Fender Esquire clearance on MF

Wardpike · May 9th, 2008, 07:01 AM

Hey Gang,

I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that someone can definitively answer this question for me.

Where are the new Fender Esquires being made?
Two references:
Fender's Esquire Page
and
MF's Page on it

Are they MIM's? CIJ's? or Made in USA?

I'm ready to buy at least one of them and see if I can get it close to my custom shop guitar's quality for live use.

Many thanks!

Ward

Telemarkman · May 9th, 2008, 07:10 AM

The 50's Classic Esquire is Made In Mexico.

Definitely quality instruments

.

dijos · May 9th, 2008, 07:13 AM

judging from the parts, it looks like usa, but I could be wrong. How much are they asking?

xjazzy · May 9th, 2008, 07:16 AM

Made in Mexico.

Wardpike · May 9th, 2008, 07:44 AM

ahh phooey. I knew it was too good to be true.

There's something about those MIM's just doesn't sound right. The bridges usually suck, but that can be replaced... then the pickup usually is less than stellar, but that can be replaced with a nice Duncan BG Esquire pickup, but the thing you can't fix...

I have played many of these MIM's (6 of them yesterday, as a matter of fact) and NONE of them have a good acoustic tone.

Oh well <deep big sighs> Thank you so much for your kind and informative replies... the quest continues.

Ward

KevinB · May 9th, 2008, 08:02 AM

They are MIM, and they are terrific values. The bridges are fine. The tuners are Ping but they're not that bad and various Kluson copies are direct replacements. The electronics are the same as MIAs, and the pickup is easily changed if you don't like it.

I guess I just never play them without amplification so the acoustic tone is irrelevant

Jellecaster · May 9th, 2008, 08:14 AM

I have a boat load of MIA Teles and three MIM. The MIM stand-up really well, especially considering the price differential. Is there a difference in quality? I think so, but not a huge one. A lot of folks around here seem to think that the MIM's are as good or better, but I dispute that.

Either way, I wouldn't hesitate to snag one of those 50's Esquires... as a matter of fact, I did last night!

JimiBryant · May 9th, 2008, 08:22 AM

the right MIM guitar is just as good as any, I'd say.

of course same goes for the right MIA or MIJ or CIJ but it's gotta be the RIGHT guitar, that's the most important thing!

McFly · May 9th, 2008, 08:23 AM

Are they gone already? What was the price on the MF page?

Telemarkman · May 9th, 2008, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wardpike

I have played many of these MIM's (6 of them yesterday, as a matter of fact) and NONE of them have a good acoustic tone.

What does "these MIM's" mean? Are you talking about the Classic Series (50's and 60's Teles, 50's Esquire etc.) or are you referring to the MIM Standards that most of us think of when we say MIM? There's a big difference IMO.

I play my guitars a lot acoustically (so did Roy B. and Steve Cropper

), and I've never played a MIM Classic that DIDN'T have a good acoustic tone ...

... The weight on the other hand - that's another question ...

Telegazer · May 9th, 2008, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFly

Are they gone already? What was the price on the MF page?

Probably just a 15% discount or so as a blem item. The '50s Esquire is still in production and is very much available at MF and all over the place, same delightful ol' guitar.

Jellecaster · May 9th, 2008, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFly

Are they gone already? What was the price on the MF page?

It was a "scratch and dent" clearance and the price was $493. I figured it was too cheap to pass-up. It will be interesting to see what condition the guitar arrives in. The site said "minor scratches". I can definitely live with that.

I've never played one of these 50's Esquires - how is the pickup? I'm thinking about dropping in a Duncan '54.

ajgus · May 9th, 2008, 09:21 AM

I A-b'd an MIM & an MIA when shopping for my first Tele. Went with an MIM. Like any other guitar there are good ones & not so good ones. Both Mexicans & Americans have good & bad days at work.

Dennis68 · May 9th, 2008, 09:28 AM

That was a blem, no longer avaiable. Was there for about a day. The non-blems are still listed.

I have a blonde MIM esquire I bought over a year ago new. It's a wonderful guitar. pickup is Ok, but you can always swap it out if not hot enough for you (think Lindy Fralin, etc..). The surprise was how great the neck was on it. It felt USA custom shop quality fresh from the MIM factory.

PJ · May 9th, 2008, 09:48 AM

Wow....too bad they're gone, cause they give you the neck rout to do whatever you want with the pickups. I'd be sure to throw a neck pickup in that bad boy, but a none left.

mellecaster · May 9th, 2008, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinB

They are MIM, and they are terrific values. The bridges are fine. The tuners are Ping but they're not that bad and various Kluson copies are direct replacements. The electronics are the same as MIAs, and the pickup is easily changed if you don't like it.

I guess I just never play them without amplification so the acoustic tone is irrelevant

DITTOS......

boris bubbanov · May 9th, 2008, 01:38 PM

McFly, they were black only MIM Esquires at $ 493 shipped, with a gig bag.

They had surface scratches, so they said.

The savings is not that dramatic, and I have 1, so I stayed put. M A P is $ 669 I think, so perhaps the wise thing is to keep prowling the shops, try the guitar in person and make sure its a light and lively one, and try to get down off the $669 to the extent you can. These MIM Classic 50's Esquires have superb resale value, so buying used is difficult and getting big discounts is real hard. Maybe better to concentrate on getting the nicest playing, lightest, prettiest one and paying near going retail for a new one.

Kudos to Jellecaster. Tell us what you think once she comes in.

Oh, yeah you can retrofit from Ping to Gotoh "kluson", but the ping bore is bigger but not actually 10mm, so you need to ream to 10mm, and install conversion bushings to install the Gotoh "kluson" for optimal performance.

I respectfully disagree with those who find that MIM Fenders are acoustically challenged. I have a lot of both MIA and MIM, yeah I try for the pick of the litter but I also want the best price, and individual guitar may vary but MIA and MIM are all roughly equivalent, acoustically.

Terry McInturff wrote a cool post over at TDP which, in a nutshell, says that acoustically challenged guitars are hemmed in, limited what height and distance they can reach. A guitar that is better acoustically is less fenced in.

Hey, that "resonates" with me.

jawjatek · May 9th, 2008, 01:44 PM

Just checked out a mint MIM 50s Esquire I found on craigslist for $500, but I passed - way too heavy.

pgrace245 · May 9th, 2008, 02:18 PM

I just bought a new 50's esquire from Music Centre Kenosha for $535 new! They had to order me one in as they are out of stock. Should be in tomorrow.

Fatmanstratman · May 9th, 2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wardpike

ahh phooey. I knew it was too good to be true.

There's something about those MIM's just doesn't sound right. The bridges usually suck, but that can be replaced... then the pickup usually is less than stellar, but that can be replaced with a nice Duncan BG Esquire pickup, but the thing you can't fix...

I have played many of these MIM's (6 of them yesterday, as a matter of fact) and NONE of them have a good acoustic tone.

Oh well <deep big sighs> Thank you so much for your kind and informative replies... the quest continues.

I'm guessing that if we had said "Made in USA", you would have ordered one without even stopping to think about it, and then come here to tell us just what a fantastic guitar you had bought.....

Don't worry - we've all been there! I too used to pooh-pooh the whole "Made in Mexico" thing. Until, that is, a good friend offered to sell me his 50s Classic. As soon as he took it out of its case and put it in my hands, I was absolutely gobsmacked. No heavier than ANY of my other solid body Teles (in fact, a fair bit LIGHTER than some of 'em), and the fit and finish was stunning. And the SOUND!...

That 50s Classic is one of the best Telecasters I own - I would sell many more of them before parting with her...

May I respectfully suggest that, as my mum always says, you "don't judge a book by its cover". Try to look beyond the country of origin, and look at the guitar as an instrument - judge it on how it feels, plays and sounds. Like folks have said many times before, in a 'blindfold challenge', there are not too many of us who could pick out where a Tele was made simply by holding it and listening to the sound....

May 9th, 2008, 07:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
Wardpike Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland Age: 43 Posts: 279	Fender Esquire clearance on MF Hey Gang, I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that someone can definitively answer this question for me. Where are the new Fender Esquires being made? Two references: Fender's Esquire Page and MF's Page on it Are they MIM's? CIJ's? or Made in USA? I'm ready to buy at least one of them and see if I can get it close to my custom shop guitar's quality for live use. Many thanks! Ward

May 9th, 2008, 07:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
dijos TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: St. Pete Age: 33 Posts: 53	judging from the parts, it looks like usa, but I could be wrong. How much are they asking? __________________ "Kid, it takes a long time"-Danny Kalb to me in NYC, 1992

May 9th, 2008, 07:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
xjazzy Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Portugal Posts: 656 6 Photos	Made in Mexico. __________________ Still got the Twang! myspace.com/jotacaster

May 9th, 2008, 08:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
Jellecaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 39 Posts: 1,744	I have a boat load of MIA Teles and three MIM. The MIM stand-up really well, especially considering the price differential. Is there a difference in quality? I think so, but not a huge one. A lot of folks around here seem to think that the MIM's are as good or better, but I dispute that. Either way, I wouldn't hesitate to snag one of those 50's Esquires... as a matter of fact, I did last night! __________________ It was born at the junction of form and function...

May 9th, 2008, 08:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
JimiBryant Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Chicago that toddlin' town Age: 46 Posts: 1,039	the right MIM guitar is just as good as any, I'd say. of course same goes for the right MIA or MIJ or CIJ but it's gotta be the RIGHT guitar, that's the most important thing! __________________ I am very proud of the fact that I'm so humble!

May 9th, 2008, 07:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 3,411	The 50's Classic Esquire is Made In Mexico. Definitely quality instruments .

May 9th, 2008, 07:44 AM	#5 (permalink)
Wardpike Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland Age: 43 Posts: 279	ahh phooey. I knew it was too good to be true. There's something about those MIM's just doesn't sound right. The bridges usually suck, but that can be replaced... then the pickup usually is less than stellar, but that can be replaced with a nice Duncan BG Esquire pickup, but the thing you can't fix... I have played many of these MIM's (6 of them yesterday, as a matter of fact) and NONE of them have a good acoustic tone. Oh well <deep big sighs> Thank you so much for your kind and informative replies... the quest continues. Ward

May 9th, 2008, 08:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
KevinB Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 366 3 Photos	They are MIM, and they are terrific values. The bridges are fine. The tuners are Ping but they're not that bad and various Kluson copies are direct replacements. The electronics are the same as MIAs, and the pickup is easily changed if you don't like it. I guess I just never play them without amplification so the acoustic tone is irrelevant

May 9th, 2008, 08:23 AM	#9 (permalink)
McFly Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New York Age: 33 Posts: 143	Are they gone already? What was the price on the MF page? __________________ "Ahh...this is a blues riff in B, watch me for the changes, and try and keep up."

May 9th, 2008, 09:21 AM	#13 (permalink)
ajgus Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 1,002	I A-b'd an MIM & an MIA when shopping for my first Tele. Went with an MIM. Like any other guitar there are good ones & not so good ones. Both Mexicans & Americans have good & bad days at work. __________________ I am serious...& don't call me Shirley.

May 9th, 2008, 09:28 AM	#14 (permalink)
Dennis68 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hudson Valley Posts: 754	That was a blem, no longer avaiable. Was there for about a day. The non-blems are still listed. I have a blonde MIM esquire I bought over a year ago new. It's a wonderful guitar. pickup is Ok, but you can always swap it out if not hot enough for you (think Lindy Fralin, etc..). The surprise was how great the neck was on it. It felt USA custom shop quality fresh from the MIM factory. __________________ -Dennis

May 9th, 2008, 09:48 AM	#15 (permalink)
PJ Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,383 4 Photos	Wow....too bad they're gone, cause they give you the neck rout to do whatever you want with the pickups. I'd be sure to throw a neck pickup in that bad boy, but a none left. __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

May 9th, 2008, 01:38 PM	#17 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 5,341	McFly, they were black only MIM Esquires at $ 493 shipped, with a gig bag. They had surface scratches, so they said. The savings is not that dramatic, and I have 1, so I stayed put. M A P is $ 669 I think, so perhaps the wise thing is to keep prowling the shops, try the guitar in person and make sure its a light and lively one, and try to get down off the $669 to the extent you can. These MIM Classic 50's Esquires have superb resale value, so buying used is difficult and getting big discounts is real hard. Maybe better to concentrate on getting the nicest playing, lightest, prettiest one and paying near going retail for a new one. Kudos to Jellecaster. Tell us what you think once she comes in. Oh, yeah you can retrofit from Ping to Gotoh "kluson", but the ping bore is bigger but not actually 10mm, so you need to ream to 10mm, and install conversion bushings to install the Gotoh "kluson" for optimal performance. I respectfully disagree with those who find that MIM Fenders are acoustically challenged. I have a lot of both MIA and MIM, yeah I try for the pick of the litter but I also want the best price, and individual guitar may vary but MIA and MIM are all roughly equivalent, acoustically. Terry McInturff wrote a cool post over at TDP which, in a nutshell, says that acoustically challenged guitars are hemmed in, limited what height and distance they can reach. A guitar that is better acoustically is less fenced in. Hey, that "resonates" with me. __________________ Bubban0v

May 9th, 2008, 01:44 PM	#18 (permalink)
jawjatek TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: GA Posts: 48	Just checked out a mint MIM 50s Esquire I found on craigslist for $500, but I passed - way too heavy.

May 9th, 2008, 02:18 PM	#19 (permalink)
pgrace245 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 224	I just bought a new 50's esquire from Music Centre Kenosha for $535 new! They had to order me one in as they are out of stock. Should be in tomorrow.