Cheap but good tele bodies?

[butlerdidit]

Looking for cheap but good tele bodies, finished, preferably lighter weight. Don't care if the finish is perfectly done as long as it looks decent and everything lines up right. I have read the comments on GFS and Eden bodies. Are there any other sources that are better?

 

[Luthi3rz]

Define cheap?

 

[Festus_Hagen]

Depends on what ya want ...

 

[butlerdidit]

Under $300? I thought I described pretty well what I want...

 

[Mad Kiwi]

Don't the Stratosphere do Tele bodies for around that?

Otherwise I would suggest used Squires as donor guitars.

 

[NothingGoatboat]

GFS makes really good bodies. I've never had something not line up. The finish is usually really good to, and you get more options than if you used a Squier body. The normal bodies are Paulownia, which is super light. Brad Paisley gets it in his Crook guitars, and he doesn't have an issue with the density. The XGP weigh a tiny bit more, but are firmer. The GFS bodies are really the best bang for the buck. Another option is to find a used MIM body, or even a Classic Vibe body. Reverb has lots of good bodies from Stratosphere, usually under or around $300. Good luck!

 

[Festus_Hagen]

Under $300? I thought I described pretty well what I want...

Fender bodies are under 200.00 on ebay. There is a nice sunburst squire loaded on there for 130.00.

You can always go the cheap wood route and get paulownia, as was said. I'd at least get alder, but that's just me.

Good luck!

 

[Luthi3rz]

Under $300? I thought I described pretty well what I want...

A Warmoth Telecaster body with single color paint job is about 300 some times cheaper.
http://www.warmoth.com/Pages/ClassicShowcase.aspx?Body=2&Type=2

 

[sleazy pot pie]

Yeah, for 300 bucks you can get a pretty wide selection of great finished bodies.

Ebay has fender bodies all day for well under that. Mjt for a relic look.

Do yave already have a neck and hardware/pickups?

 

[LutherBurger]

Musiciansfriend has genuine Fender bodies for $169.99.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/fender-telecaster-ss-alder-body-vintage-bridge-mount

 

[Sollipsist]

I've heard of many people having no issues with their GFS bodies. My one and only experience was less satisfying.

I eventually made it work, but if (when) I was going to do it again, I'd probably grab something from Stratosphere if I wanted real Fender/Squier, or Warmoth if I needed something specific & different.

 

[Slowisfast]

Go to STRATosphere and buy a pulled finished stock body.

Heres a 60s RI for 250
(link removed)

 

[warrent]

Fender Telecaster Body Candy Apple Red 0998006709
$169.99
https://www.ebay.com/p/Fender-Telecaster-Body-Candy-Apple-Red-0998006709/1607985611

 

[TRexF16]

Under $300? I thought I described pretty well what I want...

You did a fine job of describing what you were looking for but not of describing what "cheap" meant to you. I would have guessed you were in the $100, +/- range when you said "cheap." And as you can see from the responses, $300 is not at all cheap, and if this is the budget you can stomach, you have a lot of very fine options available. For a number of reasons I'd recommend you start at the Stratosphere, as have several others.
Good luck with the search - let us know what you choose.
Rex

 

[HolyTele Tube]

300$ at Warmoth.com will buy you almost any standard body in all configurations. They do great work.

 

[DarkshipDan]

Don't the Stratosphere do Tele bodies for around that?

Otherwise I would suggest used Squires as donor guitars.

I've heard of many people having no issues with their GFS bodies. My one and only experience was less satisfying.

I eventually made it work, but if (when) I was going to do it again, I'd probably grab something from Stratosphere if I wanted real Fender/Squier, or Warmoth if I needed something specific & different.

Go to STRATosphere and buy a pulled finished stock body.

Heres a 60s RI for 250
(link removed)

You did a fine job of describing what you were looking for but not of describing what "cheap" meant to you. I would have guessed you were in the $100, +/- range when you said "cheap." And as you can see from the responses, $300 is not at all cheap, and if this is the budget you can stomach, you have a lot of very fine options available. For a number of reasons I'd recommend you start at the Stratosphere, as have several others.
Good luck with the search - let us know what you choose.
Rex

Yet another vote for Stratophere. I also got a really nice roasted maple neck from them for my Tele.

 

[PARCO]

Check out Musikraft.

 

[butlerdidit]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess what is making it harder for me is that my preferred colors are foam green or fiesta red or sonic red. The pulled bodies are mostly black, white, candy apple red, some sort of burst.

 

[Luthi3rz]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess what is making it harder for me is that my preferred colors are foam green or fiesta red or sonic red. The pulled bodies are mostly black, white, candy apple red, some sort of burst.

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?Body=2&Type=2&i=PT7273
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?Body=2&Type=2&i=PT7227
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?Body=2&Type=2&i=PT7194
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?Body=2&Type=2&i=PT7040

 

[butlerdidit]

Yup, I did indeed end up going with the Warmoth Seafoam green. At $295, it is not cheap, but at least it should be good quality.