Esquires

koneguitarist

They did make Esquire's with two pickups from memory.

ICBM

koneguitarist said:

They did make Esquire's with two pickups from memory.

Only a very few prototypes right at the very beginning, even before the Broadcaster.

I always puzzled that the cost of a neck pickup could be enough to make it worth producing two separate models, but presumably it was.

longjaw

Love my Esquire - Rosser Guitars body, Might Mite neck and a Seymour Duncan Broadcaster pick-up -

jd0272

Surf Green? Nice.

GuitarMonkey

ICBM said:

koneguitarist said:

They did make Esquire's with two pickups from memory.

Only a very few prototypes right at the very beginning, even before the Broadcaster.

I always puzzled that the cost of a neck pickup could be enough to make it worth producing two separate models, but presumably it was.

Niche marketing. 

I've just been looking at iPads and the cost of extra memory is far in excess of what memory actually costs. It just allows different models at different price points. And lots of profit of course. 

longjaw

jd0272 said:

Surf Green? Nice.

Yup indeedy - cheers!

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM;150603" said:

koneguitarist said:

They did make Esquire's with two pickups from memory.





Only a very few prototypes right at the very beginning, even before the Broadcaster.

I always puzzled that the cost of a neck pickup could be enough to make it worth producing two separate models, but presumably it was.

Isn't that just a Tele? Or am I missing something?

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

Isn't that just a Tele? Or am I missing something?

The different name .

The very first prototypes were called Esquires, and had two pickups. These may or may not correspond to the ones made with no truss rod, I'm not sure. The first production model was called the Broadcaster; then a few were made with no model logo because Gretsch objected to the name (they had a drum kit called the 'Broadkaster') - these are now known as 'No-Casters' - and then finally called the Telecaster. All these are basically the same guitar. Then at some point the Esquire name was resurrected for the one-pickup model - given Leo's notorious tight-fistedness, probably because they had a lot of decals left over.

ThePrettyDamned

Oh, cool. I was worried there

Yeah, I don't think Leo let anything go to waste!

OilCityPickups

While we are on trivia ... if you look at the underside of a real 1949/50/51 'Bakelite' pick guard you will see a big round ring. shiny (ish) on the outside and matt in the middle. See, Leo got the guys to spray the Bakelite with nitro for a shiny finish ... but being tight ... he didn't make any form of drying rack in the early days ... the round ring is simply the top of an old paint can that the guard was laid on while it was sprayed!

chrisj1602

I want to try the Cocked Wah / Eldred Mod on my Esquire - If I'm right I just need to buy the .0047 cap and the rest is adding a wire on the switch and taking bits out. Is that right?

To go from this...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7440801/Guitar Wiring/Esquire3-WayFender.jpg

To this...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7440801/Guitar Wiring/Esquire3-WayEldred.jpg

jd0272

TheGuitarWeasel said:

While we are on trivia ... if you look at the underside of a real 1949/50/51 'Bakelite' pick guard you will see a big round ring. shiny (ish) on the outside and matt in the middle. See, Leo got the guys to spray the Bakelite with nitro for a shiny finish ... but being tight ... he didn't make any form of drying rack in the early days ... the round ring is simply the top of an old paint can that the guard was laid on while it was sprayed!

Which is how I sprayed mine, and now I too, have a large ring underneath.

Doesn't sound right that, does it? Hmmm.......

koneguitarist

This is the best option http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7440801/Guitar Wiring/Esquire3-Way3.jpg You get the full volume jump out in first position, regular tele with volume and tone, so you can set a rhythm setting then switch to a lead setting, the Eldred is great with an OD, just honks like a pseudo LPcustom bridge tone.

ThePrettyDamned

koneguitarist;152812" said:

This is the best option

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7440801/Guitar Wiring/Esquire3-Way3.jpg

You get the full volume jump out in first position, regular tele with volume and tone, so you can set a rhythm setting then switch to a lead setting, the Eldred is great with an OD, just honks like a pseudo LPcustom bridge tone.

Might use this wiring on my Tele actually. Saves me buying a neck pickup, I just need a different scratchplate. I could always wire up a second control cavity for regular Tele should the need arise.

Hmm.

jd0272

@ThePrettyDamned I've a spare black Esquire 5 hole guard you can have if you want one? PM me your address etc.

fretfinder

miserneil said:

I picked up this little gem yesterday.

Early Custom Shop '59 Relic, well played and the aging is REALLY good on this one, very realistic. Vibrates in the hand like a mofo, Suberb guitar!:

That's a beauty! What year is it and how much does one have to pay to acquire one of these...?

IvisonGuitars

fretfinder said:

miserneil said:

I picked up this little gem yesterday.

Early Custom Shop '59 Relic, well played and the aging is REALLY good on this one, very realistic. Vibrates in the hand like a mofo, Suberb guitar!:

That's a beauty! What year is it and how much does one have to pay to acquire one of these...?

Thanks! It's a 2004 and how much one pays, especially at the moment, is down to how good one is at striking a deal! ;-)

jd0272

Paid £1400 for my 2003 '59 (same as Neil's except a bit more kicked in....)a few yr ago, used. Didn't haggle, just wanted! Worth the money all day long.

chrisj1602

@koneguitarist  Thanks for the suggestion, looks like a good idea, I like the idea of having the full on lead setting, then using the middle with the vol/tone for more of a rhythm setting - and I guess I can just use a regular tone pot and the no-load is optional?

koneguitarist

chrisj1602 said:

@koneguitarist  Thanks for the suggestion, looks like a good idea, I like the idea of having the full on lead setting, then using the middle with the vol/tone for more of a rhythm setting - and I guess I can just use a regular tone pot and the no-load is optional?

Yes, you wont hear much difference in the no load pot anyway, that's quite subtle from guitar to guitar.

I always turn my guitar off when taking a break, make sure you also switch to middle or neck setting, otherwise you can turn amp on, and everything comes in full volume

From experience !