The Esquire is the electric guitar that started it all. Originally released in 1950, it was Leo Fender's first marketed design. The single-pickup precursor to the Telecaster, the Esquire features an ash body, maple neck, vintage-style bridge with steel saddles, volume, tone, and a 3-way quick tone-change switch.3-way switchingThe 3-way toggle switch gives you 3 preset tones. In the bridge position the pickup is only connected to the volume control (the tone control is disconnected). This minimal circuitry provides more top-end sparkle than a Telecaster. In the middle position the standard tone control circuit is activated and it functions just like any other tone control. In the neck position the tone control is disengaged, but a tone-shaping capacitor is added that rolls off a lot of the top end and some of the bottom. This setting produces darker tone along with slightly less volume.
