Martin 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary Acoustic Guitar – Antique Toner

Celebrate 30 Years of Eric and Martin’s 000-style Collaboration

The Martin 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary pays tribute to Eric Clapton and Martin’s 30-year partnership, first formed in 1995 after the unprecedented success of Eric’s Unplugged album. This acoustic guitar begins with what’s arguably the most time-honored tonewood configuration in Martin history, sporting a spruce top that’s supported by scalloped X-bracing and East Indian rosewood back and sides. Rich, balanced, and packed with lush overtones, these tonewoods grant the 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary the same sonic power and genre-defying versatility that’s made Martin’s midsize 000 a 6-string classic for more than a century. As for the neck, this 000 wears a genuine mahogany foundation that’s carved into an Authentic 1939 profile, topped with a glassy ebony fingerboard, and finished with GE 42 Snowflake inlays. Topside, the 000-EC forgoes the pearl perimeter of Eric’s original Unplugged 1939 000-42 in favor of an equally alluring herringbone trim and rosette. Topped off with open-gear nickel tuners, a slightly slimmed-down 1.6875-inch nut width, and a classic 24.9-inch scale length to help you nail those “Layla” bends, the Martin 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary is a must-have Martin for any Clapton fan’s 6-string collection.

From Unplugged to ubiquity

From cementing the very foundations of rock guitar with John Mayall and Cream to Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, and his extensive solo career, Eric Clapton has worn many hats in his incalculably influential musical career. The vast majority of this work was cut on a roaring electric guitar, yet Eric traded in his high-power amp stacks and solidbody 6-strings in 1992 for a vintage 1939 Martin 000-42 to record his intimate Unplugged album at MTV studios. The session was a smash hit, helping revitalize Eric Clapton’s career and eventually becoming the highest-selling live album of all time.

The unprecedented success of Unplugged naturally drew the eyes and envy of guitarists everywhere to Eric’s vintage Martin — a model that had been discontinued decades ago. Martin was quick to the punch, teaming up with Eric to release 461 Eric Clapton–signature guitars in 1995 in tribute to Eric’s mid-1970s opus 461 Ocean Boulevard. The model was dubbed the 000-42EC, selling out nearly instantly. Thirty years later, Eric and Martin’s partnership is still going strong, with this 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary model paying tribute to one of the most successful artist collaborations in 6-string history.

Timeless tonewood formula

Back in Martin’s legendary prewar era, a single tonewood combination stood above all others: spruce and rosewood. It was the standard-issue choice for Martin’s most aesthetically extravagant models, from the 28 series all the way up to Eric’s favored 000-42. And while mahogany now (rightfully so) enjoys an equal status in sound compared to rosewood, it’s tough to argue with the sheer visual elegance of finely grained rosewood and the sheer dynamic and expressive range of spruce.

Martin’s 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary model exemplifies this time-tested tradition, starting with a resonant and responsive solid spruce top. Underneath the top, Martin’s scalloped X-bracing recalls the booming bass drawl of the brand’s mythologized prewar models. It’s all topped off with rosewood back and sides that shimmer with crisp top-end chime, dense lows, and a rich harmonic depth that imbues your every note with copious harmonic complexity. Whether you’re plucking out delicate fingerstyle, dishing out high-energy strumming, or copping Eric’s Unplugged licks, this 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary’s time-honored tonewoods do it all in golden-era style.

Well-balanced 000 body shape

Smaller than a dreadnought but by no means a “parlor guitar,” Martin’s 000 body shape is a true 6-string Swiss Army knife, tackling everything from singer/songwriter strumming duties to melodic fingerstyle without batting an eye. City Music’s Martin fanatics champion this shape for its exceptional string-to-string balance and comfortable playability — a byproduct of the 000’s slightly reduced 24.9-inch scale length. All in all, the 000 body shape is an ideal choice for guitarists who clamor for full-bodied Martin tone in a more comfortable, balanced-sounding package.

Martin 000-EC Eric Clapton 30th Anniversary Features:

• Limited-edition model, celebrating 30 years of collaboration between Martin and Eric Clapton
• Spruce top with scalloped X-bracing rings with a clear, lush, and responsive voice
• East Indian rosewood back and sides supply ample bass and shimmering overtones
• 000-size body provides a balanced tone that’s well suited to take on almost any 6-string application
• Genuine mahogany neck in a 1939 Authentic profile that’s based on Eric’s Unplugged vintage Martin
• Ebony fingerboard laden with eye-catching GE 42 Snowflake inlays
• Slightly slimmed-down 1.6875-in. nut width, as per Eric’s preferences
• High-class herringbone trim surrounds the top and rosette
• Classic 000-style 24.9-in. scale length offers a slinkier feel for easy bending
• Old-school nickel open-gear tuners deliver rock-solid stability
• Comes equipped with Clapton’s Choice phosphor bronze strings, with an extra set in the case pocket