......and it would be interesting to know the serial number of that guitar, as well. The earlier the date, the more valuable I would say. Many prefer the Gold Lace Sensors for that guitar, including yours truly. I have an '89 Pewter and used to own a '97 Black.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Here's a Rolling Stone cover dating from 1988 which shows Clapton holding a Candy Green Strat. I believe this guitar was set-up for slide, as Eric used it as a spare for the 461 Ocean Boulevard's classic hit "Motherless Children" during a show at Philadelphia in September 7th of that year. Mark Knopfler played the rhythm guitar parts with a Dakota Red Schecter Telecaster.



The only Candy Green EC I saw at the time was one of the two "smoker's model" prototypes built by George Blanda in 1985, essentially a Pewter Strat refinished in Candy Green for a couple of months in 1989 before being refinished in Pewter the following year.

If you see the Night Music TV show of October 25th with David Sanborn, Robert Cray and Hiram Bullock, you'll quickly recognise the guitar.

[/quote]
You had to be reading my mind with this one. This is The Journeyman period, and, if memory serves me, not far from the time that Conor died.
As an aside, there's a paragraph in the '04 Christies Auction Catalog in which they talk briefly about the decision to bring back the black guitar. The prototype was sold in that event.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I waited 30 days for Fender to build mine back in Feb 2001. I had to order the guitar because the store was out and it was worth the wait. The Fender factory had every other color available, but they had to build a candy green one for me.

It's an awesome color and I don't regret it one bit. Everyone who sees the guitar either asks about it or instantly recognizes it as an EC Strat.

As for the sound: It’s awesome! There is no other guitar in my collection which can remotely stand up to the EC's versatility. $1300 is pretty good price. Good luck!

Do you have the LS pickups or the VN's? Looks like you were right on the cusp of the change-over.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Interesting. I've heard rumours about the black guitar saying that this particular axe was effectively a Stevens flamed neck mounted into a black body crafted by Jay W. Black.

From my personal experience this is the very first signature Blackie which came officially into the scene during the first weeks of February 1990, though Fender already offered the EC Strat in Black BEFORE 1990.

Mine came with the GLS. Your right. The next time I saw an EC Strat it had VN. I owned an '87 Strat plus that I foolishly sold for nothing. On bright side I did get a great replacement.

This was the subject of discussion in another thread waaaay back, and I offered it up at that time, so here it is again...FYI...and to be brief...1988 Custom Shop Stratocaster Eric Clapton Signature Model......neck end inscribed R&D #1 CS 2/23/88 and stamped in red ink in the neck pocket CUSTOM SHOP/Fender USA.....Dickson also tags the guitar, in part as N/S/N Mike Stevens.and is quoted as follows: "This is the first black custom EC Signature Strat It was made for Eric by Mike Stevens at Fender Custom Shop.......it has no serial number on it because its the first black one almost like a prototype. It was Eric's suggestion at the time. He said we should really have a black one in the range, so this is the first officially sanctioned black EC signature Strat. It served as Eric's main stage guitar from the summer fo 1990 until March of 1993 including The Journeyman Tour, The 24 Nights season, The Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert, the Cream Reunion at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

Love my 1988 Clapton strat, I think the green's cool. Plays amazing.

Black is officially a colour option since 1990, you're right. But I've seen several Blackies (such as this 1989 example, pictured) made before that date and particularly the two first years of production, 1988 and 1989.



Can you explain me for which reason Fender decided to sell the EC Strat in black before Eric's personal decision? From my understanding Clapton wanted to have his signature Strat in Torino Red, Candy Green and Pewter during that period.

Hi Chromeface - are you basing the 1988/1989 on seeing neck date stamps or on the serial numbers? If I'm remembering correctly Fender used SE8 and SE9 serial number decals (across all their Artist Signature models) up until about 1993 or so. That guitar could be later than 1989 if they took the neck off to check the dates.

I suppose it took Fender a while to use up the SE8 and SE9 numbers because there was only the Clapton and the Malmsteen from 1988-1990 (I can't recall if the Beck came out in 1990 or 1991).

[quote="chromefaceCan you explain me for which reason Fender decided to sell the EC Strat in black [i]before Eric's personal decision? From my understanding Clapton wanted to have his signature Strat in Torino Red, Candy Green and Pewter during that period.[/quote][/i]

The narrative cites, as well, the known facts about the finishes that Eric originally authorized at the outset of the project. We know he wanted to get away from the black guitar and the reason for the choices he made. He's quote in some text as always having wanted a guitar the color of a 7-Up bottle, among others. Additionally, both this source, and Duchossoir's make reference to the fact that the 'grey' was originally to be 'anthracite' and then was changed to 'pewter', but I have never found anywhere a clarification as to whether or not the actually color of the finish was changed, or just the name descriptor. As to how Eric came to decide that a black guitar was now appropriate, I would consider answer to the queston part of personal anecdote that only EC, LD, or others connected to the project could enlarge upon. I seem to have read somewhere that he was quoted as maintaing a preference for the black guitar. Though I know it precedes ME's tenure, perhap's he has the inside 'skinny' on this. decision. From my own personal experience, I remember the first one I saw, with the name 'Blackie' imprinted on the face of the headstock. IMHO then, the name was 'stupid'. There was, at that time, one and only one guitar which was entitled to be known by that name, and it had already been retired.

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"Another day in paradise!"

The original Jeff Beck Stratocaster officially debuted in 1991.

There's just something about the green.....it's different.... in a good way

The Candy Green finish was a nice colour.

I wonder why Fender decided to stop producing the Candy Green EC models.