1961 Fender Duo Sonic Sunburst with Original Hardshell Case

Summary: The Duo-Sonic and its single-pickup counterpart, the Musicmaster were released in 1956 as Fender's first student level guitars. These models featured a small body shape, shorter scale length, and a lower price-point than other guitars in the Fender catalog. In late 1959, the Duo-Sonic's pickguard was switched from aluminum to plastic along with the introduction of a Rosewood fingerboard. In 1964, the body style was switched to be more similar to the Mustang. This year also brought the Duo-Sonic II which featured a longer 24-inch scale length. This particular Duo Sonic is in fabulous shape, is all original, comes in the original hard-shell case and plays like a dream. Our in house luthier has inspected, set up and restrung this guitar with a new set of 10 gauge strings and it is just such a fun and easy guitar to play.

Body: Small offset body shape with a classic sunburst finish and one ply white pickguard.

Neck: The 22 3/4” scale length maple neck has a great worn in feel to it although it has most of the finish still on it. The Brazilian rosewood fretboard has a nice rolled edge to it which makes it very comfortable to play and the frets are in great shape with no major gouges in them. The fretboard has clay dots, 21 frets, original bone nut and a nut width of 1.56”

Pickups/Hardware: It has the original single coil pickups with nice chocolatey brown covers, metal 3 way toggle, volume, tone, 3 steel saddles with top loader style bridge and Kluson Deluxe tuners with white buttons.

Cosmetics: This Duo Sonic is in great shape overall but shows a bit of wear, consistent with a played vintage guitar but also a well loved and cared for guitar. It has some discoloration of the end of the headstock, a plugged hole in the back of the headstock (presumably from a strap button), some dings in the back of the neck, various chips in dings around the edge and on the sides on the body and some spots of the back where the finish was eaten away (likely from someone resting the guitar on a coily cable for a long period of time). There is scratch in the fretboard around the 6th fret and some small dents around the 3rd fret. The front of the guitar looks spectacular and only shows some minor pick scratches and a couple dings and chips but overall looks great.

Playability: Our in house luthier has inspected, set up and restrung this Duo Sonic with a new set of 10s and it plays like new. The action is low, the neck is straight and the body is very resonant.

Modifications: n/a

Weight: 5 lbs, 12 oz.

Case: This Fender comes with the original brown hard-shell case and we will ship it fully packed, padded and insured!