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Average Price: $820

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Description

Step back into the golden era of rock 'n' roll with the Fender Esquire, a guitar that embodies the pioneering spirit of the early 1950s. This legendary instrument is more than just a piece of history; it's a dynamic tool for modern musicians seeking that unmistakable vintage sound. With its distinctive single-pickup design, the Esquire offers a unique tonal palette through a custom-wired 3-way switching system. This setup allows you to explore everything from bright, shimmering highs to rich, mellow lows by simply flicking a switch.

The Esquire is crafted with a solid ash body, providing a resonant and balanced tone. Its comfortable C-shaped maple neck and 21 vintage-style frets make it a joy to play, whether you're strumming open chords or bending notes in a soaring solo. The vintage-style 3-saddle string-through-body bridge ensures stable tuning and a clear, bell-like sustain that has made this guitar a favorite among iconic players over the decades.

Whether you're drawn to its historical significance or its raw, unfiltered sound, the Fender Esquire is a formidable choice for any guitarist looking to capture the essence of the early electric guitar era. Its timeless design and versatile capabilities ensure that it's not just a relic of the past, but a continuing legend in the world of music.

Key Features:

  • Solid ash body for resonant tone
  • C-shaped maple neck with 21 vintage-style frets
  • Vintage-style single-coil Telecaster pickup with alnico magnets
  • Custom-wired 3-position blade switching
  • Vintage-style 3-saddle string-through-body bridge
  • Maple fingerboard with 7.25" radius
  • Fender/Ping vintage-style tuning machines
  • Includes deluxe gig bag

Product specs

Brand Fender
Model Classic Series '50s Esquire
Finish 2-Color Sunburst, Black, White Blonde
Year 2005 - 2016
Made In Mexico
Categories Solid Body Electric Guitars
Body Material Ash
Body Shape T-Style
Body Type Solid Body
Bridge/Tailpiece Type String-Through
Color Family Black, Brown, White
Finish Pattern Sunburst
Finish Style Gloss
Fretboard Material Maple
Fretboard Radius 7.25"
Model Family Fender Esquire
Neck Construction Bolt-On
Neck Material Maple
Number of Frets 21
Number of Strings 6-String
Nut Width 1.625"
Offset Body Non-Offset Body
Pickup Configuration S
Right / Left Handed Right Handed
Scale Length 25.5"
Series Fender Classic Series

FAQs

What makes the Fender Esquire different from a Telecaster?

The Fender Esquire is unique due to its single pickup design, whereas the Telecaster typically has two pickups. This configuration gives the Esquire a distinct, raw tone and relies on a 3-way switch to modify the single pickup's output.

Can the Fender Esquire handle a variety of music genres?

Yes, the Fender Esquire's versatile single-coil pickup and tone control options make it suitable for genres like rock, blues, and country, offering a bright, punchy sound.

What is the neck profile like on the Fender Esquire?

The Fender Esquire features a classic '50s "U" shape neck profile, providing a comfortable grip suitable for both rhythm and lead playing styles.

Is the Fender Esquire suitable for beginners?

While the Fender Esquire's single-pickup setup is straightforward, its vintage-style features and unique tone control may be more appealing to players with some experience looking for a specific sound.

How does the 3-way switch on the Fender Esquire work?

The 3-way switch on the Fender Esquire modifies the tone of the single bridge pickup, offering different tonal options by routing the pickup's output through various circuit paths.

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

1955 Fender Esquire White Guard | Guitar of the Day

Video thumbnail for 1955 Fender Esquire White Guard | Guitar of the Day by Normans Rare Guitars

1955 Fender Esquire White Guard | Guitar of the Day

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Video thumbnail for The Fender Esquire: A Short History by five watt world

The Fender Esquire: A Short History

five watt world

five watt world

Video thumbnail for What Is An Esquire For? by StuartRyanMusic

What Is An Esquire For?

StuartRyanMusic

StuartRyanMusic

Video thumbnail for 1958 Fender Esquire VS 70th Anniversary Fender Esquire. (Brand New vs Brand Old) by Robert Baker

1958 Fender Esquire VS 70th Anniversary Fender Esquire. (Brand New vs Brand Old)

Robert Baker

Robert Baker

Video thumbnail for Fender 1963 Esquire | Guitar of the Day - RARE GUITAR!!! by Normans Rare Guitars

Fender 1963 Esquire | Guitar of the Day - RARE GUITAR!!!

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Video thumbnail for 1955 Fender Esquire | Guitar of the Day - From Norm's Warehouse! by Normans Rare Guitars

1955 Fender Esquire | Guitar of the Day - From Norm's Warehouse!

Normans Rare Guitars

Normans Rare Guitars

Video thumbnail for 1957 Fender Esquire played by Tyler Bryant by Carter Vintage Guitars

1957 Fender Esquire played by Tyler Bryant

Carter Vintage Guitars

Carter Vintage Guitars

Video thumbnail for The Ultimate Rock Guitar? Fender Esquire by The Studio Rats

The Ultimate Rock Guitar? Fender Esquire

The Studio Rats

The Studio Rats

Video thumbnail for This Vintage '56 Fender Esquire is DISGUSTING!! by NEO Guitar Concepts

This Vintage '56 Fender Esquire is DISGUSTING!!

NEO Guitar Concepts

NEO Guitar Concepts

Reviews

PROS

  • Unique single-coil sound distinct from Telecaster bridge pickups

  • Excellent build quality and playability, praised even by Custom Shop users

  • Lightweight design, often under 7 lbs, enhances playability

  • Classic 50s aesthetic with vintage finishes and features

  • Versatile tonal options with modifiable wiring schemes

  • Comfortable neck profiles, praised for rhythm playing and overall comfort

  • Reduced string pull from single pickup adds distinctive tonal character

  • Offers customization potential for enthusiasts looking to tweak their instrument

CONS

  • Stock wiring scheme may not appeal to everyone

  • Finish can be too glossy for some, affecting comfort

  • Smaller frets may not suit players used to larger ones

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender Esquire.

Features and functionality

  • A 4-way switch on the Esquire offers "Volume only," "Volume & Tone," and "1/2 and 1/4 cocked wah" options for varied tonal versatility.

    Source
  • Variations in Esquire wiring and pot configurations can impact sound, indicating not all models produce identical tones.

    Source
  • The 3-position switch includes different capacitors for varied tones, allowing users to switch between bright and darker presets.

    Source
  • One popular Esquire circuit includes a dark circuit, standard tone, and the bridge pickup wired directly to the output jack for clarity.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Some owners convert their Esquires by adding pickups with coil taps, allowing for multiple coil options and unique tone settings.

    Source
  • Owners suggest using a Seymour Duncan Secret Weapon pickup under the guard to enhance tonal options while maintaining the Esquire's aesthetic.

    Source
  • Some owners use an EMG Tele bridge pickup for low tunings, suggesting versatility for baritone Esquire setups.

    Source
  • Some owners explore adding humbuckers with coil-splitting to expand tonal options while maintaining the Esquire's minimalist setup.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Users find that having an Esquire encourages focusing on technique, as the single pickup setup limits distractions from switching settings.

    Source
  • Exclusive use of bridge pickups can still achieve desired tones if paired with a suitable amp, highlighting amp compatibility as key.

    Source

Comparisons

  • An Esquire configured with a Seymour Duncan Broadcaster pickup and minimal settings is favored for jazz and practice, highlighting its simplicity in tone exploration.

    Source
  • The lack of a neck pickup route in MIJ Art Canvas Esquires contrasts with traditional Telecasters, influencing tone options.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners with varied Esquires report satisfaction, even using hidden pickups for stealthy tonal expansion without altering aesthetics.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Fender 70th Anniversary Esquire Review | GuitarPlayer

guitarplayer.com

The Fender 70th Anniversary Esquire is a nostalgic nod to a classic design, capturing the essence of Fender's groundbreaking single-pickup guitar. Praised for its light and resonant nature, the Esquire offers a broad tonal range thanks to its old-school electronics, despite having just one pickup. The flawless nitro finish adds to its charm. However, the necessity to remove the neck to adjust the truss rod is a minor inconvenience. Overall, this guitar stands as a fitting tribute to a historic model, celebrated for its vibrant sound and vintage appeal.

positive

Fender’s 70th Anniversary Esquire | Vintage Guitar® magazine

vintageguitar.com

Fender's 70th Anniversary Esquire is a masterful blend of homage and innovation. It retains the iconic single-pickup charm of the 1950 original but modernizes it with a roasted pine body for improved resonance and stability. The beefy maple neck and vintage-style frets offer a nostalgic playing experience, while the Tim Shaw-designed pickup delivers a unique, punchy sound. However, purists might seek thicker strings for that truly vintage tone. The nitrocellulose finish and vibrant color options add to its allure. Overall, it's a fitting tribute to a classic, with a few modern twists.

positive
Add

5.0 out of 5

Based on 4 Reviews and 35 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
jimmarchi1

Pretty solid stock guitar fr the buck.

This is a Mexi-made Esquire. Swamp-ash body, maple neck, etc. Pretty much a classic 50s telecaster with 1 pickup and the esquire's wonky wiring. But the wiring scheme is part of the charm of an esquire as is the reduced string pull from just 1 pickup that makes these guitars just a touch meaner than their big brothers. This guitar has a well-applied Polyurethane white-blonde finish that is too glossy for my taste. Feels weird under my forearm. The neck is finished in vintage tinted poly and is fairly glossy, but in a good way. I never seem to stick to it even when I get sweaty.

My 3 star review is based on how I got this esquire stock. Its really a 4.5 star after some tweaking. An Angeltone 1950B pickup went in the bridge and I switched the stock steel barrels for a set of Hipshot compensated brass saddles. That seemed to bring the guitar to life plugged in. I didn't feel that the stock parts put forward its midrangey voice unplugged.

She doesn't have an official name but I often refer to her as Mary (as in Mary Kaye cosmetics, even though she is not truly Mary Kaye) or the Deathsquire (mine has a black bakelite pickguard installed by the previous owner) because she wears more black than any of my other guitars. Tré funereal, Baron Samedi!

From Gear Setup
andrew_moran

I had one of these and of course I regret selling it now - like half the gear I have had.

skylinerr

Are all your teles maple necked?

jimmarchi1

no, 2 maple, 1 rosewood I think... at one point I had like 3 or 4 maples and 2 rosewoods? I forget.

skylinerr

great

a 2000s mexi esquire refinished in black modded from stock with kluson tuners a white 7 hole pickguard with 2 strat single coils (neck and middle position) making a 3 pickup esquire/tele/strat and I had to get it a 5 way selector

Genres:
weepo
weepo

3565

My favorite guitar!

I have a custom build of the Esquire with a snakehead neck. I love the bright tone of this pickup. And the minimalism!

otto_van_carr

Custom Esquire. No knobs. Rio Grande P90 wired straight to output jack.

Go-to guitar. Beautiful simplicity. Comfortable chunky neck. Flat wounds.

otto_van_carr

Syd Barrett influence

Artist usage

Add artist
See how David Gilmour uses Fender Esquire

David Gilmour

Guitarist

Pink Floyd

...
Verified via Photo

This ’55 Esquire was used on the recording of David’s first solo album, and on the “The Wall” recording sessions. It has a custom fitted neck pickup which was installed by Seymour Duncan – who sold this guitar to David in the first place. David nicknamed this guitar “The Workmate” because of its worn color.

See how Billie Joe Armstrong uses Fender Esquire

Billie Joe Armstrong

Guitarist, Singer

Green Day

...
Verified via Guitarplayer

This guitar was used on 21st Century Breakdown, as Billie Joe says in this Guitar Player interview.

"I also got some great sounds with my ’52 Fender Esquire though a Divided by 13 combo—we used that amp a lot on this record."

See how Paul McCartney uses Fender Esquire

Paul McCartney

Singer, Bassist

The Beatles

...
Verified via Photo

Paul McCartney played a Fender Esquire on the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album, notably on the title track and "Good Morning Good Morning," as shown in the photo from Thecanteen.

See how Noel Gallagher uses Fender Esquire

Noel Gallagher

Singer, Guitarist

Oasis

...
Verified via Photo

In a 2011 interview, when asked what guitars he's been playing on tour with High Flying Birds, the interviewer asks Noel Gallagher about his 1960s Fender Telecasters. Noel corrects him and says, "Oh, you must mean the Esquire. I played it on Dream On, The Death Of You And Me, Soldier Boys And Jesus Freaks and…Broken Arrow, as well, I think."

Original interview here.

See how Brian May uses Fender Esquire

Brian May

Singer, Guitarist

Queen

...
Verified via YouTube

Brian played this guitar during the "Back Chat" recording sessions and shooting music video of this song :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6QGP0OUaV4

See how Joe Satriani uses Fender Esquire

Joe Satriani

Guitarist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified via Vintageguitar

Satriani has been making heavy use of this ’58 Fender Esquire since recording the 1992 album The Extremist.

See how Billy Gibbons uses Fender Esquire

Billy Gibbons

Guitarist

ZZ Top

...
Verified via YouTube

"The spare for the main is pretty much an identical guitar. Although this one is a Fender Esquire, it's still John Bolin made. It's Gibson scaled. The only difference is that it does not have Glendale saddles, it has six saddles and it's stringed through the body, not a top-loading bridge. It's firstly the same guitar I consider it the same guitar, and it's only used if something goes wrong with the main Tele guitar," says Billy Gibbson's guitar tech about the Fender '50s Esquire Electric Guitar.

See how Carlos Santana uses Fender Esquire

Carlos Santana

Guitarist

Santana

...
Verified

As stated on page 87 of the March 1980 issue of International Musician and Recording World, Ronnie Montrose sold the Esquire he used on Open Fire to Santana in early 1980.

"On my solo LP I just used a little amp and a fuzz (tone). The main instrument I used was a Fender Esquire that I just sold to Carlos Santana." Montrose shrugs his shoulders. "I'm not into flash," he emphasizes.

See how Jeff Beck uses Fender Esquire

Jeff Beck

Guitarist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified via guitarworld

During his tenure with the Yardbirds, Beck used the famed blonde ’54 Fender Esquire with a shaved bass bout. Beck bought this guitar from John Walker of the Walker Bros in the mid Sixties and (regretfully) traded it to Seymour Duncan for a heavily modified Fender Telecaster.

See how B.B. King uses Fender Esquire

B.B. King

Guitarist

The Louisiana Gator Boys

...
Verified via Photo

B.B. King is shown on this album cover for "The Modern Recordings 1950-1951" with a Fender Esquire.

See how J Mascis uses Fender Esquire

J Mascis

Singer, Guitarist

Dinosaur Jr

...
Verified via Freesofree

GC: How many guitars do you have and do you have a preference for new or vintage?

Mascis: I'm more of a vintage kind of guy. I don't know how many guitars. Over 30. I like the new little Baby Taylor guitar. I've got three Jazzmasters and a Tele and two Esquires. I have a bunch of Gibsons with P90s. I've got a Les Paul and four Les Paul Jr.s. The P90 is my favorite pickup.

See how Chris Shiflett uses Fender Esquire

Chris Shiflett

Guitarist

Foo Fighters

...
Verified via guitarworld

And I bought an Esquire and an old Sixties Tele from him. If I’m looking at a vintage guitar, I’ll usually take a picture of it, text it to him, and go, 'Should I get this thing?' He knows so much more about guitars than I do.

Used With

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