Clapton's Blackie & The Beast: Are the 8 Priciest Guitars Worth It?

Over the past 18 years of demonstrating guitar gear professionally I have has the incredible fortune to play some of the most sought after and crazy expensive guitars on the planet... but were they worth the coin?
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[@RobChappers]

Ok, I know the Beast and Greeny are not the same guitar… Too much Xmas Whiskey ha ha, I meant Eric Clapton and Paul Kossoff!! FML, I have been watching the Kirk video on Gibson TV and crossed the two over the price still stands though…

[@cerebrix]

you know, I've been here since the beginning. When you were making videos out of your bedroom. Such an inspiration. Watching you get the deal with Andertons, launching Chapman. You've done a lot of good to inspire people to learn to play. I wish it would have worked out for me. But you inspired me regardless and continue to.

[@plasticoflamingo2952]

Merry Christmas, Chapman family! Rob, Theo is growing into a very well-spoken young lad. Nice job, Dad (and Mum).

[@RobChappers]

Thank you sir, yes, I think he’s doing pretty good for six years old - I will pass on your kind remarks :-)

[@hulldanfan]

Rob - You're confusing 'The Beast' with 'Greeny'. The Beast was owned by Clapton and Paul Kossoff. It was Greeny that was owned by Peter Green, Gary Moore and now by Hammett

[@robertwcoleman4048]

i think you may find the Beast was owned by the late Bernie Marsden

[@hulldanfan]

@@robertwcoleman4048 LOL - we know that, but the Beast is legendary because it was formerly owned by Clapton and Kossoff

[@lewisflintham]

Great video Rob (and Theo). I remember the video and you buying the PRS for Theo :-) Have a great Christmas. Also amazing that you got to hold Blackie. 😯

[@GraemeCampbellMusic]

Loved that, and Theo is very cool. Have an excellent Christmas

[@MashaT22]

Merry Christmas to the Chapman fam! Always enjoy your micro assistant - such a sweetie!

[@christopherderycke3603]

I love how you are introducing but protecting Theo at the same time.

[@bakkels]

That kid is now destined to start Daft Punk 2.0 Seriously though, I loved how they took the time to give some really important advice. Have a good one everybody.

[@gregrandallbtsr03]

Really enjoyed that. Thanks for introducing us to Theo. Merry Christmas and happy new year!

[@dwo37650]

Hey dude, hope you have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thanks for the great content!

[@marcoferreira4576]

Great Video Rob and Theo! Merry Christmas!

[@RobChappers]

Happy Xmas bro 🤘🏽❤

[@benjaminspudich8519]

Merry Christmas rob to you and your family!!! God bless u sir u rock!

[@shanedaniels5191]

Wonderful video!! Merry Christmas 😊✌️

[@edwardjons8684]

Bright kid. - he’s gonna do well! Congrats on the parenting job so far and Merry Christmas!

[@SeanDS1989]

Merry Christmas to you and your family! Thanks for all the awesome content 🎄🎅☃❄

[@davidjones6218]

Great vid Rob...And thank you Theo for a top job! Great mask too.😎🤌

[@RobChappers]

Thanks dude I’ll pass that on to Theo 🤘🏽

[@GummerNH]

Where is the mask from? Can’t find it. My kids would love that.

[@drzainnas]

Thank you Rob and Theo, merry Christmas happy new year on my birthday too, you both brought the happiness and smile to my soul in this difficult time due the remission of the illness at this Christmas time but you two really made my day really I can't thank you enough, thank you have a wonderful happy merry Christmas and new year. Best regards from ENGLAND 👍🎄👍🎄👍🎄👍🎄👍🎄👍🎄👍🎄👍

[@RobChappers]

I hope you get better soon ❤️

[@drzainnas]

No cure but knowing there are kind people like you and doing great work sharing their music passion it really feels good. Thank you.

[@samright4661]

What a cool dad you are Rob! Happy New Year!!

[@D.Miller]

Some Christmas wholesomeness going on in here! Everyone staying happy, healthy and play guitar! X

[@mcflotty]

Merry Christmas brother. Love the video

[@shanewalton8888]

Looking forward to your solo in Dines’ shred collab, Rob.

[@MartinBryan]

Very heartwarming video. Great to see Sun and Smart to keep his privacy ! You might want to try the Apple phone version of that flying version. I have one and am delighted.

[@paulsmith6381]

Merry Christmas! Wow, Theo sure is growing up:)

[@Peter-xr5gd]

Merry Christmas ❤

[@RandyWillcox]

Thanks to you, I got to "play" Blackie at Guitar Center and that was simply surreal! Along with his Crossroads 335! It's crazy, that Guitar Center location (Times Square) is gone now. Only Union Square remains. 🤘🏻❤️🤘🏻

[@captainjonty]

I remember that day with the BEAST well. Playing that guitar was a life highlight for me for sure!

[@rosskn]

Have a great Christmas to you and the family

[@GRBAquatics]

Very Cool, Thankyou Rob and Theo. Looking Forward to Mark Knopfler Guitar Auction early in 2024 I believe. I suspect The Red Strat and maybe some others may require a LOT of Money to Purchase. All the Best. Cheers

[@StormdriverOne]

Merry Christmas, Chappers and family!

[@RobChappers]

Happy Xmas dude ❤

[@yayayaokoksure]

I remember that PRS. You were talking about refinishing it like a real smart guy.

[@Cavenue]

Merry Christmas Chapman family!

[@Lez325]

Merry Christmas Rob - I have only one expensive guitar A Gibson Custom SG1963 Special Re-issue VOS in Cherry red and I love it :)-

[@Samana009]

David Gilmour's Black Strat was almost 4 million dollars and his 1954 no.0001 was almost 2 million. Mark Knopfler is auctioning some of his old ones this late January in London

[@michaeldionne3139]

Merry Christmas!

[@marcinwyc]

Nice🎉 I got the PRS fever as well

[@dachfo123]

I had the opportunity to play a 1946 Martin D18 recently. I doubted its $18,000 price tag at first but as soon as I heard the first notes ring out like a church bell I understood the hype of vintage guitars, especially acoustics. If I were a wealthy man that guitar would be mine now.

[@thefasquegabbabandit]

Merry Xmas Rob , this is the kind of Xmas decadence I needed :-)

[@RobChappers]

I have a great holiday dude, thanks for watching bro ❤

[@thefasquegabbabandit]

@@RobChappers no worries , all the best :-)

[@andrewpappas9311]

The most I ever spent on an instrument was on my Rickenbacker 4003S back in the summer of 2020 at my local guitar store, I’ve always loved Rick basses because of guys like Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton, Lemmy, Chris Squire and Roger Waters (plus they’ve always been one of my dream basses) and the store does stock Rick guitars but not so much the basses (but they do come in on occasion). The one I ended up buying was the only one they had in stock and I ended up paying $2100 CAD but it was totally worth it because it’s been my main bass for recording stuff at home as well as what I play in my band (alongside my Music Man StingRay, which was my primary bass that I got back in 2017 for my 18th birthday) and is hands-down one of the best basses I’ve ever played with the only “modification” I’ve made to it is just taking the pickup cover off since that’s where I usually play (but it was still fun using it on for the first few months of owning it). Apologies for the super long comment, just wanted to share my experience of the most I’ve ever paid for a guitar but merry Christmas and happy holidays, Rob, hope you have a great one and much love from Canada

[@1970Richiez]

Merry Christmas Chappers n Fam

[@mmiller6873]

Merry Christmas Rob and Keep the vids coming. Loving it Edit: Oh and I certainly hope that Theo has a blast playing his Switch :)

[@RobChappers]

Ha ha if Santa delivers the goods then I’m sure he will be tremendously happy ❤

[@SuperGForce01]

Duane Allman's Les Paul Goldtop used on the Layla album sold for $1.25 million. That's a whole lot of dollar!

[@AlexTsaler]

Kid is absolutely adorable😊

[@treyboldon1999]

Merry Christmas

[@GordonPavilion]

I have some very nice, top shelf and expensive guitars in my possession, but of all of my guitars, my ply-top Yamaha G-55 from the mid 1970’s that my Mum bought me, the guitar that kicked off my obsession for the guitar, Well, that guitar is priceless for me. And yes, I still play it. Thanks Mum ❤

[@Madeyes6]

That’s PRE wood library was the first Andertons I ever saw. I’ve watched just about every guitar video since.

[@monkeysbum999]

I have a few " wood 2 " guitars ,one piece for the body ,one for the neck also tap-tuned.

[@frankiechan9651]

Merry Christmas Rob and family. In my opinion there is a limit where a guitar goes beyond the worth of it's materials and the labour and skill of the people who made it (plus fair profit) and into the realm of an investment due to who owned it. And just because I own the guitar that someone/several famous people played, or even a very, very good replica of - it won't make me play like them.

[@marcomancini1044]

Xmas Rob we are waiting for one of your guitar lesson course cheers mate

[@RobChappers]

Next video ❤️

[@AnimalJohn85]

Done good fella, you played some awesome geetars n played em well!!! The cost of them will always be a point of argument from all sides, personally for the amount of work that actually goes into some of these they are waaaaaay over priced, you end up paying for a name or a name attached to it. The historic geetars on the other hand is a hard one as yes for what they are the cost is rediculous without the story and life behind them. But as a genuine piece of music history they're worth every penny and more, it's just a shame when they start trading at that kind of money they stop getting played which ultimately is what they're there for. So yeah historics are a tough call. Awesome vid with some lovely geetars sir, have a cracking one :)

[@BobK5]

Hendrix Woodstock and Band of Gypsies Strats (Olympic White/ Black) are not quantifiable financially, they’re priceless and will never be topped 🎸

[@dcflake5645]

Lee has lost some height

[@jimmyjames7946]

🤣🤣

[@rabsas]

😂😂😂

[@tonymarinelli7304]

It happens when you get old

[@jimmyjames7946]

@@tonymarinelli7304 age has the opposite effect on me 😭

[@Jason.King.at.your.service]

"You fiend"!

[@Paul-D]

Think you got 'The Beast' and 'Greeny' mixed up at the end there brother, They are 2 separate bursts with 2 very separate histories

[@bowling0107]

I just got done before this video watch the Jared collaboration that you were in. Good work my friend. How cool is it to play all them guitars?

[@hampuspersson6509]

Merry christmas and a great new year! I really appreciated the mental health comment, this holliday has been rough, I needed it (and soo many others)❤️

[@jsnwwd]

I've been away for a min..Anyway Theo is huge man congratulations. Daft punk mask and all

[@nellyandbert]

Lovely to see Jeff in the video.

[@RobChappers]

I miss Jeff… seems like yesterday

[@nellyandbert]

⁠@@RobChappersI spent the week at the PRS event in USA (2008 I think) with him and got to know him a bit over a few meals and beers. Spent a morning chatting and laughing, lovely guy. He was opening world guitars and was really passionate about the property and the new project, was a lovely shop but didn’t seem the same without him there. Loved the early videos as you both seemed to have so much fun. Keep smiling Rob, enjoy Malta, ci habib…

[@darrenjones7776]

❤

[@fingolfen01]

At this point "Blackie" is down to #14 on the list of most expensive... A couple of Kurt Cobain's guitars (his Martin D18E at $6 million and his Teen Spirit Mustang at $4.5 million) have even eclipsed the Black Strat ($4 million). I'd actually bid on a couple of Alex Lifeson's guitars at his charity auction (which quickly outpaced my meagre budget) - but then one of his Signature guitars from the mid 80's came up with an $8K max estimate... so I since that was Gibson custom shop money - I went ahead and bid... of course, then it went for $82K!!! *sigh* Sadly I know it won't actually ever get played again... 😞

[@davroshalfbeard8368]

Merry Christmas 🎅 mate to you and your family. I hope Lee is doing a silly video for Christmas lol.

[@RobChappers]

Cheers bro, I’m 100% sure Lee will be doing something ridiculous LOL :-)

[@creationinspired200]

0:45 see that one i liked so much i bought one over two years ago and it gets prettier every day ❤

[@Piplodocus]

Some guitars get to the point of being a ming vase like. Ming vases are worth a lot because of history at least as much as quality, but it's not like they hold flowers better or something! Love Theo rocking the mask with the one liners! :)

[@allendean9807]

I used to “deck” my strat trems as well- until i ordered a hardtail from fender mod shop. Never found a use for a non locking trem, personally.

[@DrowningTimeOfficially]

Well mr. Chapers merry Christmas to you and your kin!

[@DrowningTimeOfficially]

Btw. What's the weather in Malta? Here in Croatia it's sickeningly warm.

[@gibfear]

I had the pleasure to sit and chat with Bernie after a Company of Snakes gig in Bhratfhud many years ago - I'm so pissed off with myself because I was bollocksed!! I actually called him Mickey at one point, what a waste!!! Still he was a very nice chap and kept talking to me despite my drunkenness. It's my loss!!!

[@gregdankert]

As a parent - thanks for anonymizing (masking) the smaller person next to you whom may or may not have been related to you - respect the kids

[@kingstumble]

I spent a day with Bernie Marsden once (long story) and of course we had to talk about the Beast. He said that originally it was thought that it was maybe the Les Paul that Clapton played on the 'Beano' album but it was never proved one way or the other.

[@balmain2496]

The Jerry Cantrell Gibson is incredible.

[@adamfairweather1729]

Great video Rob and Merry Christmas to you all! Love your videos and you continue to inspire me to anger my wife and buy more and more unnecessary gear to feed my gas!! 🤘😂

[@stello1972]

Merry Xmas to all at Chapman Towers! I hate to be a gremlin of truth and know that you know full well that The Beast and the Peter Green/Gary Moore/Kirk Hammett Les Paul are not one and the same. Can’t believe how quick Theo has grown! Feeling very old and full of mince pies! Hi ho ho! Xx

[@allanmakela3011]

Very good,it will take awhile for knew listeners,to see the value,some ask who was Elvis Presley,or Chuck Berry,already,the shelf life of artists is diminishing,as well as status as commodities,sort of like Castles made of sand

[@5150show]

Blackie wow ❤

[@rushyvillar405]

yeah!

[@anthonycraig1458]

Like with anything, guitars are worth whatever someone is prepared to pay for them. There are numerous valuable collectibles and antiques that are worth silly money and guitars are no different. Certain ones have just become another valuable item although I'm not entirely convinced a famous musician's guitar is necessarily a great investment. I've seen a couple of Eric Clapton's come up for auction again in recent years and they haven't exceeded the previous sale price or even matched it so as an investment I think it'll be a very long term one.

[@alessioschiavi8484]

You are right, Rob... At a certain point they are not "just" guitars, they are history... Ah! Nice video 😉

[@stevegardiner8473]

I'm confused. How come it jumped from 'The Beast ' to 'Greenie'?

[@zuperzwede7634]

Almost 4 million dollars was the black gilmour strat at auction 😮

[@WithCarePlz]

Somewhere off in the distance I can hear people who’ve been playing guitar for 6 months saying out loud that their Epiphone with upgraded pickups would wipe the floors with The Beast or frankly any 1959 Les Paul.

[@Dave062YT]

Great stuff .I don't think any guitar is worth more than £1000 really but I'm guessing all these will increase in value so yes they're worth it . Merry Xmas to you and Theo ..Very cool mask btw

[@TempleOfTheMartyrs]

WE HAVE ONE IN OUR BAND... THEY ARE AMZING

[@TheBigburcie]

When Theo starts his own gear review channel, he should keep the mask on.

[@justinrivera7471]

Cobain's Martin from the mtv unplugged special recently sold for 6 million dollars. Insanity.

[@GordonPavilion]

Yep!

[@D.Miller]

Id love to know the story of the Skindred album in the back

[@RobChappers]

Mikey was in Clockwork Wolf with me for a bit - we’re mates, great band and awesome guys ❤️🤘🏽

[@D.Miller]

@@RobChappers🤦of course he was, all makes sense now. Merry Christmas!

[@BasementGuitarSuperstar]

The Cantrell and PRS stuff are the only ones that sound like the price

[@michaelkarlsson5966]

how does a price sound?

[@metalmulisha0143]

Rob does know that the beast isn’t Gary moores and Peter greens and Kirks guitar right? Did he just mean the same model and year? Idkkkk

[@RobChappers]

Yep… too much Whiskey ha ha, I meant Eric Clapton and Paul Kossoff!! FML, I have been watching the Kirk video on Gibson TV and crossed the two over the price still stands though

[@metalmulisha0143]

@@RobChappers haha bless, enjoy the Christmas tipple! What’s the kossoff connection with the beast? I heard Eric played it at some point though.

[@richardkiltz6370]

I believe that Paul Allen, who had been the owner of the Portland Trailblazer and the Seattle Seahawks, bought Jimmy Hendrixs Isle of White stratocaster at auction for $1.3 million dollars!

[@DarrylShepherd-sw7ye]

He was a master musician guitarist 🎸 to make others look like master baters😊

[@Plumcraziness]

From now on, that yellow Yamaha _forever_ has to be referred to as the Yamaha Wavy Voice. 😁

[@David-ub4rq]

I think you may have intertwined 'The beast' and 'Greenie'. Then again I could be wrong.

[@vkelly1975]

You are correct Rob has mistaken The Beast with the Greenie tale,unless Bernie owned Greenie for awhile.but I don’t think so.

[@tonymarinelli7304]

He’s a ham like his old man ❤❤

[@djh6970]

Ebony knobs on the wood 6

[@alguitarchristie]

I played a custom shop Blackie Strat and didn't like it. Did you get to plug it in?

[@RobChappers]

Actually funnily enough the electrics were broken so I could only play it acoustically

[@edwinstovall3334]

A suggestion about "wood:" Have "wood" as the actual model name. If necessary use a soundalike. Then, "Six" or "6" can denote the number of strings -- so you'd have a "Wood 6," a "Wood 7" and so on. Of course, it works for bass guitars, too. Sure, everybody uses something like this, but you don't have to reinvent EVERYTHING, do you?

[@BeatleJWOL]

and the Wood 5: a T-type with no low E string and optimized for open G tuning, for those Keef fans out there :D Wood 5G (ha ha) in case there's a competing bass model

[@malthus101]

Ohh you live in Malta - what made you choose Malta? Did you get the passport yet? Happy Christmas!

[@RobChappers]

Yeah I’m officially Maltese now! Sun, Sea, friends, Family and European opportunities!

[@edwinstovall3334]

In my opinion, Theo is welcome any time. If masked it must be, then so be it! You can feel a Chapman personality through a mask, anyway.

[@TheAdventChronicles]

Blackie was the most expensive at the time, but like you mentioned, Gilmours Black Strat went for absolutely megabucks. Just shy of $4,000,000.

[@RobChappers]

Wowzers!!! That’s unreal cash - You could literally manufacture Guitars for five years Running to feed Europe and America with a medium sized guitar company for the same amount of revenue ha ha

[@roathripper]

@@neilgaydon5430 bitter much?

[@StopTheRot]

@@neilgaydon5430bad day?

[@adetheheat8657]

Why did you move to Malta?

[@RobChappers]

Sunshine, Family, Friends, European Opportunity and Sea ❤️

[@shanewalton8888]

The most expensive electric guitar is Cobain’s Fender Mustang from the Smells Like Teen Spirit video.

[@JoshCastleTCM]

Theo looking like a final boss fight

[@faithfamilyfriendsforever6777]

Cool mask

[@HoracioGarciaMusic]

Wrench for Watch Dogs 2?

[@karmicselling4252]

One guitar tops them all. It always will because it is PRICELESS. That guitar is a 1963 Rickenbacker 360/12. We all know who it originally belonged to. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!