Brownie | Les Paul | Martin signature
“It’s like a restaurant. If there are lots of people there, it’s gonna be good food,” he says, explaining why he would always go for a worn-out guitar neck on a Fender Stratocaster.
Finding several of them, changing necks, and probably pickups around, he would essentially build his perfect Strat himself.
Brownie is that early 70s era which has my favourite Eric Clapton album dated 1974, the outrageously groovy 461 Ocean Boulevard.
Clapton goes on to explain how seeing Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix playing a Strat, was what made him swap.
Brownie sold at a 1999 auction for $497,000 (the replica is $15,000 – bargain!)
Eric Clapton and Martin guitars
In this video, Clapton plays his Martin Signature Guitars. “They’re perfect!” he exclaims.
Bright, round, louder, and the more basic the better he reflects as he looks at how these guitars are almost too good.
Clapton’s acoustic range seems to be one for the living room, rather than in the back of the van, living in a gig bag. The problem is, will you ever leave your living room?
“It was always Martin” he remembers as if this was the holy grail of acoustic guitars. When he first saw a D28 it actually seemed to be as if he discovered the grail, “it almost glowed”, he says.
This experience never seems to have left him when it comes to Martin Guitars. A proper player’s guitar, according to Clapton.
Eric Clapton and Gibson guitars
In the 60s, before Eric discovered Hendrix, Buddy Guy, and the Stratocaster, he was a Gibson Les Paul man.
In this video, we hear the replica guitar Eric played in the 60s on While My Guitar Gently Weeps, this guitar relates to Eric’s time being obsessed with Freddie King.
Eric also played this on the Beano album, paired with a Marshall Bluesbreaker. He played this guitar so much that it “became a part of me”.
As he plays it, it sounds like Eric has started to turn the treble up a bit since the early days of “woman-tone”, might be that love affair with Fender Stratocasters that played a part in this!
Eric Clapton Guitars | Related pages
Eric Clapton
As well as a member of bands like Derek & The Dominos, The Yardbirds, and Cream, Eric Clapton has successfully played sessions for more stars than any other guitar player.
His long career earned him three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
Crossroads
Learn how to play Cream’s live version of Crossroads using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and a Spytunes video guitar lesson.
| A7 | D7 | A7 | A7 |
I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knee…
I Shot The Sheriff
You can learn how to play I Shot The Sheriff by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, TAB, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Gm | Cm Cm7 Cm Cm7 | Gm7 Gm Gm7 | Gm7 Gm Gm7 |
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot no deputy, oh no! Oh…
Sunshine Of Your Love
You can learn how to play Sunshine Of Your Love by Cream using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| D blues scale riff | D blues scale riff |
It’s getting near dawn…
Tears In Heaven
Learn how to play Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, 2nd guitar, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Aadd4 E/G# | F#m A/E | D/F# A | E A/E E7 |
Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven…
Wonderful Tonight
You can learn how to play Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, TAB, and the original recording.
| G | D/F# | C | D |
It’s late in the evening, she’s wondering what clothes to wear…
Eric Clapton on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was an article about Eric Clapton’s guitars, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not by practising scales or studying theory in isolation.