FEATURE
FENDER JOURNEYMAN RELIC ERIC CLAPTON
SIGNATURE STRATOCASTER Doug Doppler
Key Features
Rift Sawn 1-piece Maple Neck
[Mike Lewis] The mid-boost is a 25db
Soft V Neck Shape with 9.5” Radius
2-piece Select Ash Body gain boost with some accentuation on the mid-
Blocked Tremolo range frequencies. We developed it for Clapton
back in ’87 when we started working on this
3 Vintage Noiseless Pickups
guitar. He wanted a knob that did this and we
Master Volume
created the circuit based on what he described.
Tone 1: Master TBX Tone Control
Tone 2: Master Active 25dB Mid Boost
The Journeyman Relic Eric Clapton Signature
Stratocaster is the latest offering from Fender
to feature Eric Clapton’s signature on the
headstock. This instrument joins the Fender
Eric Clapton Signature Strat ($1,599.99 MAP)
and the Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton
Signature
Stratocaster
($4,500
MAP)
as
the third Clapton Strat currently available
from Fender.
While this instrument shares a common set of
wiring features with its siblings, the Journeyman
finishes (especially the two-tone sunburst) add
that element of vintage vibe that is key to the
artistic signature of the Fender Custom Shop.
While some may find the $5,100 price tag a
bit rich for their taste, the craftsmanship and
soul that went into building this instrument are
sure to satisfy die hard Strat and Custom Shop
fans alike. To add some additional depth of field
to this story we reached
out to Mike Lewis,
the VP of Product
Development
at
the Fender Custom
Shop
for
insights
this
his
on
iconic
instrument.
BACKGROUND The TBX is it’s a stacked pot. There’s a 250k
[CG] Mike, what was your role in the pot and a 1Meghz pot. From the detent in the
development of this instrumentguitar? middle down it acts like a regular 250k tone
pot. As you turn it up past the middle, you are
[Mike Lewis] I’m the one who reached out engaging the other pot, which is allowing much
to Clapton’s group through our Artist Relations more frequencies through. More bass, more
rep. The Eric Clapton signature model is one of treble, more everything, so it gets much more
our most popular guitars, and the Journeyman full ranged in tone.
Relic is our most popular relic finish. Why not
consider putting the two most popular things SONIC SIGNATURE
together, especially considering that the name [CG] What do you think are the elements that
Journeyman has been used in various ways in really give this guitar its sonic fingerprint?
relation to Eric Clapton. We asked what colors
they would like and they came back with those [Mike Lewis] Well, I would say that with any
two colors. I asked ToddTod Krauss, a the Fender guitar it’s never one thing, it’s the whole
Master Builder who builds all of Eric’s guitars to thing. It’s a system, and it all works together.
make a couple of samples. We sent them and The essence of this guitar is that it’s like a 50’s
Eric loved them, so we went from there! style vintage Stratocaster, with a few modern
features that Eric wanted for playability. I would
FEATURE SET say that the difference between the standard
I love signature models because they tend to be version that we’ve been making for years and
a distillation of the instruments and feature sets the Journeyman Relic is the fact that it’s a
that iconic players used to craft their sound. lacquer Journeyman finish. All the goodness
Per Mike’s comments, these guitars are crafted that already exists in the Clapton Strat is just
in the same shop that makes the instruments accentuated by the thinner finish. It allows the
that Clapton actually plays. Noting that Eric is guitar to resonate more, so you just get more of
back on the concert stage, it is important to everything that you already had.
remember that part of Clapton’s “gig” includes
sitting in with the world’s most iconic guitar THE GEEKY STUFF
players, which means his guitars have to be [CG] As I was playing this thing I could really
able to deliver in a live setting. hear the sound of the one-ply pickguard coming
back up from the cavity beneath the pickguard
28
[CG] All the Clapton Strats feature two of and the way the guitar was interacting with
Fender’s coolest tone tweaks that are also it. It’s not just the feel to the touch, the one-
available as aftermarket kits. Tell us about them. ply pickguard felt, responded, and sounded
May Jun 2017
CollectibleGuitar.com