The very first solid-body electric guitar offered by Fender in 1950 was the Esquire. With an elegant single-cutaway silhouette, adjustable 3-saddle bridge and a lone, repurposed lap-steel pickup in the bridge position – the Esquire laid the groundwork for all solidbody electric guitars to follow and foreshadowed its more famous sibling, the Telecaster.
Like the earliest Esquire models, the 70th Anniversary Esquire features a pine body – a lightweight wood known for punchy and complex tone – and upgrades it with our roasting treatment, greatly improving the resonance of the body. Other features include a lacquer finish, thick “U”-shaped neck, Tim Shaw-designed Esquire bridge pickup – inspired by an original ’50 Esquire from Songbirds Museum in Chattanooga, TN – special anniversary neck plate and tweed case.
Body: Roasted Pine
Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Shape: Telecaster
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck Shape: ’50 Broadcaster “U”
Scale Length: 25.5″ (648 mm)
Fingerboard: Maple
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25″ (184.1 mm)
Number of Frets: 21
Frets Size: Vintage Tall
String Nut: Bone
Nut Width: 1.650″ (42 mm)
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Bridge Pickup: Tim Shaw Designed Esquire Bridge Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge (Tone control off), Position 2. Bridge (Tone control on), Position 3. Bridge (Tone control off, preset treble roll-off) Pickup Configuration: S
Bridge: 3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele with Solid Barrel Steel Saddles
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
Pickguard: 1-Ply Black Phenolic
Control Knobs: Knurled Dome