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NEED INFO ON FENDER "ESQUIRE" BASS

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by Dan Horboychuk, Jul 7, 2003.

  1. Jul 7, 2003 #1
    Dan Horboychuk

    Dan Horboychuk

    May 13, 2003
    Poughkeepsie NY
    Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, Aguilar Amps, DR Strings, Bartolini Electronics, Creation Audio Labs
    i recently came across a bass that i could use some help on it is a Fender Esquire the neck is dated as a 1967 with a maple board and a Tele style headstock and the body is a p bass style but with a jazz in the bridge the only info i could find is a small blurb in the Fender bass book where the author asks if anyone has ever seen an Esquire bass, he also states that he believes a small number of these basses were made to be shipped overseas and thats all i have found i am interested in any info at all including prices if possible, the body was painted a nasty red but has been brought down to a beautiful ash clear and the hardware was changed.
     
  2. Jul 7, 2003 #2
    brianrost

    brianrost Gold Supporting Member

    Apr 26, 2000
    Boston, Taxachusetts
    Fender never made a bass called "Esquire" in 1967 or any other time.

    What makes you call it an Esquire? Got any pics?
     
  3. Jul 7, 2003 #3
    Dan Horboychuk

    Dan Horboychuk

    May 13, 2003
    Poughkeepsie NY
    Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, Aguilar Amps, DR Strings, Bartolini Electronics, Creation Audio Labs
    hey brian i didnt think they made one either it is on the headstock and then the clencher is in the fender bass book by Klaus Blasquiz where he asks if anyone has ever seen an Esquire bass and talks of a hybrid bass made by fender r&d department in1966-1967 which were a hybrid tele/ p bass combo and says that they were "surely the fruit of some strange attempts by the the 1966-1967 r&d team to come up with a tele precision hybrid" he also states that all of which were destined for europe. thats all i can find out so far so thats why im looking for help
     
  4. Jul 7, 2003 #4
    brianrost

    brianrost Gold Supporting Member

    Apr 26, 2000
    Boston, Taxachusetts
    A photo would be helpful!!!

    Sounds like whatever it is, it's been modified heavily, the neck and body may not have even come from the same instrument. You probably know that neck/body swaps were all the rage in the 70s (usually putting Tele or J Bass necks on P bass bodies) as was grafting a J pickup onto a P bass, something Fender themsleves didn't offer as stock until the 1980s. That doesn't explain the Esquire decal, of course.

    Assuming it really is one of these mythical Esquire basses, it might be worth $$$$$ to some collector IF it could be authenticated.

    Then again, Blasquiz' book is not a great factual source, it has a LOT of errors in it. There were some P basses shipped to Europe around 1966 that had slab bodies (like a Tele bass) but were otherwise normal (one split pickup, P style headstock). Of course, the Fender R&D team DID come up with a P/Tele hybrid, the Telecaster bass...which was really just a reintroduction of the original P-bass design.

    Good luck in IDing this beast.
     
  5. Jul 7, 2003 #5
    brake

    brake

    Jun 23, 2003
    Nova Scotia, Canada
  6. Jul 7, 2003 #6
    brake

    brake

    Jun 23, 2003
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    I believe they were the first solidbody electrics that Fender mass produced, too.
     
  7. Jul 7, 2003 #7
    Dan Horboychuk

    Dan Horboychuk

    May 13, 2003
    Poughkeepsie NY
    Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, Aguilar Amps, DR Strings, Bartolini Electronics, Creation Audio Labs
    yeah ive seen the esquire guitars before but i have yet to see the bass i cant seem to find a value anywhere ive been told about one in a shop in chicago but cant verify anything
     
  8. Apr 14, 2011 #8
    Dan Horboychuk

    Dan Horboychuk

    May 13, 2003
    Poughkeepsie NY
    Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, Aguilar Amps, DR Strings, Bartolini Electronics, Creation Audio Labs
    so now im digging up my own old threads.... im still looking for info on this one and figured i would post some pics, any help or thoughts would be appreciated, i realize that None of the hardware is original.
     
  9. Apr 14, 2011 #9
    Dan Horboychuk

    Dan Horboychuk

    May 13, 2003
    Poughkeepsie NY
    Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, Aguilar Amps, DR Strings, Bartolini Electronics, Creation Audio Labs
    and 2 more
     
  10. Apr 14, 2011 #10
    iamthebassman

    iamthebassman

    Feb 24, 2004
    Austin,Texas
    Endorsing Artist: Phantom Guitars, Eastwood Guitars
    Headstock shape isn't quite right for "Tele Bass", the fact that the decal doesn't say "bass" makes me figure someone's trying to fool someone, but...if you like the bass...
     
  11. Apr 14, 2011 #11
    christw

    christw Get low!

    May 11, 2008
    Dayton OH
    THE MADDEST SCIENTIST
    Paging JohnK! :p

    If it's for real, freakin' awesome. If not, might still be a decent bass you could snag for wayyy less.
     
  12. Apr 14, 2011 #12
    Dan Horboychuk

    Dan Horboychuk

    May 13, 2003
    Poughkeepsie NY
    Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, Aguilar Amps, DR Strings, Bartolini Electronics, Creation Audio Labs
    i actually already own it, i bought it about 12 years ago. it has an unbelievable neck.... very thin.
     
  13. Apr 14, 2011 #13
    christw

    christw Get low!

    May 11, 2008
    Dayton OH
    THE MADDEST SCIENTIST
    Haha, oops! I need to watch those dates and what is said! :D
     
  14. Apr 15, 2011 #14
    mongo2

    mongo2

    Feb 17, 2008
    Da Shaw
    "23" is the neck code for a Telecaster Bass. Mine is dated May 68.

    Looks to me like someone grafted a Telecaster Bass neck on a P bass body and performed some decal magic.