275 Fender(R) Custom Shop Tribute Series Eric Clapton BLACKIE(R) Stratocaster(R) Guitars Sell Out in Only 7 Hours on Black Friday

The Fender Custom Shop made history when 275 Fender Custom Shop
Tribute Series BLACKIE Stratocaster guitars, meticulously handcrafted
by Fender's renowned Custom Shop Master Builders, sold out GLOBALLY in
less than 7 hours. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the
legendary artist's Crossroads Centre in Antigua. The Crossroads Centre
is an internationally recognized treatment center for addiction,
founded by Clapton.

Only 275 guitars earmarked for the global market were offered for
sale starting Friday, November 24, 2006 at precisely 10 a.m. EST, 9
a.m. CST, 8 a.m. MST and 7 a.m. PST, and were sold strictly on a
first-come, first-served basis though global authorized retail
locations. Within the two minutes, 106 of the recreated BLACKIE(R)
guitars had been sold to eager USA aficionados, each at an MSRP price
of $24,000 USD. In less than 7 hours, the remaining guitars were
completely sold!

"I am delighted to hear that the replica of BLACKIE, which was a
guitar very special to me, has proved to be such a success and that
the project will help support The Crossroads Centre, Antigua and in
particular the new transitional living facility that Crossroads is in
the process of acquiring in Delray Beach, Florida," said Eric Clapton.

BLACKIE, a mid-1950s Fender(R) Stratocaster(R) guitar pieced
together by Clapton himself from numerous individual Fender guitars,
was Clapton's main instrument throughout the 1970s and '80s. Clapton's
albums 461 Ocean Boulevard, Slowhand, No Reason to Cry and Just One
Night, among others, were all recorded with BLACKIE(R). In addition to
memorable solo tours, Clapton and BLACKIE(R) shared the stage with
Pete Townshend, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters and The
Band.

This historic addition to the Fender Custom Shop Tribute Series
replicated BLACKIE down to the smallest of details -- from the
worn-to-the-wood body, to the neck re-shaped by Eric's hand as he
played a thousand heartfelt solos, to the unmistakable cigarette burns
on the headstock.

When Clapton envisioned his Crossroads Centre, now an
internationally renowned treatment facility for addiction disorders in
Antigua, he offered his famed "BLACKIE" Fender Stratocaster for sale
at auction through the prestigious Christie's auctioneers. The auction
was held on June 24, 2004, in New York City. There, it was purchased
for $959,500 USD -- one of the highest prices on record ever paid for
a guitar. A leading sponsor of Clapton's landmark "Crossroads"
festival in Dallas, TX, brought the guitar to Fender's Custom Shop in
Corona, California, where Fender's experienced Master Builders
meticulously measured it millimeter by millimeter, analyzing every
part of the original BLACKIE(R). Their precision extended to
reproducing the legendary distressed #50 "Duck Bros" road case
complete with stenciled London phone number 01 486 8056 and
artificially aging the finish to ensure an authentic vintage look.
Clapton himself approved this incredible accomplishment, as indicated
on a Certificate of Authenticity personally signed by Eric Clapton
himself.

Commenting on the success of the BLACKIE(R) project, Andy Rossi,
Senior Vice President - Global Sales and Marketing for Fender Musical
Instruments Corporation, stated, "All of us at Fender(R) are proud to
have this iconic instrument added to our ever growing list of Tribute
Series guitars that include Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Number One', Jeff
Beck's Esquire and Muddy Water's Telecaster(R). BLACKIE is truly one
of the most sought after Stratocaster(R) guitars in the world."

Based on high consumer demand for instantly collectable guitars,
the Fender Custom Shop Tribute Series Master Craftsmen are already
hard at work on their 2007 spring edition. For more information
visit... www.fender.com