Valuation on a 1985 Fender Esquire 62 Re-issue, Candy Apple Red, Double Bound:

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igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
edited August 2019 in Guitar
Hope this is the right place to put this thread.
I recently acquired this guitar and was wondering what the value of it might be.  I'm not really interested in selling it at the moment but would like to understand the price more.  As I understand it, these particular ones are going up in value and becoming quite sought after.

  • 1985 Fender Esquire 62 Re-issue Made in Japan (FujiGEN Factory)
  • Original Ashtray Cover Present
  • Came with a beautifully made hard case (5-Star Cases, Ely UK), I believe bought at the time the guitar was purchased
  • Double Bound Body
  • Candy Apple Red
  • Rosewood Fretboard










It's beautifully built and plays wonderfully.  Dare I say every bit as good as my custom shop Telecaster. There is virtually no real wear to the frets and only a couple of very small marks, hardly noticeable on the body.  I can't believe it's 34 years old!

As you can see from the pictures, it's been changed over to telecaster configuration with Tonerider pickups.  Apparently, the bodies of these were routed from the factory so it's not been hacked about and the modification is reversible.

The Esquire pick guard and control assembly were included too (apparently there is some form of cocked wah setting on the controls).



While I see a few non-bound, Esquires kicking about from the 2000's, I don't ever seem to see many double bound Esquires from this era and when they do come up, they seem to go for quite a lot so some guidance would be very helpful. 
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Comments

  • KDSKDS Frets: 220
    edited August 2019
    I’m sure I’ll be first of many to point out it is not an esquire, it’s a telecaster. For value check sold prices
    on eBay

    just reread the add, originally an esquire converted to a tele?
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  • igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
    KDS said:
    I’m sure I’ll be first of many to point out it is not an esquire, it’s a telecaster. For value check sold prices on ebay
    With the greatest of respect, you are wrong.  I suggest you re-read the post.  =)
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  • mburekengemburekenge Frets: 1054
    No idea but it looks gorgeous!
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  • KDS said:
    I’m sure I’ll be first of many to point out it is not an esquire, it’s a telecaster. For value check sold prices
    on eBay

    Take a look at what it says on the headstock!
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  • igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
    KDS said:
    I’m sure I’ll be first of many to point out it is not an esquire, it’s a telecaster. For value check sold prices
    on eBay

    just reread the add, originally an esquire converted to a tele?
    Yes, the Esquires still have the neck pocket routed (i'm assuming they use the same bodies as this saves money on having two different lines), or at least they did back then.  So someone has converted it to a Tele.  As you can see, the pick guard and Esquire controls are present too so it can be reversed.  :#
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  • onyironyir Frets: 45
    That's some gorgeous guitar. Definitely aging better than I am (I was born on the year the guitar was made).
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  • igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
    onyir said:
    That's some gorgeous guitar. Definitely aging better than I am (I was born on the year the guitar was made).
    Cool!  It is beautiful - I've hankered after a USA Candy Apple Red Telecaster for years.  Never even considered Esquires or Japanese ones.  Then I came across this one near me and had to have it.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    igotgas said:
    The Esquire pickguard and control assembly were included too (apparently there is some form of cocked wah setting on the controls).


    Correct. The controls assembly in this photograph is an aftermarket product. The stock MIJ parts would have been Metric thread pots and a nasty YM-30 eight-contacts-in-line selector switch.

    igotgas said:
    Apparently, the bodies of these were routed from the factory so it's not been hacked about and the modification is reversible.
    All regular Fender vintage style Telecaster and Esquire bodies are routed for two pickups. Once the name "Telecaster" had been coined, the Esquire was an economy model by dint of the omission of the second pickup. 



    I am not sure about how collectible these guitars really are. For a start, anally retentive vintage freaks would decry the headstock decal that reads Esquire rather than "Custom Esquire" and patent numbers. The Blue Flower and Pink Paisley models became scarce in the UK because they did not sell in large numbers and owners tended to keep them in the hope that they would become valuable in the future. (Assuming that the varnish did not crack and fall off!)

    In crude terms, I would halve the MSRP of a brand new MIJ re-issue (c. £950) then, add something for the case. Anderson's recently had a pre-owned Japanese '62 Custom Telecaster re-issue for £600 but, of course, they are a shop with liabilities to meet that a private seller would not.


    Be seeing you.
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  • timhuliotimhulio Frets: 1286
    tFB Trader
    Value is about £550, going on eBay completed listings. You might get more if you find someone who wants an Esquire that's been modded to these specs.
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  • igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
    igotgas said:
    The Esquire pickguard and control assembly were included too (apparently there is some form of cocked wah setting on the controls).


    Correct. The controls assembly in this photograph is an aftermarket product. The stock MIJ parts would have been Metric thread pots and a nasty YM-30 eight-contacts-in-line selector switch.

    igotgas said:
    Apparently, the bodies of these were routed from the factory so it's not been hacked about and the modification is reversible.
    All regular Fender vintage style Telecaster and Esquire bodies are routed for two pickups. Once the name "Telecaster" had been coined, the Esquire was an economy model by dint of the omission of the second pickup. 



    I am not sure about how collectible these guitars really are. For a start, anally retentive vintage freaks would decry the headstock decal that reads Esquire rather than "Custom Esquire" and patent numbers. The Blue Flower and Pink Paisley models became scarce in the UK because they did not sell in large numbers and owners tended to keep them in the hope that they would become valuable in the future. (Assuming that the varnish did not crack and fall off!)

    In crude terms, I would halve the MSRP of a brand new MIJ re-issue (c. £950) then, add something for the case. Anderson's recently had a pre-owned Japanese '62 Custom Telecaster re-issue for £600 but, of course, they are a shop with liabilities to meet that a private seller would not.


    Thanks for your input, yes, i think the control plate has some form of cocked wah mod to it or something.  From what I have been seeing, that price certainly rings true for Telecasters but on the odd occasion when i've seen the Esquire's move through Reverb, eBay and other places, the prices have been significantly higher - Specifically for mid 80's MIJ, double bound Esquires.  I can only think this is to do with scarcity as they don't come up very often.
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  • igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
    timhulio said:
    Value is about £550, going on eBay completed listings. You might get more if you find someone who wants an Esquire that's been modded to these specs.
    I could find only one completed listing on eBay for period and spec and that is the one you see here.
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  • timhuliotimhulio Frets: 1286
    tFB Trader
    Just go on the prices of teles that have been modified. Same thing.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    There's an 86 Esquire on Reverb; asking 1500 but it's been there 5 months.
    https://reverb.com/item/20624469-fender-vintage-1986-sunburst-esquire-fujigen-built-mij
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  • igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
    JezWynd said:
    There's an 86 Esquire on Reverb; asking 1500 but it's been there 5 months.
    https://reverb.com/item/20624469-fender-vintage-1986-sunburst-esquire-fujigen-built-mij
    Yes I saw that, that's way too high.  One was sold for £1,022.01 back in 2017 on Reverb.

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  • King85King85 Frets: 631
    Is this off eBay? If so I saw and though oh my and it's the same age as me!
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  • igotgasigotgas Frets: 16
    King85 said:
    Is this off eBay? If so I saw and though oh my and it's the same age as me!
    Yes it was.  =)  Very happy with it.
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  • KDSKDS Frets: 220
    igotgas said:
    KDS said:
    I’m sure I’ll be first of many to point out it is not an esquire, it’s a telecaster. For value check sold prices on ebay
    With the greatest of respect, you are wrong.  I suggest you re-read the post.  =)
    I realised my error pretty much as I posted it, hence the edit, never seen a bound esquire before. Nice looking :)
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  • grungebobgrungebob Frets: 3299
    Don’t mean to be a dick but if you bought it off eBay you paid and therefore know how much it’s worth surely?
    unless it was mistakenly listed in kitchenware or something?
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  • GadgieGadgie Frets: 96
    My friend had one of these. Not sure if it was from the 80's though....maybe later. Sold it for 400quid. I have a sunburst version and it's probably the best tele I've owned....including my old 52RI
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    I’ve got the sunburst version, same age etc I thought they are worth about 500-600.  A shame yours hasn’t got the original case but they are cool guitars.    
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