Eric Clapton with an autographed 2006
Blackie recreation that is estimated to
sell for $20,000 – $30,000. Photo: Jack
English © Marshbrook Limited 2010.
ERIC CLAPTON TO AUCTION
150+ GUITARS AND AMPS
FOR CROSSROADS
BY REBECCA DIRKS
NEW YORk, NY – On March 9, 2011, Bonhams will auction
more than 70 amps and 70 guitars from Eric Clapton’s personal collection to benefit the Crossroads Centre, Antigua. This
marks the first time Clapton has put his amps up for auction.
Highlights of the auction items include one of Clapton’s
main stage guitars used during the 2005 Cream reunion shows
—a black Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Strat,
a pair of circa-1970 Marshall basketweave speaker cabinets
used with Derek and the Dominoes, and an autographed
2006 Fender Custom Shop Blackie recreation. Other artists,
including Jeff Beck, J.J. Cale, and Joe Bonamassa, have also
donated items to be auctioned.
Prior to the March 9 auction in New York City, the
collection can be viewed in:
• London January 23–26
• Los Angeles February 18–20
• New York City March 5–9
bonhams.com/entertainment
Gibson Granted Paper
Jamz Injunction
BY REBECCA DIRKS
LOS ANGELES, CA – In late
December, a US federal judge
granted Gibson a preliminary
injunction blocking the production and sale of Paper Jamz toy
guitars. The injunction was
granted in response to a lawsuit
Premier Guitar previously reported on (January 2011), in which
Gibson states that Wowwee USA,
makers of Paper Jamz, wrongfully copied Gibson’s Les Paul,
Flying V, Explorer, and SG guitars. Retailers were required to
remove existing Gibson-modeled
Paper Jamz models from shelves
immediately.
According to Financial Post,
judge Gary Klausner wrote, “[I]t
appears to the Court that Plaintiff
has demonstrated a likelihood of
success on the merits for trade-
mark and trade dress infringe-
ment and that irreparable harm
is presumed, therefore unless
restrained by order of this Court,
Plaintiff will suffer immediate
and irreparable injury, loss, or
damage. Accordingly, Defendants
are enjoined from any distribu-
tion of the Gibson trademarks.”
Gibson stated in a December
22 press release that the company
intends to, “remain aggressive
in protecting such trademarks,
as it relates to its guitar shapes
and designs and that it is of
the highest priority to protect a
consumer’s right to purchase an
authentic Gibson guitar, regard-
less of the form.”
At press time, Wowwee and
retailers were appealing the
injunction.
pickguards have been met with
positive reactions. In December,
Seymour Duncan announced an
innovation that aims to take the
solderless trend a step further:
the Liberator Solderless Pickup
Change System.
The Liberator is a volume pot
with color-coded “stations” into
which bare-wire leads are inserted
and then secured by metal
clamps that you tighten using
mini screws. Seymour Duncan
says the system will work with
nearly any passive pickup.
Seymour Duncan
Makes Solderless
Universal
BY REBECCA DIRKS
SANTA BARBARA, CA – In recent
years, pickup manufacturers have
explored solderless solutions
with success—EMG’s solderless pickups and DiMarzio’s
solderless replacement loaded
