Clapton guitar auctioned for $60,000

The guitar Eric Clapton played last year at his Slowhand at 70 concert at London's Royal Albert Hall has sold for $60,000 at a charity auction.

Eric Clapton, center, performs during his "70th Birthday Celebration" concert at Madison Square Garden Source: AAP

A guitar owned by British singer-songwriter Eric Clapton has sold at auction for $US45,000 ($A60,000) and the proceeds will be used to pay the medical bills of a Texas musician whose wife recently died of leukemia.

Heritage Auctions in Dallas said in a statement on Saturday the high bid for the 2014 Fender Stratocaster electric guitar was telephoned.

Heritage spokesman Eric Bradley says the bidder requested anonymity, but the bid was more than twice what was expected.

It was one of two guitars Clapton played last year at his Slowhand at 70 concert at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Money from the auction will help Johnny Nicholas cover medical bills from his wife's leukemia treatment and support leukemia research.

Nicholas is a member of the Grammy Award-winning band Asleep at the Wheel.