Advice - build high-quality Telecaster or buy a pre-made decent-enough one

Sync

It can cost a fair bit more to build an equivalent tele compared to an off the shelf made in mexico fender standards using official fender parts, body and necks etc and you still may not end up with as good a guitar.

There are significant diminishing returns on a tele anyway once you pass the fender player telecaster at £500. Even spending £1.5k on a usa tele and the improvements are marginal at best. 

I would be impressed if you can build one from new parts for less than £1k which objectively performs as well as these player telecasters.

The thomann kit is ok for what it is. Takes a bit of time but great fun. 

The tools to fit and finish to a high standard inc fret files etc etc make a huge difference, are needed, and aren't overly cheap. Crimsonguitars is a great option for quality uk supplied tools. 

You really can't go wrong bulding a tele, they are very simple but partscaster guitars can be a real money sink compared to off the shelf options even with a few after market parts.

There is a huge degree of subjectivity and personal preference in guitar ownership though, no difference when building one from raw materials and templates or parts. 

markslade07

I’m actually having this conundrum myself right now…however I’m partway through the build - well, it was built but I just didn’t like the neck/ frets and a replacement I bought turned out to be a bit dodgy. Being a dingbat when it comes to putting these things together means I have a friend who helps me out, but I don’t like to rely on them. So…I’m getting a bit fed up with it as it’s starting to cost a decent chunk of change and it’s getting to the point I may well just part it out and buy a Vintera or something. 

Frustrated of Chippenham.

guitarjack66

Snap said:

Tele builds are quite easy. I'm in the middle of one at the moment, including doing a nitro finish, Loads of great info and equipment came from Steve Robinson, on this board, AKA Manchester Guitar Tech (Yes, steve, I still haven't finished it, grain filler has been on since, err, September,,,,,,ffs!)

I started with a Korean Squier from 1989, built in the Samik factory, that I bought new in 1989. Over the years its been modded all over the shop, and now the only piece of it that will go into the new one is the neck, which is actually lovely and very very played in. And its' a great aged maple colour.

It will have a 4 way wiring and all the parts will be decent. For me, it's not about price or value, it's about personality and the experience.

There isn't a lot you can get wrong with a tele build really. The wiring is easy, especially in standard config, and mods are pretty simple to do too.

Price of a proper set up is reasonable too.

Unexpected costs are things like good soldering kit and various gauges. 

Careful though, guitar modding is an addictive thing, like all things GAS related tbh.

Having said all the above, ask me again when I've finished the nitro!! It could well be a pig's ear.

EDIT - the best tele mod IMO is a very cheap one - the electrosocket, which if you don't know is a modded jack socket. The amount of times I've pulled the entire jack assembly out of my tele by accident.....this solves it very easily

'Quite easy?' Maybe to those of you whose school woodwork classes didn't consist of drinking meths!