Eric Clapton wrote WONDERFUL TONIGHT On This Guitar! At Bonhams London

Bonhams London are auctioning the Martin Guitar that Eric Clapton wrote Wonderful Tonight on. I know! It was a pleasure to catch up with Claire Tole - Moir Head of Popular Culture at Bonhams and learn more.
www.bonhams.co...
It's a 1974 Martin 00028 with some very interesting little details including this enormous sticker!
Huge thanks to Claire Tole-Moir and the team at Bonhams Popular Culture
I hope you enjoy the video
Until next time, stay tuned
Michael

[@hkguitar1984]

How wonderful, Thank You for sharing. A big thank you to Ms. Tole-Moir for her care to detail.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you too!

[@calebbhawkins]

Cool. Love the Don Williams sticker, that’s kinda awesome that Don was friends with Eric. I’m kinda chasing a custom shop 000-18 this month with sinker hog back and Adi top, hope this trade goes my way!

[@MichaelWatts]

It’s a hell of a sticker! Good luck getting that guitar Caleb!

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Amazing guitar & video. Thank you!!! It's mind blowing that someone would actually string a guitar like that........even back then. I just can't picture Eric Clapton doing that.......or a roadie/tech/luthier! Looks like a job that only some newbie would do, lol.

[@MichaelWatts]

I know what you mean - I suspect this was a more recent restring…

[@PaulIvers]

Saw it go under the hammer at the in June 1999 at the first Christie's Crossroads auction in NYC. Memorable day, sat with Rudy Pensa by chance, he and all there astounded by the hammer $$$ going down. Just pulled out the catalog, big multipage spread for it. Attended the 2d Crossroads auction in June 2004 as well, EC certainly had a closet full!

[@MichaelWatts]

Very cool!

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Thanks for sharing that. So I'm assuming you can't remember how much it auctioned for? June of 1999 was a long time ago after all.

[@PaulIvers]

@@howabouthetruth2157 The only one I recall is - my friend bid and won an early lot a J-185 for $9k. Still owns it and it is a nice one.

[@troytempest290]

Wow. Incredible piece of history, I’ve never seen a bridge like that before.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Troy! Yes, the saddle and snowflakes suggest either heavy mods or a whole new bridge

[@andyrawll9716]

Here's the OGWT 1977 show, where (according to the auction notes) EC's playing the Martin (at that point, minus the Rodeo Man sticker) on the opening three songs kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmKcdn6Jd7qKe5o

[@MichaelWatts]

That is so cool! Thanks Andy!

[@robertnewell5057]

Nice guitar. I urge anyone watching to hear Peter-Buckley Hill's (founder of the free Fringe) 'wonderful' parody of Wonderful Tonight.'

[@marknachmias423]

I played that very guitar. I was hoping that some of Eric's mojo would rub off but sadly, it didn't.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

No surprise there, pertaining to the bridge being replaced. Of course we all love & respect Martin, but according to bluegrass/folk acoustic guitar prodigy JP Cormier, many of the post-war Martin's are notorious for the bridge pulling loose........and that's not a good thing. In one of his videos, JP stated that a while back, he finally bought himself a brand new Martin ( I believe he said it was a D-42 ) and he was quite excited about it. He took it along with another backup acoustic to his very next show to perform. He stated that only minutes before he was slated to go on stage, he opened the case, and was horrified to discover that the bridge had pulled completely loose from his new Martin!!! He took it back to the guitar shop where he purchased it, where the sales rep AND their luthier said: "No problem JP, we'll replace it. This happens all the time with these Martin's"........END QUOTE. When they told JP that, he insisted that they give him a full refund instead of repairing it.

[@MichaelWatts]

Wow, that’s quite a story!

[@IvayloNikolov]

The last chord of the video though ..... it suspiciously sounded like a Martin 000-28 with a Fishman pickup ... just saying 🤣🤣🤣

[@MichaelWatts]

Ha ha well it was a Clapton signature model!

[@johngraydon506]

Your be lucky 😂

[@cfreeman5631]

wish I had a spare 500,000$...

[@MichaelWatts]

Don’t we all!

[@davidheenan7432]

I wonder if it sounds any good…

[@mcoram3486]

guitar has collector draw, but was built in Martins sad period. probably not a player.

[@MichaelWatts]

While I agree it’s hardly a golden age there must have been something about this instrument to inspire one of the greatest ballads of the 20th century…