Telecaster Esquire

Telecaster Esquire

Question about types of telecaster?

Ok so I have had my same old "starter kit" guitar for about a year now, and am needing a "real guitar." I am into blues and thought a telecaster model would be tight. The problem is, at my local music shop, they have all these brands. They have plenty of Squire telecasters, and I know thats a branch off Fender, but I don't seem to trust that brand as much as a Fender Brand. Is a squire telecaster ok?
There is also a used sunburst model called an "Esquire" with just a little chip in the paint there for like, 475$. The actual brand name Fender telecaster is like 800$ish. I beleive my price limit is in the 400's, so please reccomend whether I should get the Squire model, or the Esquire model. Thanks!
so the Esquire is the MIM one?

Squier is a musical instrument brand name wholly owned by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Fender licenses their product to a few Chinese and Korean companies and they have them built cheap in order to sell them cheap. The bodies are made of inferior indonesian hardwood and the necks are poor quality. The only reason ever to buy a Squier is that you cannot afford anything better.

Fender Telecasters and Stratocasters are divided into three sub-groups:

1. Standard

2. American Standard

3. American Deluxe

The Standards are made in made in Ensenada, Mexico. The American models are made in Corona, California. What Alan told you about them using different pickups or hardware is incorrect. They use the exact same components. The differences in the components are the differences in the model itself, not where it was made. The Standard Fenders that are made in Ensenada are commonly referred to as "MIM"'s as in "Made In Mexico". The ONLY reason that the MIMS are cheaper, is that the cost of labor in Ensenada is less than half that in Corona. However, in order to keep the value of the American Fenders high, Fender manufacturers a higher percentage of the American Fenders as upgraded models. That's why your avergae MIM is in the $400-$600 range, and your Americans range from $1100-$2000. There is nothing wrong with a MIM. In fact, I've had several MIM Strats and Tele's over the years and they were some of my best guitars. The main problem is that MIMS don't hold their value at all. They lose their value by damn near 40% the day you walk out the door with it. But if your main aim is to buy the best guitar you can find for a good price, I would seriously consider a MIM Fender.

The Esquire Telecaster is a Vintage Telecaster 1950's re-issue.

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0131502303

http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM05/article/Fender/Classic-Series-50s-Esquire.html

They are good and are fun guitars. They are MIMS, as the 2nd article says. the price is $749-$799 at most retailers, which is standard for MIM Specialties like my Fender XII that's a MIM. The thing about it is... is it worth spending $475 on a damaged one-pickup MIM when you can spend about the same on a non-damaged standard MIM Tele?? I think I'd just find an undamaged new base model Tele. One thing though... it has an ash body, which is an upgrade over the standard Tele and Strat alder body. See? All thses nuances go into their pricing, whether they are American or Mexican.

Edit: Hours after I answered your Q, I ended up down at Sam Ash and they had an Esquire Telecaster Re-issue like you were talking about. The regular retail on it was $889 amnd they were trying to move it by bringing it down to $712. I played it and omg that was sweet. So, I changed my mind..... if they are willing to take hundreds of dollars off that new esquire for one little chip, I'd do it asap.