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Post subject: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:10 am
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Looking for an original Clapton Strat. I was wondering what the first year of production was, their relative value, and any desirable options (color, etc.) Was there a "Custom Shop" back then? I feel like I can buy an '88 or'89 Clapton Strat and get a guitar that is just as nice as a new Custom Shop guitar.

Thoughts?


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:26 am
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1988 was the first production year for the Clapton Strat although Eric already played the prototypes 2 years earlier - two of them served as a basis for the final product which went publicly on sale in October, with the latter becoming Black during the 2nd half of 1990. This model was initially offered in Pewter, Torino Red and Candy Green, followed by Black in 1991 and Olympic White in 1994.

The third prototype is owned by cricketer Ian Botham whose Clapton gave the guitar as a gift in an exchange for his bat.

Per ole Slowhand's request Candy Green was dropped from the colour chart in 2010.

The Fender Custom Shop opened its doors in 1987. Eric's personal stage and studio guitars are made there.


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:44 am
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Thanks. So, one would assume the '88 model is the more collectible model?


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:46 am
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...and he really called for Green to be stopped? Find that hard to believe...probably the coolest color they offered! Although there must be some reason they stopped making all the cool Jeff Beck colors too...


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 9:16 am
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cwgatti wrote:
...and he really called for Green to be stopped? Find that hard to believe...probably the coolest color they offered! Although there must be some reason they stopped making all the cool Jeff Beck colors too...


Nah, in 2010 I think someone at Fender accidentally drank the last can of 7-Up and threw it away, not realising it was the colour reference... :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 2:35 pm
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to piggy back off this, anyone know when john mayers was first released? including month if possible


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 6:45 pm
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cwgatti wrote:
...and he really called for Green to be stopped? Find that hard to believe...probably the coolest color they offered! Although there must be some reason they stopped making all the cool Jeff Beck colors too...


Vintage White and Midnight Purple were discontinued in 2001. Jeff opted for Surf Green and Olympic White for his updated signature guitar.


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 7:04 am
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chromeface wrote:
cwgatti wrote:
...and he really called for Green to be stopped? Find that hard to believe...probably the coolest color they offered! Although there must be some reason they stopped making all the cool Jeff Beck colors too...


Vintage White and Midnight Purple were discontinued in 2001. Jeff opted for Surf Green and Olympic White for his updated signature guitar.


Hmmm.....not that I don't believe you, but where would I confirm that Jeff Beck (or Clapton for that matter) actually determines which colors are released? If the Jeff Beck Strat was released in the original Purple or Midnight Blue that it was released in previously, they would sell like crazy. I love Beck, but I don't want a boring colored guitar. Same for the Clapton.


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 9:55 am
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Colours are specified by the artist him(er)self.

Clapton chose Black, Torino Red, Pewter and Olympic White for the regular production runs, Black, Mercedes and Midnight Blue for the Custom Artist editions.

In 2010 he requested Fender to drop Candy Green from the colour chart.

Image

There are also custom one-offs made exclusively for him in other colours than the aforementioned finishes, with some of them being publicly available in the form of a limited edition.


Last edited by chromeface on Thu Aug 13, 2015 11:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:02 am
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chromeface wrote:
Colours are specified by the artist him(er)self.

Clapton chose Black, Torino Red, Pewter and Olympic White for the regular production runs, Black, Mercedes and Midnight Blue for the Custom Artist editions.

In 2010 he requested Fender to drop Candy Green from the colour chart.

Image

There are also custom one-offs made exclusively for him in other colours than the aforementioned finishes, with some of them being publicly available in the form of a limited edition.


Ok, but where is this documented? If I were to go "Custom Shop" would I be able to get a "custom" color?


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 11:05 am
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No, one-offs are only built for the artist himself.

From what I see you want an exact replica of the famous "smoker guitar" Clapton played throughout the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s. Specify if the guitar would include or not a cigarette holder in the headstock.

Image

One problem is this model uses Lace Sensors. Clapton definitely stopped using Lace pickups in his guitars since 2010.

Image


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Post subject: Re: What year was the Eric Clapton Model Introduced?
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 4:28 am
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canman22 wrote:
to piggy back off this, anyone know when john mayers was first released? including month if possible

Go into the Forum's archives and do a search on the Mayer guitar. You'll find at least two threads of about a year's length or more. It was a helluva war on here. If memory serves it was December 2010 that the very limited edition Custom Shop model was finished.

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