Vintage '55 Fender Esquire - Beautiful Guitar!!!

This is one of the cleanest '55 Fender Esquires on the planet. You've heard people use the words "Time Capsule" to describe a guitar's condition, and they certainly could be used to help with the description of this beautiful instrument. Original finish, original wiring. original parts. NOTHING has been retouched, refinished or replaced on this guitar. It's as it came for the factory in '55. The back of the neck, frets, fretboard, headstock, logo, and hardware exhibit little or no wear. There are a very few pressure marks on the back and a couple of very slight edge impressions, but that's it. Not only is the guitar extremely clean. You need to see the ORIGINAL center-pocket tweed case, it's AMAZING. Original handle, original latches (that all work), it's the cleanest '50s case I've ever seen.

Upon receiving the guitar I decided to examine the guitar and take a look at the control cavity, under the guard, the neck pocket and the neck date. It was as if I were the first person to turn the screws on the instrument in 47 years. They were all tight. I was able to take pictures of the control cavity and the body, but the neck is very tight in the pocket. I'm not up to exerting the force necessary to remove the neck just to take pictures. It would mean taking the chance of popping finish, or possibly hurting the neck or body, and it isn't going to happen. I photographed the part of the neck date that was visible with the guard removed. The pots are totally original as is the wiring. The pots have no visible date codes anywhere on either pot. The solder joints have been untouched. The masking tape dating mark - Mary 6-17-55 - is present in the control cavity. Anyone who knows the specs on mid-'50s Esquires and Teles knows what this guitar has on it:

• Gold Spaghetti Logo (Mid-'55 changed to silver)
• White Blond Lacquer finish
• "No Name" Klusons
• Non-threaded, smooth Steel saddles (Early '54 had Brass - Late '58 were threaded)
• Round string guide (Late '55 had Butterfly)
• "Fender Pat. Pend." on the bridge plate
• Dome Knobs
• White single layer pickguard .040" thick ('54 had black)
• "Top Hat" style switch tip. ('54 had barrel tip)
• Single flat pole piece bridge pickup (Staggered in late '55 early '56)
• Serial Number on the neck plate - 7965 (Dates the guitar to '55)
• Masking Tape Dating Mark in Control Cavity - (Mary 6-17-55)