Esquire build or buy?

[Stratandtele]

I've been wanting an esquire for some time. Vintage and custom shop are financially out of the question. Mexican reissues look decent, but are scarce. I also don't think I'd like a 7 1/4" radius. So it seems my options are to buy a used telecaster, and change the pickguard and wiring, or build a partesquire. I'm leaning toward buying a used American standard, they can be found on Craigslist for 6-800$ locally. I investigated the parts guitar route, it looks like somewhere around $800 plus to complete a warmoth build, with warmoth doing the finishing work. I like the idea of the warmoth build because I can get exactly what I want, Mary Kaye white with rosewood fretboard would be my first choice. On the other hand, the already assembled and setup telecaster conversion would probably be cheaper and retain a better resale value. Hmmm, decisions decisions....Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[soulman969]

Yep, I'd favor just buying a Tele that has the specs you want, removing the neck pickup, replacing the pickguard, and rewiring it. It doesn't get a whole lot easier than that when every Tele is an Esquire at heart if you want it to be.

 

[Axean naexA]

'
It sort of depends on whether you want the headstock to read "Esquire" or not.

If it doesn't bother you that it's obviously a "Telecaster" with one pickup removed, then, yes, do it that way.

As for me, I would personally rather have an authentic "Esquire", but that's just me...

'

 

[Shango66]

Buy a Tele and put the neck pickup in the drawer.

 

[fenderrookie]

I would like to pursue a build like this in the future. I would want a neck with some girth to it, something that an American Standard just doesn't have. Also, would want a white blonde as well.

 

[S00NERMAN]

I went with Warmoth in building exactly what I wanted. Picked up a thinline 2 color swamp ash burst (no f hole) and an unfinished canary wood neck with vintage tuners and stainless steel frets. Put a Joe Barden bridge on it with a DiMarzio Area T Hot pickup wired with the modified 'Eldred Mod" 3 way switch. Finished her off with a Quickguards lacquered Bakelite pickguard. This thing goes from tele twang to ballsy overdrive (think of the Animals "House of the Rising Sun" intro) with just the flip of the pickup position switch. Absolutely marvelous sound. If you do nothing else I highly recommend that wiring/pickup combination!

 

[rockymtnguitar]

I built one (Classic Vibe body) and I'm pleased I went that route. I'm in a much lower price bracket, obvously, but I still feel I got a lot of the customization I wanted and could do more if the damn thing wasn't so perfect as it is. Got the wiring and the pots I wanted, etc. With some of the various MiM teles you should be able to find almost any color / specs you want.

 

[anonymous]

I've been wanting an esquire for some time. Vintage and custom shop are financially out of the question. Mexican reissues look decent, but are scarce. I also don't think I'd like a 7 1/4" radius. So it seems my options are to buy a used telecaster, and change the pickguard and wiring, or build a partesquire. I'm leaning toward buying a used American standard, they can be found on Craigslist for 6-800$ locally. I investigated the parts guitar route, it looks like somewhere around $800 plus to complete a warmoth build, with warmoth doing the finishing work. I like the idea of the warmoth build because I can get exactly what I want, Mary Kaye white with rosewood fretboard would be my first choice. On the other hand, the already assembled and setup telecaster conversion would probably be cheaper and retain a better resale value. Hmmm, decisions decisions....Anyone have any suggestions?

You're correct, an already assembled guitar would retain a better resale value than one you may build. Have put together a few guitars and some work amazingly well, but don't plan on making money from it. If you want a sand box to play in building a guitar can be a lot of fun, so what's that worth?

Didn't think I'd like a 7 1/4" neck, but got one to try and now one of my favorites. If you can, try one to see how it works for you. Limiting options..... limits options.

 

[AnAxeNamedBeverly]

Building one is big fun.
Consider finishing it yourself to save some real $.

 

[blille]

'
It sort of depends on whether you want the headstock to read "Esquire" or not.

If it doesn't bother you that it's obviously a "Telecaster" with one pickup removed, then, yes, do it that way.

As for me, I would personally rather have an authentic "Esquire", but that's just me...

'

It can read "Squier". Close enough

 

[Tim S]

Get a 50s Baja and yank the neck pickup.

 

[AngelDeville]

I took the triple telecaster and yanked the neck and middle pickup.

Now I can build two more esquire's.

 

[jvin248]

.

+1 for get a regular Tele and pull the neck pickup and rewire as your fastest easy path. You might find an Esquire branded neck and then bolt that on any MIA or MIM loaded body.

I have a Tele HH MIM with a single H bridge with all wires and a 4-way to run it like a dual single coil for a different take on the Esquire. I also scratch built a T-style Esquire with the Eldred Mod on a Lindy Fralin Blues pickup and that works out great too. I have seen where people get an Esquire pickguard for their stock Tele and mount the neck pickup direct to the body to have a stealth system that looks like an Esquire but runs like a regular Tele -- then you have no wiring to worry about.

.

 

[Nevada_Bob]

I went the build route because it was fun and I wanted the experience.

But there is a great deal of benefit in buying and then converting - it's certainly easier and faster. You'd be starting with a known guitar that you can play beforehand.

Either way, the end result will be awesome.

I scored this MJT body from their eBay store and that's what started the whole mess...

Custom Shop Blackguard bridge PU and American Special neck and bridge, all from Stratosphere. Wired as an Eldred / DeStephano.

 

[caliban335]

I converted a Squier CV into an Esquire and got exactly what I wanted. Buy the model of Tele that fits your wants and needs and modify it.

 

[baiff]

Build. Get exactly what you want for a fraction of a CS. If you are already concerned with resale value then it may be a lost cause. Buy new and sell=you will lose money or build your own and sell=you may lose a bit more. At that point it really does not matter as long as you get what will make you want to play it.

 

[jamieorc]

Or get someone to build it, like Ron Kirn

 

[JDRNoPro]

I built 3 Equire clones and it was a lot of fun and they are good guitars. However, I was lucky to find a very light nos blonde MIM Classic Series Esquire and just love that guitar - probably even more than my wonderful AVRI 52. I replaced the stock pickup with one of Rob DiStephano's excellent Cavalier Lion pickups but that's the only mod. I don't know what it is about that guitar but it just looks, feels, and sounds "special" to me every time I play it.

Having said that, it can be very satisfying to build one and select exactly the specs you want.

 

[wyclif]

There is absolutely no shame in coverting a Tele to an Esquire. Nobody will ever know that there's a pickup cavity underneath the pickguard (unless you tell them!), and it looks pretty easy to rewire to an Eldred mod "cocked wah" setup, or one of the many variations (4-way).

If you want to go the partscaster route, check with MJT. I know they've done a lot of Esquire builds for the type of player who romanticizes that Jeff Beck Esquire that he sold to Seymour Duncan...

 

[hemmings]

Here's mine.
A Mexican Fender vintage type neck refinished in Nitro, and body from Ebay. I painted body and neck then reliced the crap out of them.
It has a high output no name humbucker under the pickguard for extra tones.
Sounds fantastic and cost very little.
I can't afford a custom shop relic Esquire so had to make my own.