Martin Custom Shop 000-42 Eric Clapton Signature Brazilian Rosewood Acoustic Guitar - Natural

The culmination of three decades of collaboration between one of music's most influential guitarists and a true icon of American acoustic guitar making, the Martin Custom Shop 000-42 Eric Clapton Brazilian Rosewood is a striking showcase of rare tonewoods and handcrafted artistry, hand-signed by Slowhand himself and limited to just five instruments worldwide. Created in honor of Eric's long-running Crossroads Guitar Festival, this Guitar Center Exclusive starts with a coveted combination of solid Adirondack spruce and solid Brazilian rosewood—highly prized among aficionados for its rich resonance, harmonic complexity and remarkable clarity. An Authentic 1939 profile mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard deliver a refined, vintage-inspired playing experience, complemented by Golden Era scalloped bracing and a 1930-style belly bridge with glued-in long saddle. Exquisite Style 42 appointments, a signature Eric Clapton abalone fingerboard inlay and a personally signed soundhole label and certificate of authenticity complete an extraordinary Custom Shop creation that celebrates Martin and Eric’s rich musical partnership.

000 Body: The Heart of Eric Clapton's Acoustic Legacy

The smaller-bodied 000 has been a fixture of Eric Clapton's acoustic collection since the 1970s. His vintage 1939 Martin 000-42 played a defining role in his landmark 1992 MTV Unplugged appearance, helping cement the 000 as a lasting part of his acoustic sound onstage, in the studio and as a songwriting instrument. The Custom Shop 000-42 Eric Clapton pays tribute to that legendary guitar, pairing its comfortable proportions and balanced response with an articulate voice equally suited to nuanced fingerstyle work and expressive strumming. Inside, Golden Era scalloped X-bracing crafted from Adirondack spruce allows the top to respond freely, bringing impressive projection, clarity and dynamic sensitivity to the compact 000 format.

Rare Brazilian Rosewood Body and Adirondack Spruce Top

Exceptionally rare and prized by generations of players and luthiers, Brazilian rosewood gives the 000-42 Eric Clapton a rich tonal foundation, pairing deep, piano-like lows and ringing trebles with long sustain and a complex spectrum of harmonics that bloom around each note. A solid Adirondack spruce top complements that richness with impressive headroom, articulation and dynamic range, responding sensitively to a light touch while retaining power and definition when driven harder. Together, these premium tonewoods give the compact 000 a voice of impressive depth and dimension, balancing the harmonic richness of Brazilian rosewood with the immediacy and dynamic authority of Adirondack spruce.

Authentic 1939 Mahogany Neck for a Vintage-Inspired Playing Feel

A genuine mahogany neck with Martin's Authentic 1939 profile gives the 000-42 Eric Clapton a substantial, vintage-inspired feel informed by one of the company's most revered eras. Its shorter 24.9" scale provides a slightly more relaxed string feel for comfortable fretting and expressive bends, while a 1.69" bone nut and 2.125" bridge string spacing offer familiar, versatile proportions. A bound ebony fingerboard provides a smooth, durable playing surface across all 20 frets, and each instrument is Plek'd for exceptional fret consistency and precise playability. A traditional dovetail neck joint completes a carefully considered neck design rooted in Martin's historic construction methods.

Golden Era Craftsmanship With Signature Appointments

Martin's Golden Era aesthetic comes to life through exquisite Style 42 snowflake inlays, abalone top trim, a Style 45 multi-stripe rosette, grained ivoroid binding and ornate Golden Era back purfling. A solid headstock with an Authentic 1939 taper and ebony headplate continues the prewar-inspired design, complemented by gold enclosed-gear tuners with classic butterbean knobs and an ebony 1930-style belly bridge with a glued-in long bone saddle. Eric’s presence is woven into the instrument through a signature abalone inlay, Clapton's Choice phosphor bronze strings and an individually numbered soundhole label signed by the artist himself. A signed certificate of authenticity and premium Harptone case accompany each guitar, adding the final touches to its premium Custom Shop presentation.

An Exclusive 000-42 Celebrating Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival

Since its launch in 2004, Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival has brought together generations of acclaimed guitarists while raising funds for the Crossroads Centre, the addiction treatment facility the Grammy winner founded in Antigua. Guitar Center has supported the festival for more than two decades, helping unite artists, guitar makers and music fans around its mission. Created in celebration of that longstanding relationship, this Guitar Center Exclusive 000-42 continues the tradition, with a significant portion of the proceeds from each guitar benefiting the Crossroads Centre. Limited to just five instruments worldwide, the Martin Custom Shop 000-42 Eric Clapton Brazilian Rosewood is a handcrafted masterpiece that celebrates the Grammy winner's enduring legacy, Martin's time-honored artistry and the power of music to give back.