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How about a little vintage Fender love?

Tonefiend

Fiendish One
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
7,656
I love a Blackguard tele. Don't tell anyone but it's my go to main #1 favorite guitar of all time. As of this week. :D

Here is the Mutt. Apologies to Charlie ;) My 1952 black guard body which had been badly hacked up. It was over sanded down to 1-11/16 like the very early "2 pickup Esquires are" so I made it into one of those. I used wood from another blackguard donor body I have. <I only had about 3/4 of it to begin with. I had to fill and cover a battery compartment, the neck pickup had been chiseled in for a p-90s with a hammer and dull screwdriver, and I had to fix the neck pocket perimeter area where it had been over sanded. Paint is flat black uber thin lacquer. I didn't bother to sand or polish it out. I may get around to that one of these days.

I made up a non truss rod neck for it measuring 1" all the way down. Perfectly quartersawn hard maple. I shaped it using the same techniques they used back in the day for an accurate shape.

Hardware is all Rutters '50 era. I wound the pickups as early '50 A3 43 enamel wire wound hot to 9.5k on the bridge around 7 at the neck.

It is astounding what a great tele can do.

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57gold

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2005
Messages
692
Yep, late '52....:salude

Cool. Had one for a couple of years.

Was very pretty, clean, but not new like yours.

Unfortunately, never bonded with it. Issues: heavy; too bright; other early BGs I had played had a big P90 ring, but this one squealed; so wished blend control was a tone control...

It was beautiful to look at, I genuflected when entering room before it as guitar royalty, but never played it. Had to go, so I traded it for a 1964 ES 335 and part of an early 1964 Oly White Strat...play those.

Still searching for a BG Esquire. Have to be light, resonant and ring like a bell.

How does yours sound?
 
B

Banker

Guest
Sounds great, it's a keeper. Plays nicely, doesn't squeal.....and the neck PU is something else altogether. It makes you work hard, but that's part of the Tele thing. It really likes being played like you mean it.

Gil had a great looking '53 Esquire that was super light (6.5), all original including case and the right price. He says it's a monster. Unfortunately, I'd bought this guitar earlier the same week, so I passed. Don't know if he still has it, but I suspect he has and it's definitely worth a call.
 

mistersnappy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,321
I'm so glad this Pub and thread exist! Thank you to all the folks who are giving the LPF a makeover.
 
B

Banker

Guest
Lovely looking guitar TTM, nothing plain about that.

I love sunburst Strats, prefer them to custom colours........he's my Jan '62.....my guitar de jour.

 

Cogswell

The Duke of Dumbassery
Joined
Mar 19, 2002
Messages
15,717
I also prefer the Sunbursts, 3-Tone in particular. I think they can be divided up into "eras", the early '60s being my favorite. They have a wide band of red.
 

lpnv59

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
10,725
This is what really got me started with Tele fever. My '56. Chunky V neck, 6.7 K staggered pole, white guard 6lbs 10 oz's... refretted with slightly larger than vintage wire. Other than that, all original...Sounds killer. Especially for the Bakersfield C&W thing.
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Dire Wolf

Active member
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
2,745
Oh where to begin?

How about with a 1956 Tele:





1956 Esquire, Refin by Gord Miller(Amazing Job):



1958 Strat:





1961 Strat:





1961 Strat(personal guitar):





1963 Oly White Strat(currently for sale):

 

Dire Wolf

Active member
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
2,745
More pics.............



1963 Strat(personal guitar):





1964 LPB Strat:





1965 CAR Strat(personal guitar):





1965 Blonde Strat:



 
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BluesForDan

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Aug 31, 2002
Messages
6,798
1956 Esquire, Refin by Gord Miller(Amazing Job):


this one is not like the others, there's something different about it. Is it the refin? no no no. :ha

if the guitar isn't marked personal or for sale, are we to assume they've been sold?
 

Dire Wolf

Active member
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
2,745
this one is not like the others, there's something different about it. Is it the refin? no no no. :ha

if the guitar isn't marked personal or for sale, are we to assume they've been sold?

That belongs to a friend of mine; the neck is unreal on this guitar - Gord put just the right amount of nitro for a smooth and fast playing neck!







 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,853
Pretty basic 1960 slab-board. 'been with me a long time.

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