Cheap vintage Duo Sonic II project

[OffYourFace]

So I decided I wanted a Duo Sonic II... I like the sound of the Mustang but I don't like the tremolo unit. To my surprise, vintage '65-'66 Duo Sonics sell for a good chunk of change (orig. finish $1k-$1500??). It was easy to find bastardized Mustangs & Musicmaster IIs for $400-$600 but I wanted a DS II and that's it. I found a '69 Musicmaster II for $350 but it was godawful. So I went ahead with the parts-thing and so far my project is coming along really great!

First, I got a cheap '65 refin body on eBay: $140

I had two DEAD mustang bridge pickups w/ covers from around '71-'74 that I got for free from a friend. I unwound one of them, popped out the magnets & put them in the opposite direction to make it a neck pickup. I sent them out to get rewound with NOS plain enamel wire & new leads: $100 for the pair

I already had a control plate with original knobs+jack, and a tone cap in my parts box: $0

I bought two new CTS 250 pots & two new CRL 3-way slide switches: about $20

I bought a '66 pearloid pickguard on eBay: $58

From the same seller that had the pickguard, I got the '66 Neck WITH the original neckplate for: $190 (!!)

Finding an affordable bridge was tough... people buy up the old ones and use the threaded saddles for '59-'67 tele projects.
Out of nowhere, fellow forumite scriffraff GAVE me a reissue bridge for FREE!!! (Thanks again man!!): $0

So right now I'm at around $510... not exactly super cheap but I'm happy.

All I need now is to find some tuners & cut a bone nut... then set it up. i think this guitar is gonna kick ass

Pics:

[secndshft]

That look GOOD! I'll keep my eyes out for tuners. I will check my buddies parts box later this week.

[OffYourFace]

That look GOOD! I'll keep my eyes out for tuners. I will check my buddies parts box later this week.

cool man, thanks!!

[pj29]

That is looking very sweet. I have had thoughts a couple times of doing exactly what you're doing, however the cost never seemed to be realistic. You have done it right, good job.

[OffYourFace]

I spend WAY too much time scouring parts on eBay but it's paid off... within the last 6 months I've found TWO pre-CBS black bobbin Jazzmaster pickups for under $50 each. Basically, I just had to solder new leads to them.

The deals are out there... but you have to have practically no life to search ebay all the time

[knathan]

nice job Mike- looks great.

[Mute]

That looks sweet.
Are you gonna keep the finish like that?

[the older brother]

Looks really great Mike!

[sookwinder]

Mike it's past 1.00am here so my brain may not be in gear, but given that this build has mustang style switches (where you can put both pups together in or out of phase) why did you bother to swap the magnets around on one of the pups.

If it had have been a strat, tele, JM, jag set up I can understand, but the mustang switches do that for you.

or am I having a brain fade

btw .. looks great ... do you have a repro decal for it ?

[valley_parade]

Gorrrrrgeous. I want to get a DSII someday.

[OffYourFace]

Mike it's past 1.00am here so my brain may not be in gear, but given that this build has mustang style switches (where you can put both pups together in or out of phase) why did you bother to swap the magnets around on one of the pups.

If it had have been a strat, tele, JM, jag set up I can understand, but the mustang switches do that for you.

or am I having a brain fade

btw .. looks great ... do you have a repro decal for it ?

Hey David, the neck is reverse wound & reverse polarity so when used together in phase, they're hum free. Also, I can't stand the location of switches cuz I always scratch up my palm. My plan was that if I can't get over that, I can install a 3-way toggle sw. in place of the tone control and have a tele-type set-up. Then maybe leave the neck pickup slide sw. to put the neck out of phase only. I dunno, we'll see.

No decal yet... FenderBob doesn't have any of the high-quality DS II decals, they were never made I guess. He only has a '65-era Mustang decal of that type. 'the other guy' makes DSII decals but I don't like the quality of the material. They always look weird to me... I guess you have to spray lacquer on top to make them look good. I don't want to do that.

I am going to keep the finish but it has orange-peel and scratches that need to be sanded & buffed out.

[sookwinder]

OK Mike, makes sense now

[garyptaszek]

want!

[Setzer]

Very nice project.

The RI bridge is top loader and string through? It's been soooo long since I've played/owned that style bridge.

[OffYourFace]

Very nice project.

The RI bridge is top loader and string through? It's been soooo long since I've played/owned that style bridge.

Yeah, it's set for both. It could be a modified tornado bridge tho, who knows...

If I like the guitar but am not happy with the sustain, I may modify it for string thru