I'd certainly agree with that assessment bucky. The project was tremendously satisfying as well. Perhaps I can offer a few suggestions for others who'd like to put together a good quality Fender-ish guitar on the cheap.
First, look for dead vintage (or other quality) p/u's on fleabay. They're inexpensive to buy, rewind (see previous post), and receive by airmail. Second, if you're considering a custom body, find someone who's already building them and ask for exactly what you want. Alternatively, they may have near-flawless "seconds" on hand or other orders that customers backed out of...just ask. If you're looking for more standard fare however, I'd suggest searching for solid-wood MIJ or even Mexi bodies/necks first. US components are often overpriced and simply don't offer good value IMO. Finally, if you are hanging around fleabay, type in "project" while searching the GUITAR category and see what comes up. This can be a really good method for finding several useful parts, often from someone elses abandoned project, in a single auction. As always, enjoy the process!