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Post subject: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master project...
Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 9:03 am
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For the past week or so I've been hung up on the idea of building a franken-sonic/master project. There are always cheap (relatively) bodies on ebay. Who doesn't love 50's and 60's nitro bodies and mother of toilet seat pickguards?

I'm toying with the idea of pairing a regular scale strat neck (MJT relic finish) to a pre 64 duo sonic or music master body. I like the old style toggle better than the mustang control sliders. I know that the original wiring scheme is a little different but I was thinking of going for two Strat sized Dimarzio Super Distortions and adding coil tap toggles for them, and using the toggle in regular neck, neck/bridge, bridge configuration. Apparently it served a different function on the originals.

Has anyone attempted such a project? Anyone care to talk me off the ledge? Will the reg scale neck and smaller body present any problems? Would a Strat hardtail bridge work for an old duo sonic (do the screws holes line up? Lots of questions huh? I'd love to see any pictures if you have them.


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 9:20 am
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To mount a full-scale Strat neck to a Duosonic/Mustang/Musicmaster body, you'll need to relocate the bridge 3/4" further back from the neck pocket. Otherwise the instrument will not fret or intonate properly. Which in practical terms means you won't be able to use a standard pickguard and the modded body will require refinishing to conceal the alterations.

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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 9:46 am
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Hey there Arjay, that's good to know. So a 22.5 or 24 scale neck would work fine? Anything from a mustang, duo sonic, or music master? I don't know why I'm so hung up on this idea of hot rodding one of these things... it just seems like it would be fun (and I need a summer guitar project of some sort)


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 2:25 pm
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The 22.5" necks are pretty rare (in my five decades of Fender experience I've never even seen one) but the more common 24" lumber should work fine. I have seen a Duosonic retrofitted with a hardtail Strat bridge. Of course, such an installation will require the through-body string ferrules mounted to the back side. But the conversion works well if done correctly, and the guitar will have more sustain and intonate properly.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 3:34 pm
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Quote:
I have seen a Duosonic retrofitted with a hardtail Strat bridge. Of course, such an installation will require the through-body string ferrules mounted to the back side


See, I knew I needed some input from the good folks here on the forum... that never even crossed my mind. I'm still on the fence as to how and what parts I'll use... there's a duo-sonic neck I'm watching a '66 that looks to be in nice shape. I'm going to simmer on the whole thing for a spell and see if it's a passing fancy or if I truly have the short scale fever.


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 2:47 pm
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I still haven't given up the idea but I have another question... are strat sized pickups going to require a pickguard enlargement or are they a direct fit? I'm not worried about body routing but I was just wondering if the covers will fit through the regular holes in an old duosonic guard. I seem to remember putting new covers on stock fender bullet pups but am not sure if the dimensions of all these pickups are the same. Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 2:56 pm
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IIRC the pickups for the Duosonic and Mustang share the same physical dimensions as those for a Strat. Thus, the Strat pickups should drop right into a stock Duosonic pickguard.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 3:21 pm
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Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 5:08 pm
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And so it begins... I just pulled the trigger on a '66 Duo Sonic II neck... beautiful amber aging, good frets, truss rod and board... no issues... and for less that $300 bucks. I wish I could get my hands on a 66 strat neck for that! No tuners but the original ferrules and string tree.

Now I'm just trying to decide about a body style/color... and a bridge configuration. Lots of options and I'm not sure how mod crazy I want to get just yet. If I go for a "pre-64" body I think I can use one of those Wilkinson telecaster half bridges or go the strat hardtail route and drill through the body. For the later sixties bodies I'd need one of the Fender Toronado bridges (looks like a duo sonic but has strat saddles and would need to drill through the body for ferrules. It'll be interesting to see how it pans out... I have no idea how compatible parts from different years are, or if they are. I'll be sure to you all posted with pics.


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 8:45 pm
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The new repro Kluson Deluxe tuners will drop right onto that original neck, using the original ferrules. Buy an aged/relic set if you want that vintage mojo look.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 9:33 pm
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I've had good luck aging parts using my muriatic acid double boiler... a small bucket with lid, an inch or so of acid, then floating parts in another little tuppy on top of the acid. I seal it up and check it every 15 minutes or so. As far as aging the buttons, I plan to use my baby poop brown sharpie. I usually rub a little on my finger and then rub it on the parts... then using scotch brite, dull the finish a bit. These techniques have worked well for other parts and plastic. The plastic does't react to the acid so there should be no problem.

I settled on a body... a late 60's olympic white. It has the Mustang rout but my plan is to add a right angle toggle (Gibby SG style) in roughly the same area as where the older style duo's had the toggle. I was able to find a cream pearl Mustang pickguard w/ no holes for the control sliders. I think it will look cool... I'm thinking of using two cream fender amp knobs (like are on the super sonic amps) for the volume and tone controls.

I found some pickups today as well... a Dimarzio Super Distortion S for the bridge and a Fast Track 1 for the neck... she's going to be a rocker! They're cream colored also so it's going to have a "light banana" theme going on... it'll be fun to get it assembled to where I can get the wiring done... I haven't decided if I'm going to try to wire a spilt for the bridge pup or not. The full size SDs I have in my strats split really well... I've never tried the single coil sized version so I don't know... I also need to figure out a strategy to ground everything... perhaps grounding paint or copper foil, I haven't decided yet and have had no experience using either.


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 12:24 am
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Does the body you bought also have the Mustang's tremolo rout?

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 7:33 am
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Here's the body...
Image

Here's the neck...
Imagetion

I'm hoping the body is the same dimension as the mustangs of the same era with the exception of the bridge routing... the dimensions of the second generation duosonic/musicmaster bridge plate looks to meet the pickguard in the same area. Fingers are crossed!


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 10:26 am
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Here are the two schemes I'm contemplating... keep in mind the cream colored version would have rails on the pickups and Super Sonic/Vibrosonic amp knobs instead of the strat knobs pictured... Now I'm kind of leaning towards the black covers and knobs. Hmmm...

Image

OR...


Image


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Post subject: Re: Hung up on the idea of a Duo Sonic / Music Master projec
Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 11:50 am
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Black covers and chromed low-pro (ie: domed) Telecaster knobs. Aged crème-colored switch tip.

Arjay

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