Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (finished: page 2) (update pic reupload)

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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Gordon
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Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (finished: page 2) (update pic reupload)

Post by Gordon » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:57 pm

After selling all my guitars a few years ago to relocate to New York (from France) (and I then moved to Malaysia, and now Singapore), there was an itch to scratch. I wanted something simple, easy to play, and possibly to transport if I was to move again. The newer Mustangs and Duo-Sonic offered me everything I wanted... Kind of.

I love Mustangs, but I don't use trems, and I always thought the headstock was too big for such a tiny body. The hardtail solves one problem, so I opted for a Duo-Sonic neck to fix the second issue. Now, without the big chrome bridge plate I kind of prefer the DS pickguard, but not the wavy part on top; so I arranged the very patient Tony from Pickguardian to make me a one-piece Mustang guard. Pickups will be TV Jones: Magna'Tron in neck position, Super'Tron in bridge.

And all of that combined will result in a guitar with a very cool-sounding name.

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Now, I'd like to say something to Fender marketing people: WHAT THE F*** IS THAT FINISH?!

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This is from the Fender website, and used in marketing campaigns, it's called "silver"... Except it doesn't look like that in person: it a much lighter color, no cold/blue hues, it's actually the opposite, as some lights makes it like a champagne-y silver. It's kind of like inca silver, with bigger flakes. I disliked the finish on the website, seeing it in person made it my favorite one... I know metallic finishes are difficult to picture, but this one is completely off. And yet they use it as official representation of the final product.

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Last edited by Gordon on Mon Apr 06, 2020 10:49 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by kdanie » Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:57 pm

Sounds like a good idea but the pics aren't working.

I don't like the "big head" either, I used the JM size head on my 'stangs.

ken
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Gordon
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Gordon » Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:11 pm

kdanie wrote:
Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:57 pm
the pics aren't working.
Try to refresh, I just tried on three different browsers (two I'm not even logged in on the forum), everything shows. :squint:
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by jagstang » Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:37 am

Great project. Although i really like the big headstock...

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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Embenny » Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:37 am

Wow, that finish does look way better in your photo than the stock one, which is kind of a slate grey.

Good call on the TVJ's. I have yet to play a TV-equipped guitar that wasn't superlative sounding. The man just can't make a bad-sounding pickup. That combo should sound stellar...the Supertron sits kind of in between the Classic and Classic Plus bridge pickups in terms of output, and the Magnatron is about as clear and crisp as a humbucking pickup can get. The Magnatron is to Filtertrons what WRHBs are to PAFs...similar design but with alnico rods instead of screw poles and bar magnets. The difference of course is that the Filter is a much clearer-sounding starting point, so the Magna brings it closer to Dyna territory in terms of string attack (though the Dynas are actually much higher output by a wide margin).

I love Fender/Gretsch mashups. Will watch this one come together!
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by doublearon77 » Sun Jan 07, 2018 6:18 pm

Wow I love the color! Can't wait to see it come together.

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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Gordon » Sun Jan 07, 2018 11:10 pm

Yeah, the color in person is soooo much nicer... I really don't understand keeps using those pictures. :fp:

And I forgot to post pictures of the neck. I wanted a smaller headstock (check ✓), I prefer the spaghetti logo (check ✓), and had to go with pau ferro for import reasons (check ✓). I really like the fingerboard, the pic doesn't do it justice, it looks like a gradient fron dark to lighter brown... Also, since it came without tuners, I got locking ones, which I would have put on anyway. :whistle:

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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Gordon » Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:26 pm

Pickups are now reunited... Ordered them at the same time, but for reasons unknown the Magna'Tron arrived three weeks later.

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Also, the Super'Tron first arrived with blades completely off-center; a quick chat with the seller (RockyStreetsSounds on eBay, fantastic shop, by the way), and they shipped me a new one. That also arrived before the Magna. :ph34r: Maybe the defective one is salvagable somehow... I will try to see if it works first, obviously, but what do you think?
Last edited by Gordon on Mon Apr 06, 2020 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Embenny » Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:58 am

The blades are off centre relative to the cover you mean?

Shouldn't affect anything, really. Won't affect their ability to pick up the strings, and looks like they contact the case by design so there won't be any unintentiojal grounding or interacting. If anything, the tone could be slightly different due to sensing the string slight closer or farther apart than usual.

It sounds like they let you keep the defective one? That seems odd. Check the resistance on the two. If there's no broken coil or anything in the defective one, you just got yourself a free TVJ pickup apparently...
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Gordon » Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:58 pm

mbene085 wrote:
Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:58 am
The blades are off centre relative to the cover you mean?
Almost hanging out of the cover on one side. :D I'll try it first since I don't have a multimeter, then I'll see what I do with it.
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by AndyC. » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:49 pm

I've built a couple Mustangs. My first was this white 25.5" scale with JM trem. I used a Squier neck. Turned out pretty good. I personally like the bigger headstock.
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The second one, I went for a Mustang/Tele mashup. I really wanted the Tele sound, but I don't love the Tele body shape. My buddy named it the Telestang. It's also a 25.5" scale.

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I'd like to build a Telestang XII with the smurf hat headstock. I might try to do that this summer.

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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Gordon » Tue Jan 23, 2018 3:49 pm

Reallly like the first one! :w00t:
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by AndyC. » Wed Jan 24, 2018 7:13 am

Thanks ;D

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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Gordon » Sat Feb 17, 2018 7:41 pm

Awfully slow build, I know... Been gathering bits and bobs, but between Christmas, moving to a new place, and Chinese new year celebrations (the most important week of the year here!), I've been a tad busy. And living in Singapore, orders takes a while to arrive with regular mail. Anyway, I almost have everything but the pickguard, which of course is the most important piece that I need to actually start to assemble/solder anything...

Anyway, a big update that looks like a small one:

Image

Knobs aren't 100% decided on (though, thanks to Sid Nitzerglobin's thread, they should do just fine, thank you for reuploading the pictures, man!), same for the switch (but I need the guard to see how everything looks/fit). Also, thanks to Volhoo, whose thread helped me choosing a bridge.
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Re: Let's build a Fender Must-o-Sonic ! (gathering parts)

Post by Gordon » Sat Feb 17, 2018 7:43 pm

Realizing I already shown the pickups, but not the bridge (which is already installed)... :fp: But I mean to apply some shielding paint today or tomorrow, so I'll take pictures.
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