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Post subject: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:49 am
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I've just learned that Fender made Duo Sonics - apparently in the original 20-fret, super-short scale - in 1993. The vintage models I've looked at are crazy expensive but these '93 models are much more reasonable.

Still, they tend to sell for nearly the same or even more than the new Duo Sonics. Since the new ones have a 24" scale length they are useless to me; I've already got a Mustang.

Are these '93 models worth risking a few hundred bucks on? What sort of issues would one have with a guitar old enough to buy booze? Did these guitars sound like crap? Stay in tune? Intonate properly?

If anyone knows anything about these guitars, I'd be grateful to hear it.


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 9:52 pm
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Here's a little update: I won an auction for a black '93 Duo Sonic reissue for $249 plus $40 shipping. I'm pretty excited about it; I've wanted a proper guitar in this scale length for some time.

Any experience anyone has had with these reissues would still be welcome. Mine should be here by Monday.


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Thu May 04, 2017 4:09 pm
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The thing just arrived. It looks decent physically, there's one good-sized dent in the body just above the jack and there's some discoloration along the bottom of the fretboard. It looks much better than those road-worn things Fender sells these days.

There's a buzz that goes away if I press on the cord, so the jack seems faulty. It sounds tinny with a little crackle now and then and pretty much like crap. Both controls seem almost like on-off switches; very little adjust-ability - less than a quarter-turn I'd say. It also appears to have 10's and the nut doesn't seem to like the low-E string; it's wonky when tuning and it's obviously not seated properly. Moreover, not a single string is intonated properly.

So it seems to be a bit of a project but I'm okay with that. I'll take it to the shop where I've bought most of my other gear and see what they think. I think it's new PUP's, pots and maybe a jack. The jack might just need re-soldering. Maybe new, proper-sized strings will sort out some of the issues. If not, I hope there's sufficient adjustment left in the bridge; heck, I hope it'll adjust at all!

Any suggestions for control-pots or PUPs for this thing?


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 12:05 am
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To me, it sounds the guitar is just in dire need of a full setup with the string gauge and relief/action you want. "Full" includes electronics check/fix/resolder/replace, nut check/fix/replace, possible shimming - and so on.

After that, my advice is to give a new guitar enough time before any major mods. You may feel very differently about it in a couple of months.


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 2:41 am
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jmattis wrote:
To me, it sounds the guitar is just in dire need of a full setup with the string gauge and relief/action you want. "Full" includes electronics check/fix/resolder/replace, nut check/fix/replace, possible shimming - and so on.

After that, my advice is to give a new guitar enough time before any major mods. You may feel very differently about it in a couple of months.


+1

As to replacement parts, best to take a peek under the hood before ordering anything. You may find that everything is already there and merely in need of some routine maintenance as with the guitar's basic set-up.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 8:38 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
jmattis wrote:
To me, it sounds the guitar is just in dire need of a full setup with the string gauge and relief/action you want. "Full" includes electronics check/fix/resolder/replace, nut check/fix/replace, possible shimming - and so on.

After that, my advice is to give a new guitar enough time before any major mods. You may feel very differently about it in a couple of months.


+1

As to replacement parts, best to take a peek under the hood before ordering anything. You may find that everything is already there and merely in need of some routine maintenance as with the guitar's basic set-up.

Arjay


This all sounds like very good advice.

One of the guitar guys at the local shop seemed to think everything was working as it should. This is partly because it refused to snap crackle or pop audibly a single time while I was there. It does it at home fairly often.

He seemed to think the intonation problems were just the nature of the beast; short-scale and wonky bridge.

There are some guitar builder-repairer guys here in town. I may ask one of them to give it the once over.

Thanks much for the responses!


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 11:10 pm
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pzbw7z wrote:
He seemed to think the intonation problems were just the nature of the beast; short-scale and wonky bridge.


I doubt that the short scale is a factor, but the bridge does not feature individual adjustments for each string and will always remain problematic. A "happy compromise" for each pair is the best you can hope for.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Sat May 06, 2017 10:09 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
pzbw7z wrote:
He seemed to think the intonation problems were just the nature of the beast; short-scale and wonky bridge.


I doubt that the short scale is a factor, but the bridge does not feature individual adjustments for each string and will always remain problematic. A "happy compromise" for each pair is the best you can hope for.

Arjay


Would compensated brass saddles help? I've read about them elsewhere.


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Sat May 06, 2017 11:43 pm
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Probably, so long as each string was independently adjustable (as with a hardtail Strat bridge).

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: 1993 Fender Duo Sonic
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:07 am
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Curious about these 93's. I own one and love the neck on it. Is it an exact neck shape replica of an older Fender duo neck? I wanna buy a backup and I'm curious if I should buy another 93, or start searching for 50's and 60's models.

Can anyone speak on 50's/60's duo sonic neck shapes and if they're the same as this 93 one?


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