Duosonic reissue upgrade

bottom rung · Post by **bottom rung** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:52 pm

I've had this 1995-6 reissue duo for six months or so. Its a bit battered but its a cool little guitar. I decided to pull my partscaster strat apart and thought the pickups would go well in the duo. They are 2004 American standard strat pups, so heres a few pics of the neck and bridge pickups going into the duo.
Heres a before pic. Standard issue reissue....

Heres the alnico neck pup from the strat getting fitted.

The pup's wires had been cut and shut when it was transferred from the original strat to the partscaster, so I was keen to avoid another join in the wires. I used complete lengths, either the original strat wires if they were long enough, or the original duo wiring. I'm a novice with a soldering iron, but it all seemed to work ok.

Bridge pickup:

After pic:

She plays really nicely now. Loads of depth and a much richer sound.
Next jobs will be a set of kluson vintage tuners, a cream pickguard and black or aged pup covers and knobs.

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:17 am

Pro tip for cheap interference reduction, as the pickguard is not foil-covered and maybe the cavity isn' shielded either; twist the pickup leads together

not like this

► Show Spoiler

bottom rung · Post by **bottom rung** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:31 am

Thanks for the tip! I have an earhing problem with it (regular ticking noise coming thru the amp) so I'll be going back under the pickguard this weekend. I'll take a look at the wires and shield the cavity and pickguard while I'm there.

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 3:01 pm

i applied tinfoil onto the inside of my pickguard for a while.. worked like a charm for shielding.

now i use automotive aluminium tape (used for body repair generally) for shielding

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:38 am

I have seen those twisted and didn't realize there was a purpose. I thought it made a stronger harness.

bottom rung · Post by **bottom rung** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:11 am

Took a look at this ticking noise I hear thru the amp this morning. The noise is there even before the guitar is plugged in. I've tried the amp at different power outlets in the house and it's still there. I've tried the duo in another amp in the same power outlets and there's no ticking at all... Result! So it looks like the duo's earthing is ok. I'll still shield the cavity when I get round to changing the pickguard.
The only problem I have now is the ticking amp! (Fender Champion 300 practise amp).

bottom rung · Post by **bottom rung** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 12:49 pm

Quick update... The stock tuners have been binned and replaced by a set of six on a strip Klusons. The wiring has been completely redone... I replaced the wiring on the pickups, twisted them as recommended and redid everything according to the Seymour Duncan wiring schematic in the Wiki. It's got a toronado bridge and has been drilled for string-thru the body. I'll be setting up the string heights and intonation tonight, looking forward to hearing how it sounds... Hopefully I've not fecked it up!

markarkark · Post by **markarkark** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:48 pm

Did you have to red-drill the headstock for the new tuners? Good luck with the post-op set up!

bottom rung · Post by **bottom rung** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:14 am

Here's the tuners I eventually settled on. My duo's spacing of the holes on the headstock is a little less than a strat, so the usual MiM tuners wouldn't fit in. I found these wilkinson deluxes all mounted on a strip, which are a perfect fit. I had already needlessly drilled out the peg holes as I had intended to use individual tuners off my old partscaster, but ended up sleeving the pegs to fit the holes. If I'd not messed about with it so much I'd have saved myself a job, but that's my world....

I've put the string thru bridge on as well. Now she sounds great, loads of sustain. I put the original pickups back in her and she's a blast to play.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 2:19 pm

spend an extra 12 bucks and make it look amazing.

black solid duo sonic pickup covers pack of 3 for 6.50
http://www.allparts.com/Stratocaster-Pi ... 46-023.htm

2 black mustang knobs for 5.50
http://www.allparts.com/Black-Mustang-K ... 56-023.htm

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:52 pm

^ That, although it doesn't look bad as is.

bottom rung · Post by **bottom rung** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:40 am

Back from a year in Iraq. Got a parchment pickguard on order, with a set of black mustang pickup covers and a set of fancy knobs on the way as well.