The world of electric guitars is filled with legendary designs, but the Fender Esquire holds a unique distinction: it was the first. Emerging in 1950, this groundbreaking, mass-produced six-string featured a simple yet effective design – a single-cutaway pine body, a bolt-on maple neck, and a repurposed lap-steel pickup placed at the bridge. This innovative instrument not only marked the beginning of the solid-body electric guitar era but also irrevocably changed the landscape of music.
However, the Esquire’s significance goes far beyond its pioneering status. It has consistently remained relevant and influential throughout guitar history. It was the driving force behind Luther Perkins’ signature “boom-chicka-boom” rhythm for Johnny Cash, and Syd Barrett’s sonic explorations with Pink Floyd. Paul McCartney wielded an Esquire on the Beatles’ revolutionary track “Helter Skelter,” and Steve Cropper used his to lay down the soulful lines on Otis Redding’s timeless hit, “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay.” Its raw energy is evident in Steppenwolf’s anthem “Born to Be Wild,” and its iconic silhouette graces the cover of Bruce Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run. While the term “iconic” is often casually thrown around, it is undeniably fitting when describing the Fender Esquire Guitar.
The 70th Anniversary Esquire: A Modern Nod to a Legend
To commemorate seven decades of this legendary instrument, Fender has released the 70th Anniversary Esquire, a guitar that honors its heritage while incorporating thoughtful modern upgrades. This anniversary edition retains the classic aesthetics, feel, and distinctive sound of the original, but with enhanced features for today’s players. It starts with a roasted pine body, mirroring the lightweight comfort and punchy, harmonically rich tone of the earliest Esquires. Fender’s roasting process enhances the body’s resonance, and a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish ensures smooth playability and a beautiful vintage sheen.
The comfortable, substantial “U” shaped maple neck also receives the nitrocellulose treatment, topped with a maple fingerboard boasting 21 vintage tall frets and classic black dot inlays. The hardware appointments are equally high-quality, including a three-saddle American Vintage strings-through-body Tele bridge with robust solid barrel steel saddles, a resonant bone nut, and reliable vintage-style tuners.
The Bridge Pickup Magic: Esquire’s Sonic Signature
The defining characteristic of the Fender Esquire guitar is undoubtedly its single bridge pickup. Paired with a unique wiring configuration, this pickup delivers a sound that is instantly recognizable – percussive, articulate, and brimming with character. The 70th Anniversary Esquire captures this essence with a Tim Shaw Designed single-coil pickup, meticulously crafted to emulate the tone of an original 1950 Esquire from the renowned Songbirds Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
This exceptional pickup is governed by master volume and tone controls, along with the traditional Esquire three-position blade switch. This switch unlocks a range of tonal palettes, offering a preset treble roll-off for darker tones in the first position, direct pickup access with tone control in the middle, and a hotter, bypass-tone circuit in the third position for maximum punch and volume.
The 70th Anniversary Esquire is available in four striking finishes, ranging from timeless classics like White Blonde and 2-Color Sunburst to bolder, contemporary choices such as Lake Placid Blue and Surf Green. Regardless of the chosen finish, the 70th Anniversary Esquire stands as a remarkable and refined tribute to the original single-cutaway, single-pickup icon. The spirit of rock ‘n’ roll’s genesis – and its enduring legacy – is vibrantly embodied in this exceptional guitar.
