Fender Eric Clapton Stratocaster Review – Unmatched Versatility

Fender’s Artist Series of guitars has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence. Musicians as wide ranging from Yngwie Malmsteen to John Mayer have their own Artist models. One of the earliest Artist models was the Eric Clapton Stratocaster, and it’s still one of their best-selling musical instruments due to its versatility and playability.

If you’re reading this, you likely already are familiar with a basic Fender Strat, so let’s focus on the differences between a stock model and the Clapton.

Possibly the most essential if not most obvious deviation is the electronics package. Since ol’ Slowhand has used a number of guitars throughout his notable career (including everything from a Gibson SG to a traditional Fender Strat), he needs an instrument than can mimic a variety of different instruments.

The Clapton Strat obliges. To begin, it has an active 25db mid-boost (battery powered by 9V), which can take the Strat into pseudo Les Paul territory.

When you add this mid-boost control to the Fender Noiseless pickups and the master TBX control, you’ve got a guitar than is a six-string chameleon, capable of emulating a wide variety of useful, tasteful guitar tones. Honestly, the Clapton Strat might be the most versatile instrument we’ve had the good fortune of playing.

But it doesn’t end with the sounds. Clapton elected a V-shaped neck with a 9.5″ radius fretboard, and this neck is just plain smooth. While the Clapton model privileges blues and classic riffs due to its origins, I would imagine that many shredders would find the shape and ease of play preferable as well.

We have to be honest and say that this instrument is also one of the best playing guitars we’ve ever encountered. It’s really that good.

Still, there are some minor suggestions we could make if Fender was listening. We would appreciate some more modern tuners. Sure, the vintage tuners add to the instrument’s charm, but locking tuners would be better for an instrument as contemporary as the Clapton Strat.

We’d also appreciate it if the bridge weren’t blocked, but this is a Clapton Strat, and that’s how he wants it, so there’s not much chance of that changing soon.

The minor “problems” are not really worth worrying about. The Clapton Strat is truly an amazing instrument, and we recommend it highly. It’s a keeper!

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