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Post subject: Esprit
Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:58 am
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I just took delivery of a black 2005 Esprit. I'm at work, so I haven't played it. Here's the specs:

Master Series in a Glossy Black finish
Chambered mahogany body
Set-in maple, c-shape neck
Rosewood, 12-inch radius fingerboard
22 medium jumbo frets
Two Duncan Designed humbucking pickups (neck/bridge)
Two volume and two tone controls
Three-position toggle pickup switching
Adjusto-matic bridge with anchored tailpiece
Standard die cast tuners machine heads
Satin platinum hardware
No pickguard
24.75-inch scale length; 1.625-inch width at nut
Chambered double-cutaway body
White binding on top of body
Pearloid block position inlays with abalone inserts
Side-mounted football input jack
Gold and silver Squier logo
Numbered control knobs

What are your experiences with these guitars?

What about set-up specs?


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Post subject: Esprit
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:51 am
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Location: Middle Tennessee
I don't have any personal experience with an Esprit - But I own an M80 setneck from the same Master series and adore it!

Overall, the Esprit was highly regarded.
Guitar Player magazine did a review in August of 2005 that you probably can still find online - they made it the Esprit an Editor's Pick, if that tells you anything at all.
I do not remember if the article had any set up specs on the guitar, though.

But it should be a fine instrument - enjoy!


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Post subject: Esprit
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:32 am
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I love my Esprit. Some people have had trouble with the input jack loosening up, but I haven't had that happen. I did replace the p'ups with a SD 59 in the neck and a SD Jazz in the bridge and it made an appreciable difference in the sound. Others have also had problems with bridge noise, but mine is solid.
Frank

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:49 am
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So far I am really pleased with it. At first the 12" radius felt a little awkward, but it is very comfortable now.

What do you mean when you say "bridge noise"?


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Post subject: Esprit
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:10 am
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Some people have complained the bridges are a poor fit and create a buzzing noise. Tone pros bridges have been a popular replacement. However, mine is rock solid. I gig with it a lot and I love it. My only complaint is that there seems to be some slop in the tuners. Also it is impossible to find a hard case for it . The original Fender case was part # 099-6180-306 and listed for about $170, but it isn't carried by Fender any more. I wanted to take mine to a Blues Summit in CT this year, but I couldn't find a case anywhere.
Frank

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Post subject: I'm glad I found my Esprit
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:06 am
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Hey,
I was fortunate enough to find an Esprit on Craigslist. I have the one with the natural mohogany finish. Not sure what year it is. Great looking guitar and it's much lighter than it looks due to the chambered body.

Tonewise, I really like where it sits. Not quite as dark as a Les Paul but much thicker sounding than my Strat. I briefly considered changing the pickups out with some '59/Jazz Duncans, but after playing it for a while I decided that it sounds great the way it is. If it ain't broke, why fix it.

I use mine at the 3 guitar jam sessions. One Guy has a strat, the other guy plays a jazz box and there I sit tonewise, right between them. I can play just about anything on this guitar. Great for comping jazz chords, works well for blues (great solos) and acoustic-like tones and I was surprised at some of the O/D and distorted tones I was getting.

I dont play it as often as my strat, but it's a great guitar that is quite versatile. As for a case, mine came with a flannel drawstring bag..... (what were they thinking :shock:) . I ended up slapping it into a used Ibanez Artstar case. It doesn't quite fit, so I roll up my strap and tuck it in on the side of the body to keep it from swimming around.


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Post subject: Esprit
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:21 am
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I just ordered an SKB case on Ebay that was made for an SG, but SKB thinks it will fit. I hope Fender/Squier is reading these posts! The Esprit is an excellent guitar that didn't get much of a chance, but people are still picking them up whenever they can find them. BTW, there is enough room in the control cavity to install a coil tap for the p'ups, too. I believe the Esprit was only made for one or two years and then discontinued. It deserved a better run.

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Post subject: RU sure that Esprit will fit in that SKB?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:24 am
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Hey BigFrank,
You may be dissapointed with that case. The lower bout on that Esprit is like 16". It's as big across as one of those Gibson/EPi Dots or an Ibanez Artstar. I brought mine with me to GC and tried all the cases and the only thing it would fit into was a Epiphone Wildcat (Dot) case. The SG is roughly the same dimensions as a Les Paul. I have a Les Paul style SKB case for my Ibanez Artist and the Esprit is wider than the case!

Good Luck!


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Post subject: Esprit
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:51 am
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The lower bout on the Esprit is 13.5" The problem with the Esprit has been the upper bout. It's 10.5" on the Esprit and the LP is only about 9". My Esprit is sitting here next to me and I just measured the lower bout again.

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Post subject: Ooops..
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:07 am
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Okay,
I was guessing, but it was much larger than I realized when I was frustrated at GC looking for a case. Such a beautiful guitar requires a nice case. Let me know if it fits in the SKB. I'll buy one for myself if it works out.


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Post subject: Esprit
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:02 am
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I did the same thing at GC, but I have an Artstar AS80 and the original case for it and it is far too big for the Esprit. SKB said their SG case should fit. I tried a Gibson SG case and it didn't work, but it seems to be a little more contoured than the SKB. I'll let you know what happens. I needed a hard case earlier this month when I was traveling to CT for the National Guitar Workshop. I kept looking after I got back just to have one for the next trip. I really love playing this guitar and I use a gigbag for local gigs, but I am looking at a new band situation that may require a bit more travel. Thanks for your input.

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Post subject: SKB case
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:12 am
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It does not fit the Esprit. The seller on Ebay was a bit optimistic in their measurement of the lower bout. It's nearly an inch too narrow. It will fit my Blueshawk, so I will keep it, but again, it does not fit the Esprit.
Still looking! :cry:

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:56 am
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I wonder how hard it would be to take a case and modify it to fit.

If you could find a hard shell that was large enough, "in theory", you could gut/reshape the foam to fit. I have not tried it, but the idea is rattling around inside my head.

If you needed new foam, the foam used by florist or a variety of others might work.


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Post subject: case remake
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:04 am
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The foam isn't the problem. There are lots of extra dense foams that would work. The challenge would be getting the cloth cover to go back in and fit right. Otherwise it would look like crap. The simplest solution would be for Fender (hint here mods) to re issue the guitar and start offering the case again. There is certainly plenty of interest in this instrument. They still sell on ebay for close to the new selling price. At the very least Fender (another hint here mods) could make the case available again.

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Frank
A legend in my own mind.


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Post subject: Esprit case
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:48 am
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I jus got an email from Fender support. They have a few cases left in stock for the Esprit. A licensed dealer will have to place the order. MSRP is now up to $189.99. That's almost half as much as I paid for the guitar new!!

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