Fender Custom Esquire Sunburst 1962

The Esquire was the first electric Fender to hit the market in 1950, and the Custom version followed in 1959 as a more luxurious edition with bindings and a three-ply pickguard. But what makes this 1962 Esquire Custom truly rare is the slab Brazilian rosewood fingerboard!

An Esquire Custom from the early 1960s is a rarity in itself, but this 1962 example makes it even more special. The combination of the vibrant 3-color sunburst, the elegant white binding, and the slab Brazilian rosewood fingerboard makes this guitar a guitar that truly has it all!

The Esquire was introduced in 1950 as Fender's first production guitar, even before the Telecaster. The single-pickup model was appreciated for its direct, uncomplicated character. In 1959, Fender introduced the Custom version as a more expensive option, recognizable by the white binding around the body and the three-ply mint green pickguard. These refinements gave the Esquire a more elegant appearance, but the higher price naturally resulted in lower production numbers than the standard Esquire.

This Custom was produced in May 1962, as the serial number 82271 along with the neck stamp "3 MAY 62 B" reveals. This makes it one of the last examples with a slab Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, as Fender switched to a thinner veneer construction in August of that same year. The original Stackpole potentiometers confirm the authenticity of this guitar, with a volume potentiometer from 1961 and a tone potentiometer from 1962. The rest of the electronics are also original, with only a few solder joints reworked for optimal signal quality.

The guitar spent its entire life in France before coming to the Netherlands and is in excellent condition. The sunburst finish has beautifully retained its color over the years, with a striking amount of red still visible. This Esquire Custom comes with CITES documentation in a '50s Fender tweed case, a complete package for the serious collector or player seeking a piece of Fender history!

Consignment.