Price for NOS Custom Shop Strat with Eric Clapton electronics

Blueingreen

I know of one of these for sale.  I don't really need a Strat but I like the look and specs and could be tempted to get it on a one in one out basis if it plays as well as what I already have.

Problem is I haven't much of a clue what would be a fair price for one of these used.  Anyone know?

fretfinder

For me personally the change to EC electrics would detract from the value, and age and condition would also have an effect. So I'd say £1200-£1400 ish for a private sale, more in a shop.

Blueingreen

Thanks fretfinder. I did have a suspicion that the EC electronics might hamper resale value. Having mulled it over I will probably wait until something more conventional comes up. 

fretfinder

Might be worth a bit more if the Clapton electrics are factory original, but if you want a vintage Strat sound that wouldn't be the one to get, IMHO.

Blueingreen

It was an impulse thing because one came up locally. I have a Suhr Classic and Pro Series, so I'm well covered for Strats.  But I'm in the early stages of a project where a guitar with the Fender badge on it would be a better fit.  My thinking was if it's at a fair price and gets close to the Suhrs for playability I might pick it up and sell off the Pro Series.  I'm not a big Clapton fan and I have no strong feelings about the electronics either way - presumably it's going to be very close to a regular Strat if you don't have the boosts engaged.

Brize

A fair few non-Clapton Custom Shop Strats are spec'd with Clapton electronics so there's a good chance that it's original and it wouldn't detract from the value at all.

For me, the biggest issue with Fender Custom Shop guitars is always the neck profile and the frets. Personally, I can't stand the tall skinny 6105 frets and these seem to end up on a large proportion of the Custom Shop's output.

Lixarto

Blueingreen said:

But I'm in the early stages of a project where a guitar with the Fender badge on it would be a better fit. 

Colour me intrigued. I'm assuming a tribute act, as nobody else (other than another guitarist) really cares. Even your band members.

Richardj

I have the mid-boost in my Standard Strat and it can make the guitar a bit brighter sounding, certainly more powerful. It really works best with noiseless pickups and best of all, IMHO, with the Lace Sensors it was designed for.  The combination of the mid-boost and TBX tone control can add a lot of extra tone options, but it does obviously lose a bit of the traditional single coil sparkle.

Blueingreen

Thanks Richard.  

Lixarto it is a tribute act, where the original guitarist is a noted vintage instrument junkie - although I don't necessarily agree that a tribute band is the only situation where one guitar might be a better fit image wise. I do agree it's not normally a big deal, and I doubt I'll get any grief from band or audience members if I turn up with a Suhr strat instead of a Fender.

But I'd still feel a bit more comfortable with a "more appropriate" Fender.  Should I? Maybe not, if we're judging by necessity rather than personal preference, but what would be the fun in that? 

Loobs

Clappo sounded best on a Gibson. 

fretfinder

Loobs said:

Clappo sounded best on a Gibson. 

Yeah, he made a right load of rubbish music with Blackie and Brownie...  :-S

Loobs

There's a case for that.