Best tele for around £1000

dindude

I’ve been on a Tele for a grand mission and frustrated at the million and one options from Fender that aren’t quite right.

Vintera are too covered in thick poly, and weighty unless lucky. 
American performer is almost there but modern C on a trad Tele should be illegal.
The new Road Worn look the ticket, so I ordered one and the neck was one of the smallest necks I’ve ever seen on a guitar, should have been a “thick U” but was sanded to an inch of its life so had to go back. Shame as it sounded great.

So decided to put my own together from SC Relics body, Fender neck*, Gotoh hardware and Fender USA Pickups.

Gonna wire her up this weekend, then just waiting on the pick guard.

https://i.imgur.com/a2nF4B6.jpg

* a little known fact - Fenders replacement necks often have spec tweaks compared to what you expect, I.e not always a direct lift from current production range, mine is a Mex made ‘51 U with 9.5” board and 6105 frets - you won’t find that on any production Mex guitar.
I do despair at Fenders current QC though, the pre-slotted nut is comical in its string misalignment and will need a new one done professionally.

jeztone2

A used Kotzen is about £1100 and will give you the fattest baseball bat neck going with a 12” radius and jumbo frets. 

Bear in mind Kotzen Teles don’t sound like trad telecasters. They have a fat thick midrange which makes them more LP alike. But they do cleans as well as high gain great. 

TheMarlin

You could have one built to your exact specification for that @Corvus make beautiful guitar, all completely hand made. 

timmypix

Another vote for a G&L ASAT. My brother-in-law picked one up recently and it blew his US Fender Tele out of the water. Amazing value for money and horrible depreciation, so look for a used one and you'll get more than your money's worth.

Nikc

Breezy Sound Tokai - awesome guitar can be had at silly money

mudslide73

+1 for 52ri or AO. 

Deadman

8502.

rsvmark

I can recommend American original- I believe these replaced the USA standards And they retail for £1500 ish so you might find one on the s/h market. They are highly recommended 

MichaelWatts

There's a nice Thinline at GuitarGuitar at the moment - I was tempted but went in a different direction...
https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/px201024363305004--fender-american-original-60s-thinline-telecaster-natural-2019

guitarman1984

My two cents here, if you are looking for big neck you should definitely try out a Baja. Great guitar for the money, baseball bat neck. I love mine.

Stuckfast

Nikc said:

Breezy Sound Tokai - awesome guitar can be had at silly money

This... I think I paid £150 for mine, many years ago.

Chuffola

Whatever one you end up with, in my experience, an ashtray bridge and brass saddles is the absolute key to the Tele sound. The American Standards just don't sound the same to me - much too refined and nowhere near as much fun. 

Voxman

Have a read here: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/190947/ngd-harley-benton-te-52-na-vintage-series-now-here-with-pics-phenomenal/p1