What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by Naturality » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:39 am

There's been one in a local music store for about 3-4 years now, for £299. Are they overpriced, because that seems a tad much

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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by fullerplast » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:48 am

Yeah, that's high.

Besides, if you're considering it to mod.... Beware!

That body and neck are unique to themselves. They are not the same dimensions or scale as the original Duo or Duo II... and the parts will not interchange. You can't even take advantage of the conversion properties of the 24" neck as it can be used on an original  22.5" Duo (since the body is set for it's own unique scale).

I found out the hard way. I hope this helps.
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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by Naturality » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:53 am

Ok, thanks  :)

I'll go for a Jazzmaster from Ishi for £70 more then

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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by luau » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:58 am

It's anecdotal, but a friend bought one of these when they came out and went through 3 of them before he got a new one that didn't have a broken (like in two pieces broken) truss rod.
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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by fullerplast » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:59 am

I'll go for a Jazzmaster from Ishi


That's about the 900th time you've said that....    ;)
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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by Naturality » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:01 am

Yeah, but I'm finally doing it now.  ;D
luau wrote: but a friend bought one of these when they came out
Your friend came out?

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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by luau » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:09 am

;D
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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by jagermeister » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:15 am

...ever seen how long the intonation screws are on those things?

The scale is different by like, .1 of an inch.

I wouldn't be surprised if it would intonate with a real duo neck. I wouldn't be surprised if it was fine with a 24" neck.

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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by fullerplast » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:23 am

No, a 24" neck will not intonate, I've tried it. I was able to replace the saddle screws and get it close, but still not right.

I think the difference is actually more than .1".  IIRC,  the scale is like 21.75" with 20 frets, something like that.

Edited to add:

In fact, Neither a 22.5" or a 24" neck will not even fit on the body without drilling new holes in the neck. The pocket is placed completely different than a normal Fender, and the neck sits deeper in it.... the holes do not line up. 
Last edited by fullerplast on Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by jagermeister » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:32 am

good to know. It's always just an idea I had :)

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Re: What's the Right Price for an MIM Duo Sonic?

Post by fullerplast » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:46 am

I actually drilled new holes in a nice '78 Musicmaster neck to put it on one of those bodies....  only to find that I couldn't get it to intonate even with different screws. I finally decided to get the string-through Toronado bridge and relocate it on the MIM body to allow it to intonate. But then I woke up and decided it wasn't worth all that trouble when I could just get a different body. That led to my "hardtail jaguar" idea that is still on the back burner.

The sad thing is that the outer two extra holes show when the neck is bolted onto a normal Fender body. I'm going to have to dowel and disguise them somehow.

Live and learn....

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Last edited by fullerplast on Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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