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NGD - A Slightly Mysterious Esquire


Keoghpjk

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This rather striking 2002 Fender Custom Shop Custom "Z" Esquire just arrived at my door less than 12 hours after ordering from DGS, and while I’m waiting patiently as I can to get home and get to unboxing, I figured I’d tide myself over by doing some good ‘ol fashioned research on it. Usually I find a great deal of relaxation in whiling away the hours doing a deep dive on a the particulars of a new guitar. In this case however, it’s becoming a struggle to get much in the way of any details or history about this one. Believe it or not, the serial number (both on the headstock and CS certificate) is “2 of 25”, so that makes things a bit more complicated. So far Fender CS support doesn't seem to have much information they can provide (something about a database migration of records in 2003 causing issues) outside of a notation of it having the generic model number 0124000000, and being listed as a group of "Custom Instruments” in their records. Not much of any consistency, or substance, is coming up in my internet searches either. Has anyone here ever come across one of these before, or know anything about the history of them? I've attached the pictures from DGS' listing as well as the picture of the certificate they sent me.

02of25.jpg02of25B.jpg02of25C.jpg02of25D.jpg02of25E.jpg17362807-1E20-47A1-8658-59A3C5D62F38-L0-001.jpeg

 

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Cool guitar!  Looks like something the Rev. Billy G. woulda played several years back, maybe that's where the "Z" comes from.  It might need Hot-Rod pinstriping for him, though.  B)

Edited to add:  I just did a Google search for "Billy Gibbons Fender Esquire", and this came up (no affiliation, the listing's ended and is five years old, according to the "Product Specs" section of the listing), I guess somebody else thought the same thing:

https://reverb.com/item/1027231-fender-billy-gibbons-custom-z-esquire-2001-black

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Oh, man!  That looks MEAN!  Congrats!

LOVE the figuring on that neck. full tone report when you get around to it. 

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4 hours ago, crunchee said:

Edited to add:  I just did a Google search for "Billy Gibbons Fender Esquire", and this came up (no affiliation, the listing's ended and is five years old, according to the "Product Specs" section of the listing), I guess somebody else thought the same thing:

https://reverb.com/item/1027231-fender-billy-gibbons-custom-z-esquire-2001-black

 

1 hour ago, singlehum said:

This one was on Reverb a while back In Australia.    

https://reverb.com/item/17191429-fender-esquire-custom-2001-gloss-black

These are two of the few references I was able to find in my searches, and find it interesting that mine has a later certificate date but is a lower number is the series. 

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2 hours ago, crunchee said:

Cool guitar!  Looks like something the Rev. Billy G. woulda played several years back, maybe that's where the "Z" comes from.  It might need Hot-Rod pinstriping for him, though.  B)

Edited to add:  I just did a Google search for "Billy Gibbons Fender Esquire", and this came up (no affiliation, the listing's ended and is five years old, according to the "Product Specs" section of the listing), I guess somebody else thought the same thing:

https://reverb.com/item/1027231-fender-billy-gibbons-custom-z-esquire-2001-black

God those Grinning Elk listings are always annoying AF.  Lots of words and barely any useful information on the guitar itself. 

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I recall those being in some way associated as a Billy Gibbons model, but not officially.

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I received the following message from the Fender rep I've been working with... Not much DGS didn't already know, but at least I've confirmed the model of pickup.

Hey Patrick!

You're a pretty lucky guy, I guess, based on 2 things: your guitar is pretty special and your response came on a record time, haha!

I'm copy-pasting you the answer from my C.S. team contact below:

"That was a Team Built model. I remember setting some of them up in the FCS Final Assembly, and man, they were barn burners. Had all the good stuff going on with them.

There are no spec sheets for it, but I have most of the specs below.

Top bound Ash body
Soft V shaped Birdseye Maple neck
Bound headstock
Bound 22 fret 9.5” radius ebony fingerboard 
Medium jumbo frets
Pinstripe style inlay at the 12th fret
1.6875” nut width
Neck thickness is .970″ at the first and 1.00″ at the 12th fret
Duncan BG1400 pickup"

I hope this helps.

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1 hour ago, Keoghpjk said:

I received the following message from the Fender rep I've been working with... Not much DGS didn't already know, but at least I've confirmed the model of pickup.

Hey Patrick!

You're a pretty lucky guy, I guess, based on 2 things: your guitar is pretty special and your response came on a record time, haha!

I'm copy-pasting you the answer from my C.S. team contact below:

"That was a Team Built model. I remember setting some of them up in the FCS Final Assembly, and man, they were barn burners. Had all the good stuff going on with them.

There are no spec sheets for it, but I have most of the specs below.

Top bound Ash body
Soft V shaped Birdseye Maple neck
Bound headstock
Bound 22 fret 9.5” radius ebony fingerboard 
Medium jumbo frets
Pinstripe style inlay at the 12th fret
1.6875” nut width
Neck thickness is .970″ at the first and 1.00″ at the 12th fret
Duncan BG1400 pickup"

I hope this helps.

Custom BG Duncan, Hmmmmmm

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1 hour ago, Keoghpjk said:


Neck thickness is .970″ at the first and 1.00″ at the 12th fret

Now I love it even more... 🤤

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