The True Story of my 1957 Fender Esquire - Ask Zac 57 

Another great episode by the Mr Rogers of guitar

Zac, Greg Martin here. I was laid up with Covid 19 back in November. Your videos helped me get through the quarantine. Long live ‘Ask Zac,’ your love for Telecasters and great music. Have a wonderful Christmas! :-).

I can't explain my smile or level of excitement seeing another episode. This is truly my favorite RU-vid channel.

Wonderful Zac. I knew the story but it was like watching a replay of a great sports event!

Story of guitar acquisition is intrinsic to the to the sound. I like all the neck shapes. The soft V fits in my small hands well.

Thanks for telling the full story and describing how you restored this messed up guitar to original vintage condition. It was very instructive.

Awesome story Zac...bout fell out of my chair over the poker game

Congratulations Zac! I was born in '57 and love Esquires! I couldn't think of a better pair of hands to have that Esquire!

How fantastic! You are doing a good job reining in your stoke! Getting "that" guitar is the most amazing feeling. I have a similar story about my old Stratocaster. Say what they will about the price of vintage guitars, even in refinished state, it is a time machine, same thing with vintage bikes and cars. If you dig history, playing some is pure joy. Well done again sir!

I've been trying to hoan my skills on Hideaway. A local guitar player used to play it on his blackguard Broadcaster through a piggyback Vox AC 30 and played the Clapton version note for note. I recorded it trying to get the Beano tone! Not yet! Love your version of Hideaway.

Wonderful Guitar and story! Congrats to you sir...I dream of owning (caretaker) of a vintage guitar...someday.

Man I was waiting with great anticipation for this one and it did not disappoint 🙂

Love this! Guitar Gallery has two locations, Tuscaloosa and Pelham, and I visit both every chance I get. Fine folks! Great story, Zac. Love the channel.

I went and looked at the photos, there was a very similar guitar at rumble seat a few years ago except the conversion had already been done to tele spec

Great story Zac. Thanks for sharing

This is great, Zac. It is a cool guitar - amazing, but OMG, that Harvard. Wow. What a sound!

I agree. White blonde with a white guard looks great. Over the last few years, I have sold more guitars and amps, to acquire fewer better pieces. ( thanks Keith ). I love the story of your ride to get the guitar, and it sounds wonderful.

Congrats on your new guitar! Thanks for the great story.

Great story Zac! Looking forward to part two.

That William Bell riff still gets me man

Zac, mate you play so cool. Your gear is to die for, & your stories, mannerisms are so relaxed. Thanks for helping us all get through the year . Happy Xmas to you & yours . Cheers 'mate 👍

Happy you got what you want. Looks like all the other Danocasters out there. Love hearing about your family as well. You’re a good dude.

Great story, expertly told... :-)

A lush guitar you've got there, though a bit out of most people's price range, I believe Squier have recently brought out a Classic Vibe Esquire, not quite the same I know!... 🙂

Love how you were so amped up with NGD fever that you forgot to ask about the backstory. I know the feeling well.

It certainly is a killer guitar. It sounds great. I look forward to part 2 of the origin story. Thanks for sharing that super cool Esquire.

Never bet what you can't afford to lose, eh? I'd never have bet that one, that's for sure. Great story, Zac.

Cup of coffee a bowl of some hash and ask zac ....mic drop

What cha got there? Country Hideaway. Nice

So glad you're back Zac. Your channel is by far without a doubt my favorite channel on RU-vid. Enjoy the Esquire dude. She's beautiful !!

what a brilliant story,cheers Zac......can't wait to see the refin vid !!

So glad you got the backstory. Really enjoyed this episode. I have listen to it three or four times while commuting to work, but tonight actually got to enjoy visuals and audio. I remember seeing this when it came out and it was not too long after that I bought my entry level classic vibe, Esquire. I have a view, few vintage pieces, Rickenbacker’s, and a few other pieces but I had always been a Strat player in a lover of the music master deluxe. I had never been a telly person. But the classic vibe, Esquire, even as a budget instrument truly gave me that feeling of where have you been all my life. I think I’m still sold on the single pick up format but of course, now I’m going to have to get a couple of telleys too. One with a bender and one without. But thanks for tipping me over though edge. It was your videos that I had planted the seed and I definitely will be finding another real Esquire. I don’t think I will ever be able to go to the vintage route, nor is my playing worthy of tying up a great instrument that someone else should be playing but I have to think there’s another esquire in a couple of good Teles out there for me.😂. It’s all your fault it a sickness but you’re patient zero.

This is definitely my favorite episode yet

Wow...What a guitar and what a back-story! I remember telling you at CAAS I was dying to know about that guitar, and I remember you telling what you went through to get it and that the pickup was bad etc., but I don't remember the back-story. That makes the guitar even more precious. What a cool story.

After looking for the One Les Paul I wanted, I found one online in Color I wanted and When dealer said Best Guitar he ever touched or played, I sent in my Buddy since Guitar was 200 miles from Home but in my Hometown to Play it out, because although it looked Amazing, I wasn't buying something that Didn't Play Amazing because I dont want a wall hanger. My Buddy went, played guitar and within moments was begging me not to pass on The Best Guitar he ever played in His Life a 2012 Les Paul Premium Plus in Bourbon Burst now Sits safely here where it Belongs and Yes I sold amazing Guitars to get this. a 1962 Melody Maker D and a New Charvel DK24. Worst part was, not 1 week before I thought I had found my Les Paul and put it on layaway, well maybe not worst part, because Now I have one Amazing Guitar, best I ever Played and another one almost as amazing on layway and less then $1200 from paying off the 2013 Traditional I have on Layway. The Fever is Real and when in Zone , nothing seems to matter but Goal of the Guitar

This is going to be a great series! Jason Isbell has a great strory about how he felt after playing red eye. Also - how did you find a wife that supports expensive guitar purchases? That’s the most shocking part of this story.

My old Tele, a late ‘53 blackguard, has a soft V neck profile. Beefy like your Esquire. IMO it’s the most comfortable Fender neck shape. The bridge pickup had already been rewound (due to original owner sweat) and the body had been oversprayed with clear lacquer that had yellowed over time. So it was affordable 25 years ago to a mere mortal like me. ☺️

Such a special guitar! To me nothing is better than a traditional Tele into a nice tweed! Funny because very far from my start, close to realising my dream of owning nice specimens both, had a nice MIJ Tele in the past but life forced me to part with it. I picked up a nice AO 50’s Tele couple months ago and just waiting for my boutique 5e3 clone to be built. Can’t afford the period stuff but im getting as close as possible! Amp will get nos tubes and a nice vintage alnico speaker. When I first plug my Tele in it will be a special day & I don’t see myself parting with either of these ever!

I took a few lessons form a guy who had a Red '57 Tele in the 80's. I have always wondered if that guitar was a factory color or a refinish. I now own a '63 DuoSonic that is what i think is factory Candy Apple Red. I took the neck off and there is an OK ink stamp that is half on bare wood and half on overspray.

We are only caretakers of these instruments, and some have been taken care of more than others. The backstory to yours is great, so many others have undoubtedly been lost. If you ever get the opportunity, I recommend Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx (nod to my buddy Al Schlimm) a story about a meager accordion as it passes through the hands of many people after arriving on a boat to New Orleans. Great book. If guitars could only talk they would say, get me out of this case!

I found a 1963 Duo Sonic at a pawn shop that is near a casino. It has a dead neck pickup. The price was so good I never plugged it in until I got it home, LOL. Nice restoration. Thanks for the video.

So cool! The back story is just as cool. The queen of hearts!

That’s crazy I bought a 70s Les Paul from guitar gallery in Tuscaloosa.

Where’s your AskZac hoodie? 😉 Great video and story. Love the way the Esquire sounds. Great tone! Congrats!

That guitar looks and sounds great ,especially through that amp!

As always, an entertaining and informative video! Thanks, Zac! A request prompted by your wall poster: Could you perhaps come up with a video on Ry Cooder's amps? His sound is always impeccable.

Guitar gallery in Tuscalozer? I know that shop! lol

Love it Zac, I'm a 50s tele guy too, a 55 Esquire and a 57 too.. Did you take the tone control out of the neck pickup too? Cheers Simon

New favorite episode! Looking forward to the next!

Been looking forward to this one!

God, I love guitar stories. Thanks, Zac! Looking forward to the rest of the tale.

Please please please get Dan Strain on for the rehab process episode!!!

We have to find out if Uncle Larry is who lost that Esquire in the poker game! He has talked about a lot of gambling! LOL.

What a great episode and story. After the music intro, upon your first words, I could see you beaming with pride and joy. I could feel the excitement that you experienced as you drove down to the store. Awesome. We don’t know each other but I’m so happy for you. I can’t wait for the rest of the tale.

Love these guitar hunting stories, it reminds me that I'm not the only one afflicted

Gotta 57 in Tuscaloosa sounds like a good country sound just saying

Great episode Zac! I’m looking forward to part 2. The Esquire and the Harvard were made for each other.

finally!!! now thats a happy man! there is nothing like that, the real thing

Hi Zac... Sorry to hear that you had to sell one of your Deluxe Reverb amp... but, having said that, you might want to audition the newest Deluxe Reverb amp from Fender... the “64” Custom Shop Deluxe Reverb. Now, it ain’t cheap (lists for $2500) but, then hand wired amps are expensive to make. However, you do get an amp with a factory 5 year warranty, with the reliability of new, CONSISTENT components (when new, original Deluxe Reverb components, like all of Fender’s components, had a spec of +/- 20% and in the ensuing 55 or so years they all drift). For gigging, this probably is the best solution...

Man that neck pickup woke me up!! What a great sound!

"Of course, I'm just completely eat up." Best GAS quite of 2020. That's when the red mist falls brother. I't's like Mr. Spock's Pon Farr blood fever. That guitar is all you can think about. if youd've gotten pulled over the cop would have booked you for DUI.

Dan & Scott are good dudes! They’ve moved the store a few times in Tuscaloosa and I’ve seen several cool old guitars come thru there. In the mid 90’s a guy brought in a “from under the bed” ‘63-‘64 Strat, I got to check out! They also had a killer old ‘68 GT LP that was beat but sweet, I had a first year Murphy painted R9 that I should have traded for it...... Love the story Zac!!

7:41 "so that's what I did, uh, well... not yet..." I LOL'd. Love this video, Zac!

You nailed it Zac! What a fantastic guitar with an unbelieveable story! I'm smiling and happy for you Zac! :-)

I haven’t heard hide away played the way you did. Nice sound

What a great story! I'm moving straight on to the rehab story now.

Shame on whoever did the blue paint job

Fantastic stuff, Zach! Thanks for sharing an awesome journey.

Best video I’ve seen (and looked forward to) in a while. Looking forward to more! Cheers!

Great story.Congrats. can't beat that woody tone.

Hi Zac, watched Ur video comparison of Ur 57 & 67 telecasters. Have a Echoplex preamp pedal just to give suttle improvement. What's your opinion on always on pedals to improve an already good tone..

Its funny back in the late 60s and early 70s .. you could get american made tele's and strats starting at 350 dollars .. Now I was looking at a 72 strat . Same one like I had .and it was on Reverb for 3,700 Bucks . I thought Damn .

Last comment. I swear. Just wanted to say congrats on the Esquire! Great story, and I love that it's from T-Town. Props to you for restoring that guitar. Instruments should be played and enjoyed. I like what you did with it.

I know that I'm late to the video Zac but that's a great back story for the '57 Esquire. When ever I go looking to buy a particular style of guitar it's always the neck that gets me hooked. I'm really not bothered about the condition or colour of the body. I'm paraphrasing Paul Reed Smith now as he has stated in the past that "people buy guitars with their eyes". I buy guitars with my hand around the neck and fretboard. If it feels right then that's the one for me 👍

Great story about your 57 Esquire, Zac....that Ron Ellis front pickup sounds really fantastic.

Really cool story and awesome guitar.

ALWAYS great stuff!! You are one of my favorite channels!!

Headed over after watching your 5 Watt World Esquire live stream.!!!!!

Glad your back Zac. Missed your videos. Great story and your esquire looks and sounds fantastic. You should put some christmas lights on that Harvard. Just to get in the spirt....

Gosh Zach, Glaser refret, Dan refinish and Ron pickup rehab. Couldn’t you find someone skilled to do your guitar work.

Like that amp!! and the tele as well :)

Just curious if you have ever tried Jim Rolph pickups. To the best of my knowledge everything he does is period correct if you are looking for something like that. I've got two sets of his strat pickups and they are remarkable.

Very Nice. But when you said you sold that blackguard Danocaster and a Deluxe Reverb, I was like, wait a minute what did you say?

Looking and sounds great! You did an amazing job. Please bring it with you next time through. Merry Christmas!

What great story,, and so well told Zac.

Beautiful Tele! 👍 Like to hear some of your playing and Teles with some grunt and grind. Turn it up! 👍🎸

Any thoughts on the CV special-run Squier Esquires? The Esquire for the common man.

As a newly wed there was a fantastic piece of advice in this vid "like most smart men, I talked to my wife.." truer words have never been spoken, much appreciated Zac. Lesson learnt!

Great story and congratulations!

White guards look so good imo

Great storyline went through the same kind of thing searching then purchasing my fender custom shop John Jorgensen hellecaster silver sparkle telecaster

Awesome story. New to this, I had to look up Refin = refinished. Question did you use steel frets? Love to hear next part of story

America has some cool Town names....

Hey Zac love the show!!! Why do an all playing episode all the songs or riffs that you love a look inside your players mind if you will

What a beauty, cant wait to see the re-hab video!

Been waiting for this. Oh HOW it was worth it! Best part for me: Saw the ad on my birthday!! Second best part: Apparently those guys are pretty solid cats. They educated the guy and didn’t offer to “trade him even” for the Schecter! Next time I find m’self in Tuscaloosa.... As always, THANKS for the time and care you put into sharing. Big love from Knoxville.

That guitar looks great Zac! I was really looking forward to this episode. What a great refin! Great story too. I would sure love to plug that guitar hands on into a deluxe myself. Congratulations! Looking forward to part 2!

From Montréal Canada. What a story teller you are ! Love it.

Phillion is top pesosspzzaaz.

I am so happy for you Zac