FS FT - Fender Esprit Elite 1984 Black £1050 - Withdrawn

Fuengi

For trade

Fender Master Series Esprit Elite Guitar from the 1984, made in the famous Fujigen Gakki factory in Japan. The other Master Series Guitars were the Flame and the D’Aquisto, and there were three levels of each model made – Standard / Elite / Ultra. The serial number on the back of the headstock (seen clearly in natural daylight) begins with 84 which dates it.

The Master Series were the first ever ‘set neck’ designed guitars that Fender produced. They were created by Dan Smith who took the company over from CBS in the early 1980’s. Dan had come over from Yamaha and had helped to design the popular SG model for them, and this was Fender’s attempt to create something similar.

However, the series was short lived being produced between 1983 – 1985 before being shelved. Although they were considered very good guitars they didn’t sell well at the time. By looking at serial numbers they think around 4000 Master Series guitars were made. If you divide evenly between the three ranges of guitars and then by finish levels that would indicate around 450 of each. But, the Flame and Esprit were the most popular so it's fair to assume there were more of these made than the D'Aquisto. My guess is somewhere between 300 – 600 of the Esprit Elite were ever made. The Esprit guitar range did contuinue after 1986 as they became the Robben Ford Signature series. 

The guitar itself is in absolutely incredible condition for its age, all original and in perfect working order. Zero fret wear, neck straight, lovely rosewood fingerboard, complete with hard case and the original paperwork, tags, strap and strap locks. The Elite versions were shipped in Fender USA cases. 

There is some minor buckle rash on the back which I have tried to photograph and one of the case clips has broken off, but I have kept the clip and this is repairable but the case works fine without it.

The Elite version has coil splitting humbuckers, tbx tone controls and micro adjustable bridge as well as snowflake fret markers and decorative headstock and upgraded tuners compared to the Standard version.

It's a great guitar to play, got a lovely growl to chords with the humbuckers and sparkling single notes with single coil. Setup is spot on, bends perfectly without any choking with an easy low action. It really is a very well put together guitar and sounds terrific.

Get in touch if you want any more information. More than happy for potential buyers to come and try it out over a cuppa.

Trades / part trades for the following;

Amps - A low wattage (5W - 10W) 6V6 based tube amp from Carr, Rift, Tone King or similar quality. Silver face Fender Champ or Vibro Champ.

  Guitars - Rosewood board Fender Mustang or Stratocaster, Suhr Classic S.

https://imgur.com/a/6gDKuum

https://imgur.com/a/Iim3H7W

HarrySeven

God
Damn
It.

That is lush.  

The End.

Fuengi

HarrySeven said:

God
Damn
It.

That is lush.  

The End.

If only you had something decent to trade 

Seriously though, that's like a Michelin Star. 

HarrySeven

Fuengi said:

HarrySeven said:

God
Damn
It.

That is lush.  

The End.

If only you had something decent to trade 

Seriously though, that's like a Michelin Star. 

Hmmmm...Rosewood ‘board Mustangs and Strats, you say? This is where I bemoan my lack of any form of indexing...

munckee

HarrySeven said:

Fuengi said:

HarrySeven said:

God
Damn
It.

That is lush.  

The End.

If only you had something decent to trade 

Seriously though, that's like a Michelin Star. 

Hmmmm...Rosewood ‘board Mustangs and Strats, you say? This is where I bemoan my lack of any form of indexing...

That noise is Harryseven digging through guitar boxes to see what’s in them!

i’ve played this it’s really nice to play and has some real grunt if you want it. 

Stevepage

Played a similar model a couple of years back. Fantastic guitars, Fenders old hidden gem.

Fuengi

HarrySeven said:

Fuengi said:

HarrySeven said:

God
Damn
It.

That is lush.  

The End.

If only you had something decent to trade 

Seriously though, that's like a Michelin Star. 

Hmmmm...Rosewood ‘board Mustangs and Strats, you say? This is where I bemoan my lack of any form of indexing...

Possibly a Jag if it's Dakota Red

Funkfingers

HarrySeven said:

Rosewood ‘board Mustangs and Strats, you say? This is where I bemoan my lack of any form of indexing...

I know for a fact that you possess at least three Stratocasters with rosewood fingerboards ... and that is just white ones. :-p

Fuengi

Just realised all the photos did not upload to imgur. Additional here.

https://imgur.com/a/Iim3H7W

ChuckManual

PM'ed.

jdgm

Very tempted!

And I have a rosewood neck Strat that I've been considering moving on - but it is a Japanese Contemporary Series III from around the same era - has the same bridge humbucker.

Fuengi

jdgm said:

Very tempted!

And I have a rosewood neck Strat that I've been considering moving on - but it is a Japanese Contemporary Series III from around the same era - has the same bridge humbucker.

You're in Farnham? I'm in Horndean, youre welcome to come and try it and bring your Strat along.

jacksparrow

Lovely guitar glwtt

jdgm

pm'd.

Fuengi

Updated with a sale price of £1050, lots of interest and offers but nothing yet I really want.

In an ideal world I woukd like to go some way to getting a nice Japanese Mustang and a Silver face Vibro Champ. The right Strat I'd also look at. 

Price wise, I know some Standard Esprit's have gone around the £850 - £900 range but not in this condition and the Elite version has several upgrades.

Guitar Center has the only other Elite for sale that I can see in the country and that is priced at nearly £1500. 

Nice to have had so much interest, let me know what you've got and hopefully there is a deal out there. 

Fuengi

Bump. 

Close-ish on a couple of offers but currently still available, let me know if interested. 

Fuengi

Withdrawn from sale.

I suspect this happens a lot, but since having it up for sale I have played it a lot more, mostly because it's been to hand in my studio and not in its case. 

Had an hour with it this afternoon, Mesa Maverick, Thorpy Peacekeeper and EFX Grand Canyon, realisation dawned I would be an idiot to let it go. It does the light and dark thing so well, lower end growl and upper end chime. It sounded so good with the Peacekeeper I just ordered a V1 Fat General from Mr @ThorpyFX very much looking forward to playing through that. 

munckee

Fuengi said:

Withdrawn from sale.

I suspect this happens a lot, but since having it up for sale I have played it a lot more, mostly because it's been to hand in my studio and not in its case. 

Had an hour with it this afternoon, Mesa Maverick, Thorpy Peacekeeper and EFX Grand Canyon, realisation dawned I would be an idiot to let it go. It does the light and dark thing so well, lower end growl and upper end chime. It sounded so good with the Peacekeeper I just ordered a V1 Fat General from Mr @ThorpyFX very much looking forward to playing through that. 

So not selling your own guitar has just cost you £200 ish. Ain’t guitars great!,

Fuengi

munckee said:

Fuengi said:

Withdrawn from sale.

I suspect this happens a lot, but since having it up for sale I have played it a lot more, mostly because it's been to hand in my studio and not in its case. 

Had an hour with it this afternoon, Mesa Maverick, Thorpy Peacekeeper and EFX Grand Canyon, realisation dawned I would be an idiot to let it go. It does the light and dark thing so well, lower end growl and upper end chime. It sounded so good with the Peacekeeper I just ordered a V1 Fat General from Mr @ThorpyFX very much looking forward to playing through that. 

So not selling your own guitar has just cost you £200 ish. Ain’t guitars great!,

£145 in the clearance sale. Absolute bargain!