Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

[Dave Locher]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

Rick. En. Backer.
C'mon, fellas, Rickenbacker! I have never even owned one but they were way out front with electric guitars and their hollows are built like no one else's. They were innovative BEFORE Fender and right there with Gibson. And they sound like Rickenbackers, not like anything else. No other guitars sound just like a Rickenbackers whereas 99% of guitars sold sound pretty much just like a Fender, a Gibson, both, or a combination of the two (hello, PRS).
Having said all that, I now wonder why the hell I DON'T own one!

 

[Securb]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

I never played a Parker Fly but they are supposed to be the ultimate in guitar ergonomics and play-ability. The necks on them are supposed to be super strong and I don't think they have truss-rods. They also look great IMHO.

They do have truss rods. However, I have not found a need to adjust mine in the ten years I have had the guitar.

Parkers are wonderful. But there is a whole world out there of 'ergonomic guitars'. Some of them barely look like instruments, but I bet they are a blast to play.

Parkers play like a dream. My Parker tonally can do anything I ask of it and plays like a dream. And the things are so freaking light.

 

[RorySquier]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

I know Adrian Belew who was a Stratocaster guitar guy for quite a long time has gravitated to the Parker Fly and his signature models look very intriguing. I wonder if they still make them?

;>)/

 

[oilpit]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

I know Adrian Belew who was a Stratocaster guitar guy for quite a long time has gravitated to the Parker Fly and his signature models look very intriguing. I wonder if they still make them?

;>)/

Parker's are so confusing because you look at them and initially go "Damn that's one ugly mother****er of an instrument" and then if you look at them for about 5 minutes you second guess yourself, "Wait maybe that's actually the most beautiful instrument I have ever seen", but then if you keep looking at them a little longer it goes back around to being hideous.

I'm gonna stop looking at them now because I've been through the cycle 3 times now and I worry if I go on any longer I may have a nervous breakdown.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

I don't think they are currently being made. BTW, Ade's signature Parker Fly (with midi, piezo, & variax guts), was about $10k.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

Does anyone else find it amusing how Variax was thought to be the spearhead of guitar innovation and technology back then

Variax seem these days like laser disks. And I think that after Gibson came in and blew it with Firebird X that innovation is quite dead and buried.

Modeling and especially floor modelers are so easy, versatile, cheap and popular it's difficult to see that innovation ever coming back succesfully.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

Parker's are so confusing because you look at them and initially go "Damn that's one ugly mother****er of an instrument" and then if you look at them for about 5 minutes you second guess yourself, "Wait maybe that's actually the most beautiful instrument I have ever seen", but then if you keep looking at them a little longer it goes back around to being hideous.

I'm gonna stop looking at them now because I've been through the cycle 3 times now and I worry if I go on any longer I may have a nervous breakdown.

Haha!
A friend of mine had one way back when they first came out.
I felt the same way about it.
It sounded great though, I will say that. But aesthetically it’s not for me.

 

[Francois]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

A lot of the innovations mentioned are merging ideas from Fender and Gibson. The best merger being PRS.

Putting an Humbucker in a Strat is yes an innovation but it is not like inventing the Telecaster, the Stratocaster, the Les Paul, the first thinline Semi-Hollow (!), the Flying V, the P90 and the Humbucker...

Actually Fender has used double coils even before that (Tele Thinline / Deluxe / Custom).
And did Fast Eddy had his X2N or any other DMZ on his Stratocaster back in 1977 (before David Murray and Eddie Van Halen); Glen Tipton had SD on his strat around that time as well.

And so what about innovations from Gretsch ? Chet Atkin 6120 ? Filtertrons ?

Rickenbacker had a cool innovation : the first neck-through guitars and bass.

I would say Alembic were innovative, but few can afford their guitars. Not me.

Note: The "Frying Pan" was Rickenbacker (not Gretsch).

 

[Francois]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

P you look at them and initially go "Damn that's one ugly mother****er of an instrument" and then if you look at them for about 5 minutes you second guess yourself, "Wait maybe that's actually the most beautiful instrument I have ever seen"

I like this quote I know this feeling. This is the "acquired taste".

 

[RorySquier]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

I don't think they are currently being made. BTW, Ade's signature Parker Fly (with midi, piezo, & variax guts), was about $10k.

Wow...$10k is sure a lot for a guitar but it sure is a great looking and very playable by the looks of it. I'm not into signature guitars like Joe Bonamassa's or John Mayer's PRS overly publicized SilverSky Strat but I definitely have respect for Adrian Belew and his music. His signature guitars would be somewhat worth it...maybe more like $5k sounds reasonable.



;>)/

 

[oilpit]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

I don't think they are currently being made. BTW, Ade's signature Parker Fly (with midi, piezo, & variax guts), was about $10k.

So I read this post last night and I didn't know what you were talking about, because just beforehand I had been to the Parker website which shows a full product line and a totally up to date looking website. They literally have like a dozen different models up there but if you go to any of the online dealers there is nothing in stock.

Very strange.

EDIT: Ok so I just went back to the website a third time and was greeted with this message


MYSTERY SOLVED AND NOW I WANT ONE SO BAD EVEN THOUGH THEYRE UGLY THEYRE SO CHARMING UHG

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Besides Gibason and Fender who was the most innovative?

Rick. En. Backer.
C'mon, fellas, Rickenbacker!...Having said all that, I now wonder why the hell I DON'T own one!

Just did a quick online search and remembered why I have never owned a Rick. $$$
Still one of the great original innovators though!