Eric Clapton’s 1954 ‘Slowhand’ hardtail Strat is up for auction and it’s expected to be one of the most expensive guitars of all time.
Ever wanted to own a piece of rock and roll history? Well, if you’re swimming in money, you might have a chance to own the iconic ‘Slowhand’ Stratocaster.
Up for auction is Eric Clapton’s 1954 ‘Slowhand’ Strat, with bidding starting at $1 million. The Stratocaster was Clapton’s main slide guitar from 1979-1985 and features a non-tremolo bridge. Significantly, it’s rare to find from the Strat’s first year of production.
‘Slowhand’ bears the serial number 7431 on the neck plate and the initials TG on the neck butt. The initials belong to Tadeo Gomez, who was the Fender employee who was responsible for shaping the neck. The digits 9-54 found next to his initials describe the month and the year (September 1954) the neck was finished.
Clapton used ‘Slowhand’ as his main slide guitar and can be heard on songs like Early in the Morning and Tulsa Time. The only thing Clapton modified was the 3-way pickup selector switch, which he replaced with a 5-way switch, allowing him to achieve out of phase tones.
Included with the guitar is a signed letter of authenticity from Clapton’s longtime guitar tech Lee Dickson, a signed gold edition of the Slowhand album, and a strap.
For more details on the lot, check out the Gotta Have Rock and Roll website.
