While Fender did not invent the Electric Guitar , the Telecaster was the first mass-produced ‘ Spanish ’ electric guitar to reach truly iconic status . Just in case you didn ’ t know , the Tele was preceded by the Esquire and then the Broadcaster . Both models were released in 1950 and are now being celebrated with limited edition reissues available until the end of this year .
PAST AND PRESENT Before we get to the history behind them , I wanted to share my sentiments on how great a job Fender has done with the 70 th Anniversary Esquire and Broadcaster . Both guitars play like a dream and do a brilliant job of crossing the sonic and stylistic spectrums . They feel and look great , and it ’ s evident that the Fender team really cared to ‘ get it right ’. Noting they will remain in production through the end of this year , if the $ 1,999.99 price point is not out of your budget , I ’ d suggest tracking one down before they ’ re gone , as both instruments are worth every penny .
IN THE BEGINNING Prior to the release of the Esquire , Fender was best known for their Hawaiian style
Esquire Evolution
electric guitars . Better known as lap steels , the name reflected the fact that you played these instruments sitting down . Seeing the proverbial writing on the wall , Leo Fender was approached by his team to create a Spanish style electric guitar , designed to be played standing up . The end result was the Esquire , which was introduced in 1950 .
SOMETHING OLD , SOMETHING NEW The overarching spec was to create a guitar that was comfortable to play whether standing or sitting , didn ’ t have the feedback issues of electric archtops , and was easy to repair . While described by some as “ the boat paddle ”, the Esquire was indeed comfortable to play , whether seated or standing . The Pine body produced a sound that was flush with snappy highs and body . Also of note was the neck access that single cutaway made available for lead players .
First Broadcaster Ad
Call it genius or common sense , Leo built upon past successes and opted to include the bridge mounted single coil pickup from Fender ’ s lap steels . He also leveraged the Austrian-inspired ‘ inline six ’ headstock style found on early Martin instruments . The bolt-on design made it easy to replace the neck should it get damaged . The glaring oversight in the initial guitars was the lack of a truss rod . Leo also responded