Description
The Fender Custom Shop 1956 Esquire Relic with Closet Classic Hardware captures the stripped-down brilliance that helped launch the solidbody electric guitar revolution. Long before players demanded endless switching options and complex electronics, the Esquire proved that one great pickup, a resonant piece of wood, and inspired playing were all you needed. This faithful Custom Shop recreation channels that spirit while delivering the feel and character of a well-loved vintage original.
Built from a lightweight two-piece select ash body, this Esquire resonates with the lively snap, punch, and immediacy that made Fender's earliest instruments so influential. The Aged '55 Desert Tan finish wears a tasteful Relic treatment that evokes decades of honest use, while the Closet Classic hardware adds subtle patina without excessive wear. Together, they create the impression of a treasured instrument that has spent years on stages, in studios, and in the hands of a dedicated player.
The heart of this guitar is its Custom Shop Hand-Wound '55-'56 Esquire bridge pickup. Delivering all the bite, twang, and authority that define classic Fender tone, it responds beautifully to pick attack and volume adjustments. The traditional Esquire wiring unlocks three distinct personalities from a single pickup. Position one routes the pickup straight to the output for maximum attack and output, position two engages the volume control for classic Esquire punch, and position three brings the tone circuit into play for warmer, rounder sounds that reveal surprising versatility.
The one-piece quartersawn maple neck features an authentic 11/56 Off-Center "V" profile that feels substantial without becoming cumbersome. Combined with the vintage compound 7.25" to 9.5" fingerboard radius and narrow tall frets, it offers a blend of vintage comfort and modern playability. Whether you're digging into classic country bends, blues phrasing, or roots-rock rhythms, the neck feels immediately familiar and inspiring.
Visually, the Esquire's simplicity remains one of its greatest strengths. The single-pickup layout, parchment guard, black control plate accents, and glowing Desert Tan finish showcase the elegant minimalism that made these early Fender instruments so iconic. Nothing feels unnecessary because nothing is.
For players who appreciate pure electric guitar design, the Fender Custom Shop 1956 Esquire Relic with Closet Classic Hardware offers a direct connection to Fender's earliest innovations. Dynamic, responsive, and unapologetically simple, it proves once again that sometimes less really is more.
Specifications:
- Body Material: 2-Piece Select Ash
- Body Shape: Telecaster
- Body Style: Solid Body
- Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer Relic
- Color: Aged '55 Desert Tan
- Neck Material: 1-Piece Quartersawn Maple
- Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Neck Shape: 11/56 Off Center "V"
- Fingerboard Material: 1-Piece Quartersawn Maple
- Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" to 9.5" Vintage Compound Radius
- Scale Length: 25.5"
- Nut Width: 1.650"
- Nut Material: Bone
- Number of Frets: 21
- Frets: Narrow Tall (6105)
- Inlays: Black Micarta Dot
- Truss Rod: Vintage-Style Heel Adjust
- Tuners: Vintage-Style with Fender Logo
- Bridge: 3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele with Brass Saddles
- Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
- Pickguard: 1-Ply Parchment Vinyl
- Control Knobs: Knurled Chrome
- Switch Tip: Black Top Hat Style
- String Tree: American Vintage '56-'58
- Neck Plate: 4-Bolt with Custom Shop "V" Logo
- Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound '55-'56 Single-Coil Tele
- Pickup Configuration: S
- Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
- Switching: 3-Position Blade; Position 1. Pickup Straight to Output Jack, Position 2. Pickup with Volume Control, Position 3. Pickup with Volume and Tone Control
- Case Included: Deluxe Hardshell Case
Sku: 9235700211
