The Making Of "Blackie" (First edition of Lashing "Blackie" is now sold out)

One of the most requested guitars after a certain large company produced (and immediately sold out of) some very expensive yet not so exact replicas of Eric Clapton's famous Black Strat.

I went the extra Mile. The weight is just under 7.5 lbs. Just like Blackie. The neck is slightly flamed hard rock maple with a sharp V, just like Blackie.

 I shape each neck by hand. No other neck has this profile ... but the original Blackie itself. The body is alder and carefully selected from my premium stash for weight and tone. The finish is very thin Black Nitro Cellulose. I use the same process the big F did in the day. Nail holes and all. Each body and neck is pencil dated ... aged neck plate stamped in kind.

From the cigarette scars on the headstock, the high "E" non matching tuner, pitted fret board and world tour ravaged body ... the Lashing "Blackie" is true in every way to the real thing at an affordable price.

I will be producing this guitar in limited quantities. It takes a great deal of time and material selection to arrive at this true reproduction of Mr. Clapton's #1.

Blackie body in the paint process. Done the old fashioned way just like the original. 4 nails suspend the body. You paint the front side than flip it over onto the nails to paint the back. Its not the most efficient way of doing things but that's how they did it in '57. This is a true reproduction.

Tuners in a stage of aging. A few more stages to go. The freshly finished neck (aged nitro of course) gets fitted for tuner bushings. Nothing says perfect fit like hand filing. This is after all a premium instrument.

Aging 40 years in a matter of days.

I know, the 57's did not have a shielding plate, but this customer wanted one. So he got it (because of the shielding benefits I put the shield plate on all after  #3. Easily removed but much I prefer the full guard shield for noise). The pencil neck date and vintage pots are standard, so is the rust and goo. Every detail ... every detail.

All finished with a new bone nut cut low like a zero fret. Together with the level/dress and just a hair of relief she plays like butter. I take my time with final setup work. Lots of production guitars get whizzed through but I do not make production guitars. From the wood selection to final setup - it has to be done right.

Fender®, Strat®, Stratocaster®, Relic®, Tele®, and Telecaster® are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corp. Lashing Guitars is in no way affiliated with FMIC and no Fender® warranty applies. Some headstock designs are trademarked by Fender Musical Instruments Corp. All necks available at Lashing Guitars using these headstock designs are licensed by Fender®. Some guitars may incorporate genuine Fender parts and therefore labels/branding may appear. Whatever the circumstances no Fender Warranty or affiliation applies.
 

© COPYRIGHT 2007 Lashing Guitars
All Rights Reserved
Contact Lashing