Originally Posted by: michaelwharris

I have a Mesa Boogie Fillmore 50 and today I finally got my hands on my dream Strat, the Eric Clapton Arist Edition. Admittedly, I haven't ever spent a lot of time fiddling with knobs on a guitar, but I'd really like to get that warm, mellow, slow blues sound that Clapton is know for on songs like Driftin'.[/quote][p]Clapton's tone on the versions of Driftin' I've heard sound mostly like the Strat's middle pickup into a Fender style amp turned up just enough for a little gritty breakup.

That Mesa model is vintage voiced enough to get close.

This version sounds like the middle pickup & a wah pedal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sO-XP-ur1s

This version sounds like the Blackie Strat with the bridge and or middle pickup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5pPoxEZmtQ

[quote=michaelwharris]Any tips you can provide on where I should position the knobs on the guitar to get close to that sound would be appreciated.

[p]Middle pickup, tone knob on 10. The real trick here is to turn the volume knob down for the verses & fills in between the vocals lines, then trun it up to 10 for the solo licks.

Watch & listen to this performance. Not the same song, but you get a much better look at the pickup selector switch & Clapton's use of dynamics & volume.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9BUXsa55hg

I have a tutorial in my old GF1 that covers the function of the pickups, switch & knobs on a Strat.

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10701

Hope that helps!