On the weekend - '59 Esquire = GAS

[blargfromouterspace]

Some of you may recall that I recently auditioned for and got a spot in a band. I went to see them yesterday as it was the current guitarists last gig and thought I'd go and meet him etc. He's a really nice guy, an amazing player and has some of the best gear imaginable. He asked me to get up and play a few songs so he could see his replacement in action. I jumped at the chance with no hesitation - he'd brought his '59 Esquire along to the gig along with an all original, super rare '62 Vox AC15 212!!! What a rig! There must have been at least $50,000 worth of gear in my hands. I wish I'd got a photo.

It was the first time I'd played an Esquire and I really enjoyed its utter simplicity. There was something about looking down at the guitar and not seeing the neck pickup that made me want to rock out more than usual. However, there's no way that I would or could ever pay for a '50s Fender. It was a nice guitar, but not that nice! It sounded great, it had all the twang you could ever need and really made me exploit it fully with quite a few open string licks and some forceful 'snapping' of the strings (not breaking the strings but pulling them outwards with my middle/ring fingers to get more of a pop or snap as they jump back to their normal position). Nice, light weight resonant body. One thing that really surprised me about the guitar was the neck - it was more like a modern shape than I would have expected and not nearly as large as I thought it would be - the #1 G&L neck feels bigger.

Aside from having a total blast of a time playing it, it's made me want an Esquire even more than before and effectively decided that an Esquire IS going to be my next guitar. My plan is to build one from parts, which I expect will total around $800 if I buy everything at top, brand new price which isn't too bad for a totally customised guitar. Now all I have to do is decide what color to paint it!!!

Oh, and yes, I preferred my own ASATs to the Esquire

[willross]

Here's a good place to get Esquire parts: http://www.callahamguitars.com/partstel.htm


Cheers,

Will

[blargfromouterspace]

Thanks Will. I've looked at the Callaham and Glendale sites pretty extensively and will end up purchasing parts from both of them. They each sell certain parts cheaper than the other. $40 for a couple of knobs is a hell of a lot of money though, I won't be paying that!

[sirmyghin]

Nothing quite like getting your hands on "that axe!". Glad you got to experience such a thing, good luck building one.

[blargfromouterspace]

Thanks, Kyle. I'll probably need it as it's my first build!

I've been pretty lucky in that I've now played that Esquire and what some would consider to be the holy grail of electric guitars, a '59 Les Paul. That was a religious experience, what a guitar that was!!

[sirmyghin]

As long as you aren't carvin the neck, or doing the fretwork yourself the rest of it isn't all that difficult. Working with finishes can be a pain also, depending how fancy you get but still nothing much with all the options out there nowadays.

[blargfromouterspace]

I had a long think today and I might just 'Esquire' my blonde ASAT. It'd look pretty damn good.

All I'd have to do is get an Esquire pickguard and put the stock pickup back in... with all it's punch and snarl, the Classic bridge pickup will make for a killer Esquire.

[yowhatsshakin]

All I'd have to do is get an Esquire pickguard and put the stock pickup back in... with all it's punch and snarl, the Classic bridge pickup will make for a killer Esquire.

And then we're back to the ASAT '50!


Or almost maybe. What you would like to do with the pick-up selector Jamie?

- Jos

Edit: fix image link after album was lost.

[Dave_P]

Oh man! sounds like quite the rig! I'd love to get my hand on an old Esquire, I was planning on building an esquire type guitar for a bit, it's still on the list but has been put on hold.

Not sure what the shipping would be but USACG has some nice stuff on their "web specials" that's reasonably priced. I waited too long to pull the trigger on a beautifully figured, and light (4lbs 4oz), swamp ash tele body they had up for a while, had too many other projects going at the time to start another.

With your asat you could even purchase a second control plate/switches/pots, wire it up like the ASAT '50, then if you'd like to convert back to stock you'd have the original in tact.

Good luck with your build Jamie! Let us know how it comes out

-Dave

[blargfromouterspace]

Dave - I keep an eye on the USACG website, I too waited too long for that same ash body!!! Damn!!!! I've found someone who makes bodies significantly cheaper than USACG and from the little information I could find I can only deduce that his work is of a very high standard. He trades on ebay under the name headguitars and currently has a 20% off sale. He uses a CNC router, just like USACG and I can't imagine that his machine does an inferior job in any way.

Anyway, I'll be ordering a body from him today, as soon as I hear back about binding and associated costs. I'm getting a thinline t-style body, made from limba (korina) with a maple top for less than half of what they charge at USACG. Once I get some more money together I'll get the neck from Musikraft, who have a fantastic reputation. I think I'll make it a red sparkle finish, though I may well settle for something like Fullerton red. Time will tell!

Jos - I'll look into the ASAT '50, especially the wiring. Is it like the standard Esquire type wiring? I don't want to do anything extreme. That's a nice looking, well played guitar.

[yowhatsshakin]

Is it like the standard Esquire type wiring?

The Standard E[s]quire Wiring diagram I found on the the Telecaster Discussion Page (the one at the top) is how the switch works on the ASAT '50. I'm not sure of the exact values for the caps, but Tim Buffalo Bros, who designed the ASAT '50, might be of more help there.

- Jos

[Dave_P]

Thanks for the tip Jamie! I'll have to check out headguitars when I get home. I think red sparkle would look nice on a thinline, reminds me of Erja Lyytinen's Asat special SH

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 29,r:0,s:0

sorry about the long link there, it's the best I can do at work, she's got a blue sparkle Z-3 SH too. Something about red guitars though, ever since I sold my red metallic strat I've wanted another red guitar, I'm thinking transparent red next time around though.

-Dave

[blargfromouterspace]

That's sure is a pretty guitar. I looked up Erja - that's my kind of girl!

I've ordered the body, hopefully I'll have it in my hands in the next couple of weeks.

[darwinohm]

Blarg, this is going to be an interesting project. Picking a color is always a problem. There are too many Reds to pick from. There is Chrome Red, a keeper in my mind, Fiesta Red, Hot Rod Red, Torino Red, and if you want to get a little racy you can go with Candy Apple Red, turn up the heat a little and use a Transparent Red with a Red mini flake in the first top coat or if you really want to light it up you use a large Red flake in the first top coat with the Red transparent to get the bass boat effect. You can use a Silver Pearl base and a transparent Red or use a Gold pearl base with a transparent Red. I didn't even mention Crimson Red transparent. Red happens to be my favorite color. Ginny says I have way too many Red guitars and like someone else's Mrs on this board she thinks Red is boring. I say there is no such thing as having too many Red guitars. I also think that T type guitars are the most fun projects. There are so many options available. If you really want to sweeten her up, don't forget the F-Bigsby.-- Darwin

[blargfromouterspace]

Some very nice ideas there Darwin. I want to have some degree of sparkle in the finish, and as cool as the Red Flake finish is I just don't think it'd look all that good with binding, though I could be wrong. I want it to be like the Fullerton Red. That to me is a perfect red. I'll experiment with your red top coat and various flake sizes idea. Guess I'll go to the paint shop today!

[willross]

Erja Lyytinen, nice ASAT!


Cheers,

Will

[Dave_P]

that's my kind of girl!

I'm with ya! she plays a mean slide too!

Erja Lyytinen, nice ASAT!

Looks like a nice piece of ash

[willross]

Snap!

[standards guy]

One pickups guitars like Esquires and Les Paul Juniors are intriguing to me because they force you to be creative with the "less is more" thing, and think outside the box.

When I was recovering from Carpal Tunnel release surgery a few years ago I stumbled upon a used '93 LP Junior reissue with a really supple neck, strung it with 8's, and worked my way slowly back into strength from the prescribed 6 week layoff.

After that period I really knew there was a lot more available from a bridge pickup than I had ever known before, even though the P-100 in it sucked!

I had a Fender Mexican made Esquire a few years ago and it was a nice guitar and all, but I just failed to bond with it.

More recently I picked up a used Gibsom Melody Maker reissue that was lots of fun.

My problem is that I play mostly dinner-jazz jobs now, so any single pickup guitars I score sorta need it to be the neck pickup!

I guess I'm back to where I started in 1960, on one of these:



But I don't think I could still handle that generous 3/4" string clearance at 12th fret anymore! Maybe slide: but as I recall, fretting it was like pressing down on the TransAtlantic Cable or something. My callouses were huge when I was 10!

[blargfromouterspace]

Hi Standards Guy, thanks for chiming in. It's nice to see a new regular poster around here.

I totally agree with what you said about one pickup guitars leading to being more creative. Not having the option of switching pickups is one less thing to worry about when you play, so I tend to concentrate more on what I'm playing as opposed to the tone. I play a lot of country music and find that I use the bridge pickup almost exclusively, so the Esquire setup is all I need. The other guitarist in the band uses Strat type guitars, almost always on the middle and neck/middle bridge setting, the bridge pickup sets our sounds apart much better than the neck or the neck/middle positions on my ASATs. I do use the neck pickup when we do western swing style songs, but I'll have another guitar on stage for that

That Kay looks GREAT. It's be nice to have one just to look at. I guess your carpal tunnel problems started when you were 10, playing on that 3/4" action

I've seen a couple of guitars, usually parts-a-casters, that have been made as a sort of reverse Esquire with only the neck pickup on a T-type guitar and they looked pretty good too, so you do have a few options (though I recall you got rid of your own parts-a-casters...)

[sirmyghin]

I will play devils advocate and say only have 1 pickup doesn't force anything. You can easily do the same on a guitar with multiple pickups, just because a switch is there, doesn't mean you need to use it. If all it takes to make you more creative is limitations, I don't think you were being terribly creative to begin with.

When I play my contour, it is 99% the time on the bridge pickup.

When I play my ASAT special it is 85% the time on the neck pickup when playing, when practicing country always bridge.

I don't like the limitation as it is nothing I cannot impose on myself mentally, I find most things guitars players insist on to be projections. But as long as it works for them I guess.

[blargfromouterspace]

I will play devils advocate and say only have 1 pickup doesn't force anything. You can easily do the same on a guitar with multiple pickups, just because a switch is there, doesn't mean you need to use it. If all it takes to make you more creative is limitations, I don't think you were being terribly creative to begin with.

I don't like the limitation as it is nothing I cannot impose on myself mentally, I find most things guitars players insist on to be projections. But as long as it works for them I guess.

I know what you mean - until I played that Esquire I thought that it wouldn't make a difference. I don't see having one pickup as a limitation.

And here's why. Creativity as a musician, IMO, isn't the result of having a million different sounds at your disposal. We use the notes we play to express whatever it is we wish to express. Look at people who play instruments like the saxophone or clarinet - there aren't any switches on them (that I know of) that drastically alter the timbre of the instrument - it's all in the way they play the notes. Same applies to the electric guitar. You can change the feel of a note by using varying degrees of force, pick at different places along the string or add a little vibrato or some mild tremolo. Sure, it can be done on any guitar, but there's something about having one pickup there which leads me to think more like a musician than just a guitar player, if you know what I mean.

[blargfromouterspace]

Don't get me wrong - I love having the option of switching pickups, but sometimes its god to just go back to basics

[standards guy]

...If all it takes to make you more creative is limitations, I don't think you were being terribly creative to begin with...

Fair enough.

Nevertheless, it is how I finally found out. I was used to getting a certain sound on guitars and was forced out of my comfort zone, true!

It was educational in the same way that I didn't pay all that much attention to frequency ranges until trying to blend in an ensemble setting totally changed how I looked at "my" sound.

I remember when 1/3 octave "graphic" frequency equalizers came into PA use. That was also an ear education.

[standards guy]

...instruments like the saxophone or clarinet - there aren't any switches on them (that I know of) that drastically alter the timbre of the instrument - it's all in the way they play the notes. Same applies to the electric guitar. You can change the feel of a note by using varying degrees of force, pick at different places along the string or add a little vibrato or some mild tremolo. Sure, it can be done on any guitar, but there's something about having one pickup there which leads me to think more like a musician than just a guitar player, if you know what I mean.

I hear ya.

[standards guy]

...That Kay looks GREAT. It's be nice to have one just to look at. I guess your carpal tunnel problems started when you were 10, playing on that 3/4" action ...

a) Yeah '60's Kay Sizzlers would make better dining room decorative wall clocks, than guitars!

b) Nah. Beating on wrenches and using jack-hammers for my day job took its toll. At least the medical benefits paid for the Rx!

[sirmyghin]

I will play devils advocate and say only have 1 pickup doesn't force anything. You can easily do the same on a guitar with multiple pickups, just because a switch is there, doesn't mean you need to use it. If all it takes to make you more creative is limitations, I don't think you were being terribly creative to begin with.

I don't like the limitation as it is nothing I cannot impose on myself mentally, I find most things guitars players insist on to be projections. But as long as it works for them I guess.

I know what you mean - until I played that Esquire I thought that it wouldn't make a difference. I don't see having one pickup as a limitation.

And here's why. Creativity as a musician, IMO, isn't the result of having a million different sounds at your disposal. We use the notes we play to express whatever it is we wish to express. Look at people who play instruments like the saxophone or clarinet - there aren't any switches on them (that I know of) that drastically alter the timbre of the instrument - it's all in the way they play the notes. Same applies to the electric guitar. You can change the feel of a note by using varying degrees of force, pick at different places along the string or add a little vibrato or some mild tremolo. Sure, it can be done on any guitar, but there's something about having one pickup there which leads me to think more like a musician than just a guitar player, if you know what I mean.

Aye, I used to play Tenor sax. Been years as I never bought one though so it ended wit high school. I have very sensitive picking dynamics (light/hard) and stuff like artificial harmonics can keep you one your toes (depending where you attack you get different notes). I accepted a while ago some things just sound better. I like bridge pickups on basses, unless I am tapping. No 2 ways around it tapping sounds better on a neck pickup (rounder) for a bass, too clanky in the bridge.