Fender Stratocaster Eric Clapton (USA, MN) - black

The Eric Clapton Stratocaster is undoubtedly the most popular of the signature models, and has been since its induction. In 1985, Dan Smith (Fender marketing director since 1982) approached Eric Clapton with the idea of creating a Signature Stratocaster. As for the distinctive features of this new model, Clapton first wanted a neck with a 'Soft V' profile similar to that of the first Martin; early Martins guitars.
Having appreciated the electronics of the Stratocaster Elite (Fender's flagship model of the time), equipped with a 12dB midrange booster circuit giving the usual single-coil pickups a humbucker-like behavior, Fender then equipped the Clapton Strat with a revised version of this system capable of boosting midrange frequencies by 25dB at around 500 Hz, via a trio of Gold Lace Sensors (on the current model these are Fender Vintage Noiseless).
Inspired by a 1950s-style vintage Stratocaster with a Soft V-profile maple neck, theEric Clapton Stratocaster nevertheless has a contemporary character thanks to its extraordinary active electronics; instead of the usual 2nd tone control, there's a potentiometer for adjusting the midrange frequencies from 0 to +25 db, and at will on all pickup configurations. Thus, the bridge pickup in particular can behave either like a conventional single-coil pickup with the mids at 0, or almost like a humbucking pickup when the mids are pushed all the way in.