NGD: Parker Fly

aleclee

aleclee

Major General GAS
I'd been GASsing for a Parker for a good while. I almost got one instead of my first PRS in 2001 but then forgot about 'em until the past year or so. Finally, I came across what seemed to be a nice one at a fair price so I pulled the trigger. It's a 2002 "pre-refined" model in red.

It came in yesterday and, despite having to work yesterday evening, I do have some first impressions.
  • Boy is that fretboard wide! I bought it as a "shred" guitar and it'll definitely fit in that role. Compared to the EBMMs I've played almost exclusively over the past few years, the composite fretboard feels like an aircraft carrier's flight deck.
  • The tone is thicker than I recall. The mahogany body might not hurt (I was looking at the poplar Deluxe model before) but I don't hear the thinness I recall that made me go with PRS back in the day. It's not quite as meaty as my other guitars but not in a deal-breaking sort of way.
  • The trem is really cool. Having the ability to switch between dive-only and floating with the flip of a lever is not only cool but even easier than with the Tremol-No I typically use on trem guitars.

I'll try to share pix in the next day or so. :)
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

Nice! I kinda regret that I sold a Parker Nitefly in mahogany. It was a great one!
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

I've never owned a Parker but I recall noodling on one for a bit at a local shop in the early 90's, before there were any foreign-made Parkers. The neck was very wide and flat.
I have heard artists using Parkers in live settings. The tone is always very satisfyingly chunky. Not at all what I would expect from a really thin guitar if it were conventionally constructed and used conventional materials.
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

Pix as promised

Fly2_zpsde6a593c.jpg


Fly3_zps4943b80a.jpg
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

I played one almost identical to that at GC one time. It was the fastest playing guitar I've ever played. Congrats!
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

This is my fourth guitar with stainless steel frets. It's awesome to get an 11 year old guitar with zero fret wear!
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

That neck joint looks sooo smooth!
Congrats man, that's a sweet looking thing.

I used to GAS like mad for a Parker Fly Mojo but those things were crazy expensive when released, absolutely out my range.
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

Looks sharp - congrats! Looks like is never been played. What's the black dial thingy do again?
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

Thanks! It has its share of battle scars around the edge but it's not been abused.

The black dial adjusts the tension of the trem spring. Waiting on a spring gauged for 10s so I can put my preferred string set on.
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

Always liked the non-traditional function and aesthetic of Parkers (Ken's building some amazing archtops these days). I nearly bought a used, red Nite Fly some years ago, probably should've - had all the things I was interested in: trem, HSS, SS frets. Neck was perhaps a tad too shreddy but I could've got on with it.

I was also gassing a bit for the Mojo when it came out.
 
Re: NGD: Parker Fly

Congrats! Always have thought they are cool guitars when I've ad a chance to play one at a shop. That is also a particularly nice looking one!
 
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