Specs:
• Model: Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Esquire (Jeff Beck Inspired)
• Masterbuilder: J.W. Black
• Year: 1988
• Finish: Natural
• Body: Ash (3-Piece)
• Neck: Flamed Maple
• Neck Profile: Pronounced “V”
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Frets: 21
• Bridge: Fender Bigsby (Factory)
• Pickups: Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (Bridge)
• Controls: Volume, Tone, 3-Way Esquire Switching
• Tuners: Vintage Style
• Construction: 4-Bolt Neck
• Case: Original 1980s Fender Case
• Documentation: Letter of Provenance Included
• Condition: Excellent
Personal Thoughts:
This is proper early Custom Shop history.
Built in 1988 by J.W. Black — one of Fender’s original and most respected Masterbuilders — this Esquire dates right back to the infancy of the Masterbuilt programme. Long before relics, spec sheets and catalogued runs became the norm, these were genuinely hand-built, almost experimental instruments coming out of Fender’s reborn Custom Shop.
And this one has a story.
According to the accompanying letter of provenance, this guitar was built for Tom Nolan at the Fender A&R Centre in London, during the period Jeff Beck was working closely with Fender on his signature Stratocaster deal. Beck frequently rehearsed at Nomis Studios, and J.W. Black was responsible for building the early prototype Strats for Jeff.
This Esquire was put together in that same orbit — inspired by Jeff’s Yardbirds-era Esquire — and gifted as part of that working relationship.
It features:
• A beautifully flamed, extremely pronounced V-shaped neck — one of the most aggressive V profiles you’ll ever feel
• A factory Bigsby — which looks absolutely right on a late-’80s custom build like this
• A Seymour Duncan Hot Rails, installed for slide and midrange richness rather than high-gain metal use
The three-position Esquire wiring remains intact — bass preset, tone-capped middle position, and full-output bridge. It’s raw, punchy and incredibly percussive. There’s something very immediate about it.
Unlike modern Masterbuilts, this isn’t artificially relic’d. What you see is natural wear from 35+ years. The finish is largely satin and open-feeling, with a neck that feels played-in and alive.
This feels like a time capsule from when Fender Custom Shop was still a creative frontier rather than a production machine.
And early J.W. Black Masterbuilts are becoming increasingly difficult to find — especially with documented Jeff Beck association.
Condition Report:
Excellent condition for its age.
Natural play wear consistent with a 1988 instrument.
Structurally solid.
Electronics functioning correctly.
Includes original 1980s Fender case and letter of provenance.
No COA (common for early Masterbuilt era).
Part exchange welcome, video demos are available via our YouTube channel at Squealing Pig Guitars, personal consignment service available via our site at 10% rate.