Fender Classic Series 50's Esquire

My 50's Esquire features a gloss black polyurethene finish, pretty much everything is a vintage Telecaster exacpt the fact that it does not have a neck pickup. And what would usually select the pickup combinations switches between your three tonal cercuits: (neck) Dark Tone Cercuit, (middle) Regular Tele Tone cercuit and (bridge) Total Tone Bypass. Vintage tuners and bridge with steel sadles, dome top knobs, single ply white pickguard, vintage sised fret wire. the neck is a smooth and slim C shape comforatable from pretty much everything. Made in Mexico, ash body and single peice maple neck. I give this a 9 because although it lacks features the ones that is does have are soo incredibly good its scary

This Fender 50's Esquier is as simple as it gets, and its sound and tonal range is alot smaller than alot of other guitars, although this single pickup plank screams like a voodoo demon from hell! I play heavy blues rock with a bit of psychadellica in the style of Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, Cream and The Jeff Beck Group, pretty much anything in that vein. I am also greatly influenced by alot of blues atrists such as Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters to name a few. This guitar can nail pretty much all of these tones like jesus! When in the the total bypass setting you can get pretty much all early Led Zeppelin and Yardbirds tones. Unplugged this thing is lively and responsive, probably becasue of the Ash body, its got a bright snappy tone as well, the maple neck probably adds to this. With the tone engaged its just like a normal tele. And then there is the dark setting which again bypasses the tone cercuit and uses a capacitator to roll of most of the highs. This guitar, at the price i got it at, is perfect for pretty much all 60's music, pop, blues, rock and psychadellica it can pretty much cover most genres of musical styles with a little tweaking. I use this guitar through a Marshall MG50DFX, and sometimes my mates blues junior with usually only a Vox wah and a little Guyatone fuzz pedal too add some sonic spice. Being a fender 50's style single coil it can get some 50's cylce hum happening when used with a fuzz pedal (in most tone settings), it is usually surprisingly quiet though which i was quite pleased with. As it is a single coil in the bridge of a fender this thing is clear and distinct yet not thin, it sparkles and jangles but its not tinny, you can get all your tele bridge pickup kicks with the steroetypical bright tele "twang". Although that is not all this guitar can do! with the tone cercuit controlled by the pickup selector you can get a wide variety of tones and sounds, the dark tone cercuit can be good clean for some nice jazzy tunes or soft strummy songs, the middle postition is your regular tone cercuit so you can do anyhting from quiet blues to heavier Led Zeppelin and the like, the total bypass setting is insane to say the least, this thing should be illegal it can totally scream with some good pushing of the amp or a fuzz pedal. If you love a bit of treble THIS IS YOUR GUITAR! Alough it may not be as versatile as say a Les Paul, Stratocaster or Telecaster it still holds its own somewhat distinct personality that can still cover a broad spectrum of tones.

The store I baught this from sets up all their guitars prior to selling, or even hanging on the wall so i'm not sure what the action was like form the factory but its pretty darn good now. This guitar was ordered into the store by someone who then decided they didnt want it and so it has been lying in there for a while, i dont know why that person wouldnt have baught it! Being my first foray into a 'real' Fender i couldn't be more happy, this thing was put together with care and i have yet to find any serious flaws in its fit or finish, there was a little dent in the top of the fretboard past the 21st fret and its hardly noticable, too small to be bothered about, and the routing for the bridge pickup was a little too much cause you can see down there on the side of the bridge, once again only a very small amount nothing to worry about. The tuning pegs are a tad shoddy and seem to slip a bit, but they are made in china so what do you expect, and the price i got this baby at i cant complain i can always replace them later with some decent goto's or 'fender deluxe' thingys i aint to ticked off. Everthing else is pretty damn top notch and this guitars pretty hard to diss. I'm impressed!

This guitar could be run over by a f**king truck and still be able to deafen someone, i have no doubt this could withstand the rigours of touring and playing live every night for 50 years. All the hardware is solid and apears to be good quality, the only thing i can fault is the tuning pegs as they dont seem to hold tune as good as other guitars i've played, but then again i think its got .009's on it at the moment and i usually play with .010's. This suckers covered in a black polyuruthene finish that will definatly stand the test of time, i was thinking the highway 1 option because of its nitro finish but meh, this thing sounds the cats pajamas! The strapbuttons are just the run-off the mill type and are solid as a rock. I would gig this without a back up because i feel its totally dependable, simple, solid and seemingly undestructable.

Not bothered with any of this stuff at the moment, i've only had it for 5 days! i'll give them a 10 for the hell of it, the shop i got it from was tops so this ten goes out to you guys at Venue Music Sydney Australia.

I've only being playing for about 6 years, but i'm a total guitar music freak and know alot more than most people three times my age (cocky i know but still....) know about guitars. My other gear includes a Squier Stratocaster, Melody Acoustic, Washburn Acoustic, very rare (1 of 7 made) 67 Maton Magnetone 12 string (Rick copy), Vox Wah, Guyatone "The Fuzz", Marshall MG50DFX. If it were lost or stolen i would hunt down the mother fucker who stole it a rip their fucking head off....scuse the language. I would not buy another because i would never find one at the same price i did and they also have to custom ordered for us down here in Australia, but if i got the money together it would be a no-brainer this guitar is worth every cent, it is one peice of ace! I love the fact that its so simple yet sounds soo good, looks so sexy and classy. i dont have any favourite features cause theres a lack of 'em but i cannot put this guitar down at all. In contention for my next guitar were this black 50's Esquire and a White/Cream MIJ Fender 62-65 Telecaster, i am a total Jimmy Page freak and wanted the palin tele cause it was exactly like his before he striped it and gave it the psychadellic dragon paint job, oh and i know its 62-65 and Jimmy's was a "58" i disagree they didnt have rosewood boards then, most likely a '60 or something, anyways the MIJ Tele just didnt really cut it unplugged and plugged in, even though having only 1 pickup the Esquire won hands down in feel, tone, eveything. I was originally gonna blow my whole bank acount $3300 on a Gibson Les Paul Standard; the first one they ordered had a dent, the second ones finish ran onto the binding and was scratched to buggery between the nut and truss rod cover i dont know about you but i'm not gonna shell out that kind of hard earned moulah for a scratched guitar. Gibson if i wasnt a les paul lover and jimmy page freak i wouldnt ever buy from you again because of your quility controll issues, pick up your game before everone buys those lame ass PRS's. I never thaught i'd end up getting this guitar an exact third of the price of the les paul i was gonna buy (a great deal that no one could beat). The retail here in Australia for the Esquire is $1599, and the store was selling it for $1500 i think, after sitting in their shop they wanted to get rid of it and were donig it for $1200, i got it for $1100 with a Fender gig bag so i saved myself a cool $500 and got a damn well top notch guitar, it IS the bees knees!

2005 MIM Classic Series Fender Esquire in White Blonde finish. Ash body with tinted maple neck and fretboard. The Esquire is very much like a Telecaster but with a single pickup at the bridge. The three-way switch is a *tone* switch instead of a *pickup* switch. Very thick "C" neck. Vintage-style Ping tuners.

Being a single pickup design, the 50s Esquire doesn't rate very highly in the features department. This guitar is no Stratocaster. One can, however, get quite a few sounds out of this guitar by using the three-way tone switch and the tone knob.

Before buying the 50s Classic Series Esquire, I used a MIM 50s Classic Series Strat. I had some tuning stability issues with the Strat -- not to mention a general dissatisfaction with the tone. I consider myself a Rickenbacker type of guy, so I like a bright, ringy sound. The 50s Strat with stock pickups sounded a bit dull through my amp. So I ordered the 50s Esquire and directly compared it with the 50s Strat.

I liked the 50s Esquire much better. True, the Strat is more versatile but I preferred the brighter, twangy tone of the Esquire. The 50s Esquire definitely has some bite to it -- especially with the selector switch in the bridge position (thus, bypassing the tone knob). The sound is very clean with unbelievable sustain from the lightweight Ash body. Mild overdrive sounds decent, as well. Still, I wouldn't recommend the Esquire if you are into hard rock or metal.

Unlike the 50s Strat, the stock pickup in the 50s Esquire sounds fantastic. I can?t imagine anyone wanting to replace it.

I feel the Esquire/Telecatser sound is very much related to the Rickenbacker sound (or, perhaps, the other way around). Ric = more ringy. Esquire = more twangy. The Esquire is MUCH better for playing leads, however.

I'm going to take a few points off here due to the stock tuners and the thick "C" neck.

I replaced the cheaper stock tuners with a locking vintage-style set from Stewart-MacDonald.com (http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi/hzpi/u/HzSt0114141516131613100U0n0n12101513130m1013/hazel.cgi?client=66785852&action=search&search_field=NB%3BNM%3BWORDS%3BSPECS&SEARCH_COMP=%3A&SEARCH_LOGIC=%2B&SEARCH_MAXHITS=10&SEARCH_SPEC=1954). MUCH better tuning stability, not to mention better build quality. Although the replacement tuners were $57 + shipping, I highly recommend this upgrade.

The neck was thicker than I expected from a "C" neck. It felt more like a "U" to me. I was used to the soft "V" of the 50s Strat and the thick "C" of the Esquire was quite a change. I've gotten used the Esquire's neck but I wish it was a bit thinner and more modern.

Otherwise, the guitar's fit and finish is superb. The white blonde finish is beautiful and, after looking very carefully, I couldn't see any flaws. I ordered a Fender vintage-style Telecaster bridge cover and it fits perfectly. The look of the white blonde with the chrome bridge cover is stunning.

The action from the factory is good but could be a little better. It's always a good idea to have a new guitar set-up from a guitar tech you trust.

The 50s Esquire is built like a tank. I suspect that the thick gloss finish will last a long time before it shows signs of wear. I used to own a vintage Rickenbacker (made in the USA) and the 50s Esquire is just as solid.

The 50s Esquire is a great guitar for those wanting a vintage sound. Blues, Country, and Rock players will love this guitar, while Hard Rock and Metal players will be disappointed. I?m into all things vintage so I absolutely love this thing.

I grew up playing drums but switched to guitar when I went to College in the late-80s. I've owned and played quite a few guitars since then and I feel the 50s Esquire is up there with the best I've ever played -- regardless of price. Don?t let the fact that it?s made in Mexico fool you. The 50s Esquire is as good (if not better) than the Fender American models.

2005 model, sunburst with maple neck, single bridge pickup, not much else. Came in a nice gigbag with the usual Fender candy. Limited features - that's how it's meant to be - although mine is now highly modified.

I agree with the previous reviewer - this guitar is very well made and has excellent fit and finish. Mine came straight from the warehouse and was setup quite well. The stock pickup is also excellent and doesn't really need replacement (although I replaced it anyway - read below).

When I bought this guitar (nearly 12 months ago as of this writing) I was very much into blues. I played it into a cranked vintage Champ and it was a great sound. Spanky, ballsy and unforgiving. However I later decided to focus more on jazz and funk/jazz-funk/acid jazz etc, so I modified the Esquire to suit this purpose. It's now pretty much a Tele.

I basically changed everything but the body and neck. It now has Gotoh locking Kluson-style vintage tuners (direct replacment), Callaham string tree, bone nut, matte black pickguard, Jason Lollar pickups (Charlie Christian/neck and Special/bridge), Callaham bridge, Callaham dome knobs with heavy knurl, 4-way switch, "orange drop" tone cap, Electrosocket jack and full shielding. I also upped the strings to 11-50 pure nickels.

Now it handles everything from legit jazz tones, to funk, to blues and rock with authority. I don't want another guitar as it covers everything I need, and it still came in under the price of a stock US standard model.

Factory setup was actually quite good. After the mods were performed I had a luthier set it up properly and it's been great ever since. The sunburst is very well done with no flaws, and there is only a very slight gap in the neck pocket (I've seen many US-built Fenders with worse). Great fit and finish at this price.

It's solid. I never break strings. It rarely goes out of tune. 'Nuff said.

Don't want/need it.

These things are great guitars at a great price. Period. I have a JV Strat as well and it too is very good. Good everyday gigging guitars.

Remember - Mexican Fenders are built in Mexico by Mexicans. USA Fenders are built in California by Mexicans. Your $$$, dude.

We all know the features, one pickup, two knobs, a full "C" neck, and no
where to hide! All the features lie with your fingers.

This instrument makes all the rock, country, and blues sounds you need, if you accept the natural voicing of a Tele. The pickup from the factory exceeds the tonal qualities of my 54 Duncan p/u, and are every bit as good as the early 80's Japan reissue I owned. The quick tone switch does an ample job of reigning in the twang when needed. I quess the sound could be sightly improved with the ultimate boutique p/u, but the one included is damn near that!

Okay, this is why I wrote the review. I stopped buying Fenders in the eary 1990's. I really saw the quality as second rate. So I went with other American guitars, Ernie Ball. These well extremely well made,but lacked the soul of a Strat or Tele. I did run across one MIJ Strat in 1995 that was very well done. My best friend, for example, bought an American Standard Srat at the same time and experienced a broken nut and missing screws.

All that said, I read the reviews here very carefully, and have subsequently saved a good sum on value guitars (Ibanez AS 73 comes to mind). As previous reviewers have stated, this slab-axe is right on in this department. The fit and finish are spectacular. In fact the tolerances are as tight as my USA Custom Tele. The classic three piece body is figured and very light. The Esquire weighs well less than 7 pounds, and came well setup from the factory. Yes, straight out the box. The frets were polished and neatly dressed.

This intrument speaks very well of the relationship that Fender must have with their Mexican employees.

All said and done, if you get Tele parts in the right place, you will still have one problem down the line. The jack will come loose. You either have it replaced, and then replaced again, or you buy an electrosocket.

Otherwise the pretty plank and baseball bat are very durable.

Dunno

I have been playing 24 years. I have played guitars from plywood and '54 Strats, real nice Pauls and overpriced maple finished things. PAY ATTENTION to some of the reviewers here. They will save you frustration and time. I bought the Ibanez AS73 OVER a Gibson 335 and it was the correct move. The neck shape on that guitar and overall feel EXCEED the standard 335 models I played in the Memphis showroom, and feel much like the Larry Carlton model. With a P/U change the sound is all there.

This guitar is in that category. This is the Mexican Classic series and SHOULD NOT be compared to the standard series (very different quality of wood and hardware). While imho I would not say that this is on par with the American Customshop models (at least the ones I have played), it is not far behind. It is a better quality job than the current (or past 15 years) Am. Stand. models. I stand by that opinion.

It appears that Fender has now produced/developed some highly skilled craftsfolk (withstanding that Mexico has a luthier tradition of longer lineage than the US) who just happen to be born a few degrees south of the Rio Grande, and work for a bit less money.

As soon as I buy a house, I will buy another one of these sunburst guitars to place in my closet for future college tuition costs. Laugh now, pay me later.

No, I don't work for Fender. I teach school. I had sworn off moderatly priced Fenders for over a decade until they fixed themselves, and they have. Viva la Mexico !!!!!!

One pick-up telecaster with a 3 way switch (front:pickup with tone full off - middle:pickup with tone control working - back:pickup with the tone control bypassed).

It has an ash body with vintage style bridge and saddles. The neck is very similar to the 52 reissues.

This is a very well made guitar. You will forget it came from Mexico; in fact the standard is (IMHO, having played both) the same as the high-end custom guitars.

Fender states the guitar has been made to exact vintage specs - it feels and looks like they are telling the truth.

As with the rest of the classic series, the guitar comes with a standard black fender gig bag. I got luck and managed to get a tweed thermometer case just to complete the look.

I always find this the hardest category to rate because the guitar is really quite basic but does everything intuitively and perfectly. Hell, I'll give it a nine because this layout inspired the genre that is country music Americana as we know it today - can't get much better than that!

Well:

Switch-Front: Jazzy tone, with some drop off. Great for throwing jazz progressions in between hot country songs (think Delbert McClinton). You could cut an entire jazz record using this but it wouldn't sound like a 175, or even quite as good at the '52 reissue front pickup with tone rolled off.

Switch-Centre: great telesound we all know and love. Cutting blues sound with some tone rolled off. Tone full off gives the same sound as Switch front, but slightly louder! Good for jazz solos where you can switch between switch-front for comping and switch-middle (tone full off) for blowing.

Switch-Back: Well with only the tele pickup and no tone pot getting in the way you are talking about the purest tele spank. It really cuts and is sure to get you though even the tightest mix or band situation. This is a truly wonderful sound!

Well it's got to be a 10 just for the Switch-Back sound. The others are interesting too. Amazing sounds from a 'budget' axe.

This guitar is very well made and indistinguishable from a US model.

That said, you should always have a new guitar professionally set up.

It's a tele - so little that can go wrong - I expect no problems.

Have never dealt with Fender so couldn't say. The dealer is always helpful enough.

>>How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own?

I have been playing for 12 years. The guitar is my obsession. I have owned everything from Jems to Custom Shop Gibsons to Squires to early G&Ls to Nocasters to Relics etc. I feel I know what I am talking about.

>>Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar?

Yes, where and when can I get another (UK is entirely sold out and most new ones coming over are pre-sold!

>>If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?

I would get another one immediately (if I could find one). The beauty of this guitar is it is so cheap if it is stolen it is not the end of the world (not like with Gibson Custom Shop etc.)

>>What do you love about it? What do you hate? What is your favourite feature?

I love its simplicity and the way it make me feel when I play it. You seem to play it a different way to other style guitars. I like that. I feel teles are more transparent and the esquire is more transparent still. I shine through rather than the guitar and amp.

I hate the fact it has taken Fender so long to produce a guitar like this at a sensible price.

My favourite feature is the one pickup three way switch. So simple. So perfect.

Did you compare it to other guitars? Which ones? Why did you choose this one?

I compared this with a 52' reissue, a 'vintage' (circa 1986) G&L ASAT, a '52 Jap reissue, a custom shop relic Esquire and an original 70's tele custom. I would rate them:

'vintage' (circa 1986) G&L ASAT,
custom shop relic Esquire,
'52 Jap reissue,
52' reissue,
original 70's tele custom.

That said, this guitar is genuinely better than all of them - even the custom shop guitar (which is #1,500 more expensive). The only guitar I have tried that is on a par is the Nocaster Relic (again #1,500 more expensive), though the neck on the 50's esquire is better. No kidding.

>>Anything you wish it had?

Not really - would look nice relic'd, but I plan to do my own relicing!!

>>Anything else you'd like to share?

I play in a southern blues band. The sound is kind of Honkey Tonk. I put the esquire through an Ernie Ball volume pedal, a Keeley TS808 (or a HAO Sole Pressure depending on the room), a Durham Electronics Sex Drive, a Keeley Compressor, a ZVex Super Hard On (again if the room demands it), a Boss DM-3 and a Fender Vibro King. The sound is wonderful. As a back-up guitar I use a 62 Sheraton II (Epiphone).

Put it this way:

Pedals : #904
Amp : #2,209
Back-up Guitar : #3,495
Esquire : #389

Out of a #6,997 rig, the #389 Esquire would be the first thing saved if there were a fire.

Do yourselves a favour. Try one.