Auction Buzz, Art Guitar "Replicas" and Working Strats

Auction Buzz

No doubt the hottest Stratocaster news at the moment centers on two upcoming auctions:

Icons of 20th Century Music
April 17 and 18, 2004
Dallas Market Hall, Dallas, Texas

Crossroads Guitar Auction ~ Eric Clapton and Friends for the Crossroads Centre
June 24, 2004
Rockefeller Center, New York City, New York

These two auctions feature some of the most collecitble Strats to come on the market in quite some time. The availability of Eric Clapton's "Blackie" makes it the hottest item since the 1999 sale of "Brownie", at least as far as Stratocasters go, and with the Icons auction featuring vintage Strats that were used as working instruments by Eric Johnson and one by the Yardbirds, we're seeing instruments hit the market that have significance beyond a mere celebrity-autographed pickguard.

Large photos of "Blackie" and two other Strats to be auctioned from Clapton's collection are now available on the Clapton auction index page. Worth taking a look, unless you have a slow connection.

Interesting to note Christie's auction price estimate for "Blackie": $100,000-150,000. Probably off by a million. Started a little "office pool" regarding how much "Blackie" ends up going for - stop by and cast your vote.

Will be filing some in-depth stories about the Strats coming up for auction. We also plan to feature images of all of the guitars that will be in the Crossroads auction when the photos become available. They will be accessible from the Clapton Auction index page mentioned above.

Art Guitar "Replicas"

I should have known better.

Several months ago I wrote an article about non-vintage collectible Strats and how they're a "safer" buy than a vintage Strat for those of us who aren't vintage pros and can't tell a reissue from the real thing. I doubted that anyone would go to the trouble of "replicating" a Custom Shop Art Guitar.

I was wrong.

Non-Fender "Fender" Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster on eBay

Since the link above is to a completed eBay auction, meaning it won't be a good link forever, below are two images of the instrument that was sold (apparently the second one of these this eBay seller has sold).

Looks like the 1997 Fender Custom Shop version. I mean, really looks like it. But, obviously, it's not. Well, not so "obviously". The auction title: JIMI HENDRIX FENDER MONTEREY STRAT Stratocaster L@@K NR. And then those pics with all the Fender accessories sure help to make it look like the real thing.

But, the seller says in the auction description, "Jimi Hendrix Re-creation finished by Luthier Hamilton, Santa Monica, California". We're to believe that some parents had the foresight to name their child "Luthier"?

Seriously though, take a close look at the photo of the headstock. See the Custom Shop logo? The text above reads "Custom Body".

This guitar bothers me. A lot.

I could understand someone wanting to make their own replica of Jimi's Monterey Strat based on the images available. But that's not what this guitar is. This is a replica of Fender's 1997 Custom Shop instrument. Period.

When Pamelina H did the design for the Custom Shop Strat she deviated somewhat from the original (at Fender's request) and also added the "backstage pass" graphic, which certainly was not on Hendrix's guitar. Whoever built this instrument didn't study and attempt to replicate the Monterey Strat, he, or she, studied and attempted to replicate the 1997 Custom Shop version.

Will the Harley and Playboy Strats be next? Means we now have to take a closer look at even the Art Guitars with respect to authenticity. Sad.

Working Strats

Last November I talked about blues singer/guitarist Jerry Henry (Magayne), the release of his new CD, and the fact that he used his 1965 CAR Strat on the CD and uses it when he performs. Point being, that collectibility issues aside, fine vintage instruments are still fine working tools.

Ever hear of Billy Maddox? If you live in Austin, Texas, and enjoy live music you probably have. Or, if you're an Eric Johnson fan and live anywhere in the world you probably have (Maddox played drums in both the Electromagnets and Alien Love Child). He and Johnson are associated with a wide variety of music styles - from blues to rock to fusion jazz.

What may be news to some Eric Johnson/Billy Maddox fans is that Maddox is also an accomplished guitarist in his own right. He has recorded a CD, Receiver Set, on which he is the guitarist, singer, percussionist, and most likely just about everything else associated with the recording.

His guitar? A 1957 Fender Stratocaster. No, not a reissue or a Custom Shop recreation. The real thing. His site, linked above, provides sound clips of several tunes on the CD, which serve as further proof of the classic Strat's potential - from bar room blues to contemporary fusion, it delivers. A study in the flexibility of both a musician and an instrument.