Chris
I have absolutley nothing of use to you to add to this discussion, but I did own a Tele' bass back in errrrrr, 1980, maybe 1979!
It was my second bass, the first being a "no name" P. bass copy, the Tele; was my first propa bass, I was still at school and saved every single penny I got my hands on, I was earning a bit from playing as I could read, plus the money I got from selling the P. bass.
Mine was a 1972, natural finish with the big chrome p/up, it only had one sound, deep bass! I bought a Boss 7-band graphic to give it some more zing as I was playing a wide variety of stuff at the time
Mine came from a guy called Diccon Hubbard, bass player with the Salford Jets (who you looking at), he used to come in the off licence my dad owned, so I got to know him that way. Bumped into him many years later at the Bass centre in manchester, "Your the guy who bought the Tele bass off me" he said! It cost me £150 back then, then I had the joy of teling all my mates I had a Fender bass
Many fond memories attached to that bass, did a hell of a lot of playing with it considering my age, also lost it a few times after a few sniffs of the bar maids apron!
I know there is a photo of me playing it somehwre on face book, off to find it!
Good luck with the build chris, considered it myself but realised it would be more down to sentimant than practicality!
Tony ([i]off work, sick and feeling sentimental about his old basses[/i])