Blackie, Eric Clapton's favorite Fender Stratocaster is well known mostly for it's selling price of $959,500, it was sold in 2004 at a Christie's auction to support the Crossroads Centre, a drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation centre witch is founded by Clapton. Blackie was bought by the music equipment chain Guitar Center, in that time Clapton's guitar set the record as the world's most expensive.Clapton played many guitars, such as Fender Telecaster, cherry-red Gibson ES-335, Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Standard, 1964 Gibson SG, Gibson Firebird, and many others. In 1969 he made the switch to the Fender Stratocaster. First was "Brownie" witch is now on display at the Experience Music Project, Eric played it during the recording of Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, then in 1970, Eric bought 6 Fender Stratocasters from the Sho-bud a small guitar shop in Nashville, Tennessee, he payed $100 each. On his way back to England he gave one each to George Harrison, Steve Winwood and Pete Townshend, keeping the remaining three for himself. After playing each one, he decided to build one guitar out of the best parts of each Stratocaster, Blackie was created, and quickly become Clapton's favourite stage guitar until its retirement in 1985. Clapton introduced Blackie to the world in January 13, 1973 at the Rainbow Concert, then he returned to the studio with Blackie to record his second solo album, 461 Ocean Boulevard. From 1973 to 1985 he recorded 13 solo albums all with Blackie. Finally, after a tour concert in Hartford in 1985, Blackie was retired due to issues with the neck, last public appearance was during the 1991 Royal Albert Hall shows when it was brought out for one number.
In November 2006, Fender announced a limited run of 275 Blackie reissues (185 for Guitar Center, 90 for international markets) by the Fender Custom Shop. These are identical to the original and have a suggested retail price of $24,000 USD. They were sold out within hours.
Clapton's Blackie is no longer the world's expensivest guitar, in 2006, another Stratocaster, signed by a large group of celebrities, including Clapton, was auctioned to benefit the victims of the 2004 Asian Tsunami, it was sold for $2.6 million.
