ShortScale.org

Hi all,

I'm interested in acquiring this guy's 1958 Fender Duo-Sonic here:

http://s274.photobucket.com/user/peachl ... t=3&page=1

I'm aware it's a refinish, and some parts have been replaced, but does that neck look right to you? Plus, he doesn't have the neck plate with the serial number which makes me somewhat suspicious. Could anyone help me shed some light on what I could use to help identify this as a '58?

Link is broken. Try again?

Sorry, try this one. http://s274.photobucket.com/user/peachl ... t=3&page=1

The thing that worries me is that I've never seen a Duo-Sonic decal like this one.

Looks fine to me.

I have never seen one in a sunburst, but that doesn't mean they didn't make one. It looks like a refin with newer pickups and decal. If it has the original body and neck, pick guard, bridge, tuners, and case, it's nothing to sniff at, depending on the price. Those short neck are an acquired taste, even for shortscale players.

I bought a 1965 Mustang, refinished, but all original parts and OHSC for $875. Not sure about the DuoSonic neck, sorry. But if this DuoSonic has replaced pups or other newer parts and has been refinished, $875 would be a high price to pay, IMHO.

Cheers,

Ano guard, maple neck and pickup arrangement (straight / angled) are all correct for a 58. The wiring has been messed with, that cap is not original of course. There were no sunburst Duos in 1958 so it's a refin or a non-original body, probably a refin because the Duo bursts were that sienna burst and not a 3-tone as this appears to be.
I dunno, looks pretty good to me. The plate would have been sold because someone wanted a 58 plate for their $20000 Strat, but it does devalue the instrument a lot as a collector piece.

MatthewK wrote:Ano guard, maple neck and pickup arrangement (straight / angled) are all correct for a 58. The wiring has been messed with, that cap is not original of course. There were no sunburst Duos in 1958 so it's a refin or a non-original body, probably a refin because the Duo bursts were that sienna burst and not a 3-tone as this appears to be.
I dunno, looks pretty good to me. The plate would have been sold because someone wanted a 58 plate for their $20000 Strat, but it does devalue the instrument a lot as a collector piece.

Agreed, everything looks good. The only thing is, I notice with the "Duo-Sonic" text below the Fender logo, it's a bit more blocky than I've seen on all the examples you've provided. Case in point:



versus this:

with the two examples you showed, the fender is even different in the decal. so the duo sonic bit is... yea, its off, but so is the actually fender text.

Not to mention it looks like someone covered up a truss rod hole.

daftsupernova wrote:Not to mention it looks like someone covered up a truss rod hole.

Well they did, that's a walnut plug which fills the truss rod hole on all Fender solid-maple necks (not on the late 60s maple cap necks, but everything from the 50s and early 60s, as well as current reissues). It's not needed on a rosewood board because the TR channel is accessible under the rosewood.
Now that my eye is caught, that text does look wrong - it's using Futura typeface which is used on Strats and Teles of the era, but not the Duo-Sonics, which use a narrow width of another sans typeface. I also see two toothpick-plugged holes on the front of the headstock. Also the pencil script on the heel doesn't look like any I have seen from 50s Fenders. The handwriting always looks more angular and "engineer" for some reason. This makes me think that the neck is a refin at best, with a slightly off replacement decal.
There is a pin router hole on the back of the headstock which is a plus, making it more likely the neck is an original refin. But given the plugged holes on the front, who knows.

pokejj wrote:versus this:

It's worth pointing out that this image is used on the website of a repro decal maker here. Unsure if it's their repro decal or an example of the original.

Thanks guys. I elected to not go through with it, far too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable with.

pokejj wrote:Thanks guys. I elected to not go through with it, far too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable with.

Do you mind tellin us what the seller was asking?

pokejj wrote:Thanks guys. I elected to not go through with it, far too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable with.

I think you made a good choice. It very well could have been a really nice guitar but the whole thing screams of some kind of parts guitar to me. The wiring was way too new (and not done great) and the saddles looked brand new. And if it was a parts guitar, the missing neck plate would be something that you skimp on because they sell for crazy prices. Last, I think I've seen Duos a little older with that style of burst.

Doug wrote:

pokejj wrote:Thanks guys. I elected to not go through with it, far too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable with.

Do you mind tellin us what the seller was asking?

Yeah, he listed it for 1000 and he wanted my 1965 Mustang as a trade for it (wtf??)
Though I'm keen to trade the Mustang, not for that...

(and here's my Mustang, FYI: http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rch/m ... 27691.html)

pokejj wrote:

Doug wrote:

pokejj wrote:Thanks guys. I elected to not go through with it, far too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable with.

Do you mind tellin us what the seller was asking?

Yeah, he listed it for 1000 and he wanted my 1965 Mustang as a trade for it
Though I'm keen to trade the Mustang, not for that...

(and here's my Mustang, FYI: http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rch/m ... 27691.html)

Yep, you made a good decision. It's good to see how this Forum works for us. I know I learned from this thread.

BTW, your Mustang is nice and priced fairly IMHO.

Cheers,

hold up. you have an a width 24 scale neck? that mustang looks all o.g. as well, 900 is a really great fucking price on it.

I have an A 24" mustang. 1964

I thought the 22" was more rare?



I have been toying around with a neck swap on my jaguar...but can't get to tearing tje thing apart. ita all stock except for ome tuning machine

22.5" scale is more rare on all of the guitars except the early duo sonics. Duo Sonics were only available in 22.5" for the first ~4 years, 56-59. I'm not sure which year spawned the 24" duos.

edited: bc one of my sentences was vague as fuck.