Inside the 2006 Eric Clapton Bellezza Bianca Acoustic Martin Guitar
Lucky for me, my father-in-law loves guitar, Eric Clapton, and ’70s rock. That’s how he ended up with a rare Martin 000-ECHF Bellezza Bianca, a limited-edition acoustic guitar from collaborators Eric Clapton, Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, and Martin’s Dick Boak.
Named “White Beauty,” the 2006 model is the fifth limited edition axe in the Clapton signature series and serves as a counterpart to the black “Bellezza Nera” released in 2004.
After trying it, I can only describe the Bellezza Blanca as impossible to resist— not just for its beauty, but its angelic sound. Even though it needed new strings, its reverberance made it sound bigger than its actual size when strumming a simple, open-chord progression. That’s likely attributed to good materials: This guitar is “crafted Engleman spruce woods, with scalloped 5/16” top braces, and a bigleaf flamed maple back and sides,” according to Martin.
I was stoked to learn there are 41 of these guitars in existence, which explains why it’s now worth about $8,000 to $10,000 if you can find one. Secondhand models are snapped up quickly!
Check out these photos from Stuart Bloom Photography.
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But if you can’t shell out for this baby, here are a few other beauties I’d recommend:
#1: Taylor 50th Anniversary 614ce LTD
With its milky-hued transparent white finish, white edgeburst and rich gloss finish, this limited-edition cutaway Grand Auditorium introduces a visually captivating aesthetic to the Taylor line.
#2: Gibson Acoustic Dove Acoustic-electric Guitar – Alpine White
This baby features a beautifully inlaid bridge, double-antiqued multi-ply body binding, and thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish. For these reasons, the Dove captures every aesthetic nuance of its vintage predecessors.
#3: Martin GPC-X1E Special X Series HPL Acoustic-Electric Guitar – White
This guitar offers the tonal depth of traditional tonewoods while providing enhanced durability (and at a super great price).
