Check out my "Luther Perkins" Blonde Esquire Build!

pgrace245 · June 4th, 2008, 04:52 PM

I always liked esquires and since I'm a huge Luther Perkins fan I decided to build one the way I wanted it. I was going to buy a 50's Classic Esquire but they were all back ordered.

I built the body with my Father in-laws CNC machine (Thanks Ed Hawley!). It's a two piece ash with awesome grain, a little on the heavy side at 6#. I finished the body in Reranch buttescotch blonde with a tinted nitro top coat.

The neck is from an 07' Esquire via Stratosphere. I used the usual Fender bridge w/brass saddles. I went with the heavy knurled Dome knobs from Callahan. 250K pots with a 3-way CRL switch. I wired it using cloth wire and used the TDPRI Esquire wiring diagram (the simpler one). The pickup....I gave in and bought a Fred Stuart Blackguard. All I can say is my hunt for that 50's sound is over! Blown away! If you listen to "Hey Porter" from Johnny Cash and listen to Luther's solo that is what a Fred Stuart Blackguard sounds like to my ears. For $140 it's totally worth it. I had to go with the parchment AP pickguard in honor of LP, but don't worry I have a black one on standby in case I change my mind! Smart huh. Enough said enjoy the pics.

mudbean · June 4th, 2008, 04:56 PM

Very nice!

Quick question - I know nothing about the 3 saddle bridges, but this guitar is not yet intonated, is it? The saddles usually look all zigzag angled when it is, don't they?

mud

Grin'n'pick · June 4th, 2008, 05:01 PM

Looks like you've done an amazing job there, especially if you did the whole body from scratch. Perfect actually, very nicely done. What guitar is the neck from?

pgrace245 · June 4th, 2008, 05:01 PM

More pics...closer up

pgrace245 · June 4th, 2008, 05:05 PM

And the back...

Buckocaster51 · June 4th, 2008, 05:08 PM

Very nice.

So, how DID Luther play the boogie?

Sidney Vicious · June 4th, 2008, 05:09 PM

SaaaWWEEEEttttttt!!!!

Southern ILL · June 4th, 2008, 05:12 PM

You done good,son!!!

axmaker · June 4th, 2008, 05:13 PM

got to luv dem butterscotch blondes.

i just got a b-blonde 51 pbass ri and luv it......

pgrace245 · June 4th, 2008, 05:23 PM

I just finished putting it together last night and haven't intonated yet...I bought the neck on ebay from Stratosphere. I was originally going to but a 50's classic esquire and just switch out the neck but they were back ordered. It was actually cheaper to do it in parts and that's including the Blackguard pickup and callahan knobs ($40 ouch!).

mistermullens · June 4th, 2008, 06:09 PM

Very, very nice. Looks absolutely amazing. I predict you'll go with the black pickguard. Great job!

JimiBryant · June 4th, 2008, 06:12 PM

nice.. really, really nice.

Callaham's knobs are the icing on the cake!

adamjs69 · June 4th, 2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudbean

Very nice!

Quick question - I know nothing about the 3 saddle bridges, but this guitar is not yet intonated, is it? The saddles usually look all zigzag angled when it is, don't they?

mud

I think the ones that "usually look all zigzag angled" are the compensated saddles and each piece is actually cut at an angle. I don't think the ones on this Tele are those.

BTW, that's one geourgeous Tele!

Walter Broes · June 4th, 2008, 06:48 PM

That looks great, but for that shade on the body I'd opt for a black guard too, I think the white guards look better with white blonde.

Impressed you just made that body yourself, nice work!

IPLAYLOUD · June 4th, 2008, 08:10 PM

That's Luther's Guitar! Great work. I love that 1955 look.

Stackabones · June 4th, 2008, 08:15 PM

HAWT!

FredDairy · June 4th, 2008, 08:20 PM

Don't listen to that Walter guy

that white guard looks great on that body! I think I'm going to put a white guard on my '52 now.

zosofan · June 4th, 2008, 08:26 PM

Great looking Esquire! Very nice job.
I'm a big Luther Perkins fan too.
Are you planning on carving "LP" into the body on the upper bout?
I wouldn't do it,but I've seen pics of one of Luthers Esquires that he did that to.
Eric

JDRNoPro · June 4th, 2008, 08:33 PM

That's just gorgeous, pgrace245. Very well executed and the fact you made the body yourself makes it that much more special. Be very proud of yourself and that new LP Esquire!

Jim

Rizo · June 4th, 2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Very nice.

So, how DID Luther play the boogie?

In the strangest kind of way, duh...

Play it STRANGE!

Mark N · June 5th, 2008, 04:08 AM

mmmmm...very very nice Esquire!!

pgrace245 · June 5th, 2008, 11:39 AM

Thanks...Dont get me wrong I love the look of a blackguard but since I already have a blackguard (52RI) I thought I would go the Luther route and stick a white guard on there. I may put the blackguard on if I have time and post pictures and see what you guys think.

June 4th, 2008, 04:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
pgrace245 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 249	Check out my "Luther Perkins" Blonde Esquire Build! I always liked esquires and since I'm a huge Luther Perkins fan I decided to build one the way I wanted it. I was going to buy a 50's Classic Esquire but they were all back ordered. I built the body with my Father in-laws CNC machine (Thanks Ed Hawley!). It's a two piece ash with awesome grain, a little on the heavy side at 6#. I finished the body in Reranch buttescotch blonde with a tinted nitro top coat. The neck is from an 07' Esquire via Stratosphere. I used the usual Fender bridge w/brass saddles. I went with the heavy knurled Dome knobs from Callahan. 250K pots with a 3-way CRL switch. I wired it using cloth wire and used the TDPRI Esquire wiring diagram (the simpler one). The pickup....I gave in and bought a Fred Stuart Blackguard. All I can say is my hunt for that 50's sound is over! Blown away! If you listen to "Hey Porter" from Johnny Cash and listen to Luther's solo that is what a Fred Stuart Blackguard sounds like to my ears. For $140 it's totally worth it. I had to go with the parchment AP pickguard in honor of LP, but don't worry I have a black one on standby in case I change my mind! Smart huh. Enough said enjoy the pics.

June 4th, 2008, 04:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
mudbean Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SoCal Semi-Desert Semi-Paradise Age: 49 Posts: 1,383	Very nice! Quick question - I know nothing about the 3 saddle bridges, but this guitar is not yet intonated, is it? The saddles usually look all zigzag angled when it is, don't they? mud __________________ www.mudbean.com "Do ya want it to be interesting, or do ya want it to be true?" "So far, it's neither."

June 4th, 2008, 05:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Buckocaster51 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Iowa USA Age: 56 Posts: 5,176 1 Photos	Very nice. So, how DID Luther play the boogie? __________________ "If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all." - Thumper the Rabbit "An awfully lot of time can be wasted waiting for the right time." - Gunsmoke's Doc Adams

June 4th, 2008, 05:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
axmaker Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oakley, CA Age: 46 Posts: 231 2 Photos	got to luv dem butterscotch blondes. i just got a b-blonde 51 pbass ri and luv it...... __________________ It is never too late to be on time....

June 4th, 2008, 06:09 PM	#11 (permalink)
mistermullens Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Atlanta Age: 31 Posts: 2,103 51 Photos	Very, very nice. Looks absolutely amazing. I predict you'll go with the black pickguard. Great job! __________________ When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix

June 4th, 2008, 05:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
Grin'n'pick Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sarf Eas' Laandon Posts: 1,928 38 Photos	Looks like you've done an amazing job there, especially if you did the whole body from scratch. Perfect actually, very nicely done. What guitar is the neck from?

June 4th, 2008, 05:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
pgrace245 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 249	More pics...closer up

June 4th, 2008, 05:05 PM	#5 (permalink)
pgrace245 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 249	And the back...

June 4th, 2008, 05:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sidney Vicious Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Posts: 1,066 6 Photos	SaaaWWEEEEttttttt!!!!

June 4th, 2008, 05:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
Southern ILL Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Age: 38 Posts: 886	You done good,son!!!

June 4th, 2008, 05:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
pgrace245 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 249	I just finished putting it together last night and haven't intonated yet...I bought the neck on ebay from Stratosphere. I was originally going to but a 50's classic esquire and just switch out the neck but they were back ordered. It was actually cheaper to do it in parts and that's including the Blackguard pickup and callahan knobs ($40 ouch!).

June 4th, 2008, 06:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
JimiBryant Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Chicago that toddlin' town Age: 46 Posts: 1,702	nice.. really, really nice. Callaham's knobs are the icing on the cake! __________________ *we all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun.*

June 4th, 2008, 06:48 PM	#14 (permalink)
Walter Broes Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Age: 38 Posts: 452	That looks great, but for that shade on the body I'd opt for a black guard too, I think the white guards look better with white blonde. Impressed you just made that body yourself, nice work!

June 4th, 2008, 08:10 PM	#15 (permalink)
IPLAYLOUD Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Long Island, N.Y. Posts: 419 1 Photos	That's Luther's Guitar! Great work. I love that 1955 look. __________________ I play an Esquire because I can only afford ONE pickup.

June 4th, 2008, 08:15 PM	#16 (permalink)
Stackabones Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 132	HAWT!

June 4th, 2008, 08:20 PM	#17 (permalink)
FredDairy Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: chicago Posts: 688	Don't listen to that Walter guy that white guard looks great on that body! I think I'm going to put a white guard on my '52 now. __________________ The Stacks The Reluctant Aquanauts

June 4th, 2008, 08:26 PM	#18 (permalink)
zosofan TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dominion of socialist republics Age: 43 Posts: 79	Great looking Esquire! Very nice job. I'm a big Luther Perkins fan too. Are you planning on carving "LP" into the body on the upper bout? I wouldn't do it,but I've seen pics of one of Luthers Esquires that he did that to. Eric __________________ All visitors are subject to search and inspection by the German Shepherds. Those that fail the inspection should seek medical attention. (if they are still able to)

June 4th, 2008, 08:33 PM	#19 (permalink)
JDRNoPro Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Orrington, ME Age: 57 Posts: 324 1 Photos	That's just gorgeous, pgrace245. Very well executed and the fact you made the body yourself makes it that much more special. Be very proud of yourself and that new LP Esquire! Jim

June 5th, 2008, 04:08 AM	#21 (permalink)
Mark N Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Woodstock, NB, Canada Age: 37 Posts: 531 8 Photos	mmmmm...very very nice Esquire!!

June 5th, 2008, 11:39 AM	#22 (permalink)
pgrace245 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 249	Thanks...Dont get me wrong I love the look of a blackguard but since I already have a blackguard (52RI) I thought I would go the Luther route and stick a white guard on there. I may put the blackguard on if I have time and post pictures and see what you guys think.