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Average Price: $710
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$400
$1001+
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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
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What makes the Fender Esquire different from a Telecaster?
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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.
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Can the Fender Esquire handle a variety of music genres?
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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.
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What is the neck profile like on the Fender Esquire?
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The Fender Esquire features a classic '50s "U" shape neck profile, providing a comfortable grip suitable for both rhythm and lead playing styles.
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Is the Fender Esquire suitable for beginners?
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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.
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How does the 3-way switch on the Fender Esquire work?
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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.
Videos
Normans Rare Guitars
1955 Fender Esquire White Guard | Guitar of the Day
Reviews
PROS
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Unique single-coil sound distinct from Telecaster bridge pickups
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Excellent build quality and playability, praised even by Custom Shop users
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Lightweight design, often under 7 lbs, enhances playability
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Classic 50s aesthetic with vintage finishes and features
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Versatile tonal options with modifiable wiring schemes
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Comfortable neck profiles, praised for rhythm playing and overall comfort
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Reduced string pull from single pickup adds distinctive tonal character
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Offers customization potential for enthusiasts looking to tweak their instrument
CONS
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Stock wiring scheme may not appeal to everyone
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Finish can be too glossy for some, affecting comfort
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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
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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.
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Variations in Esquire wiring and pot configurations can impact sound, indicating not all models produce identical tones.
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The 3-position switch includes different capacitors for varied tones, allowing users to switch between bright and darker presets.
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One popular Esquire circuit includes a dark circuit, standard tone, and the bridge pickup wired directly to the output jack for clarity.
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Mods and upgrades
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Some owners convert their Esquires by adding pickups with coil taps, allowing for multiple coil options and unique tone settings.
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Owners suggest using a Seymour Duncan Secret Weapon pickup under the guard to enhance tonal options while maintaining the Esquire's aesthetic.
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Some owners use an EMG Tele bridge pickup for low tunings, suggesting versatility for baritone Esquire setups.
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Some owners explore adding humbuckers with coil-splitting to expand tonal options while maintaining the Esquire's minimalist setup.
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Use cases and applications
Comparisons
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An Esquire configured with a Seymour Duncan Broadcaster pickup and minimal settings is favored for jazz and practice, highlighting its simplicity in tone exploration.
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The lack of a neck pickup route in MIJ Art Canvas Esquires contrasts with traditional Telecasters, influencing tone options.
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Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 4 Reviews and 35 Ratings
41029
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!
75
I had one of these and of course I regret selling it now - like half the gear I have had.
5339
Are all your teles maple necked?
41029
no, 2 maple, 1 rosewood I think... at one point I had like 3 or 4 maples and 2 rosewoods? I forget.
5339
113
Custom Esquire. No knobs. Rio Grande P90 wired straight to output jack.
Go-to guitar. Beautiful simplicity. Comfortable chunky neck. Flat wounds.
113
Syd Barrett influence
Artist usage
Add artist
According to an article by Luke Ottenhof in Premier Guitar titled "Meet the Hard Quartet, the New Malkmus-Led Supergroup," Matt Sweeney uses a Vintage Fender Esquire as part of his guitar setup for The Hard Quartet.
Fender Esquire was Luther Perkins' main guitar model. He had many of those, but he was most commonly seen with a blonde 1955 Esquire.
"I got to Austin and everybody was playing a Strat, me included. I traded a 1959 Esquire for an all-mahogany Sea Foam Green PRS in ’85. I thought it would be something different. I met Paul Reed Smith at a guitar show in ’87, and he gave me the Gold Top that became my main guitar for many years."
An Esquire is visible behind Rob at 1:31 in this video. It's unknown if this guitar was ever used however it is visible in the background of several Tally Hall videos. It's unknown who actually owned it but it was likely shared by Rob and Joe as several other guitars they used were.
"My main guitar in the band is a reissue MIM 1952 Fender Esquire, and the pickup is a really hot single coil that is wound one way for half of the turns and reverse-wound for the second half. I’m not entirely sure what this means, but I know that it sounds incredible. The forward position on the selector switch on the Esquire (the equivalent of the neck position on a Telecaster) pulls the tone control out of the circuit and also adds a bass boost. I use this position a lot."
Source:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2013/11/11/rigged-whores-guitaristvocalist-christian-lembach/
The image from Mysticbluesfestival shows Matt "Guitar" Murphy playing a Fender Esquire guitar.
David Bazan is confirmed to use a Fender Esquire-style guitar, which he affectionately refers to as "Benny Davis" in honor of his maternal grandfather. This customization includes the addition of a Lollar soapbar P90 pickup. This information is supported by a video on the official Pedro the Lion YouTube channel titled "Meet Benny Davis (Rig Rundown)," where Bazan introduces and discusses the modified instrument.
Edmonds states in this interview that he uses a Fender Esquire.
The Discogs page for Mick Ralphs features a photo of him with his white Fender Esquire, distinguished by its black pickguard and maple neck and fretboard.
In 2001, Ralphs mentioned having a 1957 Fender Esquire in Vintage Guitar interview.
I’ve got an old Fender ’57 Esquire I used to play all the time, then I stopped playing it and I had it hanging around. When I started playing it again I realized it’s a really great guitar.
He elaborated on the guitar in 2013 Music Radar interview.
"This is my old '57 Esquire, which I've had for years and years. I love it to bits. I found it in a shop in LA for $75 or something like that, during the Mott days. But somebody had put a humbucker in the neck position, so when I got it home I took that out and put a plain Fender Esquire plate in to cover up the hole. A '57 Esquire should have an off-white pickguard, but I've got a black one because I thought it looked cooler, like Jeff Beck or whatever. And I've used that ever since. When I first started working with Paul Rodgers it was just him and me initially, writing songs. I played him Can't Get Enough and I'd written it in an open G tuning, which is quite standard. But he said, 'Well, I like the song, but can you change the key?' So we figured out what key was good for him and it ended up being C, and I thought, 'Bloody hell - how do I do this?' I'd tuned the guitar up really high so the open chord was C. And, of course, I was popping strings. Even now it's quite a tight guitar to play, but it just had a certain ring, a certain sound. I used that on Movin' On and Can't Get Enough particularly.
According to an article by Luke Ottenhof in Premier Guitar titled "Meet the Hard Quartet, the New Malkmus-Led Supergroup," Emmett Kelly uses a 1957 Fender Esquire as part of his guitar setup for The Hard Quartet.
As stated on page 87 of the March 1980 issue of International Musician and Recording World, an Esquire was Montrose's main guitar for Open Fire. He later sold it to Carlos 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.
Album Usage
The Fender Esquire has been featured on the following albums:
Can't Get Enough: A Tribute To Bad Company
Bad Company (2025)
Saviors (édition de luxe)
Green Day (2025)
Saviors
Green Day (2024)
Santa Cruz
Pedro the Lion (2024)
Noviembre
Los Bunkers (2023)
The Legendary B.B. King
B.B. King (2021)
Live At Red Rocks
Bad Company (2018)
Barrett
Syd Barrett (2016)
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett (2016)
Going Back Home
Roger Daltrey & Wilko Johnson (2014)
Irish Tour '74 (Live / 40th Anniversary Edition)
Rory Gallagher (2014)
21st Century Breakdown
Green Day (2009)
American Idiot (Deluxe)
Green Day (2004)
The Extremist
Joe Satriani (1992)
Hot Space
Queen (1982)
It's Hard
The Who (1982)
The Wall
Pink Floyd (1979)
Open Fire
Ronnie Montrose (1978)
Seasons In The Sun (Expanded Edition)
Terry Jacks (1974)
Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (1968)
A Saucerful of Secrets
Pink Floyd (1968)
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Pink Floyd (1967)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Super Deluxe Edition)
The Beatles (1967)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fender Esquire, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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