Blackie (guitar)

Blackie is the nickname of an individual electric guitar, the Fender Stratocaster was assembled beginning of the 1970s by the English guitarist Eric Clapton from parts of three different individual instruments of the electric guitar model.

History

In 1970 Clapton bought during a visit to the United States six Stratocaster Electric Guitar for $ 100 apiece in the Sho -Bud guitar shop in Nashville ( Tennessee). He took these instruments back to England and gave each one of them the guitarist Steve Winwood, George Harrison and Pete Townshend. From the remaining three guitars he built together with the best parts of " Blackie ". The nickname of the guitar relates to their black-painted body. From this time accompanied " Blackie " Clapton on stage performances and studio recordings up to the year 1987.

On 24 June 2004, Clapton parted with " Blackie ", as this ( a rehabilitation center for alcohol and drug addicts ) was auctioned for U.S. $ 959 500 by the auction house Christie's in favor of his Crossroads Rehab Centers on the West Indies island of Antigua. " Blackie " at that time set a record price for a guitar, which was also previously held by a Clapton guitar ( " Brownie "). 2006 was the " Reach Out To Asia ", a white Fender Stratocaster, auctioned with signatures of various musical legends for 2.8 million U.S. dollars as part of a fundraising event for the victims of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean in 2004.

In 2006, " Blackie " was copied by the U.S. musical instrument manufacturer Fender Custom Shop in the series in a limited edition line with current standards. Only 275 pieces of this replica of the instrument were produced. The suggested retail price was U.S. $ 24,000. Eric Clapton tested the prototype of this guitar on his concert on 17 May 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.