I would definitely put some active EMG’s in it, making sure to route out a battery compartment on the back. But I’d make sure to use really crude tools not necessarily meant for woodworking. And I would also do it with my left hand.
That guitar is the happiest it’s ever been. You can hear the glee in finding an owner that appreciates its charm, character, and voice. Like a scene at the end of a Toy Story film.
the only thing this guitar needs, is to be loved, caressed, played within an inch of it's life, and to see its 100 year anniversary in almost original condition
It's fantastic just the way it is.. 64 years worth of blood sweat and tears on this time capsule is something you can't put a price on and ideally left with it's own chapters to tell. Simply enjoy the unique look and gorgeous sweet sound to go with your sublime playing Chris. It couldn't be in better hands!
50’s Duo Sonic pickups are absolutely fantastic. They’re a flat top version of a Stratocaster and do fit in Strats. I actually had one in a 70’s Strat for years and it sounded killer in the middle position. Just raise it up a bit closer to the strings than the other Fender style pickups. The Duo Sonic is one of the first guitars with reverse wound & polarity single coil pickups for hum free combined operation. Hence why I chose the middle for the Strat.
Thank you, Chris, as always. I would leave the guitar as it is with all its character, patina and foibles! It looks lovely and sounds lovely! All the best to you.
Looks brilliant as it is - the pick guard has the aesthetic of a mirror guard but without the risk of blinding your audience! Thanks for making this video - I showed my 9 y.o daughter, who plays a reissue Duo Sonic. She said your guitar sounds really cool!
I bought a Duo Sonic for my grand daughter to learn on and now it’s the guitar most played by every one who comes to the jam room. Great unique sounding guitar. Don’t change a thing on your Duo Sonic enjoy it’s unique quality.
I just got a 1957 Duo Sonic last month, it's easily become my favorite guitar. Mine is all original except for the pots, headstock decal, and it's been refinished back to Desert Sand. These guitars are incredibly fun
Aside from the scratchy switch, I would leave it as is. It has a character and personality all its own!! As always, brilliant playing Chris! So inspirational.
Seen a video by Tomo Fujita playing a Duo Sonic some time ago, liked it and bought one (new Mexican). Best money i ever spent on a guitar. I have pretty short fingers and never felt that comfort on any guitar. Great video Chris.
So my wife was just doing stuff at home while I was watching the video. And by the end jam she actually stopped what she was doing, came over and just watched the jam till the end. And then she said, "this sound is amazing, it just chills you. What pedal is that? How's he doing that? You should buy whatever he's got!" , to which I replied "It's his fingers". She was like "That's amazing!". So uh, yeah, that happened. I can't buy your fingers, dude. She's totally right, btw. It is amazing. Cheers, man!
Another great installment of FF! I’m very much a purist when it comes to vintage instruments. Unless the guitar has been totally abused, I wouldn’t touch a thing. It sounds great and has tons of character just as it is. Enjoy it.
I own a '57 Duo Sonic. It was my very first electric. $90.00 at Mr B's Music in 1971. I re-shaped it into a mini-Strat in high school wood shop.. (unfortunately!) Today it has a beautiful walnut satin finish (neck and body), plays great, but badly needs new pick-ups. And I agree.... YOUR '57 is perfect, as is. I actually like the bare "shop finish" pick guard. Play the hell out of it!
It is exactly the same with my 67 melody maker. I get it out and I don’t touch a Les Paul for a couple of weeks. These student guitars are vastly underrated!
@@briansherman355 he used a double cut with two humbuckers. The guitar appears in Flight of Icarus official clip and there are a couple of old pics in Google.
Congratulations on the new guitar. If I was to do anything to it. It would be new frets and a new bridge. I would leave the pickguard alone but if I just had to change it I would powder coat or cerakote and not paint. Also I am glad to see that even if you are one of the finest guitarist of this generation that your wife makes you play in the garage.
WOW! Sounds great. I would tend toward leaving the '57 as is. Replace the tuners, only if necessary. I love slotted Klusons, to the point that I wonder why all tuners don't have slotted/drilled posts. Same for the pots an switches. The pickups have a unique voice, maybe aided by the shorter scale. Love how it sounds.
Great to see Chris making good use of the recent financial success of Cardinal Black. The guitar sounds wickedly good, the end solo is sooooo soulful. I’m sure there are going to a few hit songs written to the sounds of this guitar.
@@aniquinstark4347 You think they do TH-cam for free? Or clinics? Or endorsements? These guys have to figure out a ton of revenue streams. You know why? Because you don’t make money from actual music anymore. Streaming pays shit. Nobody buys music anymore.
Hello Chris, thanks for this video. What an amazing "granny" Fender Duo Sonic ! I knew little about this mojo guitar, old by her age, young by her beauty and her amazing sound ! Greetings from France
John McLaughlin played a Duo-Sonic on Miles's Jack Johnson album. They are sacred because of that. Not to mention Johnny Winter's first album is all Mustang. They are incredible guitars if you have talent, and Mr. Buck obviously does. You're playing history, brother.
Nice guitar! The second guitar I ever owned was a '65 Duo Sonic II, and I paid next to nothing for it. Came with the original case too. It's interesting to me that the price hasn't skyrocketed on these guitars, and they honestly sound pretty good with the right amp.
Chris: Hi, I’m here to look at your Duo Sonic. Seller: Sure come in.! Chris: Can I plug it in? Seller: Give it a spin. *Proceeds to get his face melted from Chris incredible guitar playing*
From the way it looks and sounds, I wouldn't change a thing about that guitar Chris. With some of these instruments, it's best just to let them be what they are if they feel right. It's been in your hands, so you're the only one who can really make that decision. By the way, garage jams are awesome. Takes me back to the old Tom Bukovac Home Skoolin' days. Cheers dude!
I'm normally drawn to sympathetic restorations or even meticulous ones but this thing is rather appealing showing its age so anything you may decide do to it will undoubtedly add to its charm.
What do you know about the neck pocket on a DuoSonic? Could it, for a giggle perhaps, take a standard Strat or Tele neck (yes, with attention re intonation)? But . . . Well done!
I would not change anything aesthetic, I would only make sure that the crackling switch (to be heard at 5:16) is taken care of (if I heard that right), it would hopefully not really change anything to the sound.
Been playing a squier classic vibe duo-sonic for 10years give or take.. wouldn't change it for a thing. Love the duo-sonic sound and im a big bloke, the smaller scale length is just perfect comfort for those extended chord shapes and fiddling around the fret board. thanks for giving the duo-sonic some love it deserves :)
Need some tuner wash on that switch. Man you play with your whole body kind of like SRV did. You could probably make a shoe box and rubber bands sound good.
Chris I love your work. these videos are quite educational but I thought of an idea after I saw you do your lead work on another video where all of you guys put in your versions of what should go over the cord progression .but I’d like to see did you take famous songs and you do A version of what you would pick for lead say over stairway to Heaven or the Allman Brothers whipping Post just random well-known songs with your take on it it would be quite fascinating to hear A more modern and updated take on some of these classics. I know some other videos who have done something like that but I’d like to hear your versions of these things. Thanks again keep up the good work.
Oh is a total beauty!! And sounds amazing! I have a deep special live for DuoSonics since it was indeed my first electric guitar that I bought when I decided to pick up the guitar again after years of not following my passion. And yes is a FUN FUN and VERSATILE guitar! No complaints at all! I have the HS version of it and I love it!
I kept waiting for the drums to kick in and for you to break into the Slow Train solo at the end. 😀. Great playing, as always, and great sounding guitar!
The only thing I could "pick up" on (yeah right Eric) is that the volume control needs some tender loving care. It's pretty audible from roughly halfway through the main demonstration when you were adjusting it, Chris.
Cheers Chris, what a cool little thing. Fine as is, black scratch plate does sound a bit tasty too tho. Lovely atmospheric/melodic bits in the outro, I'm gonna have to try and cop a bit of that, very Knop. :)
So, thoughts? Respray? New pickguard? Or don’t touch it? 🤔
My 2 cents:
Vintage accurate Tortoise pickguard (so you can keep the old one)
Mustang Knobs (much prettier)
MAYBE reliced white pickup covers
...don't touch
Keep it exactly like it is. Looks great and sounds amazing.
I'd leave it alone. Maybe replace the string guide on the headstock - just a tiny cosmetic detail
Don’t touch it. Looks and sounds great. That said, I doubt there has been a guitar made that wouldn’t sound great with you playing it 🤔
I would'nt change anything. She's perfect as is.
Agreed
Yes, I agree too..perfect as is.
I would try to clean the pickup select switch, but that’s all.
@@steveg.3022 Probably a good idea.
I would definitely put some active EMG’s in it, making sure to route out a battery compartment on the back. But I’d make sure to use really crude tools not necessarily meant for woodworking. And I would also do it with my left hand.
Thanks for sharing this treasure!! I love vintage Fender Duo Sonic & Musicmaster so much!!!
Have you seen the sonic mustangs? As an offset lover, why don’t you review the cheapest offset (student) models available? I’ve heard people love them
I love Duo Sonic, Musicmaster & Mustang! @@timetostartup3451
That guitar is the happiest it’s ever been.
You can hear the glee in finding an owner that appreciates its charm, character, and voice.
Like a scene at the end of a Toy Story film.
What an entrance Chris, that is some of the most intense playing I have seen in years,
a young jeff beck would be proud!!! great jam.
I tuned in to learn more about the Duo Sonic and had my face melted off by Chris Buck’s powerful guitar riffs. I’d say it was time worth spent.
It’s 2021, where the best guitarists in the world are on TH-cam. I’ve NEVER heard a rock solo sound this exciting.
the only thing this guitar needs, is to be loved, caressed, played within an inch of it's life, and to see its 100 year anniversary in almost original condition
Vintage Duo Sonic value just jumped to the roof after this demo
The Garage jam at the end.. simply sublime. Utterly gorgeous
that outro solo is something else Chris sooo beautiful and amazing thanks for this experience!!!!
That garage Jam is mind blowing dude..wow
It's fantastic just the way it is.. 64 years worth of blood sweat and tears on this time capsule is something you can't put a price on and ideally left with it's own chapters to tell. Simply enjoy the unique look and gorgeous sweet sound to go with your sublime playing Chris.
It couldn't be in better hands!
Dude that jam at the end was gorgeous, I could listen to you playing that all day.
As for the guitar, I say leave her as she is, lovely guitar
Sounds and looks amazing Chris and that magical touch you have makes it sing.
Thank you
Kimball
50’s Duo Sonic pickups are absolutely fantastic. They’re a flat top version of a Stratocaster and do fit in Strats. I actually had one in a 70’s Strat for years and it sounded killer in the middle position. Just raise it up a bit closer to the strings than the other Fender style pickups.
The Duo Sonic is one of the first guitars with reverse wound & polarity single coil pickups for hum free combined operation. Hence why I chose the middle for the Strat.
Woah, you are definitely my favourite of the guitarists on youtube. Such tasteful, beautiful playing. Please teach me
Chris you are just extremely talented. The magic coming out of that guitar is all you!!
i need a playlist of Chris' intro jams
Cheers Chris i love the sound of that guitar i would leave it alone and just love what it is
You, brother , are quite the musician. Love your channel.
I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks for the video.
Love the opening tune riff!!!
Sounds so fantastic in the garage!
Crushing it Chris!!!!!
Thank you, Chris, as always. I would leave the guitar as it is with all its character, patina and foibles! It looks lovely and sounds lovely! All the best to you.
Looks brilliant as it is - the pick guard has the aesthetic of a mirror guard but without the risk of blinding your audience!
Thanks for making this video - I showed my 9 y.o daughter, who plays a reissue Duo Sonic. She said your guitar sounds really cool!
Great sounds....and playing.......please leave it alone!!!!!!!!!!
I doubt anyone has ever made a Duo-Sonic sound that awesome.
Jimi Hendrix had one..
I bought a Duo Sonic for my grand daughter to learn on and now it’s the guitar most played by every one who comes to the jam room. Great unique sounding guitar. Don’t change a thing on your Duo Sonic enjoy it’s unique quality.
That first riff was insane, Chris! Incredible tone!
That playing was beautiful! Glad I wasn’t driving as there’d have been blue lights in the mirror.
Still feeling the effects of the metal challenge in that intro, Chris? Brilliant!
1957 never thought it would be played like this in 2021. Way to go Chris!
I just got a 1957 Duo Sonic last month, it's easily become my favorite guitar. Mine is all original except for the pots, headstock decal, and it's been refinished back to Desert Sand. These guitars are incredibly fun
Leave it just like it is, Chris. WOW!
Man Chris, I think I watched that guitar age another 10 years just on your intro clip!! What an opening!!!
Aside from the scratchy switch, I would leave it as is. It has a character and personality all its own!! As always, brilliant playing Chris! So inspirational.
Don't change a thing. Great purchase Chris.
Chris, your final Garage Jam is pure magic. To me this guitar looks great that way, don't touch it
I would leave it as is. I believe you'll be happy you did.
As we say back home, "leave well enough alone" love the guitar.
Leave it as is… amazing playing sir
Holy s***, what a jam in the end... Slow train? Is that a natural reverb from the garage? 😂
Don't change anything about it. It's brilliant. That guitar has earned it's right to be just as it is.
Seen a video by Tomo Fujita playing a Duo Sonic some time ago, liked it and bought one (new Mexican). Best money i ever spent on a guitar.
I have pretty short fingers and never felt that comfort on any guitar. Great video Chris.
So my wife was just doing stuff at home while I was watching the video. And by the end jam she actually stopped what she was doing, came over and just watched the jam till the end. And then she said, "this sound is amazing, it just chills you. What pedal is that? How's he doing that? You should buy whatever he's got!" , to which I replied "It's his fingers". She was like "That's amazing!". So uh, yeah, that happened.
I can't buy your fingers, dude.
She's totally right, btw. It is amazing.
Cheers, man!
Love that you used the actual drum track from I'll Stick Around and turned it into something different
Great into solo Chris. I'd leave it just as it is
Another great installment of FF! I’m very much a purist when it comes to vintage instruments. Unless the guitar has been totally abused, I wouldn’t touch a thing. It sounds great and has tons of character just as it is. Enjoy it.
I own a '57 Duo Sonic. It was my very first electric. $90.00 at Mr B's Music in 1971. I re-shaped it into a mini-Strat in high school wood shop.. (unfortunately!) Today it has a beautiful walnut satin finish (neck and body), plays great, but badly needs new pick-ups. And I agree.... YOUR '57 is perfect, as is. I actually like the bare "shop finish" pick guard. Play the hell out of it!
Oooh outro was superb
It is exactly the same with my 67 melody maker. I get it out and I don’t touch a Les Paul for a couple of weeks. These student guitars are vastly underrated!
That’s why many of the students who bought these new grew into masters! Spoiled with such a high quality starter instrument!
If you like Iron Maiden, Adrian Smith recorded the whole Piece of mind with a Melody Maker. Wonderful tone!
@@ManuelGonzalez-tv2ob I wonder if it had the one single coil like mine. It is an amazing sounding pickup.
@@briansherman355 he used a double cut with two humbuckers. The guitar appears in Flight of Icarus official clip and there are a couple of old pics in Google.
If it were mine I would keep it as is. It drips with vibe. Great playing again as usual
Wow! Nice to see you RIP! Or, now I know what doing donuts in the parking lot SOUND like!
As always, THANK you for your time and the inspiration.
Leave it as is. Beautiful playing sir.
beautiful guitar! don't change a thing!
Congratulations on the new guitar.
If I was to do anything to it. It would be new frets and a new bridge.
I would leave the pickguard alone but if I just had to change it I would powder coat or cerakote and not paint.
Also I am glad to see that even if you are one of the finest guitarist of this generation that your wife makes you play in the garage.
WOW!
Sounds great.
I would tend toward leaving the '57 as is.
Replace the tuners, only if necessary. I love slotted Klusons, to the point that I wonder why all tuners don't have slotted/drilled posts.
Same for the pots an switches. The pickups have a unique voice, maybe aided by the shorter scale.
Love how it sounds.
Leave it alone, just enjoy it's look, feel, and voice!
Sweet soulful outro. You could play a 2 by 4 with a pick-up and strung with barb wire sound like a million bucks.
Wow! That intro jam is on fire! 🔥
Leave it alone and keep playing it... please, please... KEEP PLAYING IT! I love listening to you play.. did I mention you should keep playing it?
Great to see Chris making good use of the recent financial success of Cardinal Black. The guitar sounds wickedly good, the end solo is sooooo soulful. I’m sure there are going to a few hit songs written to the sounds of this guitar.
You think they’ve made any money yet? Hahahahaha
@@waitingforanalibi3069 That does beg the question, where on earth does chris get the money for these guitars?
@@aniquinstark4347 it's none of our business?
@@aniquinstark4347 You think they do TH-cam for free? Or clinics? Or endorsements? These guys have to figure out a ton of revenue streams. You know why? Because you don’t make money from actual music anymore. Streaming pays shit. Nobody buys music anymore.
Chris please record something with the band playing that guitar.
chris is an absolute rock god
Hello Chris, thanks for this video. What an amazing "granny" Fender Duo Sonic ! I knew little about this mojo guitar, old by her age, young by her beauty and her amazing sound ! Greetings from France
Love your videos buddy 🤙🎸
I would only change what is absolutely necessary. This guitar shows the decades of it's history which I find fascinating.
John McLaughlin played a Duo-Sonic on Miles's Jack Johnson album. They are sacred because of that. Not to mention Johnny Winter's first album is all Mustang. They are incredible guitars if you have talent, and Mr. Buck obviously does. You're playing history, brother.
I always liked the Mustang just because of that JW album. It was one of the first Blues records I ever bought.
Added to that sanctity (for me) is that Walter Becker played a Duo-Sonic on the "Aja" album.
She sounds magnificent !!!
Nice guitar! The second guitar I ever owned was a '65 Duo Sonic II, and I paid next to nothing for it. Came with the original case too. It's interesting to me that the price hasn't skyrocketed on these guitars, and they honestly sound pretty good with the right amp.
Chris: Hi, I’m here to look at your Duo Sonic.
Seller: Sure come in.!
Chris: Can I plug it in?
Seller: Give it a spin.
*Proceeds to get his face melted from Chris incredible guitar playing*
From the way it looks and sounds, I wouldn't change a thing about that guitar Chris. With some of these instruments, it's best just to let them be what they are if they feel right. It's been in your hands, so you're the only one who can really make that decision. By the way, garage jams are awesome. Takes me back to the old Tom Bukovac Home Skoolin' days. Cheers dude!
My god! That sounds amazing! I would leave it as it is and just enjoy it. 😉
I have a 2016 Daphne Blue Duo Sonic HS. I took the single coil out and put a DiMarzio True Velvet Telecaster neck in. It's wonderful
I'm normally drawn to sympathetic restorations or even meticulous ones but this thing is rather appealing showing its age so anything you may decide do to it will undoubtedly add to its charm.
Wow man! Great find. Sounds goooood
It's great as is.
What do you know about the neck pocket on a DuoSonic? Could it, for a giggle perhaps, take a standard Strat or Tele neck (yes, with attention re intonation)? But . . . Well done!
That was slash and Perry esque. Love it!
Dang, that sounded way better than I thought it would☆
I agree. Everything he touches does!
I would not change anything aesthetic, I would only make sure that the crackling switch (to be heard at 5:16) is taken care of (if I heard that right), it would hopefully not really change anything to the sound.
Been playing a squier classic vibe duo-sonic for 10years give or take.. wouldn't change it for a thing. Love the duo-sonic sound and im a big bloke, the smaller scale length is just perfect comfort for those extended chord shapes and fiddling around the fret board. thanks for giving the duo-sonic some love it deserves :)
Need some tuner wash on that switch. Man you play with your whole body kind of like SRV did. You could probably make a shoe box and rubber bands sound good.
Your tone when you were playing it in the garage
Chris I love your work. these videos are quite educational but I thought of an idea after I saw you do your lead work on another video where all of you guys put in your versions of what should go over the cord progression .but I’d like to see did you take famous songs and you do A version of what you would pick for lead say over stairway to Heaven or the Allman Brothers whipping Post just random well-known songs with your take on it it would be quite fascinating to hear A more modern and updated take on some of these classics. I know some other videos who have done something like that but I’d like to hear your versions of these things. Thanks again keep up the good work.
Chris Buck finally unleashed holy hell, and all it took was . . . a Duo Sonic?
Wouldn't change a thing! Love everything about it as it sits!
Oh is a total beauty!! And sounds amazing! I have a deep special live for DuoSonics since it was indeed my first electric guitar that I bought when I decided to pick up the guitar again after years of not following my passion.
And yes is a FUN FUN and VERSATILE guitar! No complaints at all! I have the HS version of it and I love it!
I kept waiting for the drums to kick in and for you to break into the Slow Train solo at the end. 😀. Great playing, as always, and great sounding guitar!
The only thing I could "pick up" on (yeah right Eric) is that the volume control needs some tender loving care. It's pretty audible from roughly halfway through the main demonstration when you were adjusting it, Chris.
Please tell me that intro jam is an actual Cardinal Black song I can buy! Absolutely FANTASTIC playing, Chris!
You are turning in to a great
Best seller
Love it. Sounds great. I'd leave it, but I understand the desire to customize. If you change pickguards get a bakelite matt black one. Enjoy.
Now I want one
Very inspired playing. What more can you ask for from a guitar?
Love the way it looks, love the way it sounds in your hands with your fingers, and it makes short guys look normal size on stage. Heh heh.
Great review Chris!!! Tbh I like both original and reissue.
I say don’t touch it, but I could certainly see that with a repro gold anodized guard. Even maybe mint green.
Cheers Chris, what a cool little thing. Fine as is, black scratch plate does sound a bit tasty too tho. Lovely atmospheric/melodic bits in the outro, I'm gonna have to try and cop a bit of that, very Knop. :)