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Post subject: My Dad's '57 Duo Sonic
Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:46 pm
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Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:06 am
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Location: Youngsville, Lousiana
Hello all!

Sadly my Dad passed away a couple years ago. This was his guitar and I always hoped that it would come my way. After much legal wrangling between his estate (which I was the executor of on behalf of Dad's 9 children) and one ex-wife's son that he was living with at the time (he claimed to be a son, had no proof, yadda yadda yadda Dad's real children threaten legal action etc. etc.) I finally get the guitar almost a year after his death. And that was even after he told me the guitar had been given away at one point and sold at another.

I could tell the whole story but this is about guitars not drama.

So I get it but it won't work!

Trying to keep it original I tried everything to bring it to life but fail. Yesterday I take it out for another try. This time I get a crackle from the amp when I move the volume knob. After taking the whole thing apart and re-testing the wiring again I find the problem. The ground leading to the input jack had a bad solder that held tight but needed to be redone. So I quickly resolder the connection and success!!

And wow! what a tone this thing has. I know it was just a student guitar and no competition for the Strat and Teles but let me tell you this thing sounds amazing. There's something to be said for a nice aged piece of wood.

Anways enough jibber jabber on to the pics!!

When I got it (notice the round wound strings)

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And today after a "cleaning" and a string change.

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Enjoy!


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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:36 pm
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Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:03 am
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Location: NL Canada
What a sweet baby,I'm not real familiar with Duo Sonics but I haven't seen the 2 toggle switch setup-is it all original or was that a mod that your father had done?Either way cherish that guitar and guard it with your life-or send it to me lol.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 4:00 am
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Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:06 am
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Location: Youngsville, Lousiana
The toggle switches are definitely mods as the wiring to them was soldered and wrapped in electric tape. All each switch does is turn each pup on or off.

The plate says "Blonde $@!&*". Of all his instruments he had this is the only one he named.


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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:49 am
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Nice that the story has a happy ending - very cool to get the guitar!

Looks like your dad replaced the case sometime in the late 70s or maybe 1980; my '79 Lead II has the same case.


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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:08 pm
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Yeah I noticed the case doesn't look like other original Duo Sonic cases I've seen in pics. He must have replaced the original years ago as that's the only case I remember it ever having.


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