New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

[SirJackdeFuzz]

I am referring to the newer shape, and the second cheapest model, the PDF70's.
(previously named the Parker Dragonfly series)

https://reverb.com/item/137233-parker-maxx-fly-pdf70-tng-tangerine

Has anyone played one of these 70's yet ?

Owned one or even tested one ?

I really liked the older shape, but this model came up for sale (used) a few days ago, so i shifted my attention from the older shape to this one.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

I don't know why, but for some reason, I always thought Parkers were super fugly.......no idea why

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

I don't know why, but for some reason, I always thought Parkers were super fugly.......no idea why

I understand . . . not everyone will like this kinds thing :

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

The usefulness always counteracted the goofy shape for me with Parkers, but that new one looks pretty nice now as well.

off u see did MRSAge, I m on tapa talk and auto correct is hating on me

 

[JOLLY]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

I don't know why, but for some reason, I always thought Parkers were super fugly.......no idea why

Probably because about 90% of them are. The one in the original post isn't that bad looking, I guess.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

on a more positive note, those colors are fantastic

 

[DreX]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

One wonderful thing about the new, more traditional upper horn shape is that the sharp bend in the old Fly's upper horn pokes me right in the sternum when I play the guitar sitting down.

I'm not a fan of the new wider head stock though. Supposedly they did that so that it would hang on a typical guitar hanger. Not worth the trade off.

 

[elelpe]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

I dislike newer body and headstock shape. Pickup rings on Parker (older and newer) also make it look ugly. The only refinement that I like is the radial neck joint. If it were me, I'd find used older Parker.

 

[Securb]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

Washburn has always made a good guitar so I guess they are ok. I do hate what they did with the reissue of the Midifly. Making it 13 pin kills the best design points of the guitar. Like others have said they killed the look of the headstock.

 

[Mincer]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

The original 5 pin midiaxe versions had their problems too...it would be cool if they went for the internal triple play system- but there are trade offs with that too.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

on a more positive note, those colors are fantastic

I really like this Tangerine colour;

But then again, i always like the Caramel colour on a str@t too;

I always said, if i have to get a str@t, it will be one of these colours; Caramel, Surf Green, or Vintage White, ala Malmsteen sig.



.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

One wonderful thing about the new, more traditional upper horn shape is that the sharp bend in the old Fly's upper horn pokes me right in the sternum when I play the guitar sitting down.

I'm not a fan of the new wider head stock though. Supposedly they did that so that it would hang on a typical guitar hanger. Not worth the trade off.

Same here !

I really prefer the older, meaner looking skinny hook headstock !

 

[DreX]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

I would have been happier with a little downward nub that would allow it to catch a guitar hanger. What they went with has aesthetic afterthought written all over it, and betrays the "less is more" body style theme.

It's too bad Ken Parker sold the company. We can only imagine what direction he might have taken his electrics if he didn't trade his passion for a presumably large amount of money.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

I would have been happier with a little downward nub that would allow it to catch a guitar hanger. What they went with has aesthetic afterthought written all over it, and betrays the "less is more" body style theme.

It's too bad Ken Parker sold the company. We can only imagine what direction he might have taken his electrics if he didn't trade his passion for a presumably large amount of money.

SAD isn't it ?

Wait a minute, sounds like the Leo Fender story !

All for a quick buck

 

[Securb]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

The original 5 pin midiaxe versions had their problems too...it would be cool if they went for the internal triple play system- but there are trade offs with that too.

What problems? I have had mine for 10 years and never had to do anything but wipe it down and change the strings. The tracking is fine and 2nd Gen DiMarzios sound awesome.

 

[dominus]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

One wonderful thing about the new, more traditional upper horn shape is that the sharp bend in the old Fly's upper horn pokes me right in the sternum when I play the guitar sitting down.

Exactly the same issue I had with a Parker. (Also had that issue with a BC Rich Beast, so I would round off the top horn with a spindle sander.) The Schecter Avenger was awesome in that regard, the upper horn was "metal" looking but it was shaped to hug your torso.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

I would have been happier with a little downward nub that would allow it to catch a guitar hanger. What they went with has aesthetic afterthought written all over it, and betrays the "less is more" body style theme.

It's too bad Ken Parker sold the company. We can only imagine what direction he might have taken his electrics if he didn't trade his passion for a presumably large amount of money.

Ken wasn't happy with the direction the company was taking so he sold it. You can check out what direction he is taking by googling ken parker archtops.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

Only guy I ever saw with one was Adam D. from Killswitch Engage but i'm sure others use them.

 

[DreX]

Re: New Parker guitars - what do you think of 'em ?

Ken wasn't happy with the direction the company was taking so he sold it. You can check out what direction he is taking by googling ken parker archtops.

Those are arch tops while Parker guitars is known for electrics, so it's not really representative of his electric guitar vision. I went looking for an explanation as to why he sold, and I found this

http://www.forbes.com/sites/karstenstrauss/2013/05/15/a-lone-artisan-and-the-30000-guitar/

After moving about 30,000 guitars and basses through its Wilmington, Massachusetts factory, Parker sold his stake in the 75-employee company to U.S. Music Corp. in 2003 for an undisclosed sum. “It was the wrong size,” says Parker. “It would’ve worked if it had been real small and it would have worked if it had been maybe twice that size. But at that size so many duties fell to me, in terms of personnel management, touring, process control, training—I didn’t have time to do any creative work.”

Honestly, I don't believe him, or I should say, he probably took his #2 complaint about the company and cast it as #1, but the solution to his stated problem was not necessarily to sell the company. In fact it would be a horrible solution. He could have turned managerial duties over to a competent hire, the same was US Music Corp did when they bought the company. He could have been like Leo Fender at G&L and just hid away in his office working on guitar designs while other people managed the minutia. It's not as though everyone who owns a company also manages that company. So what was the real #1 problem likely to be? IMO, the lack of a large sum in his bank account. Selling off solves that problem especially well.