Fender apparently just doing whatever this year...

[Lurker13]

I just pulled the trigger on a used surf green Duo Sonic HS from GC. The price was right, it was described as being in "Great" condition, and it comes with a case.

Resistance was futile.

Pics when it arrives, assuming all is good and it's a keeper.

[dubkitty]

all singles, or bucker in the bridge position?

[Lurker13]

all singles, or bucker in the bridge position?

Humbucker in the bridge.

Buying a guitar over the internet is always a bit of a gamble, but GC's return policy takes a lot of the risk out of it. We'll see if I can bond with this little puppy.

[dubkitty]

it's a lot safer now than it used to be. the advent of computerized manufacture and CNC milling have made guitars across a particular model range much more consistent than in the Good Ol' Days. acoustics are still a bit of a crapshoot, but i've done well there too. when i swapped the Rickenbacker for the Guild and the Squier Jazzmaster it was the first time i'd bought a guitar live and in person for like a decade.

[Lurker13]

Here is a link to Fender's new models. https://shop.fender.com/en-US/new-releases/

Gotta admit a couple of Squiers look quite interesting, in a gaudy metallic sort of way. The Jag also comes in a Shoreline Gold color that looks pretty good.

[jirodreamsofdank]

The one on the left looks like a costs-more-than-a-used-Honda Custom Shop model that was going around a few months ago from one of their master builders. That had a kind of offset vibrato, though.

[Lurker13]

The one on the left looks like a costs-more-than-a-used-Honda Custom Shop model that was going around a few months ago from one of their master builders. That had a kind of offset vibrato, though.

It's definitely an interesting take on Strats. And since these are for the masses, they won't be relic'ed, unlike Fender's CS creations.

The Fender CS policy of relicing has always baffled me. If you're willing to pay them a fuckton of money to build your dream guitar, why should you have to let them beat the shit out of it when they're done? It's like Pete Townshend is their secret boss - "Beautiful, lads, now smash that amp with it!"

I have to admit I'm enamored with that hideous metallic sunburst finish. If the Jaguars came with that finish I probably would have beaten up my credit card by now.

[dubkitty]

in a typical model year Fender/Squier have a couple or three things i find interesting, but none of this appeals at all. it's as if having revived the Lead series their next retro move is bringing back The Strat. and nobody needs that. give me the Aerodyne series! a Fender-branded Starcaster with the proper bridge and pickups! they can even make some of them in that not-quite-as-horrid-as-Antigua blue-white burst. i despise Antigua burst...when Elvis Costello had his weathered old Jazzmaster redone in Antigua i was like "ewwwww, dude."

[jirodreamsofdank]

They did bring back The Strat last year, didn't they? Had to repurpose all the guitars they were going to sell as Ryan Adams signatures when he got busted for being abusive and a pervert.

[Lurker13]

As you can see, it really did happen.



It came with this nice brown hardshell case.

I waited to post this because it has a mild case of fret sprout. The fret edges feel a little rough if I run my finger along the edge of the fret board, but I can't feel them while I'm playing. I thought about returning it, but I love playing it too much, and with the case thrown in, it was just too good of a deal. So I guess I'm going to buy some files and learn to fix fret ends.

This guitar is so much fun it has me playing almost every day again.

[dubkitty]

not just a case, but a case that fit wee little beasties! my 22.5" DS in a Strat case was downright funny, like a kid wearing Daddy's shoes.

[Lurker13]

not just a case, but a case that fit wee little beasties! my 22.5" DS in a Strat case was downright funny, like a kid wearing Daddy's shoes.

It's a mystery case, it has no brand ID on it anywhere, only a tiny tag on the inside that says "Made in China". It seems pretty solid, it has a few dings but the guitar doesn't, so apparently it can do the job.

Also, it is a full size case, although that isn't evident from the picture, so I have the clown shoes effect too.

[Lurker13]

It looks like the rocket scientists running Fender jerked up their guitar prices by $50 across the board this year. Fuck you very much, Fender, you greedy fucking bastards.

[voerking]

i wish they'd do a production version of the Brawler. previously only available as a $10,000 Custom Shop build.
i really like the body shape & the 27" scale.

[Dr Tony Balls]

i wish they'd do a production version of the Brawler. previously only available as a $10,000 Custom Shop build.
i really like the body shape & the 27" scale.

I'd just get a Jazzmaster body and baritone neck from Warmoth and build it myself. For ~$9K in the bank I can squint and ignore the differences.