Before the Telecaster forever changed the world in 1951, Leo Fender built several prototype guitars, testing various concepts that found their way into the final result. The Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire is a faithful recreation of one of those early models, the incredibly rare dual-pickup Esquire, which was outfitted with some very cool and compelling appointments that Fender thought modern players and vintage tone hounds alike would appreciate. It features hand-wound '50-'51 Blackguard pickups offering a nice fat and juicy tone, coupled with modified '51 Nocaster wiring and controls. You'll find a blender pot in place of a standard tone control and an additional resistor on the rhythm circuit for sweeter output. The 3-Position Blade switch works as follows: Position 1. Bridge Pickup (Neck Pickup with Blend control), Position 2. Neck Pickup with No Tone control, Position 3. Neck Pickup with Preset Deep Rhythm Tone.

This Limited Edition 2023 model has a heavy relic Blonde finish, 2-piece off-centre-seam ash body, black phenolic pickguard, '51-'54 Tele bridge with brass saddles, bone nut, round string tree and vintage-style tuning machines. The chunky Maple rift-sawn neck features a vintage 7.25"-9.5" compound radius, which Fender found on some rare examples, giving it a unique feel even among vintage-inspired models. It also features 21 medium vintage frets, which are slightly larger than vintage frets and very comfortable to play.

The historic precursor to an undisputed legend, the 1950 Double Esquire is a glimpse into the innovations that were pivotal in the development of the Telecaster. The guitar comes complete with its original deluxe Tweed hardshell case, strap, Certificate of Authenticity and ashtray bridge cover.

Shipping within mainland UK using fully insured 24-hour courier service @ £40.Shipping to EU is £70.00

Customers outside of UK/EU should contact Vintage Rare & Retro Guitars for a shipping quotation. Free pick-up is always available at our Gullane shop.