NAMM: Fender Classic Series '50s Esquire

(Click for a close-up)

Originally released in 1950, the Esquire guitar from Fender was the first ever commercially viable mass-produced electric guitar available to the public. No longer limited to expensive, hand-carved instruments, guitarists around the world embraced the versatile, modular and affordable Fender design.

While Fender enhanced the single pickup Esquire with an added pickup just a year later, and renamed it the Telecaster guitar, the original Esquire guitar has held a special place in the hearts of many musicians for more than 50 years as the "guitar that started it all." And since that time, reissue versions of the coveted Esquire guitar have only been made available in limited runs through Fender's Custom Shop. Until now.

This winter, Fender announced the introduction of its Classic Series '50s Esquire guitar. Based on the original design, the new '50s Esquire guitar will be built at Fender's manufacturing facility in Ensenada, Mexico, and it will feature an ash body, maple neck, vintage Telecaster guitar bridge with steel saddles, and volume and tone controls with a 3-way "quick tone change" switch.

The maple neck features the historically correct 7.25" radius and vintage frets, with the signature Telecaster guitar headstock and vintage tuning machines. A single vintage bridge pickup and white single-ply Esquire pickguard highlight the body features.

The '50s Esquire guitar is available in three colors, including White Blonde, Two-Color Sunburst and Black, and it comes with a Deluxe Fender gig Bag. US MSRP is $856.99.