Before the Telecaster® forever changed the world in 1951, Leo Fender built several prototype guitars, testing various concepts that found their way into the final result. The Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire is a faithful recreation of one of those early models, the incredibly rare dual-pickup Esquire, which was outfitted with some very cool and compelling appointments that we felt modern players and vintage tone hounds alike would appreciate. It features hand-wound ’50-’51 Blackguard pickups offering incredibly fat and juicy tone, coupled with modified ’51 Nocaster® wiring and controls. You’ll find a blender pot in place of a standard tone control and an additional resistor on the rhythm circuit for sweeter output. The neck features a vintage 7.25″-9.5″ compound radius, which we found on some rare examples, giving it a unique feel even among vintage-inspired models. It also features medium vintage frets, which are slightly larger than vintage frets and very comfortable to play.
Other features include a NOS flash-coat lacquer Nocaster Blonde finish, Closet Classic hardware, 2-piece off-center-seam ash body, tinted maple rift-sawn neck with 10/56 “V”-shaped neck profile, 21 medium vintage frets, 3-way switch, black phenolic pickguard, ’51-’54 Tele bridge with brass saddles, bone nut, round string tree and vintage-style tuning machines.
The historic precursor to an undisputed legend, the 1950 Double Esquire is a glimpse into the innovations that were pivotal in the development of the Telecaster. Includes a deluxe hardshell case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity.
Condition: New (relic); Body: Ash; Neck: maple 1 piece rift sawn, 10/56 V carve, compound radius; Nut: 1.650; Color: Nocaster blonde; Pickups: handwound 50-51 Blackguard; Scale: 25.5; Orientation: Lefthanded (of course)