Described by Fender as “one of the world’s most coveted guitars”, the Blackie was built and immortalised by Eric Clapton. A self constructed hash of three $100 Telecaster and Stratocasters models, it was designed to be the ultimate instrument and has since featured in adverts, been released world wide and sold for record breaking sums.
The story goes, Clapton was tiring with the guitar collection he’d amassed and began searching for a new ‘muse’. It was in the Sho-Bud music store in Tennessee that he purchased six $100 Fenders; a mix of telecasters and Stratocasters. He gave three away as gifts to George Harrison, Pete Townshend and Steve Winwood. Then, after playing each of the remaining instruments, he began dismantling them.
Taking the hard V shaped maple neck from one, the pick ups from another and the trademark black lacquer body form the ‘56 Alder, the ‘Blackie’ was born. It quickly became Clapton’s favourite and a staple of his live performances until 1985. When it began to show its age, Fender designed the Clapton Signature series, bringing the Blackie to the masses.
Since then, the affectionately named Blackie has become an iconic and integral part of music history. It was featured in the 1990 Honda ad where Clapton was filmed recording the Bad Love solo. The last appearance was at the Albert Hall in 1991. In 2004, The Guitar Centre bought the original for a record breaking $959,500; the replicas sold out within seven hours.
For guitarists, Clapton fans and even the DIY enthusiast, the Blackie represents a seminal moment in the history of the guitar and the ingenuity of one man. In 2010 Clapton was reunited with his beloved original for an exclusive photoshoot for the Guitar Centre’s Guide magazine. Despite playing hundreds of guitars over his life, it is still the Blackie that holds his heart.
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