Fender Custom Shop 1959 Esquire Super Heavy Relic, Rosewood Neck, Wide Fade 2-Tone Sunburst

Fender Custom Shop 1959 Esquire Super Heavy Relic, Rosewood Neck, Wide Fade 2-Tone Sunburst Overview

This unique Fender Custom Shop 1959 Esquire is undoubtedly a striking instrument, in both looks and tone. Boasting a classy Wide Fade 2-Tone Sunburst finish, which has been given the rustic Super Heavy Relic treatment, this '59 Esquire oozes genuine vintage charm. With its red hot Texas Special bridge pickup, this guitar is capable of making a serious sonic statement.

Vintage Heart

This gorgeous Fender Custom Shop uses a '59 Esquire as its base model, a guitar with a truly prestigious history. The Esquire was the first solid-body that Fender sold, making its debut in 1950. It’s fair to say that Leo Fender and George Fullerton nailed this beautifully simple design right off the bat, with very little changing after its initial release. The Esquire model went on to become adopted by legends such as Jeff Beck, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Cropper and Syd Barrett.

Just like an original '59 model, this Custom Shop Esquire has an Ash body, which features a gorgeous wood grain. Tonally, the Ash body has an articulate dynamic range, solid sustain and is balanced across the entire frequency. Overall, this guitar has a very pleasing natural voice that’s only enhanced by the Texas Special pickup.

This Esquire’s body is coated in a nitrocellulose finish, which provides it with a more open, airier, & resonant tone than other finish types as it allows the wood to “breathe”. Also, the porous nature of nitrocellulose means its looks will improve and develop character over time, as you’d expect from a vintage Fender.

Classic Feel

The comfortable and eminently playable quarter-sawn Maple neck features a '60s-style Oval “C” profile, which excels with a wide range of playing styles. The neck is adorned with a AAA Dark Rosewood fretboard (which was hand-selected for its alluringly dark colour) and vintage-style Narrow Tall 6105 frets, which are perfect for expressive bending and vibrato styles.

Part of what gives this '59 Esquire its unique identity is its all-Rosewood neck, a departure from the Maple neck of the original model. The Rosewood neck/fretboard give this guitar a distinct look and tone, imbuing this Esquire a rich, smooth warmth that’s a contrast to the brightness of Maple.

The neck has a balanced '59 Esquire “C” profile, a very comfortable shape that feels great in the hand and excels at a variety of playing styles, and is adorned with 21 durable Narrow Tall 6105 frets. Narrow Tall frets provide a classic feel that makes expressive bending and vibrato a breeze.

Gorgeous Worn-In Look

One of the first things you’ll notice about this '59 Esquire is its Super Heavy Relic treatment, which provides it with the worn-in, battle-hardened charm of a workhorse guitar that’s withstood countless gigs. The Super Heavy Relic treatment is more intense than the Custom Shop’s meticulous Heavy Relic process. Every aspect of this guitar, from the exposed wood grain to the oxidised hardware, has the authentic wear of a well-loved Fender that was built decades ago. No matter what you think about this Custom Shop, we’re sure you’ll agree that it has tonnes of mojo.

Powerful Tele Tone

Another aspect of this '59 Esquire that makes it stand out from its vintage brethren is its potent Texas Special single-coil. The Texas Special bridge pickup features an overwound enamel-coated magnet wire, resulting in a punchy, hot output and a bold, clear sound. Compared to a period-correct pickup, the Texas Special gives the Esquire a modded, hot-rodded tone that makes its mark in a mix.

Don’t be fooled by the Esquire’s lone pickup, with its pickup selector and volume & tone controls you can coax out a huge variety of tones that make it a worthy alternative to the Telecaster. Its back position routes the pickup directly to the volume pot, which delivers a more biting, cutting tone than a traditional Tele is capable of.

Modern Reliability

What gives this Custom Shop Esquire an edge over its vintage counterpart is that it has the golden-era look, feel and tone without any of the drawbacks. This is thanks to the Custom Shop’s world-class craftsmanship and their use of top-quality components, which results in a more reliable, stable and durable instrument that’s ready for the stage or the studio.

This Fender Custom Shop Esquire is a special piece that will make an excellent addition to your collection. If you’re after an Esquire that can deliver an inspiring sound whilst looking top-notch, this guitar needs to be on your list.

Weight - 7.6lbs / 3.5kg