Esquires and Teles

HAL9000

Dumb question but what's the difference?

I'd always thought that it was Esquires have one pickup whilst Teles have two, but I know that in the early days that Fender produced two-pickup Esquires. Presumably because Leo had some 'Esquire' decals sitting around in the factory and Leo didn't like waste. Also the Broadcaster/Telecaster names probably hadn't been thought of at that time.

Also it seems to me that simply whipping the neck pickup out of a Tele doesn't instantly make it an Esquire - to me part of what makes an Esquire is that the blade switch selects tonal options rather than pickup choice. A Tele with the neck pickup removed, to my mind, is simply a one-pickup Tele.

thegummy

As far as I knew, it was just the things you mention - single pickup and the presets on the blade.

Will be interesting to read any info anyone has on this.

Funkfingers

HAL9000 said:

I know that in the early days that Fender produced two-pickup Esquires. Presumably, because Leo had some "Esquire" decals sitting around in the factory and didn't like waste. 

1950, two-pickup, no truss rod guitars were named Esquire.

Early 1951, two pickup guitars produced with the truss rod were named Broadcaster until Gretsch claimed a trade mark infringement and requested Fender to cease and desist.

Late 1951 two pickup guitars were named Telecaster.

The transitional, mid 1951 two pickup guitars had the clipped decals that only read Fender. Hence, the "No Caster" nickname.

The single pickup Esquire first appeared in early 1951. 

HAL9000 said:

the Broadcaster/Telecaster names probably hadn't been thought of at that time.

These two names were coined by Don Randall. 

HAL9000 said:

part of what makes an Esquire is that the blade switch selects tonal options rather than pickup choice.

Some obsessives would argue that the magnetic field above the neck/Rhythm position pickup influences the excursion of the vibrating strings. Obviously, when that pickup is not present, no such influence can occur. 

On the Fender Seymour Duncan Tribute Esquire, the selector switch offered;
1) the full output of the pickup
2) a tapped output (circa 75% of maximum)
3) the vintage-style preset, muffled "bass tone"

jonnyburgo

I have a classic 50s Tele and a homebrew Esquire, I have the Eldred mod on the Esquire so instead of the "muffled" setting it has a kind of middy cocked wah setting which sounds unbelievable with overdrive and slide, dirty as hell.

stimpsonslostson

jonnyburgo said:

I have a classic 50s Tele and a homebrew Esquire, I have the Eldred mod on the Esquire so instead of the "muffled" setting it has a kind of middy cocked wah setting which sounds unbelievable with overdrive and slide, dirty as hell.

My Esquire is Eldred wired too. I love it. 

Gassage

The great advantage of the Esquire is one pup- so no unwanted magnetic pull from the unused pup.

ICBM

It’s the lack of pickup that makes it an Esquire. I don’t find the preset switch settings useful - either stock or modded - I prefer to remove it and just have a standard volume and tone control.

thermionic

I find the empty neck pickup cavity makes the body more resonant and gives a more airy tone.

Funkfingers

I wish that this were available in an electronic form. http://www.theblackguardbook.com

koneguitarist

The original esquire wiring was designed to cover bass sounds as well, but wiring it with Eldred mod does give that last sound a great tone for using with a TS. Sounds awful clean, but a great honky LP type tone.