Looking for a Mustang style guitar but I'm poor.

evilhead007

Hey everybody. I'm new to the forum and am just looking for some advice.

I've been playing guitar for a few years so I'd say I'm decent. I started out with an epiphone sg and it was OK for awhile. But then I got my acoustic (Little Martin), and I really liked the small neck and got used to it. Now, I go back to the sg and I HATE it. Not just the neck but the way it sounds (the music I listen has really changed since I first picked up guitar). I like the mustang but I really can't afford one.

Anyway, I've been looking at the squier duo-sonic but I'm cautious because I've heard a lot of bad about squier. Is this a good guitar? And what can I do to it to make it more mustangy? I don't have modding experience but I know some people who could help. BTW, other gear I have is a fender champ 600 amp and a ds-1.

Thanks!

ModNuB

Hey welcome to our crazy little world here @ js! 😉

The new squier duos are pretty good, lots of people here who have tried them seem to dig 'em. I loved the feel of the one I played tho I did not plug it in so can't speak to its sound. As far as quality of Squiers go, they can be a bit if-y but its more of a hit & miss then a "they are all crap" kind of thing (does that even make sense?)

I'd personally say to try & find a mid 90s fender duo reissue. They are "extra"(?) Short scale, only 22.5 instead of 24 but the quality is there. I have a '96 that I have retro fitted w/ a squier jagmaster neck (24 scale) so that it more like a regular stang. This is a bit of work but worth it.

If you want a trem then you could try & find a Cyclone (both fender & squier made versions) but that could be spendy & they have a bucker & a single. Also look into a used mustang reissue (69or65) on ebay they can be had for a deal if you have the time to wait.

Keep us updated on your search.

evilhead007

Thanks for the welcome.

I gotcha on the squiers but those '90s duos seem perfect! I'm so used to the 23" scale that the 22.5" should be great. Any idea how much one of those would put be back? And where could I get one?

ModNuB

Best place to look is eBay. Just looked & didn't see any there @ the moment but its your best bet. Just look for a duo from the 90s or one that says "MIM" (made in mexico). As far as price I'm not really sure cause I got mine new in 96 & even if I could remember it probably wouldn't help 😀

bobcat1979

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FENDER-DUO-SONIC-MIM-RARE-DISCONTINUED_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1688Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem1c0af17a9aQQitemZ120442682010QQptZUKQ5fMusicalQ5fInstrumentsQ5fGuitarsQ5fCVQQsalenotsupported

This is a 90's duo sonic for sale on ebay.

Got a 22.5" scale as well.

Dont know if you're uk based tho.

ModNuB

Price seems high to me ??? Don't know tho cause I'm state side. I'd expect they got for that many *dollars* here but like I said not sure.

jacksonjackass

That MIM one looks like a good deal.

I don't like people who think all squiers are sh!te. I have a stagemaster that has excellent pickups, neck and a lisenced floyd that actually stays in tune. I think its an excellent guitar and I've also never heard a word against squier teles although I've never owned one.

I'd say go for the squier if your money's running low but its 24" scale. And if you stop liking the neck, then they're interchangable with strat necks 😉

tragictravisty

mcconnachiea said: I'd say go for the squier if your money's running low but its 24" scale. And if you stop liking the neck, then they're interchangable with strat necks 😉

stop pretending like you know things. i am almost certain that the necks are not interchangeable with strat necks. you might manage to intonate due to the large bridge, but it was calibrated for a 24" neck. they are interchangeable with 22.5" compensated necks.

if i'm wrong, let me know. if you think i'm right, let me know...

ModNuB

I think you're right Trav. I've never heard that they could b exchanged for 25.5 scale neck & even if I heard it I wouldn't believe it tell I saw it.

There is A LOT of miss information going around about shortscale necks & what can & can't be done w/ the different ones available. I personally put one of the new jagmaster neck (24 scale) on my MIM Duo after repeatedly being told "it can't be done". I took it to my tech & he said it was "no problem @ all" to put on. He just redrilled it & put it straight on w/out any probelms & it plays/sounds great.

All I'm saying is until you've actually got a little something called "personal experience" you should not talk like you do.

jacksonjackass

Well thats actually something that you have said before. They are called 24" conversion necks so they are designed so that the neck pocket is in the right place to take a strat neck

EvilPandaDog

Trav is right, McKidblows is a load of ####.

jacksonjackass

EvilPandaDog said: Trav is right, McKidblows is a load of ####.

Oh so you've joined the hate crew too?

What I've said is referring to many articles from wikipedia, fender and many guitar forums so based on that, I think I'm right

jacksonjackass

esteban said: i'm pretty sure the 24" jagmaster necks are conversion necks. this'll fit fine on a strat body, right? i know i'm kind of answering my own question, but i want to make sure.

From shortscale

and it applies to the duos as well because they use the same necks

EvilPandaDog

I would agree Squier Duo-Sonics probably used conversion necks (if I'm correct) but they were made in thought of the conversion necks, strat necks would be a bit of a stretch. But I'm just speaking from experience, so it's probably hogwash. But serious McChionuodo, people aren't always right and speak from their ass, especially at offset and shortscale, and Wiki is just. I guess you did bring something to the table, I'll give you that, for what it's worth.

evilhead007

hmm... i'll keep a look out on the '90s duo.

but if i did go with the new squier, could i replace the neck with a 22.5 one? or would that mess up the intonation or something?

jacksonjackass

Why don't you just use a capo?

Sure it will screw up the whole fret position marker thing, but you'll get used to it 😉

Robbmonster

evilhead007 said: hmm... i'll keep a look out on the '90s duo.
but if i did go with the new squier, could i replace the neck with a 22.5 one? or would that mess up the intonation or something?

Maybe you could try playing a 24" scale guitar and see how it feels. Not a great idea to buy a guitar without ever having played the model, in my opinion.

Also, for the price you would pay for a new Squier Duo-Sonic, you would be better saving your pennies a while longer and buying a used RI Mustang.

I know in Australia the price of a new Squier Duo is up to $850. I know a place that has three Mustangs hanging on their wall with the same asking price.

evilhead007

evilhead007 said: hmm... i'll keep a look out on the '90s duo.
but if i did go with the new squier, could i replace the neck with a 22.5 one? or would that mess up the intonation or something?

I'm not sure if that is in Australian dollars but in america I can get a new squier for 330. and on ebay at least 50 bucks cheaper. and i've been looking out for ri mustangs for a bit and haven't seen one go for less than 500, usually 600 or more.

ModNuB

Yeah stuff in Oz is STUPID expensive! I would agree tho that you should probably play a guitar before you buy it. As for being comfortable playing on a 23" guitar, is that the acoustic you spoke of earlier? If so acoustic vs electric scales can be a bit tricky as there are many factors that go into how an acoustic feels. You may want to just try & get your hands on a few different scale electrics & see what feels right before you put up your hard earned $$$.

Robbmonster

Yeah, I was talking Oz dollars.

The Classic Vibe Squiers were going for $699 here until the Fender price increase, and now have an RRP of $849.

We pay import taxes, we have a GST of 10%, all sorts of crap here. It's the price we pay for being "the lucky country". The country is lucky, but the poor suckers that want to buy things retail sure aren't.