I agree, this review was awesome. Wish others could put reviews together this well. I learnt a lot more watching this than the previous three other reviews I've watched.
The best review ever seen , since I've seen them all before I ordered this guitar . If I saw it before , i'd have ordered it before ! Thanks Mark , you're a great guitarist with a great guitar ...
Best demo ever heard- best sound in the room and from the guitar. Since I heard this demo first time, it was my wish to own this guitar- now it is mine!!!!! It is really a great guitar- lots of different sounds- all great!! Thank you Mark!!
It is important to dial in to the breakup point of the amp or use a slightly distorted channel or pedal in order to make that midboost produce those sustained, compressed clapton notes. Otherwise, if you play it for example on an amp with a lot of headroom, it will just act as an enormous volume boost with quite harsh and 'short' sounds, especially on the high notes. Very important to consider this when interested in the clapton strat or midboost kit!
Just picked up the black version of this - insane guitar, has raised the bar for what I expect from a strat! This review really helped - one things will say is you'll need to spend some time getting to grips with the active boost to avoid sounding too muddy. Not a limitation of the guitar, but could be a limitation of an unprepared player!
+Evesonification do you use the TBX past 5? that gives you a lot more highs and keeps the guitar from getting muddy when you crank the boost. I always here that comment and it bugs me a little :) because the guitar has the middle tone control (when it is past 5) that takes care of any "muddiness" issues. I've owned a clapton strat for 10years. they are awesome! It really can sound like both a great strat and something pretty close to a gibson.
For me, this is the supreme incarnation of the Fender Stratocaster. Far second, the Richie Sambora model (both of them). The neck, the sounds, the car finishes, the playability, the boost to cut through the band when your turn to solo a bit comes... It is flawless. The only small cosmetic detail I would change is placing the artist's signature in the back of the headstock in all models, not only in the Custom Shop instruments.
Great demo of this guitar. I've been primarily a Strat player for some 40 years. This one immediately became my number 1 when I bought it new in 2005. So versatile and zero noise in any club I've played regardless of dirty power, neon lights, dimmers, etc. The only downside to me was the low vintage frets (now long gone). Some people dig them though. I guess Eric does.
Mark, my local guitar store, who were previously unaware of the trem block feature on this guitar (are you surprised?), removed the cavity plate on the back of the floor model to check it out. What we found is that, despite what many believe and what Fender says, the tremolo is not blocked but decked, meaning that the claw is screwed flush to body -- without any wood inserted behind the block to immobilize it -- and attached to the claw and block are 5 extra thick and beefy springs.
@jncoman69 No What I meant is EC runs his amp very clean and uses that boost in his guitar to over drive the input of the amp....I think you would like the American Deluxe better based on what you told me you are looking for tonally. Another thought is the HSS American Deluxe with a humbucker and two single coils to give you even more tonal range
@jncoman69.... Clapton runs his amps cleaner and uses that mid boost to overdrive the input stage of the amp and get a volume boost. The guitar has great tone, and feels really good. I would seriously look at the American deluxe as well. That is also a great guitar but might be more suited to your needs. We have the Clapton for $1429.99 and the American Deluxe Strat for $1397.99
I love mine so much with the lase pu. Number of different sounds is incredible tho to say you get a bucker sound is quite a stretch. Great neck. A bit on the heavy side. Love it.
This guitar does not have active pick-ups, so no batteries required! Mark is an excellent demonstrator because he selects and plays through all of the different sounds available from the instrument, matched with the amp in clean and overdriven modes. His playing style is very refined, yet he feels no obligation to try to 'shred' all through the demo.
You can not turn of the boost circut. If your playing through the right amp you should be able to get that rock style sound. The boost circut gives you 12db of midrange boost.
@alvaritooooooooo All the Clapton models have the same electronics.The first tone is the tbx that cuts all the bass or treble to replicate the woman sound he used in the sg.To get that you have to turn the volume on your guitar to 10 and cut the treble you just have to turn the tbx tone to 0.The second tone is the 25db mid boost that is powered by a 9 volt battery in the back plate.It hads instant distortion when turning it.I have the same model he is using.
Well thats 23 sad little tone purists that hit dislike when they heard a) noiseless pick ups and b) les paul sounds out of an otherwise traditional strat. Just a stunning bit of kit.
@MarshallAmpMan The Custom shop is totally hand assembled by one of the Custom shop luthiers. . Is it a hand selected two piece alder body. From what I have been told by Fender these are the same guitars Eric gets. the production model is made on an assembly line. it is still amazing, but if you want exactly what Clapton has in his hands, then get the custom shop.
@prettdboy It's hard to beat the Ibanez neck if you really like the wizard neck nothing else feels like it. The nice thing about the SV5470 is the versatility you can play any style of music were the Clapton and the Johnson Strat limits you a little.
I’ve played 2 of these from 2 different guitar shops - one local & one large chain. Both were amazing and oddly the only Fender Strat that played well (most likely due to the stability of blocked bridge). The mid boost is very musical and provides a ton of sustain. The neck feels like my '83 57 reissue other than the 9.5 radius. Too expensive for me to purchase so I'm going to install the mid boost circuit on one of my Strats and see how it plays. If I had the cash I would own this guitar.
Mark ,the reviws that you made are the better of youtube.I'm left hand guitar in Brazil.Is cery dificult buy a LH Eric Claptob strat,but I have a rare American standard deluxe of 1989 with lace sensor and TBX,and after look your video I both a active mid boost for install.
Could someone please enlighten me about something? What's the difference between using the mid-boost on this guitar to fatten my Stratocaster versus just using the "MIDDLE" knob on my amplifier? Thanks
ive got one in black,i have to say my silver series strat feels better quality,its over 25 years old I gave it a up grade with all American hardware installed 25db boost kit with tbx and fender noiseless pickups its now better than the blackie,plus the scratchplate is still flat the Clapton one is all over the place
Why are Eric's necks so white? I have a Fender Powerhouse Strat which is a poor man's Clapton Strat. You don't have to get under the pickguard to replace the battery. I hear you can also change the 12db boost to 25db by snipping out some resistors. It also has a dummy coil for hum canceling, and a no load tone pot. I paid $369 in mint condition.
+James Krys I just did that mod to my 97 Powerhouse. Turning the boost on and off is so dramatic, it sounds like two separate amp channels, or a built-in overdrive pedal. I'm loving it. No need to carry a Tube Screamer to blues jams ;-) Not sure what year yours is but these ones from the 90s apparently had the same pickups as the American Standards, so they really were a bargain. Basically American Standard/Eric Clapton strats for the price of a Mexican strat!
It's possible you might want to do a bit more research.....he wanted to include those things on his Strats because he doesn't use/doesn't like pedals.....se essentially this gives him a volume boost AND like a little tube screamer in his Tone Controls. Maybe I'm wrong. b
One thing that you may have missed and maybe it's changed over the years but it's worth mentioning...the pickups are active...meaning you must use a 9v battery. At least that's the way my old Blackie was. Wish I hadn't sold it. I do want to get another. Might be taking a trip down to NStuff soon.
Fender have screwed up here; correct me if I'm wrong but those vintage noiseless pickups have pole pieces that are spaced for a modern 2 point Fender vibrato which has a narrower string spacing. They shouldn't be on this guitar. I know this because I put some in a 60's reissue strat and the pole pieces did not line up with the strings.
Nice review of this beautiful guitar. However, just a note on the finish. This finish is pewter, not EC Grey. The latter has appeared recently as a limited CS run of guitars in Daphne Blue and EC Grey. It is the Ferrari Grigio Silverstone of Clapton's favorite Ferrari, but called EC Grey to avoid having to pay royalties to l'Scuderia. You can tell because this is slightly lighter and EC's signature is on the front of the headstock. No Artists signature series exist in EC Grey. Great review.
Hi there, I have a question, im interested in an eric clapton artist series strat, but i hear that even the clean sound sounds like overdriven cause of the mid booster, and i work playing pop, ballads, and rock, but i dont know that this guitar works for me. And im also interesed in a American Deluxe Strat® Ash. So for my work as a musician, which one is better for me? Thnx
Ok, Final question before making my purchase. How does this compare to the Fender eric johnson guitar?! I know they both have V shape necks. Also, Are the v necks gonna be as fast as the Ibanez super wizard necks?! I really like the tone of the clapton and johnson but I feel that the Ibanez sv5470 would suit me better as far as playability because of the thin neck.
I feel like these Strats actually have very little in common w/ Blackie... except that EC plays them:P:) They're Strats w/ a v-shaped maple neck and a blocked-off trem... but that's a lot of Strats. Preeeeetty sure Blackie doesn't have any of the wiring that *actually* makes these Strats unique.
I have the 6 screw version and its floated about 3/16th and it never goes out of tune...I don't see much difference between the 2 besides the nicer solid bridges on the usa trems...
Mm... So the EC has a more cleaner sound?? Cause in your video sounds like overdriven. Cause i want to get more softer, sweet and even jazzy sounds for some ballads and that stuff, cause thats is what im playing now in my Job and of course some rock. Wow the difference in price is min. And talking about american deluxe which one recomend me?? Cause ive seen the american deluxe ash and sees very good Sorry for too many questions, but ive never have a fender.
is it possible to turn on/off the boost? in my understanding it boost a little even if it's on 0.. also, how convincing does it sound to a humbucker? will I be able to play van halen/shred style rock music with a vintage single coil and the tbx?
Hello. Is it possible to be told the equalization of the amplifier in this video? I would like to get that sound. I have the same amp and I can not sound the same or similar. Excuse my English, is a translator. Thanks in advance. A greeting.
Ohhh ok i see. Its like putting an OD or booster pedal at the begining of ur chain right? And even the mid boost its in 0 it actualy send a very smooth boost signal. In fact i felt in love with the tbx, in fact thats the reason i wanted an EC strat. But im going to check the american deluxe hss and try to choose between those 2 (very difficult cause the 2 have unique features )
Mark if you could do English accents you'd be Neville who does guitar reviews with Mick Taylor (not thee Mick Taylor of the Stones) another Mick Taylor for Premier Guitar, you could be Neville...great demo by the way
You have explained the "why" of the features like no one else. Thank you.
I agree, this review was awesome. Wish others could put reviews together this well. I learnt a lot more watching this than the previous three other reviews I've watched.
One of the few "Outstanding" demos on youtube. Never new the strat could sound THIS good.
Knew
It literally sounds like claptons tone. That's awesome
The best review ever seen , since I've seen them all before I ordered this guitar . If I saw it before , i'd have ordered it before ! Thanks Mark , you're a great guitarist with a great guitar ...
Best demo ever heard- best sound in the room and from the guitar. Since I heard this demo first time, it was my wish to own this guitar- now it is mine!!!!!
It is really a great guitar- lots of different sounds- all great!!
Thank you Mark!!
The best review of this guitar so far.
It is important to dial in to the breakup point of the amp or use a slightly distorted channel or pedal in order to make that midboost produce those sustained, compressed clapton notes. Otherwise, if you play it for example on an amp with a lot of headroom, it will just act as an enormous volume boost with quite harsh and 'short' sounds, especially on the high notes. Very important to consider this when interested in the clapton strat or midboost kit!
Very important point to consider i agree
Just picked up the black version of this - insane guitar, has raised the bar for what I expect from a strat! This review really helped - one things will say is you'll need to spend some time getting to grips with the active boost to avoid sounding too muddy. Not a limitation of the guitar, but could be a limitation of an unprepared player!
+Evesonification do you use the TBX past 5? that gives you a lot more highs and keeps the guitar from getting muddy when you crank the boost. I always here that comment and it bugs me a little :) because the guitar has the middle tone control (when it is past 5) that takes care of any "muddiness" issues. I've owned a clapton strat for 10years. they are awesome! It really can sound like both a great strat and something pretty close to a gibson.
For me, this is the supreme incarnation of the Fender Stratocaster. Far second, the Richie Sambora model (both of them). The neck, the sounds, the car finishes, the playability, the boost to cut through the band when your turn to solo a bit comes... It is flawless. The only small cosmetic detail I would change is placing the artist's signature in the back of the headstock in all models, not only in the Custom Shop instruments.
100% I dislike seeing that sig... might buff mine out lol
Great demo of this guitar.
I've been primarily a Strat player for some 40 years. This one immediately became my number 1 when I bought it new in 2005. So versatile and zero noise in any club I've played regardless of dirty power, neon lights, dimmers, etc. The only downside to me was the low vintage frets (now long gone). Some people dig them though. I guess Eric does.
Thank you for the video, very nice presentation of the main characteristics and variations. Very well done
Mark, my local guitar store, who were previously unaware of the trem block feature on this guitar (are you surprised?), removed the cavity plate on the back of the floor model to check it out. What we found is that, despite what many believe and what Fender says, the tremolo is not blocked but decked, meaning that the claw is screwed flush to body -- without any wood inserted behind the block to immobilize it -- and attached to the claw and block are 5 extra thick and beefy springs.
Yes it is. $1429.99 with case and free shipping if your not out of the country at nstuffmusic with coupon code: fender35 We have the Pewter in stock.
this guy is now a legend
@jncoman69 No What I meant is EC runs his amp very clean and uses that boost in his guitar to over drive the input of the amp....I think you would like the American Deluxe better based on what you told me you are looking for tonally. Another thought is the HSS American Deluxe with a humbucker and two single coils to give you even more tonal range
I own since 2006 and it is good getsbetter every time I play
Sounded like Laydown Sally at 3.30. Love the colour of that strat.
Great demo of this guitar. You explained the features very well.
@jncoman69.... Clapton runs his amps cleaner and uses that mid boost to overdrive the input stage of the amp and get a volume boost. The guitar has great tone, and feels really good. I would seriously look at the American deluxe as well. That is also a great guitar but might be more suited to your needs. We have the Clapton for $1429.99 and the American Deluxe Strat for $1397.99
I really like mine...lots of tonal variations...comfortable and packs a whallop.
brillant demo Mark! Thank you for thorough explanation of electronics.
@TwangKing24 Settings: Vol=3 Treb=7 Bass=6 Mid=6 Pres=6 drive=5 (yellow)
Ingenious tone knobs!
exellent demostration of this gorgeous guitar!!! clapton strats are maybe the most verastile strats!!!amazing instruments!
@smilmedstil Yes definitely with the noiseless pickups and the 25 db boost it would work.
I love mine so much with the lase pu. Number of different sounds is incredible tho to say you get a bucker sound is quite a stretch. Great neck. A bit on the heavy side. Love it.
Just to clarify, the pickups are not active. The 9 volt battery drives the gain circuit.
Beautiful outro. What a great player
Fantastic feeling, Marc !
@jncoman69 Yes exactly! just a built in boost.
This guitar does not have active pick-ups, so no batteries required! Mark is an excellent demonstrator because he selects and plays through all of the different sounds available from the instrument, matched with the amp in clean and overdriven modes. His playing style is very refined, yet he feels no obligation to try to 'shred' all through the demo.
The guitar says nothing without a battery in it. I own one.
They pickups aren't active themselves, but the whole setup runs through a preamp, so no battery means no sound.
true
You can not turn of the boost circut. If your playing through the right amp you should be able to get that rock style sound. The boost circut gives you 12db of midrange boost.
@alvaritooooooooo All the Clapton models have the same electronics.The first tone is the tbx that cuts all the bass or treble to replicate the woman sound he used in the sg.To get that you have to turn the volume on your guitar to 10 and cut the treble you just have to turn the tbx tone to 0.The second tone is the 25db mid boost that is powered by a 9 volt battery in the back plate.It hads instant distortion when turning it.I have the same model he is using.
Well thats 23 sad little tone purists that hit dislike when they heard a) noiseless pick ups and b) les paul sounds out of an otherwise traditional strat. Just a stunning bit of kit.
Why the big boost in sound at 5:46?
Beautiful playing man .
Great Video .. Supa playing and Demo of the guitar ..gone through all the sounds and tones ..10/10
@MarshallAmpMan The Custom shop is totally hand assembled by one of the Custom shop luthiers. . Is it a hand selected two piece alder body. From what I have been told by Fender these are the same guitars Eric gets.
the production model is made on an assembly line. it is still amazing, but if you want exactly what Clapton has in his hands, then get the custom shop.
@prettdboy It's hard to beat the Ibanez neck if you really like the wizard neck nothing else feels like it. The nice thing about the SV5470 is the versatility you can play any style of music were the Clapton and the Johnson Strat limits you a little.
Bruce Willis?
abdulla mahmood Not even close. Mark is Bruce's stunt double in Pulp Fiction..
Im a blues player, but i still would want a guitar that can take on some good rock tones. Would this guitar be able to do this?
Loved your playing!
@turbocamps It looks like he was using the Fender Blues DeVille 212 amplifier.
Yes.
Roadhouse vs this Eric Clapton please? Which plays, sounds better, massive price difference is it worth it,
99$ for kit mid boost , easy install
I will install to my guitar soon
Spoken like a true gentleman
How would a setup like that sound with three humbuckers?
Excellent review! I was hesitating but I am convinced now! I will get this marvel of a guitar :)
I’ve played 2 of these from 2 different guitar shops - one local & one large chain. Both were amazing and oddly the only Fender Strat that played well (most likely due to the stability of blocked bridge). The mid boost is very musical and provides a ton of sustain. The neck feels like my '83 57 reissue other than the 9.5 radius. Too expensive for me to purchase so I'm going to install the mid boost circuit on one of my Strats and see how it plays. If I had the cash I would own this guitar.
the sound is amazing.
Great review. Miss Mark Lucas.
@Alex280592 The Mayer Strat is more organic like a vintage strat.
One question... Mid boost also rises volume? Asking for soloing in a band.
Mark ,the reviws that you made are the better of youtube.I'm left hand guitar in Brazil.Is cery dificult buy a LH Eric Claptob strat,but I have a rare American standard deluxe of 1989 with lace sensor and TBX,and after look your video I both a active mid boost for install.
Perfect review as usual !
Could someone please enlighten me about something? What's the difference between using the mid-boost on this guitar to fatten my Stratocaster versus just using the "MIDDLE" knob on my amplifier? Thanks
I own this guitar, awesome!
ive got one in black,i have to say my silver series strat feels better quality,its over 25 years old I gave it a up grade with all American hardware installed 25db boost kit with tbx and fender noiseless pickups its now better than the blackie,plus the scratchplate is still flat the Clapton one is all over the place
@jncoman69 Well my friend... that is your choice...But from what you told me I would lean towards the American Deluxe. Either one is a strong guitar.
very nice demo
Why are Eric's necks so white? I have a Fender Powerhouse Strat which is a poor man's Clapton Strat. You don't have to get under the pickguard to replace the battery. I hear you can also change the 12db boost to 25db by snipping out some resistors. It also has a dummy coil for hum canceling, and a no load tone pot. I paid $369 in mint condition.
+James Krys I just did that mod to my 97 Powerhouse. Turning the boost on and off is so dramatic, it sounds like two separate amp channels, or a built-in overdrive pedal. I'm loving it. No need to carry a Tube Screamer to blues jams ;-) Not sure what year yours is but these ones from the 90s apparently had the same pickups as the American Standards, so they really were a bargain. Basically American Standard/Eric Clapton strats for the price of a Mexican strat!
I like your playing too much !!!
Any way you could tell me the chords used between 0:17 & 0:28 ? super amazing sounding . That would be so great thanks !
It's possible you might want to do a bit more research.....he wanted to include those things on his Strats because he doesn't use/doesn't like pedals.....se essentially this gives him a volume boost AND like a little tube screamer in his Tone Controls.
Maybe I'm wrong. b
Does all of this particular eric clapton Blackie model come with a V neck profile?
One thing that you may have missed and maybe it's changed over the years but it's worth mentioning...the pickups are active...meaning you must use a 9v battery. At least that's the way my old Blackie was. Wish I hadn't sold it. I do want to get another. Might be taking a trip down to NStuff soon.
The pickups are passive, but the circuitry that goes along with the midboost is active, so yes, you do need a battery.
Fender have screwed up here; correct me if I'm wrong but those vintage noiseless pickups have pole pieces that are spaced for a modern 2 point Fender vibrato which has a narrower string spacing. They shouldn't be on this guitar. I know this because I put some in a 60's reissue strat and the pole pieces did not line up with the strings.
this Fender sounds better than I have expected ...
Is it just me or is there a big gap between the neck joint and the body (closest to the top horn)
Sounds fantastic
Any tips on how to remove the wood blocking the tremolo?
Why do you keep calling the bottom tome knob the "TBX"? I thought the first tone control was the TBX?
Nice review of this beautiful guitar. However, just a note on the finish. This finish is pewter, not EC Grey. The latter has appeared recently as a limited CS run of guitars in Daphne Blue and EC Grey. It is the Ferrari Grigio Silverstone of Clapton's favorite Ferrari, but called EC Grey to avoid having to pay royalties to l'Scuderia. You can tell because this is slightly lighter and EC's signature is on the front of the headstock. No Artists signature series exist in EC Grey. Great review.
@TheResonators true.. but wouldnt u love to just play a solo and crank that midboost?
Hi there, I have a question, im interested in an eric clapton artist series strat, but i hear that even the clean sound sounds like overdriven cause of the mid booster, and i work playing pop, ballads, and rock, but i dont know that this guitar works for me. And im also interesed in a American Deluxe Strat® Ash. So for my work as a musician, which one is better for me? Thnx
so much better than the 90s one, with the fucking Lace Sensor p-ups
12db only? What happened to the 25db midboost, I thought that's what Clapton used.
It's called "PRS Silver Sky Silver."
Ok, Final question before making my purchase. How does this compare to the Fender eric johnson guitar?! I know they both have V shape necks. Also, Are the v necks gonna be as fast as the Ibanez super wizard necks?! I really like the tone of the clapton and johnson but I feel that the Ibanez sv5470 would suit me better as far as playability because of the thin neck.
Ok thnx men, now i have note more facts about the EC strat. Well so my choice is between d EC strat and the amercian deluxe hss
I feel like these Strats actually have very little in common w/ Blackie... except that EC plays them:P:) They're Strats w/ a v-shaped maple neck and a blocked-off trem... but that's a lot of Strats. Preeeeetty sure Blackie doesn't have any of the wiring that *actually* makes these Strats unique.
Why the mexico tremolo?? I thought the isa had 2 screws??
I have the 6 screw version and its floated about 3/16th and it never goes out of tune...I don't see much difference between the 2 besides the nicer solid bridges on the usa trems...
Mm... So the EC has a more cleaner sound?? Cause in your video sounds like overdriven. Cause i want to get more softer, sweet and even jazzy sounds for some ballads and that stuff, cause thats is what im playing now in my Job and of course some rock. Wow the difference in price is min. And talking about american deluxe which one recomend me?? Cause ive seen the american deluxe ash and sees very good Sorry for too many questions, but ive never have a fender.
is it possible to turn on/off the boost? in my understanding it boost a little even if it's on 0.. also, how convincing does it sound to a humbucker? will I be able to play van halen/shred style rock music with a vintage single coil and the tbx?
I really don't imagine Eric plays one of these, but it's a nice thought having something he would play!
he does play it.
which guitar do you like more..the mayer black one or the clapton?
Sounds amazing!
My compliments to Mark, who's a very talented player! Great demonstration! By the way, which amplifier is that? A Fender? Which model?
1 last question, what would you buy? EC strat or American deluxe strat hss?
Great review... what's the difference between this guitar and the Fender Custom Shop Clapton? Thanks.
Hello.
Is it possible to be told the equalization of the amplifier in this video? I would like to get that sound.
I have the same amp and I can not sound the same or similar.
Excuse my English, is a translator.
Thanks in advance.
A greeting.
What amp is??
What was up with the middle position at 5:46?
I still am not sure I understand how to use the middle tone control-in real life.
What is the name of the song you played toward the end?
great explanation, thank you!
Sorry but you got confused. You kept saying TBX when you meant mid boost.
Mick Griffin I noticed that!
Ohhh ok i see. Its like putting an OD or booster pedal at the begining of ur chain right? And even the mid boost its in 0 it actualy send a very smooth boost signal. In fact i felt in love with the tbx, in fact thats the reason i wanted an EC strat. But im going to check the american deluxe hss and try to choose between those 2 (very difficult cause the 2 have unique features )
Mark if you could do English accents you'd be Neville who does guitar reviews with Mick Taylor (not thee Mick Taylor of the Stones) another Mick Taylor for Premier Guitar, you could be Neville...great demo by the way