I think I want a Fly

[Chris Pile]

Re: I think I want a Fly

.....a 2-year hiatus....

You claim I was wrong, but then admit there were no Parkers made after 2016.
How is your view any different?

 

[Sun King]

Re: I think I want a Fly

Solspirit, if you can find an actual Fly or NiteFly, go for it. The lower-level models though (P-36?, PM-10 & PM-20, etc.), were imports, personally I'd avoid those. I had read that Joe Walsh, and Adam Dutkiewicz of KillSwitch Engage, have used Parkers. Like others have mentioned though, the only hesitation would be that Parker is no longer in business.

As far as being "too thin", the body of the guitar was very thin, not the neck. Carbon fiber fretboard, stainless steel frets. And that "hockey-stick" headstock. Ken Parker was definitely thinking outside the box. When my sons were taking music lessons, the guy at the shop would let me mess around with one of the Fly's. (LOL they hung those WAY at the top where a casual customer could not get to them! I think retail was over $2,000.) The Fly models had a very unique trem system, you could bend up or down, and it used a specific-weight leaf spring that you could change out to a heavier one if you wanted heavier-gauge strings. The Fly was neck-through, the NiteFly was bolt-on.

I ended up spotting a like-new Swamp Ash NiteFly, used at Guitar Center, and bought it on the spot. Other than the issue of no markers on the fretboard, which I was getting used to, it was the fastest, easiest-playing guitar I've ever owned. I believe it came with DiMarzios, and also had the Piezo function.

Sadly... My younger son was learning keyboard, BUT, he said he really wanted to play bass. The things we do for our kids, right? I had a few other guitars, and I wanted to get him a really good bass right from the get-go. Seeing as how the Parker had the highest resale value, I took the trade-in beating at GC and got him a super-nice Yamaha bass. The GC employee himself snapped up the Parker immediately. And so, a few years later, there the bass still sat, gathering dust, unplayed due to lack of interest; eventually we sold that for a loss as well. And at this point I will never be able to afford another Parker again... oed:

Anyway, good luck, and if you end up getting one. please let us know how you like it!

 

[Pierre]

Re: I think I want a Fly

I have a late 90s Fly Deluxe (the Deluxe was actually the basic Fly model at the time. The NiteFly was cheaper but is a different guitar overall).

It's VERY lightweight (lighter than my headless guitars), it's very thin, the neck is incredible (the fingerboard is a highway, too bad my fingers have a tiny engine) and sounds really, really nice: loud acoustically, with great sustain and tight sound plugged-in.

I'd play the damn thing every day, were it not for that upper horn. It just digs into me on virtually every angle.
Still, the guitar is hugely enjoyable and inspirational to play.

 

[Securb]

Re: I think I want a Fly

You claim I was wrong, but then admit there were no Parkers made after 2016.
How is your view any different?

From what I understand they are starting production sometime this year. If you have other information please share.

 

[Sun King]

Re: I think I want a Fly

As far as the upper horn, yea I hear ya,,, seemed to be an issue for me mostly if I played sitting down. Standing wasn't bad at all though.

 

[stratguy23]

Re: I think I want a Fly

I brie-Fly had a PDF105 (http://www.parkerguitars.com/products/pdf/PDF105.html), an import model that came stock with a Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge position and 59 in the neck position.

So it sounded great.

The odd body shape did not bother me functionally, as it was engineered with a very nice curve that wraps the guitar around your body. It was worlds more ergonomic and comfortable than a typical Strat or generic belly cut. It was also the lightest electric guitar I've owned, less than 6 lbs. It felt more like a sword than a guitar when taking it out of the gig bag. Unlike the typically cited light guitar, the SG, it was perfectly balanced.

Aesthetically the body shape did not bother me, especially since the finish was so beautiful. At the end of the day, it wasn't "me", as I prefer classic designs aesthetically. The Fly, to me, really screams "jazz fusion" or "experimental music" or "Vernon Reid", all things which I love deeply but aren't me as a player.

Given how good the guitar sounded, and how well engineered it was for the picking side of things, I only moved the guitar on because I couldn't gel with the very thin neck. I have not played an original Ibanez Wizard neck, but it was what I would imagine a Wizard neck to be - basically, a ruler. My hand cramps up with thin necks, so the guitar was no go for me.

 

[Wattage]

Re: I think I want a Fly

Hmm I always thought they were unplayable, they never felt like a real guitar to me and I just couldn't get comfortable with them.

 

[Mincer]

Re: I think I want a Fly

The Fly Adrian Belew model might have been the most advanced electric guitar ever (with a $10k price tag, too). Ken Parker's archtops are also really unique and beautiful.

 

[Adieu]

Re: I think I want a Fly

The Fly Adrian Belew model might have been the most advanced electric guitar ever (with a $10k price tag, too). Ken Parker's archtops are also really unique and beautiful.

Huh? Unless I'm missing something, it's just an overpriced guitar with stock Fernandes Sustainer and Line6 Variax electronics?

Dem archies though, now THERE'S some sweet and sexy overengineered highly figured wood pron

 

[Mincer]

Re: I think I want a Fly

It has a piezo and hex output for a synth, too. There really hasn't ever been an instrument with all of that going at once.

 

[Demanic]

Re: I think I want a Fly

It has a piezo and hex output for a synth, too. There really hasn't ever been an instrument with all of that going at once.

Now, if it just had a set of Black Winters...

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: I just want a Fly

Re: I just want a Fly

Put your arms around me baby

Put your arms around me baby

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: I think I want a Fly

Fun to play...and wonderfully light and comfy...
I just did not like the sound one bit....

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: I think I want a Fly

It has a piezo and hex output for a synth, too. There really hasn't ever been an instrument with all of that going at once.

Wrongo. Brian Moore marketed guitars with piezo bridge and hex outputs for synth before I ever heard of Parkers. One of my clients has had one for a long time....

 

[Mincer]

Re: I think I want a Fly

Wrongo. Brian Moore marketed guitars with piezo bridge and hex outputs for synth before I ever heard of Parkers. One of my clients has had one for a long time....

What? I know. I was a Brian Moore artist. They designed a guitar for me.
But I was replying to the post above mine. There had never been a guitar with piezo, synth, Variax, & Sustainer pickups before that Parker (and since).

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: I think I want a Fly

Carvin had a hex pickup their CS series guitars at one point and Peizo was an option as well

I'm not sure if anyone ever ordered one decked out

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: I think I want a Fly

There had never been a guitar with piezo, synth, Variax, & Sustainer pickups before that Parker (and since).

Variax & Sustainer? SERIOUSLY?
I'm hip that Adrian loves his toys, but there has to be a limit at which no forward movement can be measured.

 

[Securb]

Re: I think I want a Fly

My Parker has a Piezo and a Hex for midi but no sustainor. Not that I need one.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: I think I want a Fly

What? I know. I was a Brian Moore artist. They designed a guitar for me.
But I was replying to the post above mine. There had never been a guitar with piezo, synth, Variax, & Sustainer pickups before that Parker (and since).

Mmmm... those were great guitars. Never ended up with one, but played a bunch at the shop I taught at. Some of the earliest insanely figured quilt tops in my experience. I still browse eBay for them now and then.

 

[dave74]

Re: I think I want a Fly

I had forgot all about the dragonfly shape until now. Those look awesome IMO.