I can understand. It's a little nuts what vintage instruments can cost. My last build was a Precision bass, although I own a '75 Fender P-bass. Anything I do with the "genuine" Fender will damage it's resale value. Meanwhile the bass I built is a better player, lighter and has better pickups.

Tele's a great guitar, and should be a good first build. A lot of guys add some things to improve on the original design, like a belly and cut and arm contour, or different neck pup. They sky is the limit. One of the great things about a kit is you can do things with it you wouldn't dream of doing with a guitar worth a couple of grand.