Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

[Lewguitar]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

Agreed. IMO, the Clapton model with the Gold Sensors is rather horrible - not sure why anyone (including me) could ever claim that I was playing a real Strat with those pups in them. The guitar itself is fabulous - the Sensors just leave much to be desired.

And I agree with you. I had two killer '88 and '92 Clapton Strats for a while. Both played great and sounded really good too...but the Lace Sensors just sounded to hi fi for me. I have enough Strats so I didn't devalue either with new pickups...but I still think about that black '88 sometimes and miss it.

Lew

 

[tiefightertk069]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

Cool thread guys! :approve:

I was comparing the '57 Classics in my LP Classic with the Seths in my LP Standard the other day. The '57s aren't at all bad, but when you hear them side by side against the Seths they lack complexity and they sound, well, just "plain". Time for a pickup change in that guitar! I have a spare set of '59s so I reckon those may go in the Classic. Its acoustic tone is less bright than the Standard so I reckon A5s will liven it up. Then I'll have an A2 LP and an A5 LP - lucky boy! :dance:

Trouble is I'm getting GAS for a set of Antiquity HBs too, and all this talk of the beauty of weaker magnets isn't helping! :grumble:

I'm still blown away by the 59s in my LP Classic every time I plug it in. I just can't put it down once I start playing...

If only I had another LP... hmmmm, I shouldn't even think about that right now.

But yeah, the final plan is a set of PGs for the LP and the 59s are going in the SG.

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

And I agree with you. I had two killer '88 and '92 Clapton Strats for a while. Both played great and sounded really good too...but the Lace Sensors just sounded to hi fi for me. I have enough Strats so I didn't devalue either with new pickups...but I still think about that black '88 sometimes and miss it.

Lew

I love this thread! I found another page about Claptons Guitars too. The Eric Clapton FAQ . It's funny though because they say that the Eric Clapton Signature Strat was not available in black 'til around '91??? I thought that was one of the first colors available??? Was yours a stock finish Lew?

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

They have a page on his 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard Guitar too. I found two front pages too. slowhand and WheresEric with an "updated" FAQ ECFAQ

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

I love this thread! I found another page about Claptons Guitars too. The Eric Clapton FAQ . It's funny though because they say that the Eric Clapton Signature Strat was not available in black 'til around '91??? I thought that was one of the first colors available??? Was yours a stock finish Lew?

It was. Maybe I have the year remembered wrong. :smack: I'm better with old guitars than remembering dates and what not for newer guitars. Lew

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

It was. Maybe I have the year remembered wrong. :smack: I'm better with old guitars than remembering dates and what not for newer guitars. Lew

Dig it man! I found this article too. Maybe the first "Blackie" Sig was made in '90?

The first copy of the 'Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster,' modeled after 'Blackie' and extensively used by Clapton from 1990 onwards was bought for $231,500 against an estimate of $8,000-12,000.

Auction of Eric Clapton's Guitars Rakes in Over $7M

There's a PBS special on Wednesday this week with Clapton playing the "Crash 3" too! Get the VCR/Tivo ready!!!

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

Here's a link for the PBS show.

Crossroads

And the set list.

MUSICAL SELECTIONS

 

[Z0S0]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

So...

I have an LP Classic, with stock pickups.

Should I put in SD 59's in it or Seth Lovers to get closer to the Clapton Beano tone?

I'm thinking 59's...

Great thread by the way. I am a huge fan of Clapton in his early days with The Bluesbreakers and Cream. After that, not so much.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

bump

 

[vegetablejoe]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

Bridge Antiquity (tone at 3) in my semi-hollow, thru a Keeley-modded TS-5, into the clean channel of a Fender Champ 25SE amp, gets me close enough to the tone on the Sleepy Time Time lick to put a smile on my face c",) ... (and reminds me I don't really need an all-tube amp). Hmmmm... i must try the same chain through a Classic 30 and 20 sometime.

fwiw and ymmv. Great thread! Thanks!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

So...

I have an LP Classic, with stock pickups.

Should I put in SD 59's in it or Seth Lovers to get closer to the Clapton Beano tone?

I'm thinking 59's...

Great thread by the way. I am a huge fan of Clapton in his early days with The Bluesbreakers and Cream. After that, not so much.

I've always felt that alnico 5 humbuckers like the Duncan 59's get Clapton's Beano tone. And now that we know he used a '60 Les Paul for that recording I'm even more certain they were alnico 5 pickups used for that recording.

But you also have to have a 60's Marshall combo amp with Celestions (probably alnico G12's) cranked to "10" and the same microphone and mixing board used for that recording. Because you're not just hearing pickups...you're also hearing a Neumann tube mike or similar microphone and an old tube mixing board and the room the amp was recorded in when you hear Clapton's Beano tone.

Still, I'd say alnico 5 59's for Clapton's Beano tone.

Lew

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

BTW, thanks for resurrecting this thread. I always thought it was a great one that should have been vaulted and I really learned alot from everyone.

Lew

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

Just read all posts on all 4 pages...learned some very cool things and really enjoyed all of the great info....Thanks to Lew,Evan,Seymour,and to everyone that posted...Clapton's early stuff has always been one of the reasons I started playing guitar in the first place...A tie for me and being lefty,is Jimi Hendrix...

Clapton's Bluesbreaker and Cream tones were(and still are)some of the best tones I ever heard...Great stuff guys!

John

 

[Armotron]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

Wow, I just read alot of awesome information in this thread, reviving it to see If anyone new has anything to add, or if anyones learned anything else? This thread definetely should be vaulted its so good.

 

[hans-jürgen]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

I still would like to know how and where Seymour Duncan found the 1960 Les Paul that Clapton used on the Beano album and measured its impedance and output, because that one had been stolen around 1965 and never showed up again, as far as I know...

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

Fabulous thread. I would love an SG and get close to Clapton's tone. There's so much great info in this thread!

 

[hacker]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

I was listening to the Beano album today and I dont think its possible to tell if he's using Alnico 2 or 5 pickups. The tone on this album is definitely bright and cutting, with a strong honking midrange. It is very similar to Duane Allmans tone on the Fillmore East recording.

Anyway, having played Sethc, Antiquities and Alnico II Pros, I know that A2s tend to be much warmer. However, in my new R8 Historic Les Paul, the Bursbucker 1&2 pickups also use A2 magnets but they are much brighter on the top end. At first I was put off by this, but I realize that this is part of the vintage LP tone. The coils are mismatched on the BBs, which is not the case with the Duncans. .

 

[Dirt123]

Re: Question for Evan about Eric Clapton:

I was listening to the Beano album today and I dont think its possible to tell if he's using Alnico 2 or 5 pickups. The tone on this album is definitely bright and cutting, with a strong honking midrange. It is very similar to Duane Allmans tone on the Fillmore East recording.

Anyway, having played Sethc, Antiquities and Alnico II Pros, I know that A2s tend to be much warmer. However, in my new R8 Historic Les Paul, the Bursbucker 1&2 pickups also use A2 magnets but they are much brighter on the top end. At first I was put off by this, but I realize that this is part of the vintage LP tone. The coils are mismatched on the BBs, which is not the case with the Duncans. .

This is probably already well known, but I had read that Clapton used a Dallas Rangemaster treble booster on Beano. That would definitely change the tonality of an LP.