“I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. It was like seeing an instrument from outer space. I said to myself, ‘That’s the future – that’s what I want’": The story of Eric Clapton’s Cream guitars

When Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton were putting together Cream in summer 1966, Eric had with him his Les Paul. In a London club in August he played a cherry double‑cut Les Paul Special borrowed from support group The Clayton Squares. Marijke and Simon painted colourful scenes and swirls all over the guitar, which Cream fans know as ‘The Fool’ guitar. “It was like seeing an instrument from outer space, and I said to myself: ‘That’s the future – that’s what I want.’ Eric recalled then that he’d bought it when he was still with The Yardbirds.