In 1956, only two years after Fender introduced the model that is still considered a pinnacle of electric solidbody guitar design – the Stratocaster – Fender swung it’s focus in the opposite direction.

The Duo Sonic offered guitarists – especially beginning players or players on a budget – a genuine, two-pickup Fender at an affordable price.

It’s body was sleeker and thinner than the Stratocaster, though not quite as aesthetically developed, and it had a double-cutaway design, which seemed to make it more attractive than the Telecaster.

The main drawback to the Duo Sonic was it’s shorter 22.5-inch scale, which limited it’s appeal to younger players mostly. That feature was “corrected” in 1964 with an optional 24-inch scale (still shorter than Fender’s standard of 25.5 inches). At the same time, the Duo Sonic’s body was upgraded to the more contemporary shape of the Mustang.

As the Stratocaster began to emerge as the dominant Fender model in 1969, the Duo Sonic fell by the wayside that same year.