Nocaster the best Telecaster model?

Hydra19

Long story short, I'm looking for the best Telecaster for my budget which is around £1500, give or take. Is the Nocaster really that much different than a 52' reissue or the current Pure Vintage? I have read most of the threads on the web, and another way to ask that question would be is the Nocaster worth the difference?

I'm looking for a nice blackguard, I like the thick neck but am not necessarily the thicker the better type. I just want one to sound good, and have a nice grain. Pickups can be exchanged. 

Anybody play any other brands other than Fender whose Telecaster models really impressed them? Most of my guitars are from Japan and I'm pretty sure one of those Navigator ESP Telecaster could keep up with a great Fender too. I've also read great things about Tokai Breezysounds.

I did have a Fender CIJ Telecaster with Texas Specials, I liked it for what it was back then. 
What does a used Nocaster go for on here? I've read some can be had for as low as £1600

brooom

For that budget, you can do something similar to what I did. Go to musikraft get one of their blackguard neck and body. Which are quite accurate.

Then have it finished in thin nitro, I used MJT for convenience as they have a 10% deal off with musikraft, but you can use someone from the forum like @lamf68.

The buy decent hardware and pickups. I used Klein Nocasters.

Have someone set it up for you professionally, or play around with it until it's right (I chose the later).

And you have a really really good blackguard replica which should fall under or close to your budget.

Strat_a_tat_tat

Never played a CS Nocaster that couldn't absolutely sing.
Chunky neck seems to make them resonate.  However, not everybody's hands likes the chunky neck.

stickyfiddle

There’s no such thing as best, only “your favourite”. Go and play some. Buy your favourite.

ESBlonde

I was told you get the best T style guitar by buying the best components and assembling it yourself. That way you have the potential for custom shop quality for around a grand or so. Downside is resale (if you ever had to) is parts value again. There really is nothing complicated about these guitars in terms of assembly.

I haven't taken that advice yet btw! I picked up a used 52AVRI in player condition for reasonable cost and have been thrashing that ever since.

munckee

Used 52 AVRI or roadworn will give you a nitro finish nicely put together tele, Roadworn tex mex pickups not my favourite, country boy by BKP my favourite so far.

Andy79

The old “what’s the best ice cream “ question. I had terrible trouble trying to pin down a Tele model that I wanted so I’m building a parts one. That way I get the neck, pickup, colour I want. Screw the resale value is the only real concession. Aren’t they all partscasters anyway? We should all change the logos on the headstock 

guitars4you

To a large degree a 51 Nocaster and a 52 Tele are the same guitar - Back in 51/52 the only real difference was the 'Broadcaster' part of the transfer was cut off and hence the nick name 'Nocaster' - So to a large degree a black guard Tele is the same/similar be it 51/52 or 53 - However the Nocaster is really only available within the C/Shop range

But you'll be lucky to find any/many CS Nocasters now below 2K with new examples now in excess of 3K

rze99

Wrong budget for a Nocaster. Great guitars though, esp if you like a chunky neck, though you can get the '60s carves.

i agree a used 52 is a good bet (but has a 7.25 radius rather than custom shop 9.5 ) and then maybe try specific pickups that match your desired sounds.

The American original 50s is about on budget too.

chris78

If you can’t quite run to a nocaster or a cs52, save up for a bit longer. They’re THE tele. 

prlgmnr

Try a Haar

Hydra19

Thank you for the replies. Back when I had a CIJ Tele, I thought the USA 52AVRI would be amazing, and I'm sure I wouldn't be let down. On the other hand, I do have quite a collection of Navigator guitars now, so unless it would cost much more than a used 52AVRI I might do that.
The right Nocaster is not a problem for me, I'm selling a 1966 Mosrite which should get me enough dough for a used Nocaster, and I have a 1986 Jackson Soloist that I have not touched for a couple of months. I just haven't played enough Teles lately to know which one I want.

Funny thing is when I did have that Tele back in the day, it was bought with my first paycheck, and I spent months trying to decide on which guitar to buy, bought the Tele because it could do it all, and now, more than a decade later, I have every other guitar I was considering but not a single Tele. It was actually a Fender Jaguar that kicked that Tele out of my stable

Zoolooter

Really depends on how period correct you want to be, aged/relic’d  or brand new.And, if you’re bothered about resale value. 

I put one together with a fat boat neck from Musikraft neck, light 2 piece ash body, Country Boy bridge, CS 51 Nocaster neck pickup. I did the finish myself, but I can highly recommend @GoldenEraGuitars to do it. I also got a guitar builder to build and set it up, which is the most important part. It’s the best I’ve played for feel and tone.

Just to add, out of the teles I’ve played the ones with a bigger neck have sounded better. 

As always, if you’re not building one, try several and one will stand out. Good luck.

Caffeine_Vampire

Great guitars but nothing that can't be achieved by building a good partscaster. Resale value is hell on most CS Fenders. 

Wazmeister

I miss my old CS Nocaster... the neck is a acquired taste for some though...

Funkfingers

The CS Nocaster is a bit special. I got mine for a good price because I agreed not to have the tweed case with it. Judging by the comments above, I would now have to pay almost double what I did at the beginning of this decade.

£1500 is roughly what I would like to get for my 2011 Tele-bration Old Growth Redwood Telecaster.

Whitecat

Funkfingers said:

The CS Nocaster is a bit special. I got mine for a good price because I agreed not to have the tweed case with it. Judging by the comments above, I would now have to pay almost double what I did at the beginning of this decade.

£1500 is roughly what I would like to get for my 2011 Tele-bration Old Growth Redwood Telecaster.

I sold mine for £1300 a couple months ago... took a while too.

Johnnyseven

If going for a partscaster Fender now have a fat U shaped neck with 9.5 radius available as a replacement neck for about £180.

Hydra19

I've bitten the bullet and put up my '86 San Dimas Custom Soloist for trade....should be able to get Nocaster money for that guitar....but it's been so bad I'm thinking of getting both a 50's version and a 60's version

Caffeine_Vampire

60's Nocaster?

Hydra19

not a 60's nocaster but the 64 american vintage model. Although I have seen a Thinline Nocaster and a Nocaster with a rosewood fretboard so it seems anything is possible with those. I just can't resist the blackguard look