Tommy Rodriguez #190 - “1950 Pine Esquire” Replica

Many people are aware that the earliest Fender Broadcasters and Telecasters were Swamp Ash beauties with a translucent amber finish and a black pickguard. It was these legendary guitars that would become affectionately known as “Blackguards”. But few people realize that one of the earliest ancestors to the Blackguard was the 1950 Fender Esquire. Featuring a very slim 1.5” pine body, no truss rod, and fat necks, the Esquire was a foreshadow of what was to come. The first Esquires were twin pickup beasts with a black nitrocellulose lacquer finish! These guitars were so rare, that only a handful were built and even fewer still exist today. It is that guitar that instantly came to mind when Tom was recently given some exquisite antique pine which was salvaged from a century old piano. After doing exhaustive research, Tom began work on what we believe is the best Telecaster style guitar we’ve ever heard, Rodriguez #190. Weighing in at a mere 5.7 lbs, this guitar sings with the voice of an angel, yet has twang for days. The neck sports a true vintage “soft V” profile, but has been refined for modern playability with a 10” fingerboard radius. Tom also opted to use Glendale compensated saddles for perfect intonation, but he used steel which was period correct for the first Esquires. Nearly everything else about it is dead on 1950 Fender, right down to the slot head screws, the three piece body and the lack of a truss rod. The pine body imparts a beautiful warmth and clarity to the tone that is altogether different from the Swamp Ash Teles we’ve come to know. We called our good buddy, guitar virtuoso John McNiel to put this one of a kind guitar through it’s paces while Tom talked about it. Please check out the video below to see and hear what all the fuss is about. We believe this is the best Tele experience you will ever have. If you are a Tele nut, this is nirvana.

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