Does anyone else feels the way I do?

[StSpider]

As I get to know better and better the way to make the Tele, my Deucetone Rat and my Engl Classic (50, all tube german combo) work togheter as their best I'm coming to the conclusion that an Esquire is probably the most amazingly versatile guitar ever designed. Apart for floyds or other trems if you're into that (and I'm not), is there anything else you really need?

The Tele bridge pick-up (in its various versions - fender, bardens..) is probably the most amazing pick-up ever.

You want clean rock n rollish leads? Look no further.

You want mellower clean tones? Roll the tone backwards.

You want rock n roll riffing and chording? That's what the Tele is made for.

You want to go in the Hard Rock - Metal territory? You can have it. If the guitar's and the rest of your equipment is quiet, this pickup can go pretty fat and distorted. It's not the best for very heavy riffing, but it can handle it, definitely.

I really can't figure out what this pick-up can't do. Ok, I'm totally not into Doom Metal, I understand that when I plug in my Les Paul (with a Duncan Custom in the bridge - quite powerful) there's a substancial difference and that Humbuckers really fit dirty stuff. But you know what? I can live without that.

It's nice to have a neck pickup too, but I don't find it a necessity anymore. I used to go for it for clean stuff and dirty leads on the Les Paul, I find it a little warmer and a nice pick-up overall on the tele, but again, it's not a necessity.

I'm truly amazed that a over fifty years old design still, in my opinion, rocks so hard and with such authority that you can't deny it. I forgot to mention..my 52ri is completely stock. with the equipment mentioned above I play the cleanest stuff up to Whiskey in the Jar - Metalllica's version (Garage Inc.).

I'm the type of guy who tends to go for one great clean tone and one great dirty tone, rather that focusing on nuances and differecies etc ( I do have various degrees of distortion available in my setup by the way), I admit it, and I perfectly understand that it's funny to go searching fot the right equipment and look for this and that to make the sound come closer to that particular tune etc. But all I really need is the above mentioned stuff. I plug it in and makes me smile, really.

One again, the old statement leads to the best results - simplicity is the key.

Anyone else feels like I do?

[Twang Tone]

Yes.

[Brent Hutto]

I've noted a lot of love for the Esquire in this forum and don't doubt they are great guitars. However, the question that always comes to mind is this. What exactly do you give up by also having a neck pickup (Telecaster) to go along with the bridge pickup (Esquire and Telecaster)?

Does the presence of a neck pickup and switching circuitry in a Tele somehow change the sound of its bridge pickup, making it perform differently than an Esquire?

[StSpider]

There are definitely ways that make the circuit sound different if you want to(but I bet not in a dramatical way).

I'm not saying that Esquires are better than Teles, it's just that I really dig the super-simple concept of that guitar.

My thought is that the neck pick-up on a Tele, wheter it's a single coil or a humbucker, is surely a nice and useful addition, but not really necessary in the end.

So I really don't sacrifice anything if you want to go for a Tele rather that a Esquire, but I might as well live with the latter and feel just fine

[furrfurrfurr]

Originally Posted by Brent Hutto

I've noted a lot of love for the Esquire in this forum and don't doubt they are great guitars. However, the question that always comes to mind is this. What exactly do you give up by also having a neck pickup (Telecaster) to go along with the bridge pickup (Esquire and Telecaster)?

Does the presence of a neck pickup and switching circuitry in a Tele somehow change the sound of its bridge pickup, making it perform differently than an Esquire?

there was a thread several months back that had people describing the changes they noticed from adding/removing a neck pup from an esquire. many thought there was a significant change due to the added circuitry.
try a search and you should find it, with time.

[Twang Tone]

Originally Posted by Brent Hutto

I've noted a lot of love for the Esquire in this forum and don't doubt they are great guitars. However, the question that always comes to mind is this. What exactly do you give up by also having a neck pickup (Telecaster) to go along with the bridge pickup (Esquire and Telecaster)?

Does the presence of a neck pickup and switching circuitry in a Tele somehow change the sound of its bridge pickup, making it perform differently than an Esquire?

I don't know if it's true or not, (because I don't own an Esquire) but I've heard that the absence of the neck pickup allows the strings to vibrate better because there's no additional magnetic pull on them from a second pickup.

Some say you can hear the difference.

[kp8]

if i had an esq. i would turn it into a tele. For the life of me i can't see why not, and esq. to me seems like an unfinished tele ... but how is this for hypocritical & contradictory... I love me a musicmaster for the same reason you state and the Dano U1 ... which i guess means i think guitars that only have a neck p/up are charming... guitars that only have a bridge p/up are unnecessarily limiting... It don't make no sense i know....

[OutlawSteph1975]

I agree! If I could only have one guitar with one pickup. I'd just take the neck pup out of my Tele Custon, keep the bridge pup and be happy.

The Tele bridge pup even does DOOM METAL too.. use the 2nd channel of a Mesa Boogie, crank the gain, you got your doom metal and you can even distinguish between the different notes. Not that I've ever tried this.

[yegbert]

I haven't tried an Esquire. Thanks for starting this thread, it reminds me that I want to set up an Esquier.

I agree the Esquire/Tele bridge pickup is a wondrous thing by itself. And in the hypothetical scenario of having to pick one guitar and one pickup, the Tele would be my choice.

But I appreciate the versatility of the two pickup Tele. I appreciate diversity in guitar designs and styles, and I'm glad I'm not limited to just Teles.

[mtwang]

Have you guys ever done gigs with just an Esquire? I play in a 50's Chicago type Blues band and we will do 4 sets a night. I use an Esquire for the whole thing, no backup guitar. I find it refreshing to not have any other "Tone" options except the most important ones...my hands. IMHO YMMV

[Ed Bickert]

No, I don't feel the same way you do. How can an Esquire be more versatile than a standard tele with a neck pup? I agree, an Esquire is an unfinished Tele. Actually, it literally is. Parts are left out to keep cost down. It was offered as a lower priced option to the Tele to begin with.

For me? I couly remove the bridge pup completely and never miss anything. I guess, if anything, I feel the opposite of your statement. Lol!

That being said, the Telecaster (not the Esquire) is widely regarded as one of music's most versatile instruments.

But there's no problem being a stalwart defendent of the Esquire. :)

[dean]

Interestingly, I'm with Ed on this one. I probably play 90% of the time on the neck and middle switch positions - the bridge by itself is just too shallow. If I had a an Esquire, I'd be fiddling around with caps and other things to try to get the neck pickup sound.

Interesting how we're all different!

Dean

[Telemarkman]

Originally Posted by StSpider

I'm coming to the conclusion that an Esquire is probably the most amazingly versatile guitar ever designed.

Well, you said it yourself - you're not the type of guy who focuses on nuances and differencies !

[Ben Harmless]

I'm in. No neck pickup on my #1. I've used it for everything from reggae to hardcore punk. It's all in there.

[bgwatts]

I too am an esquire fan. Or should I say I'm a simplton. I love simple stuff that
WORKS. I like the idea of the neck pickup magnet affecting the string vibration. Although I'd like to see proof that it actually affects the tone. Strike that. You know what? I don't realy care if it does or not. For me the beauty of the one pickup design is that it makes you THINK differently. And therefore PLAY a little differently. If I know I can't just flip a switch and completly change my tone,,,I approach the whole thing from a different angle. In fact, I removed the neck pickup AND the switch from my Tele to create my "Esquire" . Volume and Tone ONLY. And I like it that way.

[Tdot]

Originally Posted by OutlawSteph1975

I agree! If I could only have one guitar with one pickup. I'd just take the neck pup out of my Tele Custon, keep the bridge pup and be happy.

Wow, 1 pickup and 4 knobs!

Anyway I'm happy with my Esquire too.

[brown meadows]

I think the esquire appeal is like that of single p'up LP Juniors and Melody Makers, they force you to nuance what you're playing dynamically, and it's a challenge to do that. The esquire's circuit throws you a bone with the subdued faux neck sound. I wired 2 esquires, and they both are distinct sounding. I agree with the magnetic string pull comment as well. I do however sometimes miss the "Cropper" middle position ala "Melting Pot" when playing an esquire.

[davidge1]

I agree 100%...simplicity is best. With too many options, it becomes much harder to find your own unique musical voice. Most of the guitarists who've influenced me had one signature tone, and their sound is instantly recognizable. I think a lot of players spend way too much time fooling around with different tones, effects, etc. when their time would be much better spent learning something new, practicing, or creating some new music.

I appreciate the simplicity of the Telecaster and Esquire more and more all the time...it's one of the best electric guitar designs of all time, maybe the best. Keith Richards said in an interview once how he thought it was amazing how Leo Fender managed to get it right the first time...and I agree!

[Ronkirn]

There’s a reason the seasoned musicians started scarfin’ up the hundred and fifty dollar Esquires and Teles back in the beginning when all was formless and void…

See, we all were teens then, and knew better, so we were buyin’ junk like the Jaguar, P’tooie!.. or Danelectros, or Silvertones, or some of those Gibsons, Nationals, or whatever had a dozen or so pickups on it..… but the whole time, those that had matured beyond the fancy 3 pickup, Bigsby equipped pieces of eye-candy, just went for the basics.

Hey remember the Mercedes? When we were kids it was a ugly POS, we all wanted our GTO’s, but darn, those old “tanks” are still runnin’ and where’s the GTO’s .. all squashed into scrap metal…

Like wise, the most revered of the vintage guitars is the plain ‘ol Teles and Esquires none of us wanted 50 years ago…

There’s something to be said for growin’ old, grey and wise (the wise part is subjective)

Now, go get you Esquire, or Tele and go practice.

Ron Kirn

[LWS66]

How about just one pickup straight to the jack and no knobs or switches on the thing.......bet there are some players who could get away with that!! About as pure and simple as it gets, no?

[gtech]

A few years ago, I built a single pickup guitar that was based on Tele parts, and I must say that the second one was really missing...

And the guitar didn't have better vibrations without the neck pickup.

So that's why I decided to build a couple Teles, and used the parts of that one pickup guitar I built a few years ago to get the Tele sound I can have with 2 pickups.

I admit that I like the sound of my Strat in positions 2 and 4 which are 2 pickups in parallel, so maybe it's because of that. I may be used to hearing 2 pickups together. And I rarely, is not never, used the bridge pickup alone on my Srat.

That must be why some people play Teles, some the Strat, some the LP, etc...

Just a matter of taste.

Gilles

[davidge1]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Hey remember the Mercedes? When we were kids it was a ugly POS, we all wanted our GTO’s, but darn, those old “tanks” are still runnin’ and where’s the GTO’s .. all squashed into scrap metal…

It's still an ugly POS...I'll take the GTO!

[0le FUZZY]

...Pickin an Esquire nite after nite iss like runnin with one shoe back onna bench. The udder sock iss all that saves a liddo bit of the pain.



(deranged internet-based alter ego, with my own lexicon and all.)

[Roli]

Originally Posted by LWS66

How about just one pickup straight to the jack and no knobs or switches on the thing.......bet there are some players who could get away with that!! About as pure and simple as it gets, no?

No. Acoustic guitar is simpler.

[chicknpikr]

Originally Posted by LWS66

How about just one pickup straight to the jack and no knobs or switches on the thing.......bet there are some players who could get away with that!! About as pure and simple as it gets, no?

THAT pETTICCO GUY DOES THAT ...JUST USES A VOLUME PEDAL AND HE ROARS!

[enalnitram]

I agree with the first post. I love my esquire. and most of my playing experience is in jazz. I've said this before. but I swear that taking the magnetic pull away from under the middle part of the strings does something good.

I can totally play jazz on my esquire by picking close to the neck and rolling the tone off. and it does everything else, too. since changing my nashville tele into an esquire a few weeks ago, having to get different tones by playing different has been one of the best lessons I've had in a long long while.

[Douglas_Holt]

To answer the original question. Yes I do feel the simpler your setup the better your sound. Esquire or Tele or anything else for that matter.

Doug

[SteveY]

Almost best of both worlds: Nocaster wiring!
You can get an "unloaded" bridge pickup Esquire sound, then roll in a little neck pu blend.
I'm not changing mine.

[Twang Tone]

Originally Posted by 0le FUZZY

...Pickin an Esquire nite after nite iss like runnin with one shoe back onna bench. The udder sock iss all that saves a liddo bit of the pain.



(deranged internet-based alter ego, with my own lexicon and all.)

Nice one, Fuzz! I'm too attached to my neck pickup to wanna lose it after 34 years!

[bluetele54]

...I was given this guitar in 1986...it looks just like the rosewood necked guitar that one sees' on the front of the new "2007 Tele Visions Calendar"...it has been all over the states,plus Brasil,Japan,and Spain...I took off the stock white pick-guard (safely tucked away),added a neck pickup,and she just ROARS!!!...I put 6105's on it,and this guitar came ALIVE!!!...the bridge pickup sounds just like Cropper's from the same era,and Pagey's Tele too!!!.. I've been able to use this guitar on anything I do...my '54 and this '63 live together quite nicely...

[TG]

I've been experimenting on this topic recently. I made an Esquire project a year or so ago and I gigged it with and without a neck pickup. A couple of months ago I got a MIM50s Classic Esquire and I tried it at gigs...with 3 different pickups (stock/Duncan Alnico2/Duncan Jerry Donahue)...and now with a neck pickup.
So I've had home and onstage experience with 2 esquires/teles and a number of different pickups.

The conclusion(s)?
There is a difference with and without a neck pickup. As an esquire it's more responsive and 'musical' (overtones and harmonics), but it's only really noticable when you're turned up and digging in. It was when I had my Blues Junior amp on the edge of breakup (where pick attack on its own will give you 'clean' and 'dirty') that I could feel the extra edge the esquire setup gives you.
But sitting home, or onstage at lower volume, I found it was just a tele without a neck pickup.

I realise that many people use the tone control alot and are happy using the bridge pickup with the tone rolled off, but I never do that. With me the bridge pickup is either twangy or dirty, depending on gain/volume. If I want mellow I'm much happier with the middle or neck setting than I am with the bridge pickup with the tone rolled off. That just sounds mushy to me. I like a clear tone. Clear plus sparkling, jangly or woody...depending on which switch setting I'm on.

I enjoyed gigging with an esquire, but there were too many moments where I really missed having a neck pickup. 'Making do' without one was too much of a compromise for me, even with that esquire lead pickup response.

So I agree with the esquire enthusiasts, but I personally am happier with a neck pickup.
I just wish there was a neck pickup that I liked the sound of that had a minimal magnetic pull so I could have the benefits of both. Maybe a Lace Hot Gold strat pickup?

[jazzonatele]

I I had to keep one PU I'd leave the neck, and I'd call the guitar "eriuqse"

note: would be a humbucker too...

[e-merlin]

I live dangerously. I have an Esquire and a Tele! I love them both. I'll plug either one straight into my 5150 and play away! Clean to any amount of dirt is just a twist of the volume knob away.

[94115]

If you like simplicity and a big sound, you can take your tone and volume knobs out of the circuit, and run your pickups out directly.

You lose the ability to roll down both tone and volume, but if you like to play with the controls turned up, taking them out of the circuit will yield a bigger, more immediate sound.

You could also install a switch to go between vol & tone in/vol & tone out sounds.

-John

[StSpider]

I actually like the neck pick-up, and I use it, I'm never going to esqire-ize my tele, it would be pretty.. stupid I think.

But I'm really looking forward for a esquire project or custom order. I just think it's super cool.

A famous musician used to say that gigging with only guitar and one amp was really helpful in lerning to get the most out of your rig. I think the same applies with one pickup and getting the most out of your hands and tone - vol controls (which I'd never get rid of).

[Sarge]

I've never had the desire to get an Esquire. Just like some strats, 1 pickup just limits my playing style. While I'm sure that Esquire lovers get all the tone they want and need from 1 pick up, I just find it too limiting. My mind set is why spend $$ on a 1 pick up guitar when I could have 2 or 3 pick ups? I played several Esquires in the past years but just never found them to be a guitar that suits my needs.

[flamingroovy]

"Do you feel like we doooooooooo........ahhh...thats true"

Sir Peter of Frampton