Fender -- The Return of the BLACKIE(R)!Eric Clapton playing Fender's new BLACKIE(R) replica. (Photo: Luca Zagami/(C)2006 FMIC)
November 01 2006 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
One of the world�s most influential electric guitars, the Fender
Stratocaster� guitar once owned by Eric Clapton and affectionately
known as BLACKIE�, will be recreated and made available to the
public this November from Fender�s renowned Custom Shop. Guitar
Center, Inc. (NASDAQ: GTRC), the world�s largest musical instrument
retailer, is now the owner of the original guitar after paying
$959,500 at a 2004 Christie�s auction that benefited the Crossroads
Centre, Antigua�a charity founded by Clapton and which remains
close to his heart. Guitar Center has commissioned the Fender
Custom Shop to reproduce this truly iconic piece of rock �n� roll
history, and it is the exclusive United States distributor of the
instrument. BLACKIE�, a mid-1950s Fender Stratocaster guitar pieced
together by Clapton himself from numerous individual guitars, was
Clapton�s main instrument throughout the 1970s and �80s. Clapton�s
albums 461 Ocean Boulevard, Slowhand, No Reason To Cry, and Just
One Night, among others, were all recorded with BLACKIE�. And in
addition to memorable solo tours, Clapton and BLACKIE� shared the
stage with the likes of Pete Townshend, the Rolling Stones, Bob
Dylan, Muddy Waters and The Band. This historic addition to the
Custom Shop Tribute Series will replicate BLACKIE� down to the
smallest of details�from the worn-to-the-wood body, to the neck
re-shaped by Eric�s hand as he played a thousand heartfelt solos,
to the unmistakable cigarette burns on the headstock. �Everyone in
the Guitar Center organization wants to share the world�s most
iconic guitar with collectors and fans,� said Guitar Center�s Keith
Brawley, Vice President of Merchandising, Guitars and Amplifiers.
�By working with Eric Clapton and Fender, we are able to offer some
of our best customers the thrill we felt when we spent nearly a
million dollars!� Said Mike Eldred, Director of Sales and Marketing
for Fender�s Custom Shop, �This is a dream come true, to work so
closely with this magical piece of rock history. To hold BLACKIE�
and to think about all it has been through and how much fantastic
music has come out of it, it�s really an indescribable feeling. The
Tribute Series BLACKIE� guitar is instantly collectible and we�re
thrilled that it�s now available to Eric�s fans.� All of the 185
guitars offered for sale in the United States will be available
exclusively through Guitar Center. Guitar Center stores throughout
America will introduce the guitar on �Black Friday��November 24,
2006. The manufacturer�s suggested retail price is $24,000, with a
portion of the proceeds to go to the Crossroads Centre, Antigua.
For more information about this guitar, visit
http://www.fender.com/blackie, or
http://www.guitarcenter.com/clapton. For more information about the
Crossroads Centre, Antigua, please visit
http://crossroadsantigua.org. One of the world's most influential
electric guitars, the Fender Stratocaster(R) guitar once owned by
Eric Clapton and affectionately known as BLACKIE(R), will be
recreated and made available to the public this November from
Fender's renowned Custom Shop. Guitar Center, Inc. (NASDAQ: GTRC),
the world's largest musical instrument retailer, is now the owner
of the original guitar after paying $959,500 at a 2004 Christie's
auction that benefited the Crossroads Centre, Antigua--a charity
founded by Clapton and which remains close to his heart. Guitar
Center has commissioned the Fender Custom Shop to reproduce this
truly iconic piece of rock 'n' roll history, and it is the
exclusive United States distributor of the instrument. BLACKIE(R),
a mid-1950s Fender Stratocaster guitar pieced together by Clapton
himself from numerous individual guitars, was Clapton's main
instrument throughout the 1970s and '80s. Clapton's albums 461
Ocean Boulevard, Slowhand, No Reason To Cry, and Just One Night,
among others, were all recorded with BLACKIE(R). And in addition to
memorable solo tours, Clapton and BLACKIE(R) shared the stage with
the likes of Pete Townshend, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Muddy
Waters and The Band. This historic addition to the Custom Shop
Tribute Series will replicate BLACKIE(R) down to the smallest of
details--from the worn-to-the-wood body, to the neck re-shaped by
Eric's hand as he played a thousand heartfelt solos, to the
unmistakable cigarette burns on the headstock. "Everyone in the
Guitar Center organization wants to share the world's most iconic
guitar with collectors and fans," said Guitar Center's Keith
Brawley, Vice President of Merchandising, Guitars and Amplifiers.
"By working with Eric Clapton and Fender, we are able to offer some
of our best customers the thrill we felt when we spent nearly a
million dollars!" Said Mike Eldred, Director of Sales and Marketing
for Fender's Custom Shop, "This is a dream come true, to work so
closely with this magical piece of rock history. To hold BLACKIE(R)
and to think about all it has been through and how much fantastic
music has come out of it, it's really an indescribable feeling. The
Tribute Series BLACKIE(R) guitar is instantly collectible and we're
thrilled that it's now available to Eric's fans." All of the 185
guitars offered for sale in the United States will be available
exclusively through Guitar Center. Guitar Center stores throughout
America will introduce the guitar on "Black Friday"--November 24,
2006. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $24,000, with a
portion of the proceeds to go to the Crossroads Centre, Antigua.
For more information about this guitar, visit
http://www.fender.com/blackie, or
http://www.guitarcenter.com/clapton. For more information about the
Crossroads Centre, Antigua, please visit
http://crossroadsantigua.org.
Guitar Center (NASDAQ:GTRC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Nov 2024 to Dec 2024
Guitar Center (NASDAQ:GTRC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2023 to Dec 2024