Eric Clapton’s ‘Slowhand at 70’ Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster sells at auction for over $200,000

A Fender Shop Custom Shop Stratocaster, which was owned and played by electric guitar legend Eric Clapton during his 2014 World Tour and 2015 Slowhand at 70 show at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, has been sold at auction for $220,308.

Listed by Iconic Auctions, the Strat itself was made specifically for Slowhand under his own technical guidance and went on to appear at a slew of shows across the two years it was in service.

As well as making it on to a World Tour that saw the blues ace play his classics in countries such as Thailand, Japan and Singapore, the six-string also graced the stage during the special celebratory one-off performance in London in 2015, which was turned into a live-album CD and DVD release.

Notable functional and aesthetic specs found on the “Brownie”-inspired guitar include a sleek sunburst finish, as well as a maple neck and fretboard. 

Image 1 of 2

From the provided pics, it also looks as though the guitar sports a set of Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat pickups, as found on Clapton's previous signature model.

Along with the stunning six-string, the new owner of the axe will also receive the original Fender hardcase and a letter of authenticity signed by Clapton himself.

If there were any doubts about the provenance of the heavily photo- and video-matched guitar, the letter reads, “I am writing to confirm I own and have played the following guitar: Fender EC Custom Strat: serial number CZ524493.”

This declaration is paired with a further letter of authenticity from Beckett Authentication Services, which verifies the aforementioned Slowhand-signed document.

Image 1 of 3

"The guitar being presented can best be described as a perfect storm of provenance and prominence," read the original listing. "Clapton guitars are a Holy Grail of rock relics, and few have showcased the stellar provenance or career significance of this investment-grade instrument."

The Slowhand at 70 Strat was listed by Iconic Auctions alongside an Eddie Van Halen-owned and -played Bumblebee-inspired Charvel Art Series guitar, which sold for $46,717.