Description
This Fender Esquire White Refinish was built around the middle of 1957, with a neck dated to June. The Esquire was almost always a single-pickup model, with a very few double pickup versions made around 1950. Later, it was not uncommon for players to get a neck pickup and Telecaster pickguard and install them.
Making its debut appearance in Fender Catalog No. 2 and importantly at the 1950 Chicago NAMM show, the Fender Esquire did not immediately take the world by storm; it was too unusual compared to the hollowbody electrics then standard.
This example plays well, and has a less chunky soft V-profile neck than earlier 50's models. It has been recently set up and is in good working order. The body finish is not original, and there is significant fret and fingerboard finish wear. At some points, a neck pickup was installed with standard wiring. That pickup is included.
Sold with its original tweed hard shell case, and a newer Fender 'Poodle' style case. The original case contains the strap, but the Poodle case contains the bridge cover, capacitor-resistor network, and a neck pickup.
More photos are available on request.
Construction and Materials
The Fender Esquire, Broadcaster, 'NoCaster' and Telecaster share the same Ash body and Maple neck with rear Walnut truss rod cover insert, and the difference in model comes from the name and installed electronics.
The Broadcaster and NoCaster didn't last long. Gretsch quickly pointed out that they were actively using the Broadcaster name for a drum set line, so Fender clipped the model name off the Broadcaster decals, creating the NoCaster. But by mid 1951, the name Telecaster was settled, new decals were in stock, and both the Telecaster and the Esquire appeared at the 1951 Chicago show.
Importantly, to save production costs, Esquire and Telecaster bodies are both routed for a neck pickup and its wiring.
For hardware, the Fender Esquire has a set of Kluson Deluxe Saf-T-Post tuners and a single string tree at the head. The bridge is the 'Fender Patent Pending' tray style with three steel saddles. The pickguard is a blank white single layer.
The electronics consist of one original bridge pickup, a three way switch, volume, and tone. The tone control is only in circuit in the switch's middle position. The switch positions are bridge pickup only with volume control, middle position bridge pickup with tone control, and finally bridge pickup only the volume control, running through a capacitor to reduce highs and simulate a bass.
The body finish is not original, the neck finish is original. The body refinish was long ago.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: Esquire
- Instrument Manufacturer: Fender
- Instrument year: 1957
- Instrument Finish: White Refinish
- Instrument Class: Solidbody Electric Guitars
- Instrument serial number: -21252, neck date 6-57, built during 1957 at the original plant in Fullerton, CA
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Good
- Right-handed
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 7.854 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 3.56 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 25.5 in
- Scale Length Metric: 647.7mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.624 in
- Nut Width Metric: 41.27 mm
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Items in Case: Strap, bridge cover, treble cut circuit, neck pickup
- Case Type: Two cases. Original rectangular tweed, newer Fender Poodle style
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190730
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |