Fender Brad Paisley Esquire (again)

The last thread got a little out of hand, and got locked. Let's keep this one civil, eh?

New info we have not yet heard on this model- right from Brad himself.

-bridge pickup same as in silver one
-neck pickup sounds like a Strat (!)
-In-between position sounds "more stratty" because it's about 70%bridge/30%neck
...a good read!

Also info on those amps he was using... the Z is the new Z-Wreck Jr. 18-watter. The Vibro-king has been modded with a new baffle for a 1x12 + 1x10 configuration... interesting...

https://guitar.com/features/intervi..._medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=

 

In the interview I linked to above, Brad says they are the same. The difference, apparently, is that the neck pickup isn't pulling on the strings like a regular neck pickup, which changes the sound of the BRIDGE pickup. This is, allegedly, what makes an Esquire an Esquire.

 

Welp, I got one incoming....there was one on eBay from MF, a mint return, and MF emailed me with an offer I couldn't refuse for basically a new instrument. So the deed is done.

 

Should be here tomorrow....

 

Hmm... well, the silver one seems to go for around $800 used these days? The Esquire, being brand new, will draw more... not saying 2K is too much, but IDK... I paid 1150 total for the Esquire (mine was a "return", it's like a demo model in a guitar shop), so 1150+800=1950? It's right there... would depend on the condition of both...

 

Hmm... just took it out of the box. Light as a feather. I had to contact Fender (awaiting a reply), because the neck on this guitar does not feel like the one on the silver sparkle Paisley Telecaster I played at the local shop. I remember LOVING that neck, but this one seems bigger. You would THINK they'd be the same, since it's BRAD'S neck, but IDK. Maybe my memory is faulty (wouldn't be the first time)... we'll see what Fender has to say about it.

Other first-5-minute-observations (using stock strings; right out of the box... I'm going to put MY strings on it and set it up to my specs)...

-the bridge pickup sounds good. It can definitely rock if you want it to. But it can also chicken pick.

-the neck pickup is indeed quieter than the bridge- I'd say by 25%. At home it's quite noticeable, but it's less noticeable at gig levels... not sure that would be a deal breaker for me.

-this is the most interesting thing, and I think will be the love/hate that makes people decide if they like this guitar:
The middle position sounds like a STRAT. It does not sound like the middle position on a tele. It sounds like the bridge/middle position on a Strat... it does a good "Sultans of Swing" tone. Some might consider that very versatile, especially for a cover band situation. And I know people for years have tried to get the tele middle position to sound more Strat-like (the Jerry Donahue tele has wiring for this)... so some people will probably really dig it, others who like the tele's middle position will likely not.

 

I love the body, and I love the bridge pickup. Not sure about the neck profile yet. As for the weak neck pickup, since I use the bridge 90% of the time in my band, and the middle the other 10% (I rarely use the neck pickup for the music we play), this SUPER LIGHT tele would actually be great for my cover band. But it's not the guitar I would pick up at home, simply because I use the neck pickup ALOT at home. So, not sure this guitar is "for me".

Almost makes me want to wait until The Stratosphere is selling these bodies w/o necks, and use it to build a partscaster out of...

 

Well, like I said: it'll be a love/hate thing, because it makes the middle position sound like a Strat. Someone like Jim Campilongo or Duke Levine would NOT like that, lol. personally, while I like a Strats middle/bridge position occasionally, I prefer the tele middle position.

As far as a lower volume neck pickup being a "feature"... in who's world LOL? In all my years of talking with other musicians I've NEVER heard anyone complain that they wished their tele neck pickup was QUIETER lol

 

Well, Brad is the only one who lives in Brad's world

 

Just wanted to verify for you- that is correct. Altho the C profile shape up higher on the neck is STILL chunkier/thicker than the MIA or MIM "Modern C" profile.

 

I've never had an issue with an overbearing neck pickup on a tele, altho yes- it is my standard procedure to raise the bridge and lower the neck. But that is LIGHT YEARS away from the imbalance I'm talking about with this Esquire- all I can say is- until you play it, you don't know how IMBALANCED the 2 pickups are. Yes, Brad wanted it that way... I can't imagine what his application would be tho. The volumes of the 2 pickups are so different you'd never be able to balance them, which matters if you are someone who uses both pickups alot. But again- the unique stratty sound in the middle position is very useful.

As for the necks... I own/have owned MIA, MIM, and MII telecasters. All the MIA necks have been the same. All the MIM necks have been the same. the MII neck was tiny and pretty different from the other 2. Despite all of them being "Modern C" profiles. I just assume each factory (America, Mexico, Indonesia) has it's own CNC making the necks... so necks from the same factory are the same, but necks across the Fender range are not, despite all being listed as "Modern C".