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Eric Clapton's "Summers burst" folder

bern1

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Sometimes Eric still plays a sunburst Les Paul. Though it’s not a frequent occurrence and he doesn’t say much about guitars or Les Pauls at all these days. I do recall him saying in an interview a while back that “I have quite a good one now” or something to that effect in regards to his current sunburst LP. It seems like he likes it enough to keep at home and I’m speculating he only plays in at the RAH or the local pub?

Are there any good photos of his current guitar around? I think I saw it in a video of him playing Tore Down on the Cradle tour or the one after that.
 

goldtop0

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Sometimes Eric still plays a sunburst Les Paul. Though it’s not a frequent occurrence and he doesn’t say much about guitars or Les Pauls at all these days. I do recall him saying in an interview a while back that “I have quite a good one now” or something to that effect in regards to his current sunburst LP. It seems like he likes it enough to keep at home and I’m speculating he only plays in at the RAH or the local pub?

Are there any good photos of his current guitar around? I think I saw it in a video of him playing Tore Down on the Cradle tour or the one after that.


Here's a not so great repro pic I got of it some years ago when he had his second auction. It's a '60.
https://i.imgur.com/q20DY5P.jpg
 

bmarshall

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Feb 13, 2019
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Sometimes Eric still plays a sunburst Les Paul. Though it’s not a frequent occurrence and he doesn’t say much about guitars or Les Pauls at all these days. I do recall him saying in an interview a while back that “I have quite a good one now” or something to that effect in regards to his current sunburst LP. It seems like he likes it enough to keep at home and I’m speculating he only plays in at the RAH or the local pub?

Are there any good photos of his current guitar around? I think I saw it in a video of him playing Tore Down on the Cradle tour or the one after that.

This is the last time I can recall seeing him with a burst and I think its about 10 years old. I think the one from the Cradle days might have been auctioned off but I'm guessing on that. I always figured the guitar in this video was the "Beano" reissue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LKBY6iLdmU&list=TLPQMTIxMDIwMjBfX9K0EX9kzw&index=3
 

Redhod

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May 2, 2002
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After viewing the links posted above, and feeling in the mood for some young fireball EC, I put "Eric Clapton 1966" in the Youtube searchbar and came up with some larky stuff.
This version of "Stormy Monday" with Mayall is backed with a varied collection of pictures. Rough and ragged.... not much like his later careful playing.

Shortly after he did this live version with Cream of "Meet me in the Bottom" in 1966 at some London club. Again, it's rough, but that stinging early-days EC is unmistakable and kind of leaves me agog.

 

El Gringo

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This is the last time I can recall seeing him with a burst and I think its about 10 years old. I think the one from the Cradle days might have been auctioned off but I'm guessing on that. I always figured the guitar in this video was the "Beano" reissue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LKBY6iLdmU&list=TLPQMTIxMDIwMjBfX9K0EX9kzw&index=3
Thanks for posting . My guess is this is a Beano reissue , with the typical dirty muddy neck pickup* , just like all of my R8's and R9's . I wish he would have torn it up with a prooper solo . Back around 1989-1992 he was the musical guest on SNL and in bewteen he was sitting in with GE Smith and the SNL Band and going into one of the commercials he was sporting a sunburst Les Paul and he was rocking out on the blues . This was a moment where i was like yes !!!!!!!!!!! * replaced with ThroBak MXV-SLE-101 Plus pickups on all of my Les Paul's !
 

bern1

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I believe the above mentioned guitars are reissues. I am talking about a guitar that would not be for sale, that he referenced as "a really good one" (original sunburst Les Paul that he found to "replace" the stolen one.)

I think it's possible this is the real one, in this video from 1994 RAH. Crappy video so really can't tell. Could also be a repro. Color looks consistent with a '60, looks like it has Grovers too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU1ks8mL9OM
 

bern1

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The pic you put up looks like it is a reissue at an auction. I don't think we're talking about the same guitar. Or maybe the guitar I am thinking of doesn't exist.
 

El Gringo

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I believe the above mentioned guitars are reissues. I am talking about a guitar that would not be for sale, that he referenced as "a really good one" (original sunburst Les Paul that he found to "replace" the stolen one.)

I think it's possible this is the real one, in this video from 1994 RAH. Crappy video so really can't tell. Could also be a repro. Color looks consistent with a '60, looks like it has Grovers too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU1ks8mL9OM
I would bet that this is an early issue Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul , being that it is 1994 the birth year of Gibson Custom .
 

goldtop0

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I would bet that this is an early issue Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul , being that it is 1994 the birth year of Gibson Custom .


You'd be wrong in thinking that.............pure conjecture on your part........you're going to have to dig deeper and find out for yourself.
 

Tim

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1,860
I believe the above mentioned guitars are reissues. I am talking about a guitar that would not be for sale, that he referenced as "a really good one" (original sunburst Les Paul that he found to "replace" the stolen one.)

I think it's possible this is the real one, in this video from 1994 RAH. Crappy video so really can't tell. Could also be a repro. Color looks consistent with a '60, looks like it has Grovers too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU1ks8mL9OM

I froze the video in several places where he was facing the camera and focused on the tailpiece and knobs and I don't think it's a burst, but could be wrong.
 

El Gringo

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You'd be wrong in thinking that.............pure conjecture on your part........you're going to have to dig deeper and find out for yourself.
Point me in the direction where i should dig ? I just re watched the clip and it is a blur as the burst still has good color and that was why i said it's a newer instrument versus a vintage one .
 

goldtop0

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Point me in the direction where i should dig ? I just re watched the clip and it is a blur as the burst still has good color and that was why i said it's a newer instrument versus a vintage one .

Back in the '80s/90s I was hot on the trail of EC's guitars and amps, wanted to see if he would ever pick up a LP again, then in '92 saw a small pic in a guitar magazine of him using his recently acquired '60, this was at the time of his SLO 100 stint(a few players were using them back then). I've got the blown up pic here at home so will get it reduced down and post it.
The not so good pic I posted above #83 of him with the '60 shows that it is/was quite shiny........and supports the fact that the '60 LPs retained the colour.
Check his equipment usage history for the info.
 

goldtop0

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Messages
8,931
I believe the above mentioned guitars are reissues. I am talking about a guitar that would not be for sale, that he referenced as "a really good one" (original sunburst Les Paul that he found to "replace" the stolen one.)

I think it's possible this is the real one, in this video from 1994 RAH. Crappy video so really can't tell. Could also be a repro. Color looks consistent with a '60, looks like it has Grovers too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU1ks8mL9OM


I'm going to go back on what I've said above about the LP in this vid being his '60......................I don't think it is as this one has Grovers(shiny) and his actual '60 has the usual tulip tuners as in this later pic https://i.imgur.com/q20DY5P.jpg


Also,here is the pic of his '60 taken in '91 or 92 that I saw in a guitar mag. The first time I can remember seeing him use a LP since Cream's farewell tour of the US in late '68.
https://i.imgur.com/jrTvLVQ.jpg
 

bern1

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Thanks for posting the pics GTO.

I still think, assuming it’s the real thing, that it is strange for that guitar to be on display at an auction where he is selling stuff. (If he’s not selling it.)
 

goldtop0

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Thanks for posting the pics GTO.

I still think, assuming it’s the real thing, that it is strange for that guitar to be on display at an auction where he is selling stuff. (If he’s not selling it.)


To be honest with you I don't know what he sold in those Crossroads Antigua auctions other than Blackie and Brownie(that I think he's holding in the pic) plus there are one or two slightly better pics of his '60 on the net taken at the same time as my pic was taken.
 

El Gringo

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Back in the '80s/90s I was hot on the trail of EC's guitars and amps, wanted to see if he would ever pick up a LP again, then in '92 saw a small pic in a guitar magazine of him using his recently acquired '60, this was at the time of his SLO 100 stint(a few players were using them back then). I've got the blown up pic here at home so will get it reduced down and post it.
The not so good pic I posted above #83 of him with the '60 shows that it is/was quite shiny........and supports the fact that the '60 LPs retained the colour.
Check his equipment usage history for the info.
I really appreciate all of these wonderful details and i stand corrected . This morning i find this video on You Tube that is called Eric Clapton's Summer Burst https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XK7gRnHZ2A with Bob Wooten and what a coincidence as this video has been very informative for me in regards to speaking about the Tomato soup color and possibly having been over sprayed and this corrects my previous incorrect thinking that a Les Paul that has a lot of color has to be a reissue . I do know that the lacquer that Gibson sprayed in 1960 was different than what they used on the 58 and 59 Bursts , as the 58's and 59's color faded and Gibson changed the formula for the lacquer they sprayed with in 1960 . So then the performance of Eric Clapton being the musical guest on SNL around 1990-1992 when he also sat in with GE Smith and the SNL band and when they went to commercial break EC was sitting in with them and tearing it up on a Sunburst Les Paul could have been this guitar in the clip posted here that i incorrectly identified as a first year 1994 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul was wrong on my part . So much knowledge that is shared and learned here make this such a wonderful and resourceful site ! For which i can never learn enough about my favorite passion . So interesting that you reference the Soldano SLO 100 as EC tones was magnificent during this period going thru the Marshall cabinets , i don't know if the cabs were loaded with Greenbacks ( which would be my guess , or were they Vintage 30's ? ) A really great amp in it's own right that has tons of tone and gain if you like that sort of thing . This is what it is all about for me on the Les Paul Forum - such wonderful knowledge on our favorite guitars . Thank You Very Kindly for sharing this knowledge with me !
 

Billy Porter

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I really appreciate all of these wonderful details and i stand corrected . This morning i find this video on You Tube that is called Eric Clapton's Summer Burst https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XK7gRnHZ2A with Bob Wooten and what a coincidence as this video has been very informative for me in regards to speaking about the Tomato soup color and possibly having been over sprayed and this corrects my previous incorrect thinking that a Les Paul that has a lot of color has to be a reissue . I do know that the lacquer that Gibson sprayed in 1960 was different than what they used on the 58 and 59 Bursts , as the 58's and 59's color faded and Gibson changed the formula for the lacquer they sprayed with in 1960 . So then the performance of Eric Clapton being the musical guest on SNL around 1990-1992 when he also sat in with GE Smith and the SNL band and when they went to commercial break EC was sitting in with them and tearing it up on a Sunburst Les Paul could have been this guitar in the clip posted here that i incorrectly identified as a first year 1994 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul was wrong on my part . So much knowledge that is shared and learned here make this such a wonderful and resourceful site ! For which i can never learn enough about my favorite passion . So interesting that you reference the Soldano SLO 100 as EC tones was magnificent during this period going thru the Marshall cabinets , i don't know if the cabs were loaded with Greenbacks ( which would be my guess , or were they Vintage 30's ? ) A really great amp in it's own right that has tons of tone and gain if you like that sort of thing . This is what it is all about for me on the Les Paul Forum - such wonderful knowledge on our favorite guitars . Thank You Very Kindly for sharing this knowledge with me !

Please see post #77 as this started /resurrected this thread and referred to the Guitar Show video with Bob Wooten.

See also my previous thread were I stated that the flame looks different to that in the B & W Summers picture and that they didn't show the control cavity
 

goldtop0

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Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
I really appreciate all of these wonderful details and i stand corrected . This morning i find this video on You Tube that is called Eric Clapton's Summer Burst https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XK7gRnHZ2A with Bob Wooten and what a coincidence as this video has been very informative for me in regards to speaking about the Tomato soup color and possibly having been over sprayed and this corrects my previous incorrect thinking that a Les Paul that has a lot of color has to be a reissue . I do know that the lacquer that Gibson sprayed in 1960 was different than what they used on the 58 and 59 Bursts , as the 58's and 59's color faded and Gibson changed the formula for the lacquer they sprayed with in 1960 . So then the performance of Eric Clapton being the musical guest on SNL around 1990-1992 when he also sat in with GE Smith and the SNL band and when they went to commercial break EC was sitting in with them and tearing it up on a Sunburst Les Paul could have been this guitar in the clip posted here that i incorrectly identified as a first year 1994 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul was wrong on my part . So much knowledge that is shared and learned here make this such a wonderful and resourceful site ! For which i can never learn enough about my favorite passion . So interesting that you reference the Soldano SLO 100 as EC tones was magnificent during this period going thru the Marshall cabinets , i don't know if the cabs were loaded with Greenbacks ( which would be my guess , or were they Vintage 30's ? ) A really great amp in it's own right that has tons of tone and gain if you like that sort of thing . This is what it is all about for me on the Les Paul Forum - such wonderful knowledge on our favorite guitars . Thank You Very Kindly for sharing this knowledge with me !


Hi Gringo, see my post #95 where I'm pretty sure I've erred re that LP he's using in the video, see also my post #88 re the same thing.
These things take a bit of piecing together most of the time where conclusive pics and clear videos are not available(darn it all).
What I'm saying is, you may be right.
 
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