Eric Clapton Crossroads Collection: Martin Acoustics (VIDEO)

Ever wanted to know what a $50,000 guitar looks like?   09-Feb-13

Those who know Clapton know that he has a long-lasting relationship with Martin acoustics.
Clapton is also no stranger to working with Martin in creating signature edition guitars. The three
instruments that Martin is adding to the Crossroads Collection are not replicas. Instead Martin has
designed three 14 fret 000 style guitars inspired by vintage 000s dating back to 1934 and designed
to Clapton's exact specifications.

The results are three stunning auditorium sized, short-scale acoustics made with some of the
rarest Madagascar and Brazilian Rosewood. Each guitar also has a unique take on the vintage
scalloped top bracing of Martin's traditional vintage models.

Clapton and Martin decided to thicken the bracings in order to create more balance between the guitars' low and high end while still having the bite that blues players like to get out of their acoustics. Each guitar has an ebony fretboard with mother of pearl snowflake inlays and Eric Clapton's signature inlaid between the 19th and 20th frets.

Every guitar in this series has a sound hole label hand-signed by  Eric Clapton and Chris Martin,
as well as a certificate of authenticity. Each guitar includes a hard shell case with embroidered Eric
Clapton Crossroads shroud and will be available beginning March 21st. A significant amount of the
proceeds will benefit the Crossroads Centre.

The 000-28EC starts the series off at $5,999.99. Its Madagascar Rosewood back and sides and
Sitka Spruce top are bound with grained ivoroid. The Crossroads symbol is inlaid in mother of pearl
into the modern style head-plate. There will be a limited run of 75 available in the United States,
and 75 available internationally.

The 000-45EC Madagascar Rosewood will retail for $12,999.99. Much like the 000-28EC its
Madagascar rosewood back and sides are bound with grained ivoroid, however the additional
mother of pearl inlays along all of the joints add a little more elegance to an already stellar
instrument.

The tops of these guitars are made from Adirondack Spruce- a tonewood known for its stiffness and ability to create a powerful and balanced sound. Additionally, the 45s are held together with vintage hide glue- allowing the joints in the instrument to flex and resonate. The head-plate of the 45 bears the vintage vertical Martin logo with two Crossroads symbols on the guitar's bridge. 75 of these guitars will be available in the United States, and 75 will be available internationally.

The crown jewel of this collection is the 000-45EC Brazilian Rosewood. At $49,999.99, it is a Brazilian Rosewood version of the Madagascar 45. There are only 12 of these guitars available in the United States and 6 for the rest of the world. We sincerely hope that these get played and
don't just become trophies. The amount of dedication and detail that has gone into creating perfect sounding instruments is unparalleled. Regardless, the sale of this entire collection will undoubtedly save lives.

Written by Andy Smith
@sonicamped