Martin Guitars 000-28EC Eric Clapton

Raw Unplugged Beauty

Wildwoodians, Eric Clapton needs no introduction, but let's give him one anyway. Perhaps the foremost practitioner of British blues, his fiery tone shaped the sound of the sixties and seventies over the course of countless classic records by the Yardbirds, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Derek and the Dominos, and Blind Faith. Then, he took a left turn and became a pop star as a solo artist in the late seventies and eighties with hits like "Wonderful Tonight" and "Tears in Heaven."

Though he had dozens of hits under his belt and guitar skills so magnificent that graffiti artists deified him, Clapton was at a Crossroads (pun intended!) in the early nineties. In an effort to get back in touch with the acoustic blues that inspired him to pick up the guitar originally, Slowhand decided to film and record a live MTV Unplugged album using two iconic Martin 000 guitars: a '39 000-42 and a '66 000-28 modified with 45-style appointments. To say that the resulting album was a smash would be the understatement of the century. It sold 26 million copies and became not just the best-selling Clapton record of all time but the best-selling live album, period!

Shortly after Unplugged's release, Martin's Director of Artist & Public Relations Dick Boak was inundated with a deluge of phone calls asking him what the heck model Clapton was playing on MTV. Sensing an opportunity, he collaborated with Clapton to create his first signature Martin, though he was unsure how well a Clapton acoustic would sell. They decided to do a run of 461 000-42ECs (referencing Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard album), and they all sold out within a day. Emboldened by their success, Martin released an unlimited Clapton signature model with the same tone and less bling. Thus, Martin's longest-running signature model, the 000-28EC, was born!

Clapton's Signature Acoustic Sound Distilled

Since the 000-28ECs launch, it has become one of the most successful signature acoustics ever. To achieve the 000-28EC’s iconic tone, they looked under the hood of the two guitars Clapton used for the Unplugged session, figured out the source of their mojo, and used that information to shape the 000-28EC's design. Such obsessive tonesmithery has resulted in a truly marvelous Martin that provides a vintage-inspired experience without losing that new-guitar smell. Whether you're a fan of Clapton or excellent acoustic guitars, it has a lot to offer, so let's dive in.

First things first: Sitka spruce and East Indian rosewood are a magical combination of woods, and nowhere is that more apparent than the 000-28EC. The spruce top gives it a balanced, sunny tone with a good blend of fundamental and overtones along with tons of projecting power. The East Indian rosewood back and sides add warm, rich deep basses and lush, glassy, sparkling highs to the 000-28ECs tonal equation. Together, they give the 000-28EC a robust sound that fills the room without sounding muddy or tubby in the slightest. As such, it stays supremely balanced and articulate. It's a tone that works beautifully in just about any musical context: fingerstyle, strumming, in a band, or solo accompaniment.

The 000-28EC is also remarkably dynamic thanks to its scalloped bracing. With less material in each brace, sound transfers faster, which means that the 000-28EC responds to your attack faster than Usain Bolt chasing an ice cream truck. It also widens out the 000-28EC's dynamic range and makes it more touch-sensitive. All in all, it makes for a delightfully expressive playing experience! Its shorter scale length also imparts a percussive attack and makes it easier to bend the strings and make big stretches.

Down at the Crossroads

In the years since the Unplugged album and 000-28EC's release, Eric Clapton has become a figurehead for all things blues, keeping the legacy and tradition alive while also allowing plenty of room for evolution, exploration, and creativity (check out his two excellent tributes to Robert Johnson, Me and Mr. Johnson and Sessions for Robert J. for evidence!). The 000-28EC embodies that spirit. It's rooted in tradition, sure, but the only limit to what it can do is your imagination. If you meet this guitar at the crossroads, we have no doubt it will lead you on all sorts of joyous musical adventures!