Description
Roadhouse Vintage USA location:
2018 Gibson Custom Shop 58 Explorer with the extra ‘Clapton Cut’ Heavily Aged in Faded Cherry Finish.
This is one of only 5 guitars made, there were 10 total 5 in each finish. (the other finish was natural)It is in mint condition (obviously the Heavy Aging was done in the Gibson Custom Shop) and I am the 2nd owner. It has not been played and has no issues.
Comes as pictured with original case, COA and all case candy and tags. A true collector’s piece, this is one of the best relic jobs I have ever seen and I have owned dozens of Fender Custom Shop pieces etc. Gibson really does a nice job on their Aged pieces.Get it while you can. These are tough to come by and if you find one, you will pay quite a bit more.
Specs:-Heavy Aged One-piece Mahogany body-Faded Cherry finish-Gold plated nickle hardware-Extra elbow (Clapton) cut
Model Background
So few 1958-1960 Explorers were ever made that sightings of these are rarer still. The most notable, however, is likely the ’58 acquired by Eric Clapton during a U.S. tour in 1974 from Alex Music in NYC. I saw Clapton during the 461 Ocean Blvd. tour of 1974 at the West Palm Beach International Raceway. I recall him playing this guitar – he played it for a few cuts before the weather turned bad(there were tornados in the area that day).
The guitar was used for several tracks on the album E.C. Was Here. Also seen draped around Clapton in a prominent Music Man amplifier catalog of the mid ’70s(see pic), this guitar apparently had been modified by a previous owner, who cut off a portion of the Explorer’s angular upper-rear bout.
