Guitar Center, an international musical instrument retailer, in partnership with Eric Clapton, launched of the 2019 Crossroads Guitar Collection. This collection includes five limited-edition recreations and signature guitars—three from Eric Clapton’s career and one apiece from fellow guitarists John Mayer and Carlos Santana. These guitars will be sold in North America exclusively at Guitar Center locations and online via GuitarCenter.com beginning Aug. 20.
The collection launch coincides with the 2019 Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, TX, taking place Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21. Guitar Center is a sponsor of the event and will be on-site with a Guitar Center Village where the limited-edition guitars will be displayed. Additionally, on display will be the Gibson ES-335 guitar used by Eric Clapton on numerous landmark recordings, including the enduring Cream hit and festival namesake “Crossroads.”
All guitars in the one-of-a-kind collection were developed by Guitar Center in partnership with Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Carlos Santana, Fender, Gibson, Martin and PRS Guitars, drawing inspiration from the guitars used by Clapton, Mayer and Santana at pivotal points throughout their careers. The collection includes the following models:
Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Blind Faith Telecaster built by Master Builder Todd Krause;
Gibson Custom Eric Clapton 1964 Firebird 1;
Martin 000-42EC Crossroads Ziricote;
Martin 00-42SC John Mayer Crossroads;
PRS Private Stock Carlos Santana Crossroads.
The 2019 Crossroads Collection is the result of history between Guitar Center and Eric Clapton and continues in the spirit of the first Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar, originally offered in 2005. Guitar Center has co-sponsored each of Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festivals since 2004 and has been a strong supporter of the Crossroads Centre Antigua Foundation, having purchased several of Clapton’s most famous guitars, including his “BLACKIE” Stratocaster and the CREAM Gibson 335 at the Crossroads Guitar Auction in 2004.
Giving Back Through the 2019 Crossroads Collection
A significant portion of the proceeds from the sale of each of the guitars in the collection will be donated to benefit Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Centre Antigua. The Crossroads Centre was created to provide treatment and education to chemically dependent persons. Treatment is provided through residential care, family and aftercare programs. The pathway to recovery is founded on the movement toward a change in lifestyle.
For more information on the 2019 Crossroads Guitar Collection, please visit guitarcenter.com/Crossroads.gc.
