Are Fender Duo Sonics Good? Unbiased Review From Music Detailed
Not too many people think of Duo Sonic guitar when you mention Fender, but overall these guitars are great and provide a great quality-price ratio. The instrument was first released back in 1956 and since then Fender never stopped manufacturing it.
Although this guitar is mostly connected to the alternative rock scene it is quite versatile and can last you a long time. You would be surprised how much punch and sustain it has for a guitar of a smaller size.
Considering its size, 24” scale length, and weight of 6.7lbs, it is a perfect guitar for beginner players and kids. It will find into anyone’s lap with ease.
The C shape of the neck feels great in hand and allows you to move up and down the neck without any problems. It is a perfect platform to learn on since it does not “kickback” the player from playing.
The tone of the Duo-Sonic is quite unique. Most guitarists would say that the tone of this guitar is the mid-point between a Telecaster and a Stratocaster making this guitar the perfect choice for people who cannot decide between these two models. With some tweaking of the amp, you may be able to get warmer tones characteristic of the Jazzmaster or Gibson Les Paul.
One thing to keep in mind is that this guitar is lower quality compared to a Stratocaster or Telecaster, but this does not mean that it is necessarily bad. This guitar is perfect for musicians who like to jam with their friends in their free time and explore the world of guitar. Having one in your collection is never a bad idea.
Target Audience
When Fender first introduced the Fender Duo-Sonic guitars, the intention was to create guitars for young people and kids to get them interested in the world of guitar and music. Over years, this guitar will be used by musicians in the genre of hard rock, pop, and blues.
The general feel of this guitar is that it was made for beginner players and will last for a long time. Apart from the many different finishes, you can choose, the Duo Sonics comes with two types of pickup configuration, HS and SS.
Lately, Fender has introduced the reissue of this guitar, and compared to the older models, the quality and tone have been much improved.
Key specification and Features
Fender Duo Sonic Model
| Body Type | Duo-Sonic |
| Body Material | Alder |
| Neck | C-shape, Maple fretboard and neck with 22 Medium Jumbo frets |
| Scale Length | 24”(610mm) |
| Bridge Type | 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Strat® Hardtail with Bent Steel Saddles |
| Pickup Type | 2x Duo-Sonic™ Single-Coil on neck and bridge positions |
| Controls | 1x Master Volume, 1x Master Tone and three-way toggle switch |
| Price | $799.99 |
Core Features Of Fender Duo Sonic
Body
One of the key features that make this guitar standout is its body. It has a beautifully designed body made out of alder with a double offset cutaway design which allows you to access the upper frets with ease.
Taking into consideration its weight of it at around 6.7 pounds it is a great guitar to play standing up or sitting down. It is among the lightest guitars on the market today.
The Bridge
This guitar has a fixed bridge design. There are some differences depending on the model and the age it was made. The HS variant of the Duo-Sonics has a six-saddle hardtail bridge with through-body stringing, in contrast to the original Duo-Sonics have traditional three-saddle bridges. Overall, the bridge of this guitar is reliable, has great sustain, and keeps the guitar in intonation.
Sound
As we already mentioned, this guitar is the meeting point between Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster. With Duo Sonic you will get the twang of the Telecaster and the punch similar to Stratocaster.
Reliability
Even though this guitar is meant for beginner players, it will last you a long time. Apart from having a versatile sound that you can use to play many different genres, the build quality is as good as it gets for the price.
This guitar sure can take a beating and considering that it has a Fender stamp on it, it vouches for a great quality instrument.
Price
The price of this guitar varies on different factors, usually, the location is what decides the price. The range that this guitar sells for is between $700 and $800.
The Pros and Cons Of Fender Duo-Sonic
| Pros | Cons |
| The size of the instruments is perfect for any player and it will not break your back while playing standing up | Compared to the other models in a similar price range, you can get better quality models for a couple of bucks more. |
| The C shape neck and small scale make this guitar perfect for newbies that have trouble with playing. | .The guitar is somewhat limited with the three-way toggle switch. |
| The sound of it is quite versatile, maybe not as versatile as Stratocaster is but it will serve you for most of the popular genres. | The lack of tremolo bridge |
| Many popular artists have used or are using this guitar. | For the beginner’s guitar, the price is quite high |
| This guitar is the perfect platform for players that enjoy upgrading and replacing elements of their guitar. | Some players may like to have phase switch option that this guitar does not have |
Fender Duo Sonic vs Stratocaster: Which One Is Better?
Today, there is hardly a guitarist who did not hear about the iconic model Fender Stratocaster, but how do these two models compare?
Fender Stratocaster is without question much more popular than Duo-Sonic. What most people will agree on is that the Fender Duo-Sonic is perfect for genres such as alternative rock, punk, or indie rock while the Stratocaster is the chameleon among the guitars. It is a general-purpose guitar that every guitarist should have at his disposal.
In terms of hardware and other specifications, these guitars share very little. Still, you can get the tone of both guitars on each one of them. My opinion is that Strat is a far better choice for guitarists that likes to play multiple genres, while the Duo-Sonic is a perfect choice for punk and hard rock musicians.
Conclusion
Fender Duo Sonic is an amazing instrument that will last you a long time. At some point, every guitarist should have it in his guitar collection. You will be able to cover any jam session you end up in with ease.
Even though the price is quite high compared to other popular models like the Telecaster and Stratocaster, this guitar gained a good reputation around the world. If you are a fan of harder notes, the Fender Duo-Sonic is the instrument for you.
