The 6 Best Cheap Telecaster & Tele Copy Guitars (Reviews – 2024)

What’s the best cheap Telecaster? We know the correct answer.

Fender Affinity Series Telecaster is the best cheap Telecaster

The Fender Telecaster and related style guitars are classic and have been an icon for guitarists since first introduced in the 1950s.

Telecasters have a unique, one-of-a-kind sound that cannot be matched by any other guitar manufacturer, making this one of the most coveted styles of guitar, whether for country, blues, or rock, to this day.

Top 6 Best Cheap Telecaster Guitars:

ImageModelPrice
Fender Affinity Series Telecaster is the best cheap TelecasterFender Affinity Series Telecaster
(Top Pick)
Check Price
Fender Bullet TelecasterFender Bullet Telecaster
(Close Runner-Up)
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Fender Classic Vibe 70's Telecaster DeluxeFender Classic Vibe 70's Telecaster Deluxe Check Price
Squier Classic Vibe 50sSquier Classic Vibe 50s Check Price
Fender Modern Player Tele Plus Electric GuitarFender Modern Player Check Price
Squier Affinity TelecasterSquier Affinity Check Price

Fender Affinity Series Telecaster (Editor’s Choice)

Fender Affinity Series Telecaster is the best cheap Telecaster

This Tele has a comfort C shape neck that is made to give you a classic feel. It is one of the most common profile shapes perfect for different playing styles. It features a bridge comprised of six individual saddles for correct intonation in each string.

The instrument gets a touch of class with a headstock logo comprising an elegant black and gold.

Fender play offers guitar players a simple online platform to learn amazingly the latest skills required to play.  This is a fantastic guitar design with a traditional look and features.

Easy playability and sound versatility with an eye-catching finish make this a great choice. All the frets are smooth with a satin finish neck. The pickup sounds decent and does not have a hum causing irritation. There is some bite with the bridge pickup.

This Telecaster offers a true feel of Tele that too at an affordable price. This is lightweight and provides endless comfort hours along with long playability at the studio and stage. You can explore various styles, whether full, bold, or bright. Additionally, a master tone and volume knobs allow you to dial in the required sound with tweaks. You are allowed to dial in a required sound that matches your style.

Pros

  • Amazing for beginners
  • Outstanding value for money
  • Sound is convincing

Cons

  • Tuners are a little stiff

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Fender Bullet Telecaster

Fender Bullet Telecaster

Fender Bullet Telecaster is dynamically responsive. A single-coil clear-sounding pickup offers the rich and crisp tone. In addition, the model has a thin body which increases playing comfort and reduces weight.

A sealed die-cast tuning machine offers good tuning stability and smooth gear action. This Telecaster works amazingly in different settings, either at studio or live playing.

It is made for players who seek stylish and versatile guitars at an affordable price. It has classic look and iconic tone. The basic feature includes a lightweight and thin body, two single-coil pickups. Three-way switching allows sonic variety, and a hardtail bridge offers better tuning stability.

This Telecaster will complement your musicality perfectly with a range of tones exploration. When considering the budget, this is affordable. You cannot go wrong with this product as it fulfills your requirement at a fantastic price. It fills the gap with its best sound quality. All these features make it a popular choice.

Pros

  • High-end guitar
  • Very clean sounding
  • Can handle heavy distortion

Cons

  • Soldering might be an issue

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Fender Classic Vibe 70’s Telecaster Deluxe

Fender Classic Vibe 70's Telecaster Deluxe

This is a faithful reproduction of classic Telecaster, which is player-friendly. Its highlights include a comfortable C-shape, slim neck profile, with simple playing fingerboard. The frets are narrow-tall and string-through-body design Telecaster Bridge.

Individual saddles can make precise adjustments. It has headstock markings and amazing-looking hardware that is nickel-plated. Old school vibe is maintained through a glossy tint finish.

This model comes with a wide range of humbucking pickups for authentic Fender tone. The bridge features barrel saddles and string stability, and a string offers optimal resonance through the body. A vintage-style tuning machine obtains smooth action. The instrument gets a rich throwback appearance with nickel-plated hardware.

You cannot go wrong with this Tele. All experienced players across the globe rely on Fender.

Pros

  • Fantastic value for the price
  • Easy to play
  • Sounds nice

Cons

  • None we could find

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Squier by Fender Classic Vibe 50’s Telecaster Electric Guitar

Squier Classic Vibe 50s is the best cheap Telecaster

Fender is one of the most well-known and trusted makers of guitars around the world. Fender is responsible for kicking off a whole new era in music and allowing artists to express themselves in new and creative ways by bringing the first solid-body electric guitars.

The Squier by Fender Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster is a faithful reproduction of the classic 1950s style Telecaster. It is an excellent value for an iconic guitar with a unique look and sound.

It features a C-shaped neck, making it more comfortable to play with. The neck is made from one piece of solid maple and has jumbo frets for comfort in play.

The Squier features vintage-style single-coil Tele Pickups with AlNiCo 3 magnets, giving the guitar its unique sound.

The biggest complaint about this guitar is that some people have found it requires pretty regular tuning.

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Fender Modern Player Tele Plus Electric Guitar

Fender Modern Player Tele Plus Electric Guitar

Fender has made a line of remastered Tele-style guitars that have a look and feel, along with the unique sound of the Telecaster, while updating some of the structure and parts for better sound and range.

The Modern Player Tele Plus Electric Guitar is a great, higher-end, redesigned Tele-style guitar perfect for the seasoned player.

It is designed for fast play, with 22 jumbo frets for easy, quick change-ups.

The Modern Player features:

These features give the guitar the ability to produce an excellent range of crisp, clear sounds.

The biggest complaint about this guitar is that the color displayed in pictures does not necessarily represent the exact shade of the guitar you will end up with.

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Squier Affinity Telecaster Guitar

Squier Affinity Telecaster

Fender also has more affordable Telecaster models designed for the budget-conscious or new to playing guitar. The Squier Affinity Telecaster is an excellent example of such a guitar.

You get the unique Telecaster sound that we have all come to expect. The construction of the guitar is solid and comfortable for novice play. In addition, it has a three-way pickup selector, which makes it simple to change the guitar’s tone.

The Affinity features the single-coil pickups that give the Telecaster its iconic sound. As a result, it is an excellent starter Telecaster.

The biggest complaint is that the pickup can hum when played at high volumes. As noted, it is an excellent value and is intended as a budget option for novice players. It is not likely to give the tonal and range of sounds needed for serious playing, particularly in a larger venue.

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Things to Consider When Buying a Telecaster Guitar

People love Fender guitars for a lot of reasons – the Telecaster specifically. The Telecaster has a unique sound called the “Tele twang.” The first mass-produced electric guitar is a classically designed guitar known for its look and sound.

There are several different types of Telecasters available. So it helps to know the fundamental differences between them and what you should consider when choosing which Tele model is right for you.

So many famous names played the Telecaster! This guitar and its various reissues are still a favorite with guitar players of all stripes.

Models of Telecaster

There are different models of Telecaster that seek to cater to different demographics and musical stylings.

Like any purchase, the budget you have to work with will help determine which model is best for your needs and price range. For example, the Squier line of Telecaster is based on the traditional Telecaster design, but they cost a lot less. As a result, Fender often refers to the Squier as the “little brother” of the Telecaster family.

In essence, the Squier line is a great way to get some of the unique sounds and style you see in a Telecaster at a lower price tag.

Traditional Fender Telecasters, whether the Standard Series or one of the other lines have been among the most versatile and popular guitars since Fender first introduced them in 1951.

The Standard Series is a genuine Telecaster that is the most affordable of guitars’ true Telecaster line. The Standard Series is a basic guitar that offers the versatility and sound we expect from a Telecaster.

A Modern Player Series is a quality-designed Telecaster meant for beginner players. Deluxe Telecasters are the priciest models and are designed for the seasoned musician in mind.

It gives you more playability and is designed for durability and comfort.

Finally, a Classic Series features reissues of some of the most popular Telecasters designed in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. These guitars give you both the look and unique feel of a traditional, classic Telecaster.

Conclusion

The Telecaster has been an icon in the guitar world since it was introduced in the 1950s. The first mass-produced electric guitar, the Telecaster, brought a love of guitar playing and music to musicians’ generations. The Telecaster is still a trendy and well-loved guitar.

Fender has faithfully reproduced some different Telecaster or Tele style guitars that feature the classical guitar’s look and feel, including its unique sound, with modern design and engineering range and comfort.