Recommended Pickup For An Esquire?

[colchar]

It’s very versatile in a live setting, particularly if you aren’t using pedals. The 3rd setting back on the bridge pickup is wide open-no volume or tone circuit. The the first “neck” position engages both tone and volume. This is where i stay most of the time, with the volume down a quarter or so, then flip to the back when it’s lead time. For this mod, I’d recommend using pickup on the warmer, mellower side. My preferences are lollar J street or one of the fender broadcaster, Nocaster types.

I only play at home as a hobby, is the Eldred wiring worth doing for a home player?

 

[donrichfan]

I only play at home as a hobby, is the Eldred wiring worth doing for a home player?

Ya, I think so. You get 3 distinct sounds that are very usable.
1st volume and tone
2nd volume only
3rd straight pickup-no tone, volume in the circuit

 

[Bruxist]

Ya, I think so. You get 3 distinct sounds that are very usable.
1st volume and tone
2nd volume only
3rd straight pickup-no tone, volume in the circuit

I don't think that is the Eldred mod.

• Switching position #1. This rear position is the same as on a standard Esquire. The pickup is routed through the volume control only, with the tone control bypassed for a hotter, louder lead sound with extra highs.
• Switching position #2. This middle position is also the same as on a standard Esquire, with the pickup routed through the volume and tone controls. It sounds a little warmer than position #1.
• Switching position #3. In the front position of the Eldred Esquire wiring, the pickup is routed through a single, small capacitor and volume control, with the tone control bypassed once again. You might think this is a very small and lame modification because it consists of nothing more than removing the fixed treble roll-off network and replacing it with a capacitor. But it's a very effective mod that's both versatile and useful.

(from https://www.premierguitar.com/gear/the-eldred-esquire-wiring )

But, that is a really useful config as well. Kinda hard to choose.

 

[2HBStrat]

I recently picked up a Classic Vibe Tele with the intent of Esquiring it (I know there is a CV Esquire but there were none in stock and I got a really good deal on the Tele).

I was wondering if there is a 'recommended' pickup for an Esquire, or will any vintage style Tele bridge pickup do the job?

Why mod a guitar to make it less versatile?

 

[Bruxist]

My guess is that he has other teles so he wants to do something different with this one.

Like an artist working in black and white or some other restricted palette, limitations can bring out creativity.

 

[donrichfan]

I don't think that is the Eldred mod.

• Switching position #1. This rear position is the same as on a standard Esquire. The pickup is routed through the volume control only, with the tone control bypassed for a hotter, louder lead sound with extra highs.
• Switching position #2. This middle position is also the same as on a standard Esquire, with the pickup routed through the volume and tone controls. It sounds a little warmer than position #1.
• Switching position #3. In the front position of the Eldred Esquire wiring, the pickup is routed through a single, small capacitor and volume control, with the tone control bypassed once again. You might think this is a very small and lame modification because it consists of nothing more than removing the fixed treble roll-off network and replacing it with a capacitor. But it's a very effective mod that's both versatile and useful.

(from https://www.premierguitar.com/gear/the-eldred-esquire-wiring )

But, that is a really useful config as well. Kinda hard to choose.

I thought I had the Eldred mod on mine… who knows what it’s called. Anyway, that particular scheme has worked out well for me, as I have access to 3 distinct sounds.
Apologies for any confusion.

 

[Pointmonger]

I put a Seymour Duncan Broadcaster in mine. I'm happy enough with it. But like everything else, I'll probably get to a point where I want something different.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

Ya, I think so. You get 3 distinct sounds that are very usable.
1st volume and tone
2nd volume only
3rd straight pickup-no tone, volume in the circuit

I don't think that is the Eldred mod.

• Switching position #1. This rear position is the same as on a standard Esquire. The pickup is routed through the volume control only, with the tone control bypassed for a hotter, louder lead sound with extra highs.
• Switching position #2. This middle position is also the same as on a standard Esquire, with the pickup routed through the volume and tone controls. It sounds a little warmer than position #1.
• Switching position #3. In the front position of the Eldred Esquire wiring, the pickup is routed through a single, small capacitor and volume control, with the tone control bypassed once again. You might think this is a very small and lame modification because it consists of nothing more than removing the fixed treble roll-off network and replacing it with a capacitor. But it's a very effective mod that's both versatile and useful.

(from https://www.premierguitar.com/gear/the-eldred-esquire-wiring )

But, that is a really useful config as well. Kinda hard to choose.

Yeah, Eldred is the one with the cap. Depending on the cap's value it can give you different cool, filtered tones that sound great with some dirt.

I like the volume + no tone, but it's not different enough to or to justify dedicating a switch position to it. That's why I use a no-load pot on my Esquire's tone control. For me it's less an effect and more getting the tone to go "one brighter".

Why mod a guitar to make it less versatile?

It's not less versatile, it's a different versatility using the same set of controls.

 

[donrichfan]

Yeah, Eldred is the one with the cap. Depending on the cap's value it can give you different cool, filtered tones that sound great with some dirt.

I like the volume + no tone, but it's not different enough to or to justify dedicating a switch position to it. That's why I use a no-load pot on my Esquire's tone control. For me it's less an effect and more getting the tone to go "one brighter".



It's not less versatile, it's a different versatility using the same set of controls.

I stand corrected. Mine is called a “full throttle” scheme. I think it is something fender does on some of their CS Esquires.
I suppose the name would make sense, as the rear position is wide open pickup.

 

[2HBStrat]

...It's not less versatile, it's a different versatility using the same set of controls.

It IS less versatile. With an Esquire you don't have the neck pickup sound of a Tele and you don't have the middle position sound of a Tele. All you have with an Esquire is a one pickup guitar with three slightly different tone settings.

This should be obvious...

 

[Skub]

Pretty much any will do, unless you want something very specific out of it.

Since we're here, I love the Cavalier Fat Lion Lion in my Esquire. Nice and fat, as advertised. Cleans up nicely with the volume control. Sounds good all along the tone control. Sounds like a Tele bridge pickup at all times. I'm into it.

Same for me on the Fat Lion.

 

[Phrygian77]

How does a Broadcaster type pickup sound for Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Garage, etc.?

Exile on Main St.?

10,000 turns was typical of P90s and humbuckers (humbuckers being two 5000 turn coils). Fender was trying to wind to around 8000 turns, but there were those rare occasional overwinds. The Alnico magnetic poles make a Broadcaster type pickup a little brighter than a P90 with its steel poles. It's kind of in between classic Fender and P90.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

It IS less versatile. With an Esquire you don't have the neck pickup sound of a Tele and you don't have the middle position sound of a Tele. All you have with an Esquire is a one pickup guitar with three slightly different tone settings.

This should be obvious...

And a proper Tele doesn't typically have a straight-to-jack option, or an Eldred or Arlo or cocked wah, or coil splits/taps. It also doesn't have a Floyd Rose or 4 humbuckers or a hundred other things, but nobody craps on them for that. Some people just seem to have this idea that that body shape has 2 pickups by "default", and anything less is less, without looking at what an Esquire has that a Tele doesn't.

I don't have to tell you that you're under no obligation to enjoy or appreciate Esquires, but to say that they're "less versatile" just because they don't have a neck pickup is only half the story. An Esquire is more than a Tele in just as many ways as it is less.

 

[Jim622]

I put a SD STL-1 vintage 54 in mine. I love it. Some reviews said its to clean, but, maybe because it’s in an Esquire, mine got just the right amount of snarl.

 

[fenderchamp]

Why not just wire up the pickup that's already in there to start with?

It's easy enough to swap a pickup in and out any time.

Are you thinking about wiring it like a vintage esquire with a three way switch or doing something different.

Taking the tone pot and or the volume pot out of the equation is always kind of a revelation if you have never had a guitar like that. good luck and have fun.

 

[ScottJPatrick]

I use my 'Esquire' without a switch but have a no load tone pot which still gives 3 distinct sounds with a quick roll of the tone knob, vol only, vol and tone engaged and tone rolled all the way which with a .22uF capacitor still leaves enough top end to be usable.

Always wanted to try one of Rob's tapped pickups in an Esquire, one of those or his Holy Grail Nocaster would be very usable.

 

[colchar]

Why mod a guitar to make it less versatile?

Because I have two Teles already - a Partscaster with a four-way switch and a Schecter PT model. I wanted an Esquire and the easiest way to get what I wanted was to buy and mod.

 

[colchar]

And a proper Tele doesn't typically have a straight-to-jack option, or an Eldred or Arlo or cocked wah, or coil splits/taps. It also doesn't have a Floyd Rose or 4 humbuckers or a hundred other things, but nobody craps on them for that. Some people just seem to have this idea that that body shape has 2 pickups by "default", and anything less is less, without looking at what an Esquire has that a Tele doesn't.

I don't have to tell you that you're under no obligation to enjoy or appreciate Esquires, but to say that they're "less versatile" just because they don't have a neck pickup is only half the story. An Esquire is more than a Tele in just as many ways as it is less.

And for someone like me who has three Teles, making one into an Esquire is a great way to get something different.

 

[Sax-son]

I have a 62AVRI in mine. Sounds good.

Good choice!

 

[Redheadlvr]

My Eldred mod/treble bleed is-
(Position 1)-volume only
(Position 2)-volume and tone
(Position 3)-volume only/cocked wah. Sounds similar to a Strat in positions 2 or 4