Eric Clapton's $1 Million 'Blackie' Guitar Moves to Times Square

The world’s second-most expensive guitar is taking up residence in New York this week. Guitar Center is putting Blackie, Eric Clapton’s legendary Stratocaster, on permanent display at its new flagship store at 218 W. 44th Street in Times Square. The store opens Thursday, Aug. 7, and also features a “boutique” pedal shop, a team of craftsmen who will build you a custom Fender instrument, and 28,000 square feet of guitars, drums, keyboards, and DJ gear.

Guitar Center purchased Blackie at a Christie’s auction 10 years ago for $959,540, making it at the time the world’s most valuable guitar. So it remained until last December, when Christie’s sold the Stratocaster that Bob Dylan played at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival for $965,000 to an unnamed buyer.