Eric Clapton Rig

Original Beano Bursts, Blackie, and Dumble-modded Bandmasters are museum pieces or six-figure buys. The usable Clapton recipe is a Les Paul or Strat into a small cranked tube combo, with the 25 dB mid-boost doing the thick-lead work a dimed Marshall once provided.

• Gibson Les Paul Standard (Beano Burst): Epiphone Les Paul Standard because you get mahogany/maple and PAF-style humbuckers; you lose vintage Burst wood and real PAFs.
• Marshall 1962 Bluesbreaker: Marshall Origin 50 or a used Marshall 1962 reissue because they give non-master-volume British crunch without a vintage JTM45 price.
• Fender Stratocaster Blackie: Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster because it is a maple-neck 1950s-style Strat at a fraction of Custom Shop money; you lose aged pickups and the mid-boost unless you add a pedal.
• Fender '57 Bandmaster (Dumble): Fender Blues Junior or Deluxe Reverb because they give touch-sensitive American tube breakup; you lose the 3x10 tweed cabinet and Dumble voicing.
• Martin 000-28EC: a used Martin 000-28 because it keeps the 000 rosewood body Clapton prefers; you lose the signature neck and appointments.
• Dunlop Cry Baby Classic GCB95F: Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Standard because it is already cheap and close enough for White Room.