Fender Japan '61 Custom Esquire TES61-650 Sunburst 1990
Fender Custom Esquire, double bound sunburst, made in Japan 1990. In nine years of scouring Japan for the coolest and most interesting Fender Japan guitars, I've never before managed to score one of these. We've had hundreds of Telecasters, but the single pickup Esquire models are extremely scarce. And, when the occasional one does pop up, the 50s style blackguard model is more common than this 60s style example... anyway, at time of writing it's the only one I can see for sale in the world, best I can tell. Back in the early 60s, the term 'custom' meant double binding rather than a different pickup set, so this is a reissue of the 1961 style Custom Esquire. It's wearing a gorgeous coat of two tone sunburst, which has a few dents and marks and checking lines, but has largely weathered the decades with dignity. The neck is a very agreeable slim vintage C profile, which feels fantastic in the hand. The fretboard is a very dark slab of rosewood, and the maple has a subtle flame to it, especially visible on the headstock. This is a classy looking guitar indeed. Plugged in, it's got a unique voice: percussive bass, expansive mids with a gorgeous singing complexity and an articulate, musical treble. It's absolutely perfect for big rhythm parts, with a chiming clarity balancing a rounded warmth that will surely sit perfectly in just about any mix. In my books, this is a pretty perfect purchase: rare enough to be steadily climbing in value without being unobtainable, and extremely satisfying as a working player's instrument. What more could you want? Not a neck pickup, I hope!
Model: Fender Custom Esquire TES61-650
Made: Japan, neck date 12 Sep 1990, Fujigen Gakki factory
Serial: A044088
Finish: two tone sunburst, double binding, gloss poly
Body: alder
Neck: maple, rosewood fretboard, 25.5" scale, 7.25" radius, slim vintage C shape
Weight: 3.750kg
Mods: pots replaced
Pickups: Fender USA TL-Vintage single coil
Accessories: brand new DCM lightweight hard case, bridge cover
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has dimples on the end and front near the logo and some scuffs on the back near the low E tuner and bottom edge. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples and rub wear on the back only. The back has dimples and scuffs on both horns, the elbow area and the bottom corner, a small chip on the back edge near the rear strap pin and some rub wear and scuffs around the string bushings. The sides have dimples on the top horn, dimples and scuffs in the elbow area and near the jack and some dents and scuffs on the bottom horn. The front has dimples around the controls, small dents behind the bridge and to the left of the top corner of the guard, dimples and scuffs in the elbow area, checking lines along the back half of the body and play wear on the guard and horns.
Overall: very good condition (7.5/10)
Playing condition notes: action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.
Fret life: 7/10, normal wear inc very minor pitting but playing evenly with no major buzz issues