Classic Series '50s Esquire neck: thicker than American Standard's C neck?

[RoscoeElegante]

Last night I dreamt non-stop of Esquires. Woke up laughing in manic glee. The last time that happened, I had dreamt non-stop of a white-chested Lab/Boxer mutt whom I'd name Roscoe. Found one, and he is, indeed, the Great Dog of a lifetime.

Therefore, I shall buy a Classic Series '50s Esquire IF its neck is thicker (ideally, quite a bit thicker) than the Am. Std.'s C-shape neck that I could never work with.

It's logic, people, logic! It's only "reality" that's wrong.

Thanks for any feedback about this.

 

[tele12]

It's been a while since I played one, but I don't remember it being especially big.
I really don't like the term "thick" to describe a neck, I much prefer the words "deep" and "wide".
Because of the width an American Standard doesn't feel small to me. To the way I hold a guitar a Baja is the only neck on a sub $1000 Fender that feels appreciably bigger than an American Standard.

 

[eedwards]

I've got a 2007 MIM Classic Series Esquire and the neck felt identical to my 52RI. So much that I sold the 52RI. These are great guitars.

 

[Stubee]

Yes, it is thicker in profile and noticeably so unless they've changed them a bunch recently, and I doubt that.

 

[DannyStereo]

I've got one an FSR Reverse plate Tele.

The FSR is advertised as a Modern 'C' neck, and the neck on the Esquire feels more substantial to me. A lot more.

 

[telex76]

Yes it is thicker, deeper profile. Nowhere near Nocaster size, but it fills my hand pretty well and I like playing it. I can't play the modern C on the American Standard more than about 5 minutes.

 

[Twang Tone]

Yep, it's thicker alright, kinda like the 1998-2012 AV52RI Tele necks.

Modern American Standard C necks always seem skinny compared to my Nocaster! I guess Fender just goes with what the great unwashed prefer.

 

[boris bubbanov]

I've got a 2007 MIM Classic Series Esquire and the neck felt identical to my 52RI. So much that I sold the 52RI. These are great guitars.

Yup. Referring to the previous version of the USA '52. Just very much alike except for how heavy the poly is on the neck (and over the fretwire).

100% the necks of these MIM Classic 50s are thicker, bigger than the neck of the American Standard. Far offsets any added displacement due to the slightly different neck width. We're talking 1.650 for the MIM Classic and 1.675 for the American Standard, basically. True 1 + 5/8ths width necks, not from any Fender North American source.

 

[xFallenx]

I've had 4 guitars with these necks.Three of which were stock Fender Classic Series '50s Esquires and 1 Fender Partscaster using the neck then did a body swap. Each neck felt ever so slightly different. They aren't fat necks, but medium necks imo. The shoulders tend to feel thinner near the headstock and get wider as you go towards the body. To answer your question....yes they are thicker than the American Standard/Series necks. Most consider the American Standard/Series necks to be on the thinner side.

 

[Telemarkman]

Yep, it's thicker alright, kinda like the 1998-2012 AV52RI Tele necks.

Agree. Maybe slightly less shoulders. But a very different profile than the AmStd neck, which seems real flat in comparison.

 

[boris bubbanov]

Yep, it's thicker alright, kinda like the 1998-2012 AV52RI Tele necks.

IMO the 1998-2012 AV52 necks were remarkably uniform in shape and dimensions.

The Classic 50s necks have gone through some variations in size over that time span. The best place to gather those changes are to talk to Mark Davis or go through his posts in the archives on this subject. When something gets introduced, it sometimes takes time to settle down as to the accepted size that FMIC will go with; most obvious of all is the first batch of Jimmie Vaughans.

And the main way these MIM necks deviated was when they were even fatter.

 

[teletimetx]

Last night I dreamt non-stop of Esquires. Woke up laughing in manic glee. The last time that happened, I had dreamt non-stop of a white-chested Lab/Boxer mutt whom I'd name Roscoe. Found one, and he is, indeed, the Great Dog of a lifetime.

Therefore, I shall buy a Classic Series '50s Esquire IF its neck is thicker (ideally, quite a bit thicker) than the Am. Std.'s C-shape neck that I could never work with.

It's logic, people, logic! It's only "reality" that's wrong.

Thanks for any feedback about this.

...might be easier, if that neck dimension is the most important, to find the neck you like in whatever tele you find, then make that tele into an esquire...

I once dreamed I was playing a 12-string with a flexible neck. Haven't been able to find anything like that.

 

[Telemarkman]

IMO the 1998-2012 AV52 necks were remarkably uniform in shape and dimensions.

The Classic 50s necks have gone through some variations in size over that time span.

While that is true, the Classic 50s neck has always been considerably deeper than the AmStd neck. The smaller fretboard radius also adds to this.

 

[JDRNoPro]

Definitely thicker than AmStd's. Neck on my 08 Classic 50s Esquire feels similar to my 01 AVRI52 but slightly thicker and is my favorite. In fact, that Esquire is my favorite 'tele'.