Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Mr. Air on December 13, 2009, 09:33:49 AM

Title: Esquire love
Post by: Mr. Air on December 13, 2009, 09:33:49 AM

There seems to be a good deal of esquire love at this forum. I have only tried an esquire once and very short, but I kinda thought it was a bit of a one trick pony guitar with just one single coil pup. Is the esquire a bit of a "limited" guitar or is it me who's the one trick pony here?

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: tomjackson on December 13, 2009, 09:58:53 AM

I don't think many players would have one as there sole or even main guitar but what they do they do great.  With just the tone and volume controls you can get loads of sounds so they are definitely not one trick ponies.  They are definitely more than a Telecaster with only on pickup anyway....  I think the lack of the neck pickup a) changes the way you play and b) changes the feel and tone due to less magnetic pull or something.

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Ian Price on December 13, 2009, 10:16:18 AM

I had an Esquire, as my only guitar, for about 6 months. Whilst it's not as versatile as a strat it was actually more versatile than I thought it would be. It wasn't the best at cleans but did a passable job, it certainly wasn't a one trick pony though.

I will be in the market for another Esquire at some point in the future.

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Philly Q on December 13, 2009, 12:52:24 PM

Don't forget that it still has a switch so there are three different sounds available, even if they're not as dramatically different as switching between pickups.   So in theory it's more versatile than an LP Jr or SG Jr.

I keep buying Teles, and I'm very tempted to make one an Esquire, but I also really like trying different neck pickups...  :?

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Twinfan on December 13, 2009, 01:20:16 PM

Esquires rock for live use as no-one hears the difference in pickup selection at most gigs.  I've seen Joe Bonamassa, ZZ Top and The Answer in the last few weeks and only JB used a neck pickup and that was for one song only (Sloe Gin).

For quiet bluesy jazz stuff you may want a neck pickup live, but for anything with the slightest hint of rock you're going to need the cut of the bridge pickup to be heard.

Recording is a whole new world of course, and subtleties matter....

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Philly Q on December 13, 2009, 01:47:47 PM

Interesting point, Dave!

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Twinfan on December 13, 2009, 02:02:16 PM

When drummers cymbals are crashing, and the bass player is wafting through the low end, the neck pickup soon disappears in the mix.  I found that out, and it was nice to see some other tone hounds (Willie G and Joe B) had too..........

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: BigB on December 13, 2009, 02:13:52 PM

Quote from: Twinfan on December 13, 2009, 01:20:16 PM

For quiet bluesy jazz stuff you may want a neck pickup live, but for anything with the slightest hint of rock you're going to need the cut of the bridge pickup to be heard.

Never played an Esquire, but the above remark rings a bell to me. While I'm really in love with the Crawler neck for bluesy stuff and use it quite a lot at home, I always end up using only (or almost only) the bridge when playing with my band (rock / punk-rock / hardcore / fusion stuff), and I have the same pattern with the telecaster.  I've only used the neck pups in rehersal when loosely jamming on blues stuff.  Now perhaps this also have something to do with always playing in 2 guitars bands ?

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Mr. Air on December 13, 2009, 03:37:40 PM

Quote from: Twinfan on December 13, 2009, 01:20:16 PM

Esquires rock for live use as no-one hears the difference in pickup selection at most gigs.  I've seen Joe Bonamassa, ZZ Top and The Answer in the last few weeks and only JB used a neck pickup and that was for one song only (Sloe Gin).

For quiet bluesy jazz stuff you may want a neck pickup live, but for anything with the slightest hint of rock you're going to need the cut of the bridge pickup to be heard.

Recording is a whole new world of course, and subtleties matter....

I too play almost everything on my bridge pickup. Especially earlier. Now I've started to use the other positions more, but in a live situation I would mostly stick to the bridge as well. So good points there, Dave.

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Lew on December 13, 2009, 04:17:33 PM

Single pickup guitars rock. I can't wait for my Wez Esquire (with floyd and coldsweat). He's building the body from scratch too now (korina), so we can go set neck and contours! This thread is probably more aimed toward more trad Esquires though  :lol:

Here's my old Esquire, I was a complete moron for selling it!

(http://www.bravewoodguitars.co.uk/images/lewcaster%202.jpg)

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Sollophonic on December 13, 2009, 04:31:30 PM

I "Esquired" my old Affinity Tele. Guess its an Esquier now.

Hot bridge pickup, wired to give tone+vol/vol only/straight to jack

(http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k7/andys_01/BSBEsquier1Moddedbridge.jpg)

Fun guitar IMO.

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Twinfan on December 13, 2009, 05:13:29 PM

;)

(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/Cabronita/TF2.jpg)

(http://www.doppelganger-rock.com/Twinfan/Top_Bound_Esquire.jpg)

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Philly Q on December 13, 2009, 05:18:29 PM

Quote from: Lew!! on December 13, 2009, 04:17:33 PM

Single pickup guitars rock. I can't wait for my Wez Esquire (with floyd and coldsweat). He's building the body from scratch too now (korina), so we can go set neck and contours! This thread is probably more aimed toward more trad Esquires though  :lol:

This must be the first guitar to go through a complete "Trigger's broom" process before it was even built!  :lol:

What's happening to your MJT body?

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Andrew W on December 13, 2009, 06:26:11 PM

Quote from: Philly Q on December 13, 2009, 05:18:29 PM

This must be the first guitar to go through a complete "Trigger's broom" process before it was even built!  :lol:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2521/4182295398_4a1ea2d19e.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_atrocity/4182295398)

Here's another Trigger's Broom-o-caster Esquire-wired thing albeit with a non-Esquire shaped body and a Strat neck.  It's not finished cosmetically yet but I wired it up this afternoon and am really liking the sounds.  I used a .022uF capacitor for the "bass" setting and .047uF for the regular tone control to get something a little different.  I also swapped the controls around as I fiddle with the volume more than I do with the selector switch so I put the volume at the front, then tone and the selector at the back.  Once I've finished sanding the pickguard it'll be done.  The sounds are really robust with the Blackguard Flat 50.  Through the Cornell Plexi it's pure Zeppelin and AC/DC heaven.  I think I'm an Esquire convert (if I'm allowed to call this Island of Dr Moreau thing an Esquire of course).

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Lew on December 13, 2009, 06:34:18 PM

Quote from: Philly Q on December 13, 2009, 05:18:29 PM

Quote from: Lew!! on December 13, 2009, 04:17:33 PM

Single pickup guitars rock. I can't wait for my Wez Esquire (with floyd and coldsweat). He's building the body from scratch too now (korina), so we can go set neck and contours! This thread is probably more aimed toward more trad Esquires though  :lol:

This must be the first guitar to go through a complete "Trigger's broom" process before it was even built!  :lol:

What's happening to your MJT body?

haha yea! I just thought sod it - I may as well go the full hog and get a full WV guitar as I'm already halfway down that route! It opens up loads of options. I can't remember which Korina Wez is using, I think it's from the same bit of wood as Daves.

The MJT is unused and I don't see it getting used anytime soon. I'll happily sell it cheap but it's routed for a floyd and bucker now too so I'll probably have to hang on to it untill I can afford to bung some parts and a neck on it   :lol:

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Philly Q on December 13, 2009, 06:48:15 PM

Quote from: Lew!! on December 13, 2009, 06:34:18 PM

The MJT is unused and I don't see it getting used anytime soon. I'll happily sell it cheap but it's routed for a floyd and bucker now too so I'll probably have to hang on to it untill I can afford to bung some parts and a neck on it   :lol:

I'm sure it's worth hanging on to.  You might have another idea in a few months' time that it'd be perfect for.  I'm always watching the Warmoth showcase - not looking for anything in particular now, but you never know what might turn up.

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: WezV on December 13, 2009, 06:55:25 PM

i might make lew an offer on the MJT body as i dont have any floyd equipped guitars for myself ;)

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Prawnik on December 14, 2009, 08:26:43 AM

Oh, very well....

Pickup is not a BKP. I know that the black 3-ply guard not correct for a mid-1967 Esquire, but this one apparently was "upgraded" into a sorta-Tele at some point in its career (check the hole in the contral plate.) I put the black guard on it because I liked it better.

Tuners are old Schaller replacements from the 1970's. You can see where the original Klusons were installed at one time. One potentiometer is correct and one is a diMarzio. Bridge is correct but the saddles are NOS oversized Ernie Ball replacements from the 1970's. They are taking on a nice patina. Jack, switch, and tip are original.

I need to weather the body some but I take my time doing that.

Neck is thick and wide and has a funny shape that takes some getting used to.

I could see using this Esquire as a sole guitar if I were playing, say, hot Bakersfield country. My wife says it sounds "pretty."

Title: Re: Esquire love
Post by: Ratrod on December 16, 2009, 12:43:32 PM

It's actually very liberating to play such a simplistc guitar.

You still have the three-way switch that allows you to get the most out of that one pickup.