Single Pickup Guitars

[ztikmaen]

Hi guys
Just wondering because I've been having some extreme GAS and now I really want either a Gibson Les Paul Jr or a Fender Esquire. I have my a couple of humbucking guitars and a MIA Standard Tele. Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan and I haven't had the finance I expected that would allow me to upgrade some pickups as of yet, so hopefully that will change.

My current plan (that I just made up because GAS is making overthink everything) is to upgrade the Tele with some "sensibly nice" pickups that aren't too outrageous and rude and leave my thrashy and raw bridge tones to the single pickup guitar which I hope to put a new pickup in if it is not good enough (the stock pickup that is  (wow four 2-letter words starting with "I" in a row)).
 But let's take things slower and answer the main question.
Gibson Les Paul Jr vs Fender Esquire

[Ian Price]

Esquire. Most definitely. The CS Esquire owned by Twinfan is truly wonderful and even though it has a ridiculously high output pickup (BG1400 I think) it is pretty darn versatile.

[Philly Q]

Gibson Les Paul Jr vs Fender Esquire

Esquires are very, very cool, but.....

Les Paul Junior FTW!  8)

[Twinfan]

If you already have a Tele, then I'd go LP Jr to get some P90 tone  8)

[ztikmaen]

I would have both ideally! Less hardware = More soul :D
But unfortunately I can't find any good new Esquires... Only Mex stuff :(
But seeing as I have a Tele, maybe I can make that my crazy blazin Esquire broadcaster thighmajic with some Flat 50's or Piledrivers and get an LP Jr.

(Don't read this unless you're bored)
Then it would be a choice of whether I should upgrade my Humbuckers or one P90 first. Surely the singular P90 would be cheaper but then again the stock one may be fine for the meantime. Anyhow, these are my thoughts

Most expensive to cheapest
• Les Paul Jr/Esquire + Pickup Upgrade for it
   Upgrade Humbuckers

• Les Paul Jr/Esquire
   Upgrade Humbuckers

•Les Paul Jr/Esquire + Pickup Upgrade for it
  Upgrade Tele

• Upgrade Humbuckers
   Upgrade Tele

Oh and any suggestions on where to get an Esquire would be appreciated

[Philly Q]

But unfortunately I can't find any good new Esquires... Only Mex stuff :(

Oh and any suggestions on where to get an Esquire would be appreciated

There's nothing wrong with the Mexican Esquires!  Only drawback is the vintage fretboard radius and small frets.

I don't think anyone makes an actual Esquire model apart from those (outside the Fender Custom Shop).  It would be much, much easier to find a Tele you like and just dump the neck pickup.  

The only difference is the word "Esquire" on the headstock.

[dave_mc]

If you already have a Tele, then I'd go LP Jr to get some P90 tone  8)

+1

don't think i've ever actually tried an esquire, but i'm guessing it just sounds a little hotter and rawer than a tele (plus those couple of extra pickup options), so presumably an LP junior would give you a wider variety of tones.

or even just get a special- i love single pickup guitars, but only when i already have all the more-than-one pickup bases covered :lol:

[ztikmaen]

Hmm... Okay, I'll just stick upgrading the Tele then. Then I can just hotrod the Bridge pup
And since I will hypothetically now have a hot bridge single coil pickup, does that mean I should concentrate on upgrading the Humbuckers on my other guitar rather than dishing out more money on a Les Paul Jr? Seeing as a P90 is kinda a fat single single coil after all...

[Twinfan]

The P90 is a different beast to anything else.  I like the tone a lot, but have never been in a band where it works for me.

Everyone should try one at some point though!

[ztikmaen]

Yeah, I definitely will be getting P90s at some stage :D
Maybe I should just upgrade the humbuckers, the Tele, and get a P90 pickup to install on one of my other guitars. Then when the chance arises, I could get a LP Jr and swap the P90?
Oh wait, can't do that because it's a dogear pickup... Idk, maybe I'll just upgrade the Humbuckers and Tele and wait for a better time before getting a LP Jr

[Ian Price]

Gibson Les Paul Jr vs Fender Esquire

Esquires are very, very cool, but.....

Les Paul Junior FTW!  8)

Having second thoughts now - those LP Juniors are sweet!

[Telerocker]

Def. upgrade the tele and buy a Junior.

[ztikmaen]

Def. upgrade the tele and buy a Junior.

But then what about the Humbuckers :( My heart def says LP Jr then Tele. Two raucious bridge sounds with a beautiful neck pickup in there...
Oh and Ian Price, your avatar looks like Russell Brand xD

[Crunch]

A dual-humbucker guitar with the neck pickup ripped out.

[Philly Q]

Def. upgrade the tele and buy a Junior.

But then what about the Humbuckers :(

Haven't you already got guitars with humbuckers?  :?