My friend gave me a tele, I took it apart

[added]

My friend gave me a tele that a roommate left at his house years ago. It's a tele, but has modifications, namely it was made into an esquire and someone stashed weed in the pocket.

Photos: http://imgur.com/a/WDRn4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Main interest: it is signed Tadeo in the neck pocket.

[Ursa Minor]

Main interest: it is signed Tadeo in the neck pocket.

Let's see some better pics!
Any more backstory on where it came from before your roommate's friend?

Please tell me that neck isn't a stained finish.

[Stratelejazzuar]

[sessylU]

That looks like the Tadeo taper on the back of the headstock too.

[MattK]

Uh, the combination of extreme relic and "artful" photography tweaks my radar a bit, looks like a put-on to me.

[PJazzmaster]

Tadeo I like the last sentence below

[Jaguar018]

What dates are on the pots and neck?

[added]

Uh, the combination of extreme relic and "artful" photography tweaks my radar a bit, looks like a put-on to me.

Not artful, I have a crappy phone.

I didn't see a date on the neck.

[MechaBulletBill]

Uh, the combination of extreme relic and "artful" photography tweaks my radar a bit, looks like a put-on to me.

Not artful, I have a crappy phone.

I didn't see a date on the neck.

Why did you turn the lights off to take the pictures?

[added]

Crap camera, it shows a brighter photo and shoots dark.

[salty]

That is a lot of work to have to take the pickguard off every time you want to get to your weed.

[Squirrel]

Could be that it was always an Esquire-I think they used the exact same bodies (with the same routing) for both guitars.

[marqueemoon]

I hear the vintage weed market is really taking off.

[Pacafeliz]

DUDE!!!

now let's see some GOOD pics!
...he gave it to you, like in, for free?! just like that? i mean, man geez, i wish i had friends like that!

[added]

It was recommended by most shops locally that I take it to a dude here to get it appraised. He said he could, but even that might be a waste because he isn't willing to say it definitely is a 53 for $65 and then not be right. He recommended I call Gruhn, who said the same; they can't give me a definite answer because they don't want to risk their reputation but I can spend money for get a vague response if I prefer. The local dude suggested I take it to a guitar show and try to sell it as real and expect criticism, which isn't really what I would prefer. I was hoping to get it authenticated and repaired.