Who makes the best replacement Tele bodies?

Been working up a project with a basswood MIJ 62RI. Liking my pickups, but A/Bing the guitar with my one piece swamp ash 52RI I can hear where the body material is coming up way short. I want to get a HSH routed, nitro finish one piece swamp ash body. Who do you think makes the best? Thanks!

I would go with www.usacustomguitars.com hands down. Ive purchased many incredible bodies and necks from them.

I would go with www.usacustomguitars.com hands down. Ive purchased many incredible bodies and necks from them.

+1 that!

Musikraft too. Top notch.

Warmoth makes very good bodies.

USACG.

I like Warmoth necks, not their bodies.

Flip a coin. They're all made by cnc. Cant be that much difference. Allparts has quality stuff as well.

Two weeks ago at the Pomona 4 Amigos show I had a booth next to these fellas. I got a chance to take a close up look at numerous Strat and Tele bodies. Absolutely superior in many ways. The CNC machining is perfect, in several variants. The sanding out and prep is great. It was the Nitro colors and attention to detail that made them. Just like hot rods... anybody can paint and do body work... but great work stands right out. Cost should come from them not me, not spendy for the quality IMHO.

http://www.gmpguitars.com/index.html

Haven't tried USAGC or any of the others. I'm sure they're all good. Check Warmoth Guitar parts, especially the showcase. I bought an ash tele body from them about 3 years ago, also have bought 2 necks, and have been pleased with all 3. On the showcase, the body you see in the picture is the one you get, and they often run specials.

Warmoth is pretty good, i know allparts isnt bad, and mighty mite makes good necks, but i got a strat body from them, and it was fantastic.

For what you're asking, I'd go USACG, because they're more accommodating of custom requests than Warmoth. They can suggest nitro finishers, and will likely ship direct to the finisher for you.

The Warmoth gallery is great for buying standard, premade bodies and necks though.

Haven't used Musikraft, but they seem very good.

Or talk to Marc Rutters.

Basswood and Swamp Ash are fairly light weight woods. There has been a big trend towards less massive woods in electric guitars recently. Old debates about Swamp Ash Vs Alder carried on for so long mainly because there wasn't all that much difference in mass and stiffness between those woods, but pick up a guitar made with quarter sawn Sitka Spruce or Paulownia and you'll be able to hear the affect of the wood on the sound easily. A quick forum search for Paulownia or Empress wood (as Fender calls it) will turn up many converts. Mass only interacts with the structure to the degree that lack of stiffness allows it to, and mass interacts by reducing highs. Lighter is better!

Thanks for all of the responses.

I was doing some eBay searching and found Danny Hines. I got in touch and he is going to put a body and neck together for me. I know he buys the raw necks and does the frets and finish himself. I think he cuts his own bodies. Seems like a nice guy, his work looks great, has 100% positive eBay feedback, and has been very responsive to all of my requests and questions. I'm looking forward to having a new Tele!

Guitar Mill makes some nice ones.
http://guitarmill.com/guitarmill/?page_id=16&shopp_category=12