Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Stratocaster, Journeyman Relic, 2 Tone Sunburst

Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Stratocaster, Journeyman Relic, 2 Tone Sunburst Overview

With regards to Fender's Stratocaster, Eric Clapton has worn his heart on his sleeve for five decades. His switch to the Strat in 1970 was accompanied by his own custom guitar simply known as "Blackie" - a personal hybrid built from the best parts of the three Fender Strat's he'd recently purchased. 1988 saw Fender introduce their first Clapton design - built to Eric's own specifications, and this was the start of a celebrated relationship which continues to this day.

With this guitar, the legendary Custom Shop Clapton Strat gets some new clothes - Clapton's personal specifications have been mirrored once again and this guitar features his famous preferences such as a "Soft V" neck, noiseless pickups, active mid boost, and blocked tremolo, but with the use of an Ash body, Fender have returned to the specification of early 50's Strats which used Ash almost exclusively. And there are other changes to the long-established Custom Shop specification; the use of rift-sawn (as opposed to flat-sawn) maple for the neck - a far more stable and stronger cut of wood. Nitrocellulose lacquer has also been used for the finish, which not only produces vintage feel and ageing, but also to allows the body wood to breathe and resonate without hindrance.

A Fender Custom Shop instrument is as good as it gets. You know it when you play one — it’s filled with intangible, electrifying elements that adds a new dimension to your playing experience. It’s as if the instrument itself is imbued with history, and is as close as it gets to an original build Fender from the Golden Era.

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What Fender say:

Mirroring Eric Clapton’s personal specs, the original Eric Clapton Signature model born in the Fender Custom Shop just got ooler with a new Journeyman Relic finish. The new finish lets the two-piece select ash’s figure show through while feeling like it’s seen countless gigs. Offering a special soft V-shaped maple neck, three Vintage Noiseless™ pickups, blocked tremolo and Clapton’s signature on the headstock—along with the smooth feel and authentic sound of the original—the Journeyman Relic Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster is one of our finest creations.