[faracaster]

My good friend Hugh and I just consumated a deal where I have taken possession of a 57' Esquire.
I am out of my mind happy. It plays and sounds FANTASTIC !!!!!!! This is really special. It just rings and rings. Very snappy bright tone that has a lot of 3D sound happening. Very low output pickup compared to my 51' and sounds quite different from it (this was my justification to myself for getting it .) Can't wait to play it out with my band.
For the record it has a neck pickup (early 60's) installed and the original guard has been cut to accept it. It has been refreted. The guitar body was refinished and reliced by the master, Johnathan Wilson at Greenwich Village Guitars. Other than that is is all original and swwweeetttt !!!! What a vibe and feel in your hand.
I'll post pics soon.

Cheers
Pete

 

[mario]

Pics!!!!!:food-smiley-004:

 

[Ripper]

Yeah post some pics! Congrats on the new Esquire.

 

[Southbound]

Sounds like a beauty
Congratulations! :food-smiley-004:

Can't wait for the pics

 

[bRian]

The suspense is killin us man.

 

[faracaster]

PIX!!!!

I finally got my email troubles dealt with and coaxed the little the lady to let me take some shots of Her in the daylight. Mighteee purdy. But even better playing and sounding.

cheers
Pete

 

[faracaster]

And a family shot too.

left to right....51' Nocaster, 57' Esquire, 60' Tele, 68' Tele, USACG Tele

 

[M_A_T_T]

Is that a *REAL* '51 Nocaster or a reissue? It's worth loads if it's real! And who's it signed by?

 

[faracaster]

Is that a *REAL* '51 Nocaster or a reissue? It's worth loads if it's real! And who's it signed by?

Oh Yes that is REAL. I got it about 8 years ago. The body was stripped in the late 1960's. The owner said it was awful beat up and a ugly yellow colour (go figure). Other than that, it is all real. Except for a badly needed refret.
The pickups have purple and black cloth wiring on them. I was told by Lindy Fralin that only the very earliest Fender pickups have that colour combo on them. It is quite possibly the best sounding Tele style guitar I've ever heard. This guitar has quite the output. It really screams. There are times when I can wrench a PAF style tone out of her and then go to twang city and back to soft jazz like neck tones, all form manipulating the vol. and tone controls (and a great amp of course).
The signatures are Robbie Robertson, Ian Tyson, Randy Bachman and Gordon Lightfoot. This is my Canadian Heroes guitar. When I do a show with someone that I really admire, I ask for their autograph on this guitar. I would have had Neil Young's also but he had that little problem with a brain anyrisum before the Juno's a couple of years back. Then when I did Live 8 last summer I forgot to bring the freakin' guitar !!!!! I could have got Neil and Bruce Cockburn's And Simple Plan (just kidding with that one folks). I still play this guitar all the time out at gigs. So some the sigs have had a little wear to them.
Some people may say I'm nuts to let so valuable a guitar be written on. Well I think it inhances the vibe. I'm never going to sell it. It's just that good. So why not. I tell you I get some great conversations out of the people that have signed it. First about the guitar itself and then about the previous signees.
Here's a pic of the serial number.....#783 !!!!! Yikes !!!!!

 

[Xanadu]

You've played with randy bachman, and at Live 8?

 

[torndownunit]

Great collection. I love Teles. Is that a mini-humbucker in the neck in the one on the far right or a P-90?

 

[faracaster]

You've played with randy bachman, and at Live 8?

I wish.....No, although I have played with Randy before (at the NAMM show in 93'), and with Ian Tyson another time, I am the Production Designer on these shows (Live 8, Junos, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame etc, etc.) So I have conversations and colaboration with the bands as to their staging looks, needs and presentation. This gives me the proximity to be able to ask for such things. As well as being able to relate to them on a musical level because of my background. So although I indeed was standing onstage with Neil Young at Live 8 it was in a professional design capacity, not a musical one.
Forum member Frogrick plays with Randy and Burton though and he played at Live 8.
Here is a couple of pix of Neil during soundcheck the day before Live 8. Note the lack of ten's of thousands of music fans in the BG

enjoy
pete

 

[faracaster]

Great collection. I love Teles. Is that a mini-humbucker in the neck in the one on the far right or a P-90?

That's a Firebird humbucker. sounds FANTASTIC in there I must say. It balances really well with the bridge pickup.

 

[torndownunit]

I have a CIJ 52' RI. I had considered doing something similar to it. I am going to give those Fralin Steele Poles I bought from you a try before I get into that type of modding though.

 

[mario]

Nice score Pete.:food-smiley-004:

 

[mario]

When I picked up my Santana III, Pete brought along the Esquire. Fantastic neck! Very resonant. Again, great score Pete!:food-smiley-004:

 

[Lester B. Flat]

Cool guitar! What were these old guys playing to get so much fingerboard wear above the 21st fret?

 

[The Nazz Are Blue]

Is there anything that beats an old Tele/Esquire?

No.

You have some absolutely fine guitars (and I don't think you need me to tell you) :food-smiley-004:

 

[NoTSoAgILe]

OMG you're the Micheal Jackson of guitars.... hanging your guitar over a balcony, shame on you:tongue:

All joking aside though.... that guitar is orgasmic, I wish I could afford one.

 

[lolligagger]

good 1

OMG you're the Micheal Jackson of guitars.... hanging your guitar over a balcony, shame on you:tongue:

I found myself thinking spiteful, nasty thoughts towards Mr. Faracaster when I saw that pic. Where the hell is the National Enquirer when you need them?
:food-smiley-004: