About the Guitar:
Ritchie initially started out playing a black Framus Spanish acoustic guitar, which he modified with homemade pickups. Years later he purchases a Hofner Club 50 and later replaced it with a cherry red Gibson ES335. He played the Gibson from the beginning of his Joe Meek era until the In Rock sessions. Around 1970 he became fascinated with the Fender Stratocaster for its sound and degree of difficulty. Not to mention the vibrato that Jim Hendrix used to get out of Strats. Reportedly Eric Clapton gave Ritchie his first Strat. One with a warped neck!
Since his introduction to Fender Stratocaster electric guitars, they have become his hallmark instrument. White is the color of choice, but he has played natural colored Strats on occasions. The necks are made of maple with the rosewood fingerboard scalloped between the frets for vibrato. He replaces the stock Fender machine head for Schaller heads. The middle pickup is bolted down even with the pick guard. The action on the vibrato unit is adjusted by incorporating four springs to allow the bar to be pulled up and pushed down.
This guitar was custom made for Richie Blackmore and was featured in Guitar World Magazine in February 1991.
After the photo shooting session for this article he offered this guitar to a friend as christmas present.
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