Fender Offset Series Duo-Sonic Demo & Review

Chris McKee with the rundown on the new Fender Offset Series Duo-Sonic. Since its debut in 1956, the Duo-Sonic has been the underground heavy-hitter for some of rock n' rolls founding musicians 🎸
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[@TomoFujitaMusic]

Thanks for sharing! I love Duo Sonic!

[@donlessnau3983]

Great job, Chris. You always do a great job of providing clear, concise info. Well done.

[@alansturgess1324]

Love my Arctic White. Super comfortable with lovely neck, action, frets. The 3 pickups (mine does not have the HB) have very different tones. Light and very comfortable. Perfect for noodling and doesn't give you a bent spine if you wear it with a strap when standing. Only potential fault is that the toggle switch has a bit of a reputation for starting to fail. No problems so far with mine, and very easy to change if necessary. I'm not into overdrive or distortion and when not playing mine through a DV Mark I play it through a Fishman 60w Loud-X Mini. The tones on this demo are very harsh and not at all representative of how I find this guitar sounds. Add a touch of reverb and/or chorus (Fishman amp has both, DV Mark has reverb) or even through a T.Rex Soulmate Acoustic pedal, and the DS is fabulous. Use something like a separate pedal with a 'shimmer' effect and ..... wow! Can't recommend it highly enough. If I have one aesthetic niggle, it's that the position dots along the fingerboard are just way too big and unsubtle. Otherwise a straight 10/10 for me.

[@darrellmcdonald7883]

I have the white one. Got it used after someone changed basically everything except the pickups, bridge, and pickguard. It has become my #1 guitar.

[@noi5emaker]

Love the colour combinations! Those mint green scratchplates look fantastic!

[@Mandobird1]

Thanks for the demo! A couple of points. Duo Sonic's have been in near constant production ever since their introduction, either by Fender or Squier. This is the second time Fender have built them out of Mexico, but with a 24" scale, instead of 22.7". Also, the Duo Sonic never had multiple switches, this was a Mustang feature.

[@brianmorse8680]

The body is different on the Mustang the lower cut out is lower on it. I know I am building my own. With a good peddle and amp set it will sound amazing.

[@yungsavagesleeper3198]

I don't own any of these (Baja tele player) but I tried the offset series out and the Duo Sonic HS Rosewood is the best one, period.

[@samthompson4815]

Yep, after trying all of them that one has the nicest neck, coil tap, and not too bad a colour

[@69kpm]

I love the Mexican Guitars. My Strat is great.

[@caiusmadison2996]

They have really come into their own in recent years. Always good guitars, but recently, they have really stepped up in quality and character.

[@ZappaBlues]

I didn't care too much for the tone settings used in this demo.

[@alansturgess1324]

Agreed - very harsh . I find this model of Duo Sonic infinitely more subtle and without that appalling ear-grating tone used for the first demo. That hurts!!! Very poor choice.

[@fossilmatic]

Well, I didn’t appreciate the 6’11’’ of toneless talking before the glass shards in a blender demo.

[@alansturgess1324]

@@fossilmatic Tend to agree as well -- a big weakness of some of Alamo's uploads is waterfalls of waffle before we get to hearing an instrument - why not start with a few riffs, brief demos etc. and then have all the chat so that we at least have something to hook onto? And oh god - those tones at 6.20 will surely have put loads of people of this excellent guitar. Bloody awful!

[@javierloaizamusic]

Thanks for this review! Very informative.

[@jeremywills9303]

Damn, guess Im gonna have to hit up the shop and check some of these out. Dont get downtown SA much so its a good excuse to do so.

[@deserthandz7145]

call me crazy but i liked his demos.

[@barnettg66]

White Stripes Jack White sort of vibe in your playing on this one.

[@greggibson1273]

Helpful demo. Thank you!

[@joeyp734]

awesome info! thanks so much!

[@ringmasterblaze]

Very informative. Thanks.

[@RhythmGrizz]

all I want is a mustang or duo sonic hardtail body with a full 25.5 scale neck. i got big hands, I can't do short scales!

[@geometricturtle5222]

RhythmGrizz I’m big handed too but with short scales, you can do incredibly long stretches

[@kerranimates]

At the beginning is that come as you are

[@znet9452]

Kerrmation no

[@P3photo]

Maybe I got a bad one but my Duo Sonic HS Rosewood has no sustain and very tiny sounding. It looks great, it feels great, just sounds very weak and thin sounding.

[@Raiders757]

Curious as to what version you have, as I'm interested in the HS, and what your running through (amp, effects, etc...).

[@davidkastin4240]

Hi Mike. What you described is symptoms of incorrect pickup height. To far from the strings. Hope you figured it out

[@kevinembrey2078]

You mention a demo of the Mustang SS and Mustang 90, but it's not posted on your site.

[@cyrfung]

How is the Duo Sonic body "offset"? The bottom looks pretty symmetrical to me?

[@ZappaBlues]

The top horn of the guitar sticks out further than the bottom horn. That is what is meant by offset

[@CTL5150]

ZappaBlues A strat has a longer horn on the top but that isn't called an offset guitar. It is the "bottom that matters" (giggity) like on a jazzmaster is longer on the bottom right.

[@ZappaBlues]

Strats, jaguars, jazzmasters, mustangs. duo sonics are all offset designs. whether they are call them that or not

[@goosups6609]

when are they gonna make a jazz bass design guitar i like how they look kinda like strat mixed with a jag it looks bad ass

[@RhythmGrizz]

it's actually the waist and knee contours that determine it. if one is higher than the other, it's an offset. teles, strats, and p-basses have symmetrical cuts, so they're not offset. jags, jazzmasters, jagmasters, jazz basses, mustangs, duo sonics, music masters, and probably more are all offsets.

[@miguelangelvacaheredia8230]

Very interesting video!!!....Does anybody knows why the red and the green Duo Sonics, both sounds like they are out of tune most of the time.....??....nice sound but something is not right when strumming......................................

[@julialambguitar]

Does the duo-sonic give you hum-cancelling when in the middle switch position like the mustang?

[@gusdupree9076]

Julia Lamb yes, reverse wound

[@slavvewilliams1948]

doesn't do the guitar justice; i've played all the new 2K17 offsets and they sound wayyy better than this video suggests. sounds out of tune and shrill as fuck.

[@mockbear1]

the green one is out of tune.

[@Randuski]

The amp isnt mic'd properly and it sounds terrible haha they actually do sound good don't worry 😂

[@adrianamartinsribeiro1283]

Hi there! Just out of curiosity, what is the depth of the neck at the 1st fret? Would it be about 18mm as the Squier Mustang Bullet HH?

[@TaylorzVersionz]

this playing makes it nearly impossible to get an actual idea of the guitars tone :(

[@lal2235]

everything was allright

[@theskitteringcoyote]

i have a 1961 duo sonic

[@coppulor6500]

dang dude, tune the guitar at least. sheesh. played a mustang today. It rocked. Played he HS Duosonic at Guitar center a month ago and it felt very cheaply made. the mustang felt great. All that sucks because I want an HS in this scale!!! >:(

[@gingerbeer914]

You're absolutely right. The sea-foam green one is totally out of tune and this guy continues to play as if he is (tone)deaf.

[@BeardedDev90]

I like the playing, maybe I'm the only one. I prefer rythm playing to plucking some notes

[@thewhopper11]

Im considering either a guitar from the Offset Series or a Mexican Strat with an HSS pickup configuration. Which would you choose?

[@mr.mcmagpie6606]

Alex Arrona offset

[@judsonruddick5240]

Do y'all still have bassbreakers at the store?

[@geraldhiggens8283]

IM SO LUCKY TO LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO I LOVE TO GO TO YOUR STORE!!!!!!

[@willfoster2543]

Ever heard of a tuner?

[@dejongeblondegod]

in every sound clip of the range the mp90's sound great and the single coil and humbuckers of the range sound like utter muddy crap. strange.

[@MrCleitus]

I found humbuckers are really not Fenders thing.

[@donlessnau3983]

Nice review. Chris does really good reviews compared to lots of the other idiots on youtube. Well done. Thanks a lot.

[@AlamoMusic]

Thanks for the kind words Don, - Chris McKe

[@ES295]

Assertion at 3:18...you could eat off the floor of the Mexican factory? You first mate.

[@jamesberlo4298]

Dont fuck with the volume for the demo, do it in order .

[@commonsensedefense]

This video is atrocious, sorry.

[@alaja200798]

Honestly, I love offset body guitars, and the Duo Sonic looks great, but I hate the color combinations they chose for them. SH is my favorite guitar pup combo, but the colors for that one are terrible and the green pickguards are just horrible looking. A red Duo Sonic with a maple neck, pearl white pickguard, and a humbucker would be more than perfect. I wouldn't buy any other guitar in my life probably. Great video btw! Very in depth

[@LEUNN_]

alaja200798 I'm sure pickguard manufacturers will come up with replacement guards for this range

[@wolfman6489]

Indeed.

[@camronme917]

alaja200798 man I just bought the Capri orange one, but I was really thinking about waiting and getting the green mustang with the rosewood board

[@DanishJerk123]

Toot Toot Can you tolerante the buzz?

[@camronme917]

Dennis Skaanning Rasmussen it's definitely bothersome and worse than most pickups

[@nathanevans2755]

Sounds super chimey even with dirt.

[@johnq.public1689]

What a godawful sound......

[@alansturgess1324]

You're right. This demo wrecks the actual tones of this guitar - abysmal.

[@tonybaker1836]

Why use a bass amp????

[@janedagger]

I hate humbuckers but even more I hate the maple neck... so, I'll have to get the Black Humbucker version. Oh, and in case you think I"m being picky, I owned a 1956 Musicmaster for 30 years... Best guitar I have ever played. The rosewood should be available for the dual single coils, not limited. That, is just bologna IMHO.

[@daveadsit2321]

Tone is terrible, you should delete this video.

[@Rachels123]

Omg your tone sucks. Must be the amp. Settings.

[@MedievalRichard]

Definitely whatever amp he is using. I have one of these coming tomorrow actually. I'll get some proper tone out of it via my amp/setup lol

[@adventurer3645]

This video sounds bad and you should feel bad.

[@alansturgess1324]

Definitely not symmetrical. Neither the cutaways nor waists match as identical pairs which they would have to if symmetrical.

[@alansturgess1324]

Agreed. As I say in my own comment, this guitar really sounds good --- but not in this demo where it sounds harsh and brittle.

[@123bigpappy]

Where the clean sound

[@lal2235]

outta tune, lol, and kinda awful playing,

[@clarsisk4751]

Sounded so bad I couldn't stand to listen to it, horrible tone, horrible playing, geeeez

[@ciarandoherty4219]

Jez those sound awful. Chance to get one secondhand below £300 in great condition but I think I’ll pass.

[@Krispy1011]

Something aint right with this vid

[@jayrobb9]

It's the drive on the damn amp. Gives no idea what the actual guitar sounds like.

[@nickjackson6375]

"North American built guitar." Lol......Never heard that one before. Not a snob but, c'mon.

[@coffeewaldo]

Nick Jackson you know what someone from South America told me I'm from North America and I have no right to say I'm from the U.S. Just wanted to throw that in there. All this time I thought I was from America. Being sarcastic.

[@afterstars]

Nick Jackson might as well say ‘made in earth ‘

[@ciarandoherty4219]

Jez those sound awful. Like hitting tin with nails. Had a chance to get one secondhand below £300 but thank God I passed!

[@stratostarcirrus9049]

Este tipo es horrible....afine esas guitarras primero!! luego ecualice ....suena muy feo Sr.

[@wisdomking7717]

Its just sad that Fender stabbed America in the back and went to Mexico .

[@Dons066]

Better than a move to China buddy !

[@judsonruddick5240]

Wisdom King if you knew anything about the way Fender produces their different lines you'd know that they didn't "stab America in the back" because they make guitars in America AND Mexico, it just depends on if it's a standard line or AMERICAN line which means it's going to be more expensive, so maybe you should do a little more research before you make accusations against a great brand

[@wisdomking7717]

It still cost jobs and the quality suffers . Not that I dislike fenders I own one and have had many in the past .

[@jackielegs8010]

Wisdom King nobody cares

[@jayrobb9]

Not sad for people like me who don't want to pay $2000 (Australian dollars) for an American-made guitar.

[@adrianamartinsribeiro1283]

Hi there! Just out of curiosity, what is the depth of the neck at the 1st fret? Would it be about 18mm as the Squier Mustang Bullet HH?

[@GaryAppledale]

Did you ever find the answer to your question ma'am? I ordered the Bullet online and the neck was fantastic but I had to send it back as it was breaking my E string every 2 hours :-( Can't get into a store to try one now because of dang Covid.

[@adrianamartinsribeiro1283]

@@GaryAppledale No, I haven't got any answer regarding my question. I have a couple of Mustangs Bullets and they have fantastic necks and I was wondering if the Off Set Series Mustang and Duo-Sonic were as thing as the Bullets.

[@GaryAppledale]

@@adrianamartinsribeiro1283 Just ordered a Duo Sonic so I'll let you know 👍 but I am certain the neck will be a little fatter than the Bullet