Crossroads 2026 | Exclusive Guitars and Accessories

In 1998, Eric Clapton established Crossroads Centre Antigua—an addiction recovery facility in the Caribbean islands. The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a multi-day fundraising event that directly supports the Centre and its ongoing efforts to help individuals overcome the challenges of addiction.

Since 2004, Guitar Center has had the distinct privilege of being the only retail partner of the festival. As such, the 2026 Crossroads Collection is an assortment of exclusive, limited-edition guitars and accessories, from which a significant portion of the proceeds will benefit Crossroads Centre. The Crossroads Collection offers passionate players an opportunity to score one-of-a-kind gear while also contributing to an amazing cause.

2026 Crossroads Collection

Martin Custom Shop 000-42 Ziricote Eric Clapton

What to Know:

• Adirondack spruce top, ziricote back and sides, mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard

• Eric Clapton signature inlay and soundhole label

• Available in 1935 Sunburst and natural finishes, limited to 50 pieces each

The Martin Custom Shop 000-42 Eric Clapton Ziricote acoustic guitar features a deeply resonant body with a beautifully figured woodgrain, an articulate, dynamic spruce top and Golden Era scalloped X-bracing for outstanding clarity and projection. Its shorter 24.9" scale length facilitates fretting and bending, while the Authentic 1939 neck carve offers a comfy, cozy grip. This Custom Shop 000-42 signature further includes Golden Era snowflake inlays, a 1930-style long-saddle bridge and butterbean tuning machines, giving the guitar a historic feel.

Also available is an extremely limited Martin Custom Shop 000-42 Eric Clapton with a Brazilian rosewood body—a rare, holy grail tonewood under strict international protection laws. Martin produces Brazilian rosewood acoustics using legally documented, legacy-certified stocks obtained before CITES restrictions went into effect. Only five of these guitars will be made.

Martin 000-13E Eric Clapton

What to Know:

• Spruce top, ziricote veneer back and sides, select hardwood neck, ebony fingerboard

• Built-in soundhole tuner and pickup

• Available in 1935 Sunburst and Antique Toner finishes

Exclusive to Guitar Center in the United States until January 27, 2027, the Martin 000-13E Eric Clapton acoustic-electric is a more budget-conscious alternative to the Custom Shop model. It’s still based on Clapton’s preferred 000 body style and contains similar personalized touches as the pricier version, including his signature inlaid at the 20th fret (and printed on the soundhole label).

In terms of sheer specs, the 000-13E sports the highly playable Performing Artist neck profile, a 24.9" scale length and Martin E1 electronics for natural-sounding amplified tone. It also comes factory strung with Martin Clapton’s Choice phosphor bronze strings.

Fender Eric Clapton Blind Faith Telecaster

What to Know:

• Double-bound Telecaster Custom body in 3-tone sunburst

• “Brownie” 1956 V neck profile with 7.25" fingerboard radius

• 1963 Telecaster pickups (Alnico 2)

Previously replicated as a Fender Custom Shop model for Crossroads in 2019, this Fender Eric Clapton Blind Faith Telecaster is a tribute to the “parts-caster” he assembled on his kitchen table in 1969 and unveiled with the legendary supergroup for a performance in Hyde Park. Pairing a ’60s Tele Custom body with a 1956 Stratocaster neck—the same neck that would eventually be reunited with its body to become Clapton’s “Brownie,” or “Layla” Strat, which was recreated for Crossroads in 2013—the Blind Faith Telecaster is a delightfully curated guitar with some serious provenance.

Originally, Clapton’s Tele-Strat had “woof tone” wiring that made the neck pickup sound extra bassy and mellow, routing it through a capacitor that rolled off the high frequencies. This recreation ships with standard wiring, but you can swap to vintage-accurate electronics using the included kit and diagram.

The Fender Eric Clapton Blind Faith Telecaster is limited to 130 pieces.

PRS Silver Sky Incline Blue

What to Know:

• Exclusive Incline Blue finish

• Crossroads Sun inlay at the 12th fret

• Commemorative Crossroads 2026 neck plate

John Mayer’s signature PRS Silver Sky receives a limited-edition Crossroads makeover, boasting an eye-catching one-off finish and unique fingerboard inlay. This USA-made Silver Sky is otherwise identical to standard models and features an alder body, 22-fret maple neck with a 7.25"-radius rosewood fingerboard, a PRS-designed steel tremolo, vintage-style locking tuners and a trio of 635JM single-coils. The super saturated Incline Blue finish looks fantastic, and only 70 models are available.

Ernie Ball Eric Clapton 2026 Crossroads Electric Guitar String Tin

What to Know:

• Collectible tin

• Three sets of Slinky 10–46 strings

• Limited to 5,000 pieces

If you want to get in on the collectability of Crossroads Collection exclusives, this Ernie Ball Eric Clapton string tin is the perfect way to honor the moment without breaking the bank. Clapton has played Ernie Ball Slinkys for about 50 years, and this is the first time he’s ever had a “signature” string set. Each tin contains three sets of Ernie Ball Slinky 10–46 strings, and when you’ve run through those, you can use the box to hold picks and other small accessories.

Conclusion

The 2026 Crossroads Collection brings together standout instruments, exclusive designs and a cause that goes well beyond the gear itself. With these pieces available in extremely limited quantities, only at Guitar Center—and with a major share of proceeds benefiting Crossroads Centre Antigua—there’s never been a better time to add something special to your collection.

FAQs About Crossroads

What is Crossroads Centre Antigua?

Crossroads is an internationally recognized, nonprofit addiction rehabilitation facility founded by Eric Clapton in 1998. Its stunning beachside setting, he said, provides “a serene place where one can begin the process of healing from even the most devastating events and life situations.”

Why did Eric Clapton establish Crossroads Centre Antigua?

Clapton has spoken openly about his own recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. After developing a close connection with Antigua and learning more about the island’s need for recovery services, he began planning a treatment center in the early 1990s. His goal was to create a high-quality facility serving people from the Caribbean and around the world, including those who couldn’t otherwise afford treatment.

What is the Crossroads Guitar Festival?

The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a multi-day concert with all profits benefiting Crossroads Centre Antigua. This year’s festival is the seventh one of its kind, with the first having taken place in 1999—not long after the treatment center’s opening.

The 2026 Crossroads Guitar Festival will be held at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on September 26 and 27, and will feature performances by Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., Billy Gibbons, Pete Townshend, Julian Lage and others.

How is the Crossroads Guitar Festival connected to the Centre?

The festival serves as both a celebration of music and a fundraiser for Crossroads Centre Antigua. Many proceeds support the Centre’s treatment scholarship fund, which covers the cost of care for individuals who may be uninsured or otherwise unable to afford it.

What is the Crossroads Foundation?

The foundation is the charitable fundraising side of the Crossroads mission. In the U.S., The Crossroads at Antigua Foundation is an organization that raises awareness and funds projects at the Centre. A related U.K.-registered charity—The Crossroads Antigua Foundation—supports treatment, assisted-care programs and recovery services in Antigua.

What is the relationship between Guitar Center and Crossroads?

In 2004, Guitar Center purchased several instruments from the Crossroads Guitar Auction, including Eric Clapton’s iconic “Blackie” Strat and the 1964 Gibson ES-335 he played in Cream. In the following two years, Guitar Center commissioned a run of replicas from Fender and Gibson, and both became amongst the fastest-selling launches in guitar history.

These successes set the stage for ongoing collaborations with Eric Clapton, and Guitar Center remains the exclusive retail partner of the Crossroads Guitar Festival. This year, we’re setting up The Guitar Center Experience, where festival goers can explore and purchase gear, connect with top brands and more.