the lineup

San Francisco Art Exchange

The sale of Eric Clapton’s beloved Blackie in 2004 caused a stir for more than just the then-world-record $959,500 it fetched at his second Christie’s guitar auction. For 15 years it was a huge part of Slowhand’s legacy and to give it up in aid of his Crossroads charity seemed a significant step. But there was another of his mainstay Strats sold at the same auction; Blackie’s heir. And now it’s up for sale again.

This 1990 Strat was very much created under the influence of Blackie, taking the baton of Clapton’s famed 50s ‘partsocaster’ after its retirement. Another black Strat with white scratchplate, the icon’s collaboration on the guitar with Fender makes it, in essence, the very first signature Clapton Strat and would become his main guitar between 1990 and 1993, seeing some significant action during that period.

In Clapton’s second home at the Royal Albert Hall, it was used for the 24-night residency (still his longest run there) with four different line-ups – a four-piece, 13-piece, blues band and orchestra. It’s captured on the appropriately titled live album 24 Nights, but the guitar soon found itself in the spotlight with Slowhand again.

It was his main guitar when he backed longtime friend George Harrison with his band on their tour of Japan in December 1991, and on his own 1992 European and US tours. He also used it for a rendition of Bob Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright with the legendary US songwriter during his mammoth four-hour 30th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden, 16 October 1992.

The distinctive burn mark on the headstock also nods to another distinction with this guitar – it’s reported to be Clapton’s last ‘smoking Strat’ before he gave up the habit in 1993. But its other wear is pretty much to be expected from a heavily gigged model.

“The guitar is in fine playing condition,” says Jim Hartley, gallery co-founder at the San Francisco Art Exchange, who is managing the sale of the Strat. “The back surface is worn in one area from rubbing against Eric’s belt buckle for several years, and there is minor wear on the front side from his playing.”

The guitar’s original sale was the subject of some drama, when the successful bidder was unable to follow through with the purchase for $200,000. Clapton himself then phoned the second highest bidder to offer the guitar for his original offer. The deal was done but now, 14 years later, it’s being offered for sale again in San Francisco. This time it’s not an auction, and the guitar can be viewed at the gallery in the city’s downtown for those with the means to potentially meet the minimal acceptable offer of $325,000. But with some estimates placing it between $500,000 and $600,000 it could be that the Strat has been snapped up by the time you read this.

“This guitar ranks among his most important,” Hartley tells us. “A museumquality prize for one happy collector!” The SFAE has already sold original artwork of album covers by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Stones and Bob Dylan, but this represents its most famous guitar sale to date.

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