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Eric Clapton's Firebird I folder:

lpnv59

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This shot reminds me of the cover pic used for Live Cream Vol I
Providence1.jpg
 

andreja marovic

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:salude
Very nice. I hope you still have that!

Sure I have it my friend.
I should make some new pics and post them here...Kerry took that one when it was with him...That's a Bad Boy's Bird.
Sounds better than all FB'l I had the luck to play.:headbange Greetings - Andreja:2zone
 

Cream Fan

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Fantastic photo!! All the goodies, too. Here's the one I got after seeing EC back "in the day". 40+ years and 40- pounds ago!

BruceFirebird.jpg

DESERT BOOTS! I remember wearing those ;-) Aside from the guitar, I hope you kept all those posters. Some of those are big money now.
 

Bruce R

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Very nice. I hope you still have that!

Unfortunately I no longer have anything shown in that room. Yes, I wish I had the guitar and posters, but not the desert boots! A drummer ended up knocked the Firebird over at a jam and snapped the headstock off - major bummer. There's just not a lot of meat up there, is there. I had it fixed, sold it shortly thereafter, and bought my first Les Paul. I don't have that (a '54) either, but let's not get into the guitars that have come and gone, OK! (Much too painful for us all)
 

TM1

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Bruce; Cool photo! Lobe the FB I & the posters...
Desert Boots.. had me a pair of those once. I think I was like 13 (1965). We called them jesus floaters or Bethlehem Cruisers just to be obnoxious.. The white Levi's are/were a So.Cal. thang..
 

JRW8214@AOL.COM

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Unfortunately I no longer have anything shown in that room. Yes, I wish I had the guitar and posters, but not the desert boots! A drummer ended up knocked the Firebird over at a jam and snapped the headstock off - major bummer. There's just not a lot of meat up there, is there. I had it fixed, sold it shortly thereafter, and bought my first Les Paul. I don't have that (a '54) either, but let's not get into the guitars that have come and gone, OK! (Much too painful for us all)

Yea we've all been there. Too bad about the headstock. I read from Johnny Winter once, he said every firebird he has ever owned has head a headstock break. Glenn Cornick of Jethro Tull fame said the same about his Thunderbird basses(except for the one he played at the I.O.W. Festival, that one was stolen before it had a chance to get broken).
 

TM1

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Does anyone know the history of the FB I? be nice to know how he got it and what happened to it after Cream split up. Supposedly someone in Denmark has it now, but how did he get it?
Until 10 or 12 years ago, Clapton wasn't known as a guy who sold any instruments....I don't recall any getting stolen except for the 1960 Beano Les Paul in mid `66. It would be great to know the background on it..
Thanks!
 

bern1

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Does anyone know the history of the FB I? be nice to know how he got it and what happened to it after Cream split up. Supposedly someone in Denmark has it now, but how did he get it?
Until 10 or 12 years ago, Clapton wasn't known as a guy who sold any instruments....I don't recall any getting stolen except for the 1960 Beano Les Paul in mid `66. It would be great to know the background on it..
Thanks!

Don, the story I heard....actually read in some book if memory serves...which it might not....note all the disclaimers but perhaps somebody else also read this in one tome or another...anyway here is the story:

Two guys show up backstage at a Cream concert with the Firebird. They want to give it to Clapton, but there is one condition: they want him to play Crossroads for them right then and there, which he does. Thus is the ownership transfer accomplished.

I can't remember where I heard this but it seems like a great story!

Cheers...
 

andreja marovic

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Don, the story I heard....actually read in some book if memory serves...which it might not....note all the disclaimers but perhaps somebody else also read this in one tome or another...anyway here is the story:

Two guys show up backstage at a Cream concert with the Firebird. They want to give it to Clapton, but there is one condition: they want him to play Crossroads for them right then and there, which he does. Thus is the ownership transfer accomplished.

I can't remember where I heard this but it seems like a great story!

Cheers...

Sounds like a dream story:3zone :3zone
 

Beano Geno

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Don, the story I heard....actually read in some book if memory serves...which it might not....note all the disclaimers but perhaps somebody else also read this in one tome or another...anyway here is the story:

Two guys show up backstage at a Cream concert with the Firebird. They want to give it to Clapton, but there is one condition: they want him to play Crossroads for them right then and there, which he does. Thus is the ownership transfer accomplished.

I can't remember where I heard this but it seems like a great story!

Cheers...

I read something about him acquiring the Firebird... I think (not sure) it was in the Strange Brew book....maybe he got it in Philadelphia? I'll try to find it later, I'm finishing up my taxes today.
 

Rick Doeschler

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Does anyone know if there are any videos of EC with the Firebird? I've seen the low volume Smothers Brothers show but are there any others? I'm talking about visual not just audio clips. I wasn't able to find any.

Please post.
 

houndog31

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Until 10 or 12 years ago, Clapton wasn't known as a guy who sold any instruments....

I read in a 1980's biography that during the years he was holed up in his country house on heroin that dealers were often paid with guitars since he had to ask his manager for money and sometimes failed to think ahead and didn't have any on hand when they showed up.

He didn't "need" the cash per se just that his manager controlled his bank account for him.

That's not to suggest that's what happened to the Firebird but I bet a lot of stuff he had around the house back then went to pay the "courier".
 
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lpnv59

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Don, the story I heard....actually read in some book if memory serves...which it might not....note all the disclaimers but perhaps somebody else also read this in one tome or another...anyway here is the story:

Two guys show up backstage at a Cream concert with the Firebird. They want to give it to Clapton, but there is one condition: they want him to play Crossroads for them right then and there, which he does. Thus is the ownership transfer accomplished.

I can't remember where I heard this but it seems like a great story!

Cheers...

Wrong Firebird. That was a cardinal red reissue. It was part of the Christies/Crossroads auction and that story was in the auction book.

The Firebird I was bought in Philadelphia when Cream played a concert in nearby Cherry Hill NJ.
 

lpnv59

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I don't think its EC's. Based on the fact that from pics, there is no evidence of it having a removed Vibrola. The displayed Firebird has the holes from a factory stock Maestro. Its possible someone would install one after EC parted with it, but not likely.
 

Litcrit

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To me, that Firebird is responsible for some classic Cream/Clapton tones, and the fact that it's been "lost" to history shows the consistent neglect/ under-appreciation of Firebirds compared to the LPs, Fool SG, and the 335,(which was probably played on VERY FEW recorded Cream-era songs). Don't get me wrong, I love all those guitars, but the Firebird deserves to be up there as well.

It also dawned on me that of all the guitars Clapton has played in his career, I can't recall another single pickup one...to my knowledge no Jrs, Coronets, etc.
 

John Smolakis

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Here's one for you Cream detectives- which guitar(s) saw action on 10/15/67? I think it was at the Grande Ballroom.
 

j45

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Here's one for you Cream detectives- which guitar(s) saw action on 10/15/67? I think it was at the Grande Ballroom.

It was the Fool SG. That whole tour was the SG as his #1. His backup would have probably been the Custom. There are several pics from that night out there.
 
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