You've got a $1k budget to build a Tele. How are you spending the money?

[Mick Bailey]

Oh, BIll Kirchen - not many folk have heard of him over here, but he's played through one of my amps for a couple of shows and wanted me to build him one, which I declined. I still have a warm feeling though from him saying it's one of the best amps he's ever played through. One of his guitars was a Tele-style built from old pine doors and he hooked up a friend of mine to get a couple of them - one made from an old hotel door from NYC. A really thick pine neck and fingerboard, no truss rod and old nail holes and scars left unfilled. The resonance is incredible and this comes through the amp, so I've been looking for suitable pine for a few years now, without any success so far.

[The Dude]

Does it have to be a Tele? Can I build something I'd actually want to play?

So, I'm not the only one who's not a big Tele fan?

[nosaj]

well heres another question my time and labor is worth something is it not?
nosaj

[Greg_L]

So, I'm not the only one who's not a big Tele fan?

I guess not. Honestly, I can't stand Telecasters. I like a lot of music made with Telecasters, they just don't do anything for me for how and what I like to play.

[TomCarlos]

I'm with Leo and #15. I would start with something already assembled, having key items you want. So that would be body and neck. You can always strip the body then repaint. You'll know how the neck feels when attached to the body. You can also save some $$ if the frets are in good shape. Everything else can be an add on (nut, pickups, pots, tuners, etc).

I had a friend build me a custom 12 string electric guitar, to my specs. And he did just that. BUT, there were issues and some where difficult to correct- one being balance and avoiding the dreaded "head crash" syndrome. So never again. You can't beat a guitar (or something like a body and neck) that has been professionally made and you then modify to your liking. You'll start with something that is "known" as opposed to all of an "unknown."

And this comes from a friend who build a Tele kit - even if you mount parts where they belong, it will most likely need a qualified tech to give it a good lookover and setup. So don't forget to add that into your budget.

Good luck !!

[Chuck H]

Well "I" don't have a tele. I've played them a couple of times and thought they were pretty nifty though. And some players I really like use them. I just always thought they were the ugliest guitars around. With all the possibilities why make a plank of wood in a square-ish standard guitar shape? And that headstock? Yech.

But the sound? I do like that. At least for those things it's good for. I'm more of a hard rock and even some metal kind of player with some of the standard bluesy club stuff thrown in and a penchant to vibe SRV style sometimes. So a strat with a HB in the bridge is a great choice for me, which is what I have. But I would like to have a tele. Especially one of John H's builds. Some of those look a little better than the standard Fender models. The shape and the headstock are basically the same but he likes to play with gaudy colors and altered pickguard shapes. It sort of animates those pieces so they're cartoonish or simplified retro funky (in a good way). And sometimes he'll build a semi hollow. That sounds like it would be a really cool tone. That slightly hotter tele bridge with that twang and a bit more resonance on it!?! Probably great. I may never know. I'm not in a position for a custom guitar and don't know if I ever will be.

[Mick Bailey]

But the sound? I do like that. At least for those things it's good for.

I like the players that really extend the Tele playing style; Richie Kotzen, John 5, Satriani (thinking of Time Machine), Jeff Kollman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olv1Z2aIzUM

[Leo_Gnardo]

I like the players that really extend the Tele playing style

Jeff Beck does it for me! I'll have to check out Kollman thanx for the link.

[Helmholtz]

.....and don't forget Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton, Albert Collins, Robben Ford, Billy Gibbons, Joe Walsh and so many more great players who at times use a Tele for a very distinctive sound.

Not necessarily a hard rock guitar but IMO the best rhythm guitar ever.

[SoulFetish]

Does it have to be a Tele? Can I build something I'd actually want to play?

Ha! I suppose we can extend it to encompass all "parts-caster" guitars to in offset and strats. But in the spirit of the original post, could you put together a tele that you'd want to play? Tele's aren't my first choice of guitars, but the good thing about them is that they come in any number of configurations and still maintain an original "Tele" vibe.
I love strats, but I have no use for a strat that has anything other than S-S-S pickups in it (at least in the physical footprint.).

[SoulFetish]

Well "I" don't have a tele. I've played them a couple of times and thought they were pretty nifty though. And some players I really like use them. I just always thought they were the ugliest guitars around. With all the possibilities why make a plank of wood in a square-ish standard guitar shape? And that headstock? Yech.

But the sound? I do like that. At least for those things it's good for. I'm more of a hard rock and even some metal kind of player with some of the standard bluesy club stuff thrown in and a penchant to vibe SRV style sometimes. So a strat with a HB in the bridge is a great choice for me, which is what I have. But I would like to have a tele. Especially one of John H's builds. Some of those look a little better than the standard Fender models. The shape and the headstock are basically the same but he likes to play with gaudy colors and altered pickguard shapes. It sort of animates those pieces so they're cartoonish or simplified retro funky (in a good way). And sometimes he'll build a semi hollow. That sounds like it would be a really cool tone. That slightly hotter tele bridge with that twang and a bit more resonance on it!?! Probably great. I may never know. I'm not in a position for a custom guitar and don't know if I ever will be.

dude, I felt the same way about Gibson SGs for the longest time. UGLY! until I played my roomate's one in Colorado. I owned a sweet Les Paul standard with a black cherry finish at the time, and I thought his SG it brought a whole 'nuther thing to the table as far as tone and feel. Loved it.

[The Dude]

Well, even though I'm not a huge Tele fan, I had to put one together for a tribute band I'm in. I found a nice playing Squier Tele, installed a Duncan Hot Rails in the bridge, Swapped the crappy tuners for Planet Waves locking tuners, upgraded the volume pot, disconnected the tone pot, set it up, and I have a guitar that I'm very happy with. I don't think spending more would have gotten me a better guitar.

[SoulFetish]

.....and don't forget Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton, Albert Collins, Robben Ford, Billy Gibbons, Joe Walsh and so many more great players who at times use a Tele for a very distinctive sound.

Not necessarily a hard rock guitar but IMO the best rhythm guitar ever.

EXACTLY THIS ^^^
...and more, if you wanted to continue the list. But, the first 3 on that list are reason enough to be sold on tele's. I was just listening to Gatton the other night talking to my buddy about pickups. I'm probably going with Lollar's, but I would seriously think about Bardens because of DG's sound.


Anyways, you guys are on the right track. Here are a couple of options I'm looking at:

https://reverb.com/item/50876426-usa...ern-tele-parts


https://reverb.com/item/53948407-usa...ree-pick-guard


https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar...s/royal-t-neck


https://www.lollarguitars.com/tele-special-bridge



First, I already have a strat body that has been sanded and grain filled which needs to be painted. So, I'm personally looking to get into something that has been finished. But, I'm leaning towards the black/bound tele body. I dig the binding.

[tedmich]

I've always loved Roy Buchanan since my sister turned me onto him, since his passing I think Greg Koch is a worthy successor.

My sister still has her 64 Tele my parents bought her for $275 in 1976, its got a 67 neck on it so not quite as desirable to collectors but has still probably appreciated ; )

It sounds great but the main impression I got playing it is how TINY it feels; the strings are sooo close together and the neck so narrow at the nut, I feel like a giant playing it!

Sis got guitar lessons from our neighbor/tenant Jerry in Cambridge MA until he moved away to join the Talking Heads, but not before setting her up to get lessons from Steve Cataldo from the Nervous Eaters (great band!) . Steve offered to trade his 70s black LP for the Tele but sis declined.

[Greg_L]

But in the spirit of the original post, could you put together a tele that you'd want to play? .

Honestly, I don't think I could. That would be really tough for me. To me, a Tele has to be a traditional Tele. Once you start adding humbuckers to a Tele it's not a Tele anymore IMO and there are other guitars that do non-Tele things way better than a Tele.