Fender Esquire Solid Body Electric Guitar (1969)
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Item # 10316
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Fender Esquire Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1969), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 259494, blonde finish, ash body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
We've handled quite a few vintage Telecaster family instruments over the years but here's one we rarely see: a 1969 Fender Esquire. The "Esquire" name had been around since 1950, applied by 1951 to a single-pickup variation of the by then two-pickup Broadcaster/Telecaster. While classed as a separate model, the Esquire was built from the same parts so Fender sales could offer a cheaper alternative to the Tele's original $189.50 pricetag.
This is a rare example of a *very* late Esquire, built shortly before the model's discontinuation in early 1970. The single-pickup Esquire lagged dramatically in sales behind the more versatile Telecaster for years, and in the 1960s was eclipsed by other budget models like the Mustang. At the end of the '60s CBS finally pulled the plug on the model. Even many heavy-duty Fender fans don't realize how rare this unassuming-looking guitar really is; by 1969 Fender was building thousands of Telecasters a year and only a handful of Esquires.
This guitar is one of those few, and a generally well-preserved one at that. The features are mostly identical to a period Telecaster, but with that blank spot on the pickguard where the neck pickup usually sits. The neck on this guitar is date stamped July 1969 and is the quizzical combination of a "skunk stripe" maple neck fitted with a rosewood fingerboard. This oddity is peculiar to this specific time period, when Fender had recently revived the original style one-piece maple neck. The headstock decal is the rarely seen "big letter" ESQUIRE logo used only in 1969-70, supposedly designed for better visibility on TV according to CBS theory. The tuners are the newer style Fender "F" logo style that replaced the venerable Klusons in 1966.
Other features are the same as the contemporary Telecaster. The pots date to 17th week of 1966 when a huge quantity were bought in by CBS' purchasing department, which lasted into the 1970s. The wiring is still the earlier style cloth pattern with the specific Esquire capacitor array. The body is in the transitional blonde finish of the late '60s, thicker but with some modicum of ash grain visible. The 3-layer white plastic pickguard has the pearloid reverse layer specific to this 1968-70 period. The bridge has the newer non-threaded steel saddles introduced in 1968.
The single pickup is controlled by the standard Telecaster volume and tone knobs and 3-way switch with a "top hat" tip. Esquire wiring is unique in offering three tonal options on this one-pickup guitar: the #1 bass-heavy setting, the #2 with a normal tone control function, and the #3 "bypass" sending the signal straight to the jack. This last setting is the Esquire's secret bonus, offering some of the snarliest tones ever to emerge from Fullerton. This is not only a rare Fender but a very attractive and great-sounding guitar, with a real "Bakersfield" twang!
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) deep. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This Esquire shows some typical wear but is not heavily used, and overall quite nicely preserved. There is some checking and small dings, dents and wear marks to the blonde finish with areas of overcoat worn through but no heavy loss. A small spot is worn through to the wood just below the bridge, and the armwear area and a spot by the neck are down to the undercoat.
Finish and fittings are nearly all original; the chrome plating shows some light wear. The only major alteration is different tuners were fitted in the past; original Fender F-tuners are now neatly re-mounted leaving fade rings on the face and a few other minor marks on the headstock. The headstock also has two string trees, the inside one is a slightly later addition but a correct Fender piece.
The original pickguard has been notched by the fingerboard to allow easier truss rod adjustment and has some minor shrinkage but no popped corners. The slot-head screws mounting the pickup are not original, but nothing else in the electronics rig appears to have been changed; the pickup and all solder joints remain original. It has never been altered by adding a neck pickup as many have!
The original frets have been taken down just a bit and still play very well; the fingerboard has some very light wear. The nut is newer. Playability is excellent and all-in-all this is simply a cool and very rare Esquire; CBS era it's true, but the sound, the feel, and the vibe are all still the most basic and pure form of classic Fender nirvana. It resides in a correct but somewhat later period black Tolex fender case. Excellent - Condition.
We've handled quite a few vintage Telecaster family instruments over the years but here's one we rarely see: a 1969 Fender Esquire. The "Esquire" name had been around since 1950, applied by 1951 to a single-pickup variation of the by then two-pickup Broadcaster/Telecaster. While classed as a separate model, the Esquire was built from the same parts so Fender sales could offer a cheaper alternative to the Tele's original $189.50 pricetag.
This is a rare example of a *very* late Esquire, built shortly before the model's discontinuation in early 1970. The single-pickup Esquire lagged dramatically in sales behind the more versatile Telecaster for years, and in the 1960s was eclipsed by other budget models like the Mustang. At the end of the '60s CBS finally pulled the plug on the model. Even many heavy-duty Fender fans don't realize how rare this unassuming-looking guitar really is; by 1969 Fender was building thousands of Telecasters a year and only a handful of Esquires.
This guitar is one of those few, and a generally well-preserved one at that. The features are mostly identical to a period Telecaster, but with that blank spot on the pickguard where the neck pickup usually sits. The neck on this guitar is date stamped July 1969 and is the quizzical combination of a "skunk stripe" maple neck fitted with a rosewood fingerboard. This oddity is peculiar to this specific time period, when Fender had recently revived the original style one-piece maple neck. The headstock decal is the rarely seen "big letter" ESQUIRE logo used only in 1969-70, supposedly designed for better visibility on TV according to CBS theory. The tuners are the newer style Fender "F" logo style that replaced the venerable Klusons in 1966.
Other features are the same as the contemporary Telecaster. The pots date to 17th week of 1966 when a huge quantity were bought in by CBS' purchasing department, which lasted into the 1970s. The wiring is still the earlier style cloth pattern with the specific Esquire capacitor array. The body is in the transitional blonde finish of the late '60s, thicker but with some modicum of ash grain visible. The 3-layer white plastic pickguard has the pearloid reverse layer specific to this 1968-70 period. The bridge has the newer non-threaded steel saddles introduced in 1968.
The single pickup is controlled by the standard Telecaster volume and tone knobs and 3-way switch with a "top hat" tip. Esquire wiring is unique in offering three tonal options on this one-pickup guitar: the #1 bass-heavy setting, the #2 with a normal tone control function, and the #3 "bypass" sending the signal straight to the jack. This last setting is the Esquire's secret bonus, offering some of the snarliest tones ever to emerge from Fullerton. This is not only a rare Fender but a very attractive and great-sounding guitar, with a real "Bakersfield" twang!
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) deep. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This Esquire shows some typical wear but is not heavily used, and overall quite nicely preserved. There is some checking and small dings, dents and wear marks to the blonde finish with areas of overcoat worn through but no heavy loss. A small spot is worn through to the wood just below the bridge, and the armwear area and a spot by the neck are down to the undercoat.
Finish and fittings are nearly all original; the chrome plating shows some light wear. The only major alteration is different tuners were fitted in the past; original Fender F-tuners are now neatly re-mounted leaving fade rings on the face and a few other minor marks on the headstock. The headstock also has two string trees, the inside one is a slightly later addition but a correct Fender piece.
The original pickguard has been notched by the fingerboard to allow easier truss rod adjustment and has some minor shrinkage but no popped corners. The slot-head screws mounting the pickup are not original, but nothing else in the electronics rig appears to have been changed; the pickup and all solder joints remain original. It has never been altered by adding a neck pickup as many have!
The original frets have been taken down just a bit and still play very well; the fingerboard has some very light wear. The nut is newer. Playability is excellent and all-in-all this is simply a cool and very rare Esquire; CBS era it's true, but the sound, the feel, and the vibe are all still the most basic and pure form of classic Fender nirvana. It resides in a correct but somewhat later period black Tolex fender case. Excellent - Condition.