Do you have any idea how much an enthusiastic guitar player/ collector is willing to pay for Eric Clapton’s personal ‘Blackie’ Fender stratocaster electric guitar?  Well guess what, I know  just how much : $959.500.00 big ones!  That my friend’s is the largest amount ever paid for a guitar at an auction.  Now we all would agree Clapton is a guitar hero to generations of fans from all over the world, but a million dollars?    It must be so because to Eric Clapton’s devoted fans, he is the God of guitar!  I rememeber reading in a interview somewhere that even Eddie Van Halen (no slouch himself) proclaimed Eric Clapton the God of guitar!   (Eric’s personal guitar was recently sold at Christies auction house in New York city for close to million dollars when you factor in the commissions)

First some back round on Eric Clapton’s guitar.   The ‘Blackie’, a Fender Stratocaster, circa 1956, is the electric guitar that Clapton considered a personal favorite.  The best way to sum up the history of this guitar is in Eric Clapton’s own words ” it has become part of me.” Clapton did indeed have tremendous affection for the guitar, and had an intense working relationship with “Blackie” throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.

With that in mind it might not be so far fetched in this day an age for a guitar of that historic value to be worth a million dollars.  Would it?   Christie’s auction house is only a couple of block from music row. Now guess who provided the guitar stands and other guitar accessories needed for the auction? Now you got it!  Sam Ash music.  My colleague Richie (who happens to be an authority on guitar memorabilia and an old 48th street pro)   was hired by Christie’s as a consultant to assist in the pre-auction set up.  On the morning of the auction he mentioned to me he was going over there   for final preparations and asked if I  would be available lend him a hand.  “Say no more”, I said to Richie as I could feel my heart beginning to race knowing I’ll be surrounded by Clapton’s guitar collection soon.  Now let me tell you, is that a guitar players dream come true or what? We walked over to Christie’s with a couple of boxes of guitar accessories and made our way to the entrance. Security was tight and after showing our ID’s and handing over our business cards, the guards realized why were there and escorted us in. Eric’s beautiful guitars were set up on pedestals all over the  display room.  As I stood there with my mouth wide open   I  remember thinking , “where is the Blackie strat?”   I began scanning  the room. Vintage Martin acoustics to the left. Various vintage solid body guitars to my right.  “But where is  Blackie”, I wondered out loud. Then there in the back of the room- on a huge white display stand and   illuminated by bright ceiling spot lights  was the one & only Fender ‘Blackie’ strat!

You should have seen that guitar on display. I felt as if I was looking   at a  religious shrine. I  worked my way closer all the while studing that baby that was by this time only an arms length away.

Since I was there ‘assisting’ in the pre-auction set up, it was not a problem for me to actually get my hands on that baby!  The next moment I found myself standing  there holding a piece of rock & roll history!  “I wonder how many guitarist would love to be in my place right now !”  I said out loud to know one in particular.  “Hey Richie grab my camera and take a quick photo of me”, I asked as I handed him my digital camera I conveniently brought along with me. I could only hope and wish that  a little bit of that ‘Clapton MOJO’ would rub off the “Blackie” strat on to my fingers!     It was a thrilling experience to say the least.    As soon as I returned to the store I e-mailed a copy of the photo to my friends and customers all over the world.    I can not begin to tell you how many enthusiastic ‘congratulation’ replies I received, it  was if I hit the lottery or something!  Judging from all of the messages that arrived , I can safely  say that my fellow guitarist out there would have given anything to be in my place and to touch a piece of God also!