Fender Custom Shop Double Esquire 1951 Heavy Relic Greg Fessler R123721

The development steps of Fender's first mass-produced electric guitar ranged from Esquire – Double Esquire – Broadcaster – Nocaster to the final model, known as the Telecaster. After the Esquire, introduced in the spring of 1950 with a single lead pickup, achieved initial sales success, a few guitars were produced that summer with a second pickup in the neck position, as Leo Fender believed this would increase market appeal. Nevertheless, the Esquire remained the single-pickup model, while the Broadcaster, introduced in the fall of 1950, was equipped with two pickups.

We liked the example of an Esquire with two pickups shown here so much that we had the Custom Shop build it in several versions. In addition to a Team Built version, they will also be available from various master builders. Here is the guitar that Greg Fessler built for us. Other models will come from Jason Smith, Dale Wilson and Austin MacNutt.

This Esquire is modeled after the Esquire 0255 shown on page 87 of the book "The Blackguard." It's a very early 1950s model. All screws, including the truss rod, are slotheads. The body is made of  lightweight 2-piece ash, and Redd Volkaert said of the neck, "... this Esquire has the best-feeling neck I have ever played, large but not huge, with a full, round feeling shape."

While the model was a "real" Esquire with only a single bridge pickup (but with a pre-cut neck pickup), we added a pickup in the neck position to ours.

Greg Fessler apparently took his time finding the right piece of ash, and the result is all the more impressive! 3142 grams is a dreamy weight for this model, and the tone develops with explosive dynamics. It's practically a picture-perfect Tele, where everything is just right! Fessler stayed very close to the original when aging the neck; there's virtually no difference. The 12" fretboard radius is even slightly flatter than the original (9.5"), and combined with the 6105 Narrow Tall fretwire and the aforementioned neck profile, this result in playability is just great.

Rounding out this package are a pair of hand-wound 50/51 Blackguard single coils, and you have a Tele (or Esquire...) that you'll be happy with for a lifetime!
Additional Notes: The Blackguard page 87, very early truss rod guitar, 51 Esquire with additional neck-pu ("Double Esquire"), all slot head screws, also trussrod. Neck (back and front) &headstock really worn & dirty. "Esquire"-decal on headstock.