The Magic of an Esquire

[mistermullens]

Played an amazing '50s Classic Esquire today and I can't stop thinking about it. I took a field trip to Sam Ash hoping to play some Gibsons and Guilds, but there wasn't much of a selection. I'm a sucker for the white blonde and two Teles and an Esquire caught my eye. Grabbed the Esquire off the wall, and I'm already impressed. I can't believe how light the guitar is! I didn't think they made em this light. I don't see any amps that really jump out at me so I go for the Blues Jr (again). Tweak a couple of knobs and I'm in mojoland! I am completely mesmerized and very quickly falling in love with this guitar. Its got some sweet tones, and some nastiness that I love. Never been a big fan of the "bass" position, but even that sounded good! I also found myself playing better, if thats possible. Even got some compliments on my playing. The slide sounded soooo good too. Just dripped blues. I'm seriously thinking about getting it. It was on close out for $569, and I have a feeling I could talk them down to at least $500. The only way I could justify it is by selling another piece of gear. Oh, the temptation!

On a side note, while I was playing this little boy ran up to me and said he loved guitars. I couldn't help but to laugh. This kid is maybe 5, and he's freakin' out about being in a guitar store. I asked him if he wanted to play and he said YEAH! His Mom was right there and she was laughing too. I gave him the pick, fingered a C chord and off he went. He was lovin' it. He ran off to look at some guitars and came back about 30 mins later. He walked directly behind me, but directly in front of the amp. He tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Its too loud!" I thought he was going to cry. I turned it down for him so it wouldn't hurt his little ears. Cute kid.

[Mark Davis]

When you find a good MIM Esquire alot of magic can happen.

[Tdot]

Originally Posted by mistermullens

I'm a sucker for the white blonde and two Teles and an Esquire caught my eye. Grabbed the Esquire off the wall, and I'm already impressed. I can't believe how light the guitar is! I didn't think they made em this light. I don't see any amps that really jump out at me so I go for the Blues Jr (again). Tweak a couple of knobs and I'm in mojoland! I am completely mesmerized and very quickly falling in love with this guitar. Its got some sweet tones, and some nastiness that I love.

That's about my favorite setup. Blonde Esquire & Tweed BJr (sometimes a Dano BLT). Mark put magic in this one for me.

[Mark Davis]

Ya Tdot has a good one used to be mine. Its an early MIM Esquire with a Jim Rolph pickup.

The neck on this guitar plays perfect.

[mistermullens]

Great photo! I'm not gonna lie to you guys. I haven't been this excited about a guitar in a long time. GAS is setting in.

[Tdot]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Ya Tdot has a good one used to be mine. Its an early MIM Esquire with a Jim Rolph pickup.

The neck on this guitar plays perfect.

Yeah, what he said. REALLY!

I can understand that the Esquire isn't for everyone. But there is a certain freedom with just one pickup, and if you get it, it is oh so cool. The guitar itself feels great too.

[IPLAYLOUD]

Magic is right.
It's not an unfinished Tele...it's an animal all to itself, and a great one at that.

[teleclarkster]

I'd say you should do everything you can to get that guitar! I have a blonde one also and just love it.

[shades]

There's just something about an Esquire,eh?
I love mine.

[e-merlin]

When you find a guitar that speaks to you, you should do what you can to buy it. When it's shouting at you like that Esquire is, it's not GAS any more.

[Tim73]

I have the non-tweed version of Tdot's set up. I love the Esquire - it's a truely great guitar. I'm not fancy & I love the no frills approach. It actually has a stack of tone for one pickup!

[Ricky D.]

Originally Posted by mistermullens

Great photo! I'm not gonna lie to you guys. I haven't been this excited about a guitar in a long time. GAS is setting in.

MAKE YOUR MOVE OR REGRET IT FOR A LONG TIME. $500 YOU COULD SELL IT FOR PARTS ON EBAY FOR THAT.

MAKE YOUR MOVE.

[Sollophonic]

I wanted one, couldnt quite afford one, so I built one.
Beech body, old cast off Hohner Rockwood neck, and it now hangs on the wall at work to be played during lunchbreaks. It also gets lent out to students (I work in a college) and as far as I know it features in a couple of their videos too. I'm sure this guitar has swung the odd metalhead student round to playing Teles too.

[mistermullens]

I got it and I couldn't be happier! Here's what happened. I called at 10:00 this morning to make sure they still had it and they did. So I asked them to hold it for me because I wanted to give it another go. I got to Sam Ash and it was still on the wall. Then I asked the girl about the price. The tag said $649 and I pointed out to her that it said "Telecaster" on the tag and "Esquire" on the back tag. Then I also pointed out that there was a 50s Classic Tele in the same color on close out listed for $559, but said it was an "Esquire". I asked what she could do on the price and she said she had to check. Of course she came back and said that was from a sale they had last week, the tag got left on there and the price was $649. She said the best she could do was $624. I gave her a face and made some type of "thats more than I wanted to pay" moan so she asked me what I was hoping for. I told her the $559 price since at this point I knew I wouldn't get it for $500. I also pointed out some of its very, very minor flaws. She came back and said they'd sell it for $559 and I said wrap it up! I'm so happy I did and couldn't wait to get home. The wife even liked it! Here's a pic.



I'll post some better pics later, but this is all I could get before it started raining. I'll probably go with a blackguard and eventually upgrade the pickup, but to be honest, the pickup sounds great so I'll hold off on that for now. I played it for about an hour when I got home and I couldn't believe how much more comfortable it was than my other two Teles. It is extremely light, and will rival my Casino in weight. Played some Howlin' Wolf, Clapton, B.B. King, and Freddie King, and it covered them all nicely. I've had Esquires before and always missed the neck pickup, but I wasn't missing it today. I really think I've got a keeper on this one. Thanks for the words of encouragement and any other comments will be appreciated!

[boris bubbanov]

Congrats.

Beautiful guitar.

Yeah, even if I was trying to guide a new buyer right now from afar, with GC no longer dealing, I'd give serious thought to sending them to Sam Ash since the retail price is fairly reasonable to start.

Last time I checked, the Sam Ash on Lee Road in Winter Park, FL had two Esquires in white blond; perhaps SA is the place to check out this weekend. Neither one was beaten up yet.

[gmann]

Beautiful guitar, I'm glad it worked out for you! Personaly I'd keep the white guard but I'd get a Don Mare pickup.

[mistermullens]

Sam Ash is the only store in Atlanta that I've seen to even carry a Tele/Esquire in the Classic Series.

[Hiflyer]

A white blonde with a white guard is as sweet as a butterscotch with a black one ... Superb !
Congratulations !

[mistermullens]

I agree. It does look good, but there's something about black. I took the plastic off the pg tonight and what I thought was just a blemish on the plastic actually went through to the pg. Oh well. It was destined to be scratched up anyway.

[Mark N]

Congrats mistermullens! I fall in love with mine more and more everyday. It gets played more on gigs than my 52 ri...These guitars are really something! here's my MIM Esquire. It's all stock for the time being, may swap out for a nice pup

[austintele]

Esquires really shine when you play though a fuzz face. Set up the fuzz face and play in the middle position for a good rhythm tone then kick the esquire to the bass setting for a solo tone.

[Ricky D.]

Glad you went for it. We talk endlessly here about wood, saddles, pickup A vs. pickup B, poly vs. nitro, etc. But in the end, the components come together as the sum of the parts. When you find one that really works, you have something special.

Since it already sounds great to you, may I suggest that you make a note about the pick up height as it is now, before you swap it out. You might find out that you prefer what you have now, nice to be able to go back to the exact setting.

[mistermullens]

Thanks for the tip, Ricky. I'll be sure to do that this weekend. Been playin it all morning and it still got the magic.

[Telarkaster]

Congratulations! Looks like your Casino has some competition now. I've been wanting one since I saw Robinson play one in the Black Crowes, he got a great sound out of his.

Way to go!