Fender Duo-Sonic Electric Guitar With Maple Fingerboard For Sale (2024 Update)

Overall, its a good guitar. I noticed some lines next to the 11th and 13th frets. At first I thought they were pencil marks under the finish, but after some closer inspection it's actually discolored / dirty finish next to the frets. I think it'll clean up or at least be less noticeable after I clean it with the strings removed. There were also two tiny pin holes missing filler under a couple fret ends on the bass side. These were like tiny needle tip sized holes. I took a similarly colored tan crayon and rubbed into them making them complete unnoticeable. The neck is super comfortable to play. Very nice rounded C profile. 24 in scale is easy to play. The pickups are good so far. No complaints. The push-pull pot is nice for added versatility. The factory setup was decent. Action low enough but neck had too much relief. A minor adjustment of the truss rod was needed. Nut was cut well. Action is 4/6th's inch at 12th fret at low E and 3/64th at high E. Intonation needs minor adjustmentBrandon

I got this guitar for my younger brother for Christmas 2018, and he has been playing it everyday since. I managed to find a local store in order to demo the different Duo-Sonic models before buying from Adorama, and I'm glad I did. This HS version is ideal because of the greater variety of tones that can be achieved with the humbucker, including when it is split with the coil-tap option on it. It is well worth the extra money as a step up from from the version with two single coils. Additionally, after playing the Duo-Sonic version with the Pau Ferro fingerboard, I highly recommend the maple version. Pau Ferro is a cheaper, perhaps more sustainable wood being used to replace rosewood in guitars (at least the ones under $1000) from here on out, and it feels significantly cheaper than both rosewood and maple on a Fender neck. Also, the shorter scale neck on these offset models is very easy and fun to play no matter whether you are a beginner or advanced guitarist. There is one thing to keep in consideration with this guitar: many of these MIM offset Fender electric guitars shipped with a scratchy pickup selector switch. Apparently there is a common flaw where they are dusty inside. But don't worry, they can easily be cleaned and really have no negative impact on tone and playability (just sound scratchy through your amp when flipped sometimes).This is the second Fender electric guitar I've purchased from Adorama, and I cannot recommend them as a vendor enough. Both this Duo-Sonic and the Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar I purchased from them (in September 2018) arrived with a perfect factory set-up, in the original unopened Fender packaging, and for the best possible price. Adorama always has wonderful customer service and ships out very quickly: the Duo-Sonic shipped the Sunday before Christmas and arrived in PA two days later. If you are considering buying a brand new Fender guitar, wait around for a Special Price deal from Adorama and buy from them and no one else ever.Nicholas

I've been playing guitar for over a decade now and have owned and played quite a few guitars. While this guitar is not USA made it is a quality, well designed guitar. Here's what I like about it first: -It plays great, it's a lot of fun to play. It's light enough you can hop around jamming without being too light where you lose out on sound. The neck is nice and easy to slide and bend on and the frets aren't jagged. – It's very versatile, great for clean tones or hard rock. The coil split is great for versatility and achieving different sounds. With a single coil and a humbucker with coil split, as well as the toggle switch and tone knob, it can cross genres easily. The main reason I got it was how versatile it is. – It looks great. Great paint job and neck, looks very proffessional overall. – it's unique. Everyone (practically) plays a strat or les paul shaped guitar these days so the offset mustang like shape is much more unique and cool in my opinion. Also has it's own unique tone while still also being able to get strat like or traditional rock tones duo to pickups, configuration, coil split, toggle switch and tone knob. People will notice this guitar. – Quality built. While not a USA model it's remarkably well built and stays it tune well. What could be better: The humbucker in the bridge is not very fat sounding and could be better. Other fender models have beefier, fuller sounding humbuckers in the bridge. Such as the hss Strat or HH jaguar. However it does not sound bad, just could be better. Still sounds crunchy and good for rock. Could be upgraded though for better sound. Overall: Great guitar for a great price. If you want a solid axe that's fun to play, versatile and will stand out in a crowd, then this is the one.Tiezzi

Overall, its a good guitar. I noticed some lines next to the 11th and 13th frets. At first I thought they were pencil marks under the finish, but after some closer inspection it's actually discolored / dirty finish next to the frets. I think it'll clean up or at least be less noticeable after I clean it with the strings removed. There were also two tiny pin holes missing filler under a couple fret ends on the bass side. These were like tiny needle tip sized holes. I took a similarly colored tan crayon and rubbed into them making them complete unnoticeable. The neck is super comfortable to play. Very nice rounded C profile. 24 in scale is easy to play. The pickups are good so far. No complaints. The push-pull pot is nice for added versatility. The factory setup was decent. Action low enough but neck had too much relief. A minor adjustment of the truss rod was needed. Nut was cut well. Action is 4/6th's inch at 12th fret at low E and 3/64th at high E. Intonation needs minor adjustmentBrandon

I got this guitar for my younger brother for Christmas 2018, and he has been playing it everyday since. I managed to find a local store in order to demo the different Duo-Sonic models before buying from Adorama, and I'm glad I did. This HS version is ideal because of the greater variety of tones that can be achieved with the humbucker, including when it is split with the coil-tap option on it. It is well worth the extra money as a step up from from the version with two single coils. Additionally, after playing the Duo-Sonic version with the Pau Ferro fingerboard, I highly recommend the maple version. Pau Ferro is a cheaper, perhaps more sustainable wood being used to replace rosewood in guitars (at least the ones under $1000) from here on out, and it feels significantly cheaper than both rosewood and maple on a Fender neck. Also, the shorter scale neck on these offset models is very easy and fun to play no matter whether you are a beginner or advanced guitarist. There is one thing to keep in consideration with this guitar: many of these MIM offset Fender electric guitars shipped with a scratchy pickup selector switch. Apparently there is a common flaw where they are dusty inside. But don't worry, they can easily be cleaned and really have no negative impact on tone and playability (just sound scratchy through your amp when flipped sometimes).This is the second Fender electric guitar I've purchased from Adorama, and I cannot recommend them as a vendor enough. Both this Duo-Sonic and the Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar I purchased from them (in September 2018) arrived with a perfect factory set-up, in the original unopened Fender packaging, and for the best possible price. Adorama always has wonderful customer service and ships out very quickly: the Duo-Sonic shipped the Sunday before Christmas and arrived in PA two days later. If you are considering buying a brand new Fender guitar, wait around for a Special Price deal from Adorama and buy from them and no one else ever.Nicholas

I've been playing guitar for over a decade now and have owned and played quite a few guitars. While this guitar is not USA made it is a quality, well designed guitar. Here's what I like about it first: -It plays great, it's a lot of fun to play. It's light enough you can hop around jamming without being too light where you lose out on sound. The neck is nice and easy to slide and bend on and the frets aren't jagged. – It's very versatile, great for clean tones or hard rock. The coil split is great for versatility and achieving different sounds. With a single coil and a humbucker with coil split, as well as the toggle switch and tone knob, it can cross genres easily. The main reason I got it was how versatile it is. – It looks great. Great paint job and neck, looks very proffessional overall. – it's unique. Everyone (practically) plays a strat or les paul shaped guitar these days so the offset mustang like shape is much more unique and cool in my opinion. Also has it's own unique tone while still also being able to get strat like or traditional rock tones duo to pickups, configuration, coil split, toggle switch and tone knob. People will notice this guitar. – Quality built. While not a USA model it's remarkably well built and stays it tune well. What could be better: The humbucker in the bridge is not very fat sounding and could be better. Other fender models have beefier, fuller sounding humbuckers in the bridge. Such as the hss Strat or HH jaguar. However it does not sound bad, just could be better. Still sounds crunchy and good for rock. Could be upgraded though for better sound. Overall: Great guitar for a great price. If you want a solid axe that's fun to play, versatile and will stand out in a crowd, then this is the one.Tiezzi

This is my favorite guitar. It's great! I'm a smaller person so I'm very particular when it comes to the feel of the instrument. Enter the Duo-Sonic. It is a small-scale guitar and fits me like a guitar should. It's almost always the one I reach for. it's been so comfortable to play. It's lightweight, the neck feels amazing, and it sounds beautiful. Played clean, the Duo-Sonic has a bright sound. I have the model with two single coil pickups (tidepool color). I'm glad Fender re-issued this. I'm even happier I bought it.J

A lot of potential here. Guitar came in setup well, beautiful desert sand and sounding great. It's unfortunate that only a year later their are so many electronics issues with it. Any potential buyer should read up on the well known toggle switch problems this model is prone to. As well as experiencing the aforementioned issue, the rest of the electronics on mine are failing a year in. The once surprisingly beautiful sounding pickups on this guitar have become anemic and noisy. I understand we can't expect perfection. Out of the box I was thrilled with the guitar at this price point, however having to gut the electronics out of this guitar less than a year later is not ideal. I think most of us have seen some squire's electronics hold up longer. In conclusion, you're getting a wonderful guitar for the price point, but be prepared to invest in maintenance early. Personally, there aren't any local shops around that specialize in this sort of thing in my area. Outside of the cost factor, the time factor is something to consider if you find yourself in a similar situation. The positive I can take out of this is that after it's serviced, I'm motivated to purchase a soldering iron and learn a new skill! 3/5FM

I'll be honest, I'm not too thrilled with Fender's pricing these days. Back in 2016, around the time they brought out a Mexi Duo Sonic, it was merely five hundred. Now, we're at seven hundred in such a short time? The Duo Sonic is an ok guitar, but only if you get it for under four hundred, and that's in excellent condition. Do yourself a favor and look for one used, I understand why a Strat or a Tele would be priced higher (using increasingly higher quality pickups), but there's nothing spectacularly different about a Duo Sonic made today and one made in 2016.R

I got this guitar on September 14th, 2021, and have had some minor issues with it. When I receive this guitar, it was perfect. Not a single case of fret buzz, the nut was perfect, and it was an all around great guitar. However, after about a month. I realized the tuners were a bit out of wack. I would be a bit flat, and turn the tuning peg over and over and over, only to not tighten the string at all. Then when I finally did one last turn, I'd be sharp by a whole note! Whatever, just replace the tuners. I had been putting that off. The next issue was a bit weird. I play really hard, and over time, the bridge pins were starting to get loose, and eventually a whole screw came out, and I had to take the guitar to a tech. I know this is probably user error, but still. I eventually just decided to turn it into a Jonny Greenwood tele, with lace sensors, a kill switch, and all. And let me tell you, this guitar is perfect now. The neck is (and always was) exactly what I was looking for. It's a bit thinner that my Squier Affinity Strat, but I like a thinner neck. Bottom line, I would recommend this guitar if your okay with getting new tuners. No one else I know has had problem with the bridge, so consider that. (P.S. I forgot to say that the stock pickups are amazing! I almost just kept them, they sound really good)Cory

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Mustang as my previous experiences with short scale basses had not been good. But everything about this has been fine. The bridge pickup does sound a little buzzy with the tone fully up, but I really don't care! This is a surprisingly fun instrument.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I feel that this bass is excellent value for money. I was surprised by the high quality of the workmanship and materials. Of course it needs a setup to one's preference but that is really only a matter of a tweak of the truss rod, lowering the action and setting intonation. All of this is detailed carefully in the owners manual to assist the diy player or take it to a local luthier for a basice setup. Lots of variation in tones and really fun to play, I'm really happy with it.Tom

I know that I will start an argument with this comment but I'm gonna say it anyway. Why lug around a full size bass guitar when the short scale bass sounds just as good and weighs a lot less. I tried a full size bass and to tell the truth I would have never been able to play a set with it. It was just too heavy for me. Maybe twenty years ago I may have been able to take the weight but not now. I am a guitar player mostly and the full size bass was too much. This bass is the perfect weight, the perfect look and quality, and sounds like a full size bass. It just does. I see a time where the 34 inch scale will wither away and be replaced with the shorter scale bass. It's inevitable. The full size bass has nothing to offer over the shorter scales than maybe cosmetic options. And that will change as time goes on a people realize the advantages of the shorter scale. As a disclaimer I will say that is my opinion. I am sure that full time bass players may have their own reasons for the full size bass.Danny

One might assume with a description as a "student" guitar that somehow this is "less than". Well, any youngster that is fortunate to receive one of these could go "cradle to grave" if it met their sonic desire. The point is, this is a full-blown tone machine, the stepchild of the Telecaster and Stratocaster with a vibe all it's own. I barely notice the smaller scale, the fit, finish and build quality is excellent. For the price, this is beyond anything I could have expected. Out of the box, the set-up let me plug in and play. And boy did I play. 2 hours of pure joy. The neck profile fits my hand perfectly, satin finish on the back, a lightly tinted poly on the fingerboard, very comfortable. Weighs 7 pounds even, no neck dive, very balanced. The color is very easy on my eyes (first Lake Placid Blue guitar). As with all guitars, likely not for everybody. I am sure many may look down on this "budget" least expensive Fender, and that's a shame, as you could be missing out on something really special. Well, that is one person's opinion. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.matthew

Fenders Mexican-made guitars have a well deserved reputation for giving players a great value and the Duo-Sonic is no exception. The features, fit and finish are great, especially for the price point. But even setting aside the price and value, this Duo-Sonic is a great-sounding guitar thats a ton of fun to play. The neck pickup is nicely complemented by a splittable bridge humbucker and both produce good tones. The compact body and short 24 scale give the guitar a different feel than the other electric guitars I own so its a great change of pace after playing a Strat or Tele. I think all guitarists should have a Duo-Sonic in their arsenal!ragboz

Cool guitar in a beautiful color. Neck plays fast. I know it is a shorter scale, but it feels comfortable even in my huge hands. Unique look. Jangly, quacky pick ups. The selector switch works but it is super wiggle and I suspect was damaged sometime before getting to me. Good deal when I snagged it on sale.Graham

1 month review with guitar being setup professionally: Great pickups and tone and overall good sounding guitar after a proper setup, gorgeous nitro finish and paintjob. Relic effects are beautiful. The nitro finish feels thin enough for you to eventually make your own marks from repeated playing – a perfect way to tell a story and give the guitar character. Worn in neck feels amazing to play and not sticky to touch. Worth noting that the Pure Vintage 59 pickups on these don't have a reverse-wound middle pick, so there will be hum including positions 2 and 4. If you are easily annoyed with single coil hum, these pickups might not be for you. Also worth noting that these pickups do sound a bit warmer than a stock Fender Player pickups. These respond so MUCH better to high gain type of playing, all while still sounding amazing on low-gain and clean playing. Despite the pros, there are still some areas are lacking and needs improvement. The guitar had razor sharp frets along the binding that could easily cut you, meanwhile I have a $700 MIM fender player didn't have this problem straight out of the box. It's crazy to think that $700 guitar went through better QA than a $1200 guitar, but whatever, the frets are bound to be polished and worked on anyway with your initial setup regardless. CME's shipping page policies say "Every guitar gets a full inspection, as well as basic setup." Guitar came with an inspection card that had overall playability specs checked but some of it was questionable. The guitar was not playable at all out of the box despite letting it acclimate for over a day before opening BUT that is a given considering it spent time in a delivery truck trunk in freezing winter. However, it was a bit bogus how they even checked off volume output when the pickups were NOWEHERE near the appropriate height out of the box and there was BARELY any audible output on the treble side of the guitar. I highly doubt weather and temperature fluctuation will make the pickup screws spin by themselves to the degree at which the pickups came out of the box. Secondly, the tremolo springs at the back also weren't ******* in the appropriate depth for a either a floating or flushed trem setup – it was just sort of in the middle of the cavity. Weather fluctuation from their shop and may have affected string tension, but I also don't think it would make the claw springs in the back unscrew themselves to the degree the guitar came. Makes me wonder how thorough the inspection was. These might not matter as much to some especially those who will get their new guitars setup anyway, but it's good to note that you may still need to budget for a setup if you aren't doing it yourself. Although there could've been improvements on Fender and CME's part that I don't think could be blamed on external factors such as weather and climate fluctuations, overall, I would still 100% recommend this guitar, and it's a gem. The guitar played well after a proper setup, so I'm happy with it now. The price may be too expensive for some considering it's not made in USA, but it must be considered that this is the cheapest proper nitro-finish guitar you will currently find. The next best thing are Fender custom shop, so this guitar is perfect for those looking to enjoy vintage style paint/nitro body finish, and vintage specs without paying custom shop prices. The appearances are just a plus, since they sound and play amazing after a proper set up.Carlos T.

I've been playing for a little while, I rehearse with my band once/twice a week so my guitars definitely get played quite a bit, I've preferred Stratocasters from an early age. The shape is legendary and the tone is versatile. I own Chinese, Japanese, U.S. and Mexican Strats. This one is very comparable to my American Professional Stratocaster, the neck profile, the weight and intonation. Electronics are great, single coils produce a sweet twangy clean tone and the humbucker roars really nice with the right amount of gain/distortion. Makes it a very comfortable instrument that plays as easy as mantequilla on a hot tortilla. Only issue, (hence the 'almost comparable to MIA strats comment in the headline) are the frets… They are a little bit on the sharp side, I'm guessing it comes down to a player's preference? A competent luthier can dress the fret ends and make this one a real player/main axe. Other than the sharp frets, everything else is pretty solid and straight, the vatos down in Ensenada MX do great work producing these!Benjamin

So my story goes like this, I flew into Portland Oregon for work and immediately drove from the airport to Guitar Center. Upon walking in, someone was shredding on a guitar and it went on for a good 10 minutes. The guitar he was playing was the Candy Red Burst Fender Stratocaster Player Series. After he was done, I grabbed it and saw why he played it so long. It felt just solid in the hands. The strings, fret board and neck were silky smooth; Super easy to glide up and down with no fret buzz. The pickups are all Fender Player Stratocaster series which I have had no issue with and perform great out of the box. Also, just holding the guitar is a treat in the hands. It's a beautiful guitar. The Candy Red Burst has a very high functioning coat that gives a deep black fade anyway you turn it. It also fit my bill for something to remember Oregon by since the guitar is a deep Rose Red and Portland is know as the City of Roses.The Pau Ferro fingerboard is also eye candy as it has black veins that run through the grain matching the black hardware of the guitar. Other then that, I have had this guitar for 5 months as of this review and absolutely love it. The guitar holds its tune very well I enjoy playing it every time. Wait, you still reading this? Go get one already!Allan

My first factory-road worn instrument and I am a convert. It smells lovely and the relicing doesn’t look artificial. It definitely has that played-in feel without the issues of a knackered old bass. Sounds pretty good too! Tried out a few mustangs in the past but this is by far the nicest.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I've been a short scale fan ever since buying a Fender Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar SS bass many years ago. I was impressed with quality of the Squire and after changing the pickups (P J set) found it was the bass I always picked up to play. I had recently been looking at the Mustang but found it hard to justify buying since I already had a short scale bass. Then I saw the JMJ signature… road worn, '66 style with original style custom Seymour Duncan spilt coil pickups and a wider neck then my Jaguar. I bought one and after playing it for a few weeks I have no regrets. What a difference in the quality which I already thought was good in the inexpensive Squire. The neck feels great and the extra time spent on the fret work is obvious. I really love what they've done to create the "road worn" look, which something you can't get unless you're buying a Custom Shop instrument. All that you've heard about the JMJ Mustang is true. Killer tone that really cuts through the mix. This is my first Fender bass and after 30 years of playing I don't know why I waited so long. I guess I just wanted to be different… if you are serious about getting a short scale bass this is a great option you won't be disappointed.Shane

I've had the idea to buy a bass to help improve stagnation in my recording and writing process. I went in and looked at the wall of instruments and was impressed. The thing Sam Ash does right that others do not these days (ahem…GC) is have a variety of price ranges and styles to explore. The store rep came over offered me a cord to try them out and left me to do my thing. The reason why a variety was essential was because I was able to play basses on the lower price point, one that I initially planned to buy, but then a bright light shined on the only bass on the wall with flat wound strings and a relic finish. I plugged it in, let it rip, and it felt/sounded amazing. I put it back on the wall, picked up the cheap bass I wanted and it sounded clanky, put it back and kept picking up this bass on the wall, again and again. This is when the store rep came over to check on me, didn't pressure me, but validated me saying the feel on that one is like no other, then offered to work with me on price if I was interested. After I finally decided, there was some chatter among the other store reps that someone was buying "the relic!" I felt special. In the end, I went in Sam Ash on a budget and left with an instrument I'll keep for life and give to my kids. No bad decisions were made.DYLAN

what a great bass! It's beautiful, light, and sonically versatile. the different pickup modes have 3 radically different tones which makes this bass right for lots of situations. I've seen some reviews that mentioned so issues with some fret roughness but mine showed up in perfect condition. I couldn't be happier with the bass. I also want to mention the customer service. I used the chat feature to confirm whether this bass came with a bag or case. the agent let me know that it does not but pointed me to the bundle that includes the bag and they set me up with a price I could not pass up. once I completed the purchase the item was shipped within 90 minutes. Other music stores I've done business with are not nearly as responsive. CME killed itShaun M.

This is a great short scale bass. It is a quality instrument. The finish is excellent. Playability straight out of the box was very good. Nicely set up.I love the pick-ups and the ability to blend the two with their individual volume controls. Great range of tones available. It looks good too ! Highly recommended. The only gripe is that at this price it should come in a hard case and not a bag !Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Really good guitar for nirvana type music. Only issue is that you need to set it up for it to be playable but once it's set up it's a great instrument. Pickups are pretty articulate but not to bright either just perfectly balanced. If you get one I recommend to lock the bridge down to improve its tuning stability and sustain. Note it DOES NOT sound like a kc style mustang, it has its own sort of sound to it. Fretboard is pretty nice same with the low radius which I prefer. Overall it's one of my favorite guitars I've ever bought and I cannot recommend it enough if you play grunge and nirvana music.Preston