Members Acid Test Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 'coz Strats are better haha At the time he switched, Clapton was going thru a curious period in his life which included both drug use and sexual orientation. After experimenting with both, he embarked on a revelation that he was gay, and hence the switch to Stratocasters. Based on the gear listed in your signature, I am sure you can appreciate this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sleestak Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 IMHO, Clapton is certainly not terrible, but I do think "overrated" is a fair criticism. Definitely jumped the shark when he started wearing sportcoats on stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nothingstock Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Yes, learn some of his solos, the songs he's written and then attempt to understand where he's coming from - such as - how the solo in "Sunshine of Your Love" is a twisted take-off on B. B. King's soloing library. Get a handle on the melodic structure of the "Badge" solo and the way it relates to the rest of the song. Everyone should learn "Crossroads". Clapton is one for the ages. OK, I have gone on and on about his "old" stuff but don't we still praise "Live at the Regal"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members No Soul Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 Sigh.Another urban myth refusing to die. I doubt that Fender HAVE enough money to persuade Eric Clapton to spend almost forty years playing a guitar he doesn't like. its not a myth. Its called sponsorship. Nevermind what you doubt, its a fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members No Soul Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 p.s. anybody seen those bumperstickers that read something to the effect: Eric Clapton is an asshole. He turned his dead son into a hit single. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dujo Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 I love this....I opened this thread because I thought it might have some interesting info on a guitarist who has definitely Earned his place in guitar playing history. Perhaps you missed the first post? That was never what this thread was about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Volitan Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 Well I can only think of two reasons for the switch.1. He jammed with Buddy Guy quite a bit in the late 60's, so maybe he switched due to Buddy's influence.2. He got tired of his rep as a "master of blues cliches" and left Cream (thanks Rolling Stone ) so he decided to distance himself from his Cream look, sound, style, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Volitan Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 Well, he gets nothing but respect from me. You know why?Because I've taken the time to learn (or tried to learn) some of his best material.Anyone who thinks EC sucks - sit down and learn Crossroads n-f-n. Good luck!(Slowhand - uh huh.....)Learn the solo from Badge. Or the solo from Sunshine of Your Love. I love Clapton as much as I like any other player, and he's my favorite and has an enormous impact on my playing, but all that stuff is easy. Badge is easy and Sunshine....simple easy stuff. Crossraod is the hardest of the three, but still pretty easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members renier Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 He switched to Strats when he started to play with keyboards players (Stevie Winwood, Blind Faith area, for example) : Gibsons too muddy ??? it's a known fact that once you stop being rock 'n roll (and playing with keyboard players definately qualifies) Les paul himself comes around, slaps you with a wet towel and takes away your Gibson. ofcourse, then you have to find the next best thing. but why did clapton skip the telecaster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members No Soul Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 it's a known fact that once you stop being rock 'n roll (and playing with keyboard players definately qualifies) Les paul himself comes around, slaps you with a wet towel and takes away your Gibson.ofcourse, then you have to find the next best thing. but why did clapton skip the telecaster? he played a telecaster early on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 its not a myth. Its called sponsorship. Nevermind what you doubt, its a fact. Sigh. EC started playing Strats in 1969, exclusively using instruments made prior to 1959 ('Blackie' being a Frankenstein constructed from bits of three different 50s guitars). In other words, he was NOT using, or promoting, any then-current Fender products. The only endorsement or sponsorship he had in that era was with Music Man, appearing in ads for their amps. He didn't establish any formal relationship with the Fender company until the 80s, when the then-new management began manufacturing vintage reissues and featuring images of Clapton with Blackie in their 'legends' ads. He didn't advertise or endorse any current Fender product until he got together with the company to design his signature guitar, which wasn't launched until 1988, almost 20 years after his first use of a Strat. To sum up: EC had played a Strat for almost 15 years or so before entering into any business arrangement with Fender. Whatever deal he has with Fender was as a result of his choosing their guitar, not the other way about. To believe otherwise may fulfil some deep psychological need on your part, but it contradicts all the available historical data. NOTE: My participation in this thread should not be considered an endorsement of any recent EC product with the possible exception of 'Riding With The King.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knotty Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 p.s.anybody seen those bumperstickers that read something to the effect:Eric Clapton is an asshole. He turned his dead son into a hit single. Not content with miss information and generally talking bollocks, our hero shows his real self.No wonder he works in a shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whatever Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 I'm fairly sure that seeing Hendrix on a Strat resulted in a few converts. Yeah, I think that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Take me to your dealer:wave: ....or did you mean a Cat? :D And here I was thinking, he just couldn't afford Gibsons any more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 To this day I think the guitar work on White Room and Tale of Brave U. are two of his best piece's. He did a Freddie King cover where I thought his playing was exceptional also. Can't remember what song, gee I have it in my car too. Really what he did that was difficult or what he did was elementry isn't the issue at all. The fact is he has been recording successfully for FIVE DECADES! Thats an accomplishment, to say the least? I trully believe that Clapton considers himself one of the greatest guitarests EVER. And rightfully so, he should. The fact that he choose a Strat? Probly has something to do with what he was stated as saying. Its a very comfortable guitar to play. And many, many Blues players play Strats! He idgs its Tone for Leads and rhythem. So whats the BIG deal? Its an association to some degee also I imagine? Again...so what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 The only endorsement or sponsorship he had in that era was with Music Man, appearing in ads for their amps. As it happens, I was wrong: he also briefly endorsed Guild acoustics in the 70s. Nowadays, of course, he's signed up with Martin for all things acoustic. And while I'm on the subject, he didn't have any kind of deal with Gibson during the time he was actually using their guitars, either. His only Gibson deal is the recent one involving the tribute 335. However, the whole subject of endorsements probably deserves a thread of its own. After all, back in the 60s, The Beatles all had individual deals: Macca with Hofner, Lennon with Rickenbacker, Ringo with Ludwig drums, George with both Rickenbacker and Gretsch ... and Brian Epstein signed a deal with Vox which guaranteed that The Beatles would use no other amps as long as he was their manager. Interestingly enough, they switched to Fender amps as soon as BE died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elephantman Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 sure it is! It's just not a traditional strat. A strat is still a strat, whether it has single coils, p90s, or humbuckers. it still plays and sounds like a Strat. Might still play like a Strat, but it won't sound like one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eflat Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 sure it is! It's just not a traditional strat. A strat is still a strat, whether it has single coils, p90s, or humbuckers. it still plays and sounds like a Strat. haha whatever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 wrong, try againit's hard to beat a good strat with dual humbuckers. They are "ok". I like traditional Fender strat tones for the most part. Dual humbucking strats don't cut it in that department. "Superstrats" are cool though, just not "traditional" tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 'coz Strats are better haha He switched over only when Jimi Hendrix "The master of the Stratocaster" died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 sure it is! It's just not a traditional strat. A strat is still a strat, whether it has single coils, p90s, or humbuckers. it still plays and sounds like a Strat. True, but unless it has single coils in it you wont be getting trad' strat tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 Well for that matter then a SSH Strat isn't a Traditional Strat either? But no-less its still a Strat. So wheres the line drawn? It has to have a single-coil in there to be legit? So how about a HSH? I always wanted to build a HSH Strat too! If my DeLonge doesn't sell. That may be the HSH! Have to think out the wiring and knob/pot use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jimi Ray Halen Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 I love Clapton as much as I like any other player, and he's my favorite and has an enormous impact on my playing, but all that stuff is easy. Badge is easy and Sunshine....simple easy stuff. Crossraod is the hardest of the three, but still pretty easy.Easy? I smell bs. Maybe you are that good. Who knows? (Sound clips or video?)All I know is I've seen a lot of guys play Sunshine and Crossroads but I've only seen a one or two actually nail them in all these years. Not too many people cover Badge around here. But a gotta tell ya' - when you say that Crossroads is easy to play n-f-n, you're either waaaaayyyy more advanced than most players or you ballpark it and call it easy. My point was: learning EC's solos (like the ones mentioned) and performing them live will make you a better player. From blazing licks to soulful vocal-like wailing, he knows how to write a solo that people remember in their heads. That's an accomplishment in and of itself. And it doesn't always mean the most technically difficult thing to play. I find EVH more difficult technically because he uses more techniques, tricks, and super fast rhythm/lead switches. But both - performed well - get great audience response. But back to the OT, LOTS of people switched to Strats after experiencing Jimi. Don't underestimate Jimi's impact. If you weren't around then, you have no idea. (I know - Jimi's easy to play too. Easy to overplay, maybe.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blueshawk1 Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 anybody seen those bumperstickers that read something to the effect:Eric Clapton is an asshole. He turned his dead son into a hit single. I hope this is not true. It would be so sad to think that someone would even say it, much less make a bumpersticker out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blueshawk1 Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 Perhaps you missed the first post? That was never what this thread was about. Well, you're wrong about me missing the first post, but right in that after re-reading it, I do see it was never about that. Unfortunately I kept reading the posts as it quickly turned into something else. Reading the first post again, I see now it wasn't meant to be anything interesting, just the usual one guitar is great, the other guitar sucks kind of thread. Considering some of the crap I've read in this thread from "armchair guitar heros", I soooo wish I had realized that sooner and not read any more. And now that I have learned the error of my ways, I won't waste my time on this thread any more, hopefully, it will soon fade from view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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