? I sure can, and they sure will, but you better hang on tight and start filling out the Monthly Payment Forms.

This is really the same story with all of the "Signature Series" guitars. None of them are actually the ones that the artist plays. I'll take an American Deluxe any day, which instantly becomes the JRomanov Model. It will be the one that I Actually play, and not just some hype with my name silk screened onto it.

I know there are a few guy's like Gilmore that say they ARE playing their new Signature Series models, and this may be true...although I have seen him a couple of times and he did play lots of Strats, just not HIS signature model.

Just conversation inspiring opinion (I hope)

Its all about craftmanship and the need to sound like the artist. I'm interested in the KWS or Robert Cray strats, only because they are affordable and different. KWS has a 12" radius and custom voice coils. Robert Cray's is a hard tail. For less than $1,000, they're great deals. Its not about the artist, but the uniqueness of the model. EC strats are not impressive except they use the delta-tone mod which can be done much cheaper than buying one of his signature strats...

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In the beginning....1988....as one of the original Signature series guitars, you actually did. Where the Clapton is concerned, one had a unique circuitry and neck carve, quite different from anything in the Fender lineup. Time and tide have come and gone. Eric changes his guitar's finishes to suit his whims. His fan base likes to keep up. So they created an LTD run of the two most recent, and very popular finishes. The demand was fierce. Some of the others you cited are the brainstorms of other individuals and reflect either guitars Eric has owned or were gifted. For authenticity, you can have Todd Krause build the guitar as for the artist, The careful detailing will cost you bucks, and rightly so.

The Gilmour project was a carefully crafted effort, the nature of which has been documented in book form by his tech Phil Taylor. Fender's agreeing to Gilmour's insistence on accuracy, authenticity along with reasonableness in pricing was the only thing which made it fly. The guitar is awesome both in it's NOS and Relic versions.

According to Mike Eldred, the Artist series guitars are 'snapshots' of the originals. Beyond that, money talks and you get what you pay for.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Not everyone buys an Artist series strat because they are looking for the exact tone or guitar that their hero plays. Believe it or not Artist series strats often come with unique features that you can't find on regular production strats, and that's what makes them unique. I'm not just talking about simple things like pickups that can be changed easily but a lot of them have unique neck shapes too. I bought my John Mayer strat because of the fatter than normal neck, Limited edition finish ( 1 of 500), the 6105 frets, great construction, and awesome pickups. Yes I am a fan, but the day I went into the store it called to me and was simply the best playing guitar there, and still is one of the best I have ever played.

Yup, I totally hear you.

Fender has a 'Dave Murray' Artist sig model as well, and while its true to the fit and finish of the 'original' instrument Dave acquired in the 70's - its nothing like the strats he's used since the late 90's or so. Very disappointing really. So I went another route...

I play the Squier Masterbuilt Sam Cafferty Model Stratocaster. It's customized exactly to my specifications, and plays just the way I like it. You can't find them anywhere!!!

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'07 Squier Affinity Sunburst Strat SE
Fender Frontman 25R
Boss DS-1 Distortion
Danelectro D-2 Fab Overdrive
Delta Lab Multi Effects

I bought my SRV sig because I thought it would help me play just like SRV... and it did!

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Jimmie Vaughan uses his "Tex-Mex Jimmie Vaughan" model quite often (if not exclusively) when he plays live. He says outside of some minor setup changes, they are the production models from down in Mexico.

I bought a US-made '62 re-issue Strat with a gorgeous Fiesta Red finish, blocked the tremolo with a small stack of quarters (increased sustain and tuning stability), changed the pickguard/pickup covers/knobs, had a friend scan my signature and make it into a small vinyl decal (placed it on the back of the headstock, a la Jimmie Vaughan) changed the pickups to Pete Biltoft Vintage Vibe SP90s, and customized the switching (secret weapon--mwa-ha-ha!)...and last but not least, I attached a "CUSTOM" badge from the interior) of a 60s model Pontiac to the "ashtray" bridge cover...voila! MY OWN signature series Stratocaster...

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Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
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Screamin -

Awesome custom job. Love the pick-guard choice and all the other custom touches.
Nice addition to the thread. Thanks for sharing.

i love the bridge cover! my old strat from the 60's had one. is one available for newer models? i have a 2009 mim strat that it would look great on.

There's something about a signature guitar that turns me off. Yes, in any Fender signature you're getting a quality instrument (especially the Clapton) unique to others, but it'd simply bother me having someone else's name on it. It's not truly my guitar and I don't play like this person does (everyone is different), so why advertise?

That and the higher end signatures expectedly pull a higher price just for having the name on it.

Dunno, just a thought. Not that I wouldn't mind having a Clapton or a Gilmour

The Gilmour guitar is not signed. The signature was removed from Eric's stage guitars at his request several years ago and anyone ordering a Masterbuilt can certainly have it done his way. It would certainly be more true to the artist's own gear.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Great Stuff
Thanks so much for the excellent feedback. We all are guitar lovers, and all of your feedback has been very interesting.

ZZDOC...you touched a nerve with the 1988 EC Signature. Not really being a "Artist Model" kinda guy....I would really love an 88 in 7UP Green, with Lace sensors...I look for them all the time and think they are super special. One day I will find one and hopefully be able to add it to my collection.

The "CRASH" models are my absolute favorites...barre none. They are Todd Krauss Masterbuilt and John "Crash" Matos painted. One of these I will definitely have commissioned at sometime in my life...this will happen, and it will become the centerpiece of my collection.

Thanks to you all for the great feedback....(Love Ya C)

i think theres several reasons folks by sig guitars.
one i think they are a big fan of the artist, so they buy his guitar.
personally i dont think very many actually play their sig guitars (the artist).
i think another reason is they expext there to be a quality there thats not in the lesser models. maybe there is or maybe there isnt.
for me, the best playing strat ive played is my 50th Ann. model.
(whatever model those were. if anybody knows exactly help me out please)
i think another reason folks do it is they expect the guitar is one of the pieces to the "artist tone" puzzle that they dont have to worry about any more, when trying to dup the tone.
im sure theres other reasons but i think ive hit on the major ones.
personally, my next guitar will either be a highway1 or a players deluxe.
from there i should be able to build what i want.

I had a '97 Blackie which I swapped out for a CS Clapton based one-off which I had built about 6 years ago. That went out for my Gilmour. Two years ago a really clean '89 Pewter, low serial number came my way and I grabbed it. That's the real deal in its time, IMHO. Today, it would only be a Krause built guitar if I were going there again.

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"Another day in paradise!"