Fender Clapton "Blackie" Replica.....

[Queens_Brian_May]

About 2 months ago I bought a loaded Clapton pickguard with the Active pickups off a fellow Harmony Central member (who I am told frequents Jemsite as well) that was out of his 1996 Torino Red USA Eric Clapton Signature Strat.

I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with it, but I love the sound of those pickups, and I thought...what the heck?? I'll find something to put them in. Well.....did I ever!!

I ended up on **** doing a deal on a amp with a guy whose brother works at the Fender Custom Shop. One e-mail led to another, and I was put in connection with this Fender CS employee who was pretty sure he could make me a bad ass Clapton-like replica as a "side project."

...So, the pickups have found a home.
No, this wasn't $25,000, No, it doesn't come with a COA..... and no, it wasn't exactly cheap.... but for what it is, it's F'ing SWEET!!!

It's essentially the same "Blackie" that they made 400 of, only with the electronics out of a new Clapton USA strat. Neck profile is 9.5 radius, medium frets (as I requested) ...not med/jumbo...not vintage. What's that on the back of the tremelo cover??? That's a custom made kill switch!!
The battery that run the pickups is tucked under the pickguard, and with the kill switch...the battery will last forever before needing replaced.

Notice the detail.... the cigarette burns on the headstock, the worn and dingy fretboard....rusted tuners, saddles, and unput jack...etc..etc... This is easily the lightest strat I have ever picked up....

Well, anyways.... just that I'd let Jule's see where his pickups ended up. (I think his name was Julian? who I bought the pickups from)
The pickups were out of a 1996 EC signature that he had bought new in 1996, and still has to this day.

The pics:

[elcid]

Looks great man, but those pickups arent active. I think there is an active mid boost (not the TBX) in there, but lace sensors are passive pickups.

[Queens_Brian_May]

Yes, Yes!! That is correct. There is a active mid-boost ran by a 9-volt battery which is essentially like turning on a Ibanez Tube Screamer when you roll up the volume on the 2nd tone knob. You can roll the knob all the way off, and the Gold Lace Sensors act as 3 passive pickups.

[CosmicDebris]

You should swirl it

[Queens_Brian_May]

Originally Posted by CosmicDebris

You should swirl it

If my wife finds out what I paid to have this done it will have my blood on it...so I could do a DNA??

[CosmicDebris]

Originally Posted by Queens_Brian_May

so I could do a DNA??

Do it by hand.

[CityofBlindingLights]

That's pretty nice man, I like it.

[chone]

I dig it. Looks really good.

[ibanezcollector]

I hate to say it, but that neck looks terrible, well the whole thing looks very NON-Authentic.. It doesnt look vintage it looks like a bad relic.

Now I am not saying im better but if that guy works/worked at Fender CS he should be fired immediately. But my guess is you got scammed cause you can buy those decals a dime a dozen on the net..

The neck wear looks sanded the belly contour looks filed and sanded, its Poly for cripes sake. The bridge looks very similar to what comes on a Squier Standard.

The neck is so worn, yet the body only has two areas of wear, it should be equally worn to the neck.

Sorry but it looks bad, I hope you didnt pay alot of money for it..

[Queens_Brian_May]

Originally Posted by ibanezcollector

I hate to say it, but that neck looks terrible, well the whole thing looks very NON-Authentic.. It doesnt look vintage it looks like a bad relic.


Sorry but it looks bad, I hope you didnt pay alot of money for it..

To each their own I guess... with this comment, you are essentially saying that alot of people on several websites are idiots...as everyone thusfar, likes how it looks.

Personally, there are several builders who work at the CS whose work I avoid. At my local Guitar Center it's not hard to find the occasional $3500 relic on the wall whose relic job is hoaky to say the least... and I would put the neck on mine up against any strat avalible to the public.

Again... it's all about opinion. The relic on the wall at my local store that I wouldn't give 50% of asking price for is the employees of that establishments favorite guitar.

I have been offered some high end trades in the last 24 hours, all of which I've turned down. If this guitar had a COA with a neckplate to match, it would be a $3,000 guitar.... like it or not, that's a fact.

[ibanezcollector]

no its not a fact..

Do me a favor take a picture in the neck pocket of the CS stamp, they all have them, also who is the builder this is also written in the neck pocket. Also on under the pickguard is another CS Stamp..

I would love to see those, im sorry you got ripped off that is a blatant fake, no Custom Shop employee in there right mind would use a cheap Korean bridge. It would have the standard 62 reissue bridge on 99.9% of all CS's.

Again im sorry you got taken.. PERIOD.

Its not about to each there own its this is not a CS piece. Its got a sticker on the back of the headstock but until I see the CS stamps its a fake and a bad one at that.

[ibanezcollector]

A real custom shop decal..


Yours, the fake, see the difference, yours is off, and def. a replica waterslide.

[ibanezcollector]

hmmmm

[Queens_Brian_May]

No one said it was a Custom Shop piece. And I never said I paid Custom Shop price.

If you are a "Ibanez Collector" You are all too framiliar with being "taken".... there is a reason why the "I-been-had" name persists.

I know "I've-been-had" quite a few times..... the quality, tone, and playability of this versus what I have it makes this a very fair deal.

The last few Jem's I've had on the other hand???

[Queens_Brian_May]

Originally Posted by ibanezcollector

hmmmm

hmmmm... you may want to brush up on your reading comprehension skills... the thread cleary states this was a "at home" side project for a CS builder.

If I was trying to pedal this off as a real Clapton tribute, don't you think I may of had him use something besides modern looking Lace Sensors???

Earth to common sense.