NGD --- actually new old guitar day

[otaypanky***]

That's a good lookin' color there Zman. While poking around the net trying to find info on these I read that although not that many were made it seems like a lot ended up in Canada and in the midwest USA.
So far I'm enjoying the guitar a lot. The buckers are a bit thicker and darker than what I'm used to. I usually wire humbuckers up 50's style to keep some treble at partial volumes. But this guitar has a lot going on with the TBX (I think it stands for Treble Bass Expander) circuit and I don't know enough to try and fiddle around in there. Besides, I'd like to be able to keep it all stock. I've been trying to find the sweet spot for adjustment of the pickups. There's obviously going to be a considerable difference between the coil split sounds and the humbucker sounds but I'm hoping to get them adjusted to where they each sound good but I don't have to scramble to correct the tone when changing between coil split and 'bucker modes.

[ZMAN]

That's a good lookin' color there Zman. While poking around the net trying to find info on these I read that although not that many were made it seems like a lot ended up in Canada and in the midwest USA.
So far I'm enjoying the guitar a lot. The buckers are a bit thicker and darker than what I'm used to. I usually wire humbuckers up 50's style to keep some treble at partial volumes. But this guitar has a lot going on with the TBX (I think it stands for Treble Bass Expander) circuit and I don't know enough to try and fiddle around in there. Besides, I'd like to be able to keep it all stock. I've been trying to find the sweet spot for adjustment of the pickups. There's obviously going to be a considerable difference between the coil split sounds and the humbucker sounds but I'm hoping to get them adjusted to where they each sound good but I don't have to scramble to correct the tone when changing between coil split and 'bucker modes.

Many years ago I found an instructional Tape "Playing the Blues" by Robben Ford. He was playing an Elite. It was a 3 color burst. It had such a nice tone and I was also looking to buy one, they were priced very high, and when the Esprit came out, I was all over it. The only thing with them is that they are hard to find a case for. They are too wide for an LP case and just a little under a 335 in bout width. I would expect yours came with a case. The Esprit does not have a coil splitter. The Duncan Design pickups are really nice.
In the picture your neck joint is exactly like the Esprit. They are quite a heavy guitar even with the chambering.
I have the Fender Frontlines (Fenders Catalogue) going back to 1996 but I don't see one with that inlays like yours.
In 2003 I don't see it listed, then in 2005 they have a "new" Esprit.
This blurb went with it.
"The Esprit was first introduced by Fender in 1983 as part of the Master Series.The series was introduced to offer instruments that would appeal to a broader base of guitarists. "
It was moved to the custom shop and came in 3 levels. The Robben Ford Ultra SP, Robben Ford ultra Fm and the Robben Ford Elite FM. The top two levels had ebony boards and the lower level was Pao ferro.
Is yours an 84? At one point the Squier Esprits were going for 399 a MF. I got mine in Canada, and I have not seen another here for sale since. Mine is a 2005.
I think you have a true collectors item.