I just want to say as well that Phil is such an awesome dude. When I was in 8th grade, my parents had my only guitar in and out of the pawn shop, and I would go to his store after school to play. I would be in there for hours with no intentions of buying anything, and I’m sure he knew that. But he would just let me play whatever I wanted for as long as I wanted, and tell me everything about whatever guitar or amp I was playing. My parents ended up selling my guitar to the shop and Phil helped me put a new one in on layaway and I worked for my grandpa to pay it off. That was 8th grade. Im 31 now and can honestly say if it wasn’t for Phil and his passion and patience I would not have continued playing guitar as his shop was my only outlet. Happy to see him doing well with his channel
Great testament! I can totally see Phil operating exactly like that. Our local music stores were all the opposite, more like "LOOK BUT DONT TOUCH AND GET OUTTA MY YARD KID...".😂. Which is also why, the second we turned 16 and could drive, we ditched all of those stores and drove to places 2-3 hrs away to play and buy our gear. This was 20 yrs before any Internet... We figured out where the cool stores were strictly by word of mouth. You met a guy who knew a guy whose dad worked with a guy in a band and he bought his guitar at "X" 150 miles away. Saturday morning we were there checking it out😅. Barely enough money for gas,we were tire-kickers most of the time. Until we weren’t.
You can just tell he's a good guy, but your story just confirms it. I used to just be a player that never wanted to tinker or learn how to fix things, but he has led me by example and gotten me interested through his passion and knowledge. Very well done Philip.
Guess I'm weird, because I loved how those played, sounded, and looked back in the day. I just couldn't justify the cost for the model I wanted. I always like when you do these retrospect episodes.
@@BitMatt1 i have two headless strandbergs and two headless kiesels, i'd rather change strings on a floyd rose guitar with a headstock than a fixed bridge headless guitar, but maybe that's just me
If it's a Parker Nitefly video, I feel compelled to chime in. Great vid Phillip! These, IMO, are the best Parkers to start with. Even I don't always love the Fly. In fact, I rarely play mine. But the Nitefly is an easy guitar to mod to your liking. Also, it just feels like a futuristic strat, so I think even traditional guys can get into it.
Hey Andre, was watching the video and thought you would be the ideal person to comment here! I disagree with Phil, what killed Parker guitars, here in Europe, was the price and the rarety of it. I only saw one or two, during the ninetees. I love the design and all the futuristic specs it had, but couldn't afford one , by that time.
Literally, one of the best guitars I've ever played. It's shocking how great they feel! It's like the Music Man John Petrucci, ugly but feels incredibly great!
Quite literally the most underrated guitars to ever exist. If you got to play one, you know. Hopefully one day they come back in some iteration because I certainly would buy one.
I still love my Parker Deluxe Pre-refined! Parker's were way ahead of their time and totally underrated. The frets coming off happend to the later refined models when Ken was no longer involved
I also have a pre-refined Fly Deluxe, it's the one guitar I would never sell. It's my dream guitar and regardless of what most people think of the body shape, I think they're beautiful.
@@visionsofbeyond9095 I totally agree. I just got mine last year and love it. Don’t sell it! They are going for a lot now but they will only be more expensive and harder to get moving forward. I agree I don’t care what anyone says they are beautiful works of art!
I was fortunate to have worked with Ken back in the early 2000's doing some carbon development with him during my time with Composite Acoustics. Spent a week or two up at his Boston factory and home shop. I still have a few of the Fly's and some clicker press carbon headstock caps we played with. I love the Archtops he is doing now.
@@MrCyrusorleans Hi Bernie, After Hurricane Katrina,it took a good 18 months to get production running again. With all the Venture Capitalist invested in the company they probably decided to cut their losses. I worked directly with Ellis, the founder and President of CA Guitars, in Engineering and Product Development. Ellis licensed the technology to Peavey after that. They were still doing the Cargo Guitar up until Peavey pulled out of Mississippi. Not sure what they are doing with it overseas Now. We were way ahead of our time with the CA.
Archtops? I am considering buying one; I played an old ES335 I like, and PRS has a new one the sounds really good. How do I find out more about Ken's archtops? Thanks a lot -Jeff, retired Mechanical Engineer.
As a kid in the 90s I remember thinking the Parker Fly was the absolute coolest looking guitar that I never could afford. Even the "affordable" version. Cool to see it on here.
I've had a Fly Deluxe since 2014, and frankly, its the best guitar ever built - the easiest to play, keeps tuning excellent, and I haven't had to have it setup until 2 weeks ago (since I bought it!!) Truly awesome piece of gear man!!!
@@DD1072goos for you buddy. someone offered me a nitefly few months after my wedding. Too bad I have limited funds. But im still searching for a nitefly.
I've been playing guitar for 60 years and I can happily say the Parker Fly is the greatest guitar I ever played. I own many guitars, Fenders, Fender Custom Shop, Gibson, Gibson Custom Shop, Ernie Ball, Suhr, Ibanez, Jacksons, Steinberg, Martins, Ovation, ESP, Taylors, etc. and the the Parker is still my favorite it still an incredible design. It weighs about 5 pounds and has a beautiful neck. The guitar is not affected by humidity and is incredibly strong. The DiMarzio and the Piezo pickups sound great in stereo. Plus it has an amazing tremolo system.
I thought they went out of business because the guitars were astronomically expensive. I certainly never thought of them as ugly. Incredibly original and super cool.
Yep,me too. I wanted one but couldn’t justify paying the price for the nitefly and not getting the specs I wanted for the price I was paying. I ended up getting an E.S.P. L.T.D. with everything I wanted for a decent price
I loved them since Reeves Gabrels first played one with Bowie (Tin Machine?). I love the look...just can't afford one. Almost bought a kit to build, just to have this style of guitar in my collection...but without the carbon fiber, it wouldn't be anything close to an original.
I remember those ads with Reeves Gabrels in all the guitar magazine and thinking that he looked like someone from the future. At the time I was around 17, and by the time I could actually afford one many years later, they were already hard to find.
Reeves played Steinbergers in Tin Machine. He started playing Parkers on "Outside" I think. By "Earthling" he was playing a NiteFly that he painted himself.
I used to work at the Parker factory in MA from 97-99. I applied the carbon fiber onto the back of the guitars and the fretboards to the necks. When needed I also sanded in the sanding room, and shaped in the shaping area when the guitars came off the CNC. Without question, the Parker Fly is still the lightest & most versatile electric guitar Ive seen. The Nite Fly was a stripped down version introduced to offer a guitar at an affordable price to save the company from lagging sales & impending bankruptcy. Since the Flys were over $3000 at the time, it made a lot of sense....but I watched as more & more of my co-workers were let go. The end was sad but for a time, it was a great place to work. Nearly everyone that worked there was either a wood worker or a guitar player & all of them were awesome. I miss that place.
I found out about them last year and have bought 2. Amazing fast neck, super light, stay in tune, great pick ups, and actually like that it doesn't look classic.
I found a parker dealer in my town 15 years ago and FELL IN LOVE with the Fly. These guitars are incredible. Especially the pre 03 models when they were still USA made in the original factory. These were 30 years ahead of their time. Nowadays these would be a youtube or twitch streamers wet dream for catching people's eyes.
Nothing ugly about Parkers. Amazing ergonomic design, incredibly lightweight, and killer action. Absolute tone machines if you're looking for something very hi-fi. I owned two, an original hardtail, and a Supreme, both made by Ken's small company when they first came out. My hardtail was 4 pounds. The Supreme a little heavier, and the vibrato bridge was light years ahead of everything out there, probably still is.
I always loved the Parker guitars. I played a few in stores in the 90s and thought they played and sounded beautiful, and then someone let me use theirs when I was sitting in with a band one night away from home and was blown away by how comfortable it was to play. The look never bothered me.
I remember being in a local guitar shop when these came out and the owner was very excited that he got the shipment in. He was convinced that everyone was going to be playing these from students to professional musicians due to how lightweight they were. His thinking was people could play these for hours without the weight of heavier guitars. I thought it was a decent design and I also liked how light it was.
Always loved the Parker Fly guitars but could not afford one at the time. Played quite a few and they were very versatile, light and amazing to play. Ken Parker was a pioneer and ahead of his time with the Fly.
I loved my Parker. It's lighter than any other guitar but sustains like crazy. I used the acoustic separate from the electric, or both together. The acoustic going direct to the board sounded fantastic and I got a ton of compliments on the sound, and several guitar players I know went and bought one after they heard mine. They had stainless steel frets because Ken Parker realized fret jobs are expensive and strings are cheap. They were shaped that way so the balance would be perfect with any strap and never head dive. Great guitars.
Fantastic video, Phil! I have a Parker Fly Mojo I bought brand new back in the early 2000s, and it's still my #1 guitar. It still looks flawless, and plays like a dream! Loved this video and really looking forward to part two!
1997 I went to Chuck Levins Music (Wheaton Md), with the goal of buying 2 new tour worthy guitars. I already had an 1988 Les Paul & PRS Custom 24, and was looking for some variety. The three guitars that I narrowed it down to where: Parker Fly, American made Peavey Wolfgang and Japanese made ESP Horizon. All three guitars played and sounded great. The Parker was the most expensive of the bunch. All of the salespeople said that the Parker was a great guitar, but there was no established history of customer support or durability. I left with the Wolfgang and Horizon (still have all of them today.), but always thought that I’d pick up a Parker later. Really cool ideas and specs, I just wished that they would have established a market and following because it had such a unique look. As always, love your content Phil!
Honestly, I think a fly "trying to be a strat" (pickguard, burst etc) models look real goofy, but the solid coloured ones are really cool in their wacky way. What would really sell it for me was a matching coloured headstock though
My first electric was a Parker Nitefly.i never could get a good sound out of the electric pickups, but that could have just been 90s multi-effects pedals, but the piezo was great. Yours pretty clearly sounds better. Also ran into an apparently common issue where the truss rod would get stuck and not adjust the neck properly. Apparently there's a workaround now. Kind of miss it though, lots of memories.
Tim Pierce has a story where he was supposed to be playing acoustic guitar for some vocalist at a live performance- and he gets there and there's no guitar to play. I can't remember if he was responsible for bringing it or if he had given it to someone for some TLC and they failed to bring it but- he had no acoustic to play, and it's show time. But someone there had a Parker Fly in the back, and they brought it out and that's what he used. It's an insane story- much better when he tells it.
He borrowed the guitar. After rehearsal he left it plugged in not knowing that would drain the batt. When performance time came the batt was dead and Tim didnt know what happened. The shows drummer had the parker guitar in the dressing room.
Got my hands on a high end model Parker in the mid 90s. Although it was not for me, it was a damn work of art. So far ahead of its time, especially when pawnshop Cobain guitars were all the rage.
Thrilled to see parker guitars torn apart on this channel! One correction if I'm not mistaken: that button isn't an on/off switch- it's a mono/stereo output toggle (to blend the piezo and magnetic outputs into a single mono cable or to split them using a Y cable)
That's how my Fly † does it. There are two jacks at the bottom, with a button next to them (not on the face of the guitar). The button switches the jacks between _One off / one stereo_ and _Both on / both mono_ I made a 25-foot insert cable (the longest I could find at the time was 10 or 12 feet) to run the guitar to both my amp and a D.I. for the PA. Haven't played it in a long time, but it's a great guitar. † ("standard" Fly--not a NiteFly)
The only reason I ever wanted one of these was because of Derron Miller of CKY. I used to watch all of the CKY music videos back in the day on repeat and he was always playing a version of the Parker Fly. I loved the weird shapes of the upper horn and headstock. I knew nothing else of them other then they looked kick ass to my 13 through 15 year old self.
Parkers are an aquired taste, and boy have I acquired the taste. Play in a jazz/r&b band and have to cover a lot of different sounds, and the Parkers are great. Have a '98 Fly Deluxe, a Fly Mojo, a Nitefly, a DF724 (more recent superstrat style) and a PDF70 (Tangerine with Floyd Rose). Especially like the weight, helps to get through the 3-4 hour dance gigs we often get.
Back in the late 90s I was enthralled by how futuristic the original Flys seemed to be. Never was able to afford one until the late 00s and I got myself a Fly Mojo (think that was Parker under new owners). I'd only change one thing, to angle off the top horn as it pokes me if I play it sitting down.
Great video. I remember being taken aback by how good these sounded. I never played one though and would be interested to hear about the neck profile. I also loved hearing you play the theme song!
I had a Parker Nitefly back in the early 2000's, and man I loved that thing. That was the smoothest playing guitar I have ever owned even up to this point, never had a guitar with such a smooth playing neck since either. Buuuuut, there is a big butt coming. After I had it about a year, somehow the neck got warped, don't know how. I always transported it in a hard case and hung it up when not in use. But the neck got so far out, I took it to multiple different luthiers, and nobody could ever get it to play right again (the intonation). Such a shame too, I loved that thing when it was right.
When I first tried the Parker Fly Deluxe in 1995, I thought I had never played a better instrument in my life, the feeling was just amazing and it fit me like a glove, but only if I didn't have to look at it. It ended up that I still have her to this day and that black, ugly beauty will never leave her home. And yes, big thumbs up to Phillip for the great video, keep it up!
Yeah, I have my Fly Deluxe, (2003?) pure white, light as a feather, and I still play it every day. I love the feel, the tone, and the action. I played with a band for a couple of years with, after a nasty back injury; if I'd been slinging a Les Paul, I'd have been crippled. The super light-weight Fly was no problem. Cheers
I was obsessed with the Parker Fly when it first came out. A white one just like yours showed up at my local music store when I was in college in 92, and I would stop in and play it as often as I could. Never managed to get my hands on one for myself.
I've always wanted a Parker Fly. I thought the body shape was interesting, and saw players from all genres using them. It didn't have a stereotype or category for the genre of music played. The biggest hurdle for me back then was the price. Hope to see you do a video on the original Parker Fly.
I have the Parker Fly Mojo. Except for the upper horn that sometimes digs into my ribs and the fact that they went out of business, one of my favorite guitars. Thanks for posting
Gave these units a fair shake, back in the day...and I was very impressed by the tonal options, playability and comfort! I was NOT put off by the aesthetics. The deal killer for me was the price combined with doubts as to whether the weight-saving technologies employed would lead to longtime durability issues.
False equivalency logical fallacy: Weight, stiffness, strength, density, flexibility, malleability, pressure resistance... are all different physical properties, where one doesn't make, nor rule out the other. Although many dense materials are heavy, it doesn't mean they are strong, or stiff... and you can have a light weight but highly dense material too, and one that is either flexible, or stiff... Take a Carbon fiber rod at the very same dimensions of a steel rod: The carbon fiber rod is stiffer, where as the steel rod is more flexible, and so the steel rod will bend and return to shape, but if bent too far, stay bent for also being malleable where the carbon fiber is less flexible, not mailable at all, and always returns to the same shape after bending . On the other hand the carbon fiber after bending a certain amount will snap and break. In either case though, if in a guitar neck, and you bend one with either that far that the steel will misshape, or the CF break, the wood is busted beyond repair anyhow, or you rip out the bolts holding it to the body... The carbon fiber is stronger by roughly 10%, but almost 100x lighter in weight than the steel, is a little less dense, and doesn't rust either, and because it isn't as flexible as steel, it makes for better tuning stability and sustain. Also: When used for neck reinforcements to get better stability from warping and in tuning, steel can add up to neck dive where with CF it's much less likely. A lighter guitar is a big plus if you play 45 minute sets or longer, as it doesn't do a number on your shoulders, neck or back, and Parker's were very light. Parkers are great guitars, and if you dress like an alien 👽while playing one, the shape isn't all that odd!😜 Look up the guitars Steve Cline used to make in the 80's (and may still make). He was all about ergonomics and not wanting to be in everyone else's box.
@@howardthrust I didn't write that to show off my intellect, but to tell you you were looking at it the wrong way. I did although study engineering, and have been building guitars for 4+ decades. Longevity/decay rates is of course a factor with any material but again, weight is not the determining factor. When someone corrects you on things that are not mere matters of opinion, they are not attacks, but attempts to share knowledge. If you see them as attacks, rather than learning opportunities, you are not doing yourself any favors. Sure, had I called you stupid or similar as some people may do, it would have been an attack, but even then the information may still be valid, and they are just dicks in conveying it. Logical fallacies are also not attacks by nature, but a big part of the study of philosophy, more specifically "the rules of logic" as used in epistemology (How we derive knowledge). They are just short descriptive terms so one can spot them in ones self (Self improvement) and in others when in debate or argumentation..., and convey them by name, instead of having to write whole paragraphs or essays.
Yeah, this was really great- I always wondered what happened to Parker Fly guitars, and never saw any in the wild. The look of it honestly doesn’t bother me at all, and for me it would come down to practicality… like, is the thing playable, does it sound and feel good, you know does it sing? Sounds like the answer is yes! I’ll keep an eye out for the follow up, thanks again man!
I wanted a Parker Fly so badly when I was young and I looked up the prices a few weeks ago and whew, gonna still have to wait on that. :) Nice overview of this brand and review of the Nitefly, Phil!
Great video Phillip! Fellow Parker owner here (two Flys, one NiteFly, and a few P-series) One addition: many of the "fret popping off" issues were caused by user error! Many times, the player used a solvent-based fretboard cleaner on the fretboard, not knowing/realizing that it would dissolve the epoxy holding the frets on.
There are two guitars I own that when I strap on, they feel like modern instruments, not instruments based on ideas from the 1950s, or the 1960's: Petrucci Majesty & Parker Fly Deluxe
I like weird shaped guitars, and always thought that they were cool. I'm not sure why I never tried one out. Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad fame switched to Parker guitars because he needed a light guitar due to a neck injury from a car accident. He loves them. I heard an interview once where he said that the Parker guitar makes him play better.
The greatest regret of my guitar life is selling my NiteFly 2. It is only with hindsight that I realise what I perceived as 'blandness' was actually overbearing versatility.
The first time I saw one, in the '80s, I fell in love with the look. I've never had the opportunity to try one, but watching Ken Parker's videos, I've come to have a deeper appreciation for the visionary genius of their (and all Parker guitars!) design.
I have a P44, which was a less expensive version of the fly with two split-coil humbuckers and a flame maple top. I love the guitar. I love the looks. I love the sound. I love the feel. I love the versatility. No regrets.
I bought a Parker Fly Deluxe as soon as it arrived at the music store I worked at in 1999 and still have it in it's original gig bag with tremolo, wall hanger and manual. It has about 2 hours play time on it as I don't want to run the risk of nicking it up or scratching it (OCD). Understandably, it is pristine. Not a blemish or fingerprint. Just as it came from the factory. It is incredible. The light weight and the panorama of sounds and tones are from another galaxy. The playability is off the charts. And the technology and components in the saddles that allow for an "acoustic guitar with pickup" sound is ridiculous. Just flick a switch and prepare to raise an eyebrow. This guitar is as if it came from some portal to the future. I will not part with it.
So informative! Never knew you could change the trem to floating. I've owned a Nitefly for over 20 years - bought used. Was my main axe in an all 80's band. So much so, I bought a second one (now sold to my best buddy). Great guitars. Here's where the story turns ugly. About 5-6 years ago, it forgot it in a car on a warm day. Within a few weeks, the 5th fret fell off. The first time was in the middle of a show, and I promise you've never experienced anything like it - took me many bars to even figure out what had happened. A local shop was able to procure the epoxy and put it back on, but it became a recurring problem. Others started to fail as well. After a few years of fighting it, it became almost impossible to work on. I feared it was done - I've never "thrown away" a guitar before! Another local shop knew a place in Chicago that worked on them (I'm a couple hours south in Champaign), so he drove it up there. Pretty sure its Third Coast. Three months and $750 later, it came back "factory restored", but within a couple months the first fret came up a little and it was unplayable. Sent it back and they fixed it for free. The jury is out as to the new frets longevity, but In the meantime, I've just pulled it out of the guitar vault and will start using it on some gigs. Moral is don't ever leave these (or any guitar) in a car for a day. Video note - I would A/B box it into a DI for a true acoustic guitar sound. My Nashville Tele has a piezo bridge, but the Parker sounds much better. Again - always loved this guitar. Rock on my friends.
Really looking foward to the other Parker Fly video. One because for my 21st birthday my parents gave me a Parker Fly as my present because I had always love the look of it. Two because unlike many people the Parker Fly guitar was my first expensive guiatr rather then a Gibson LP or a Fender Strat. Third becasue I was trying to look for information regarding the Parker Fly guitar on youtube and that is how I found your channel and since then I never stop wacthing. Thank yiu Phill.
I’ve been playing Parker guitars for years. All those things that people hate about it are exactly the things I love about it! They are simply awesome guitars that weigh virtually nothing. If you know, you know…
I own 1, right now its in a storage unit. Loves, extremely light, sounds good and the piezo pickup. Great balance when playing standing up. Hates, really expensive, the top part poking into your ribs when sitting down to practice. The electronics if you have problems, not easy to find someone with the knowhow to repair. There was a time frame when they had qc issues where the frets would pop out. The later years they made some imports which did not sell well. Was interested in the dragonfly guitars but they were not easily available and had to import them myself. Don't live in the USA unfortunately.
The ugliness cannot be understated. Guitarists better than I will ever have decreed the Parker to be one of the best instruments theyve ever touched, however.
I got my first Parker Fly in 2003. It was this gorgeous midnight purple/black. I loved how fast the neck was, how well it stayed in tune, and the fishman pickup sounded great! It was cumbersome to play sitting down though, as that weird horn would dig into my sternum, and left a bruise after a while. I met Ken Parker at NAMM, told him I loved the guitar and I asked him if they had ever thought about a different design, as the Fly was difficult to play sitting down. He looked at me with contempt and said: "If you don't like it, sell it." I was taken aback. I then glared back and replied "OK. I will." I sold it a few weeks later and soon after Ken sold his company. It was a decent guitar, but if you ask me, that's no way to run a railroad. Cheers!
I had a parker p38, cool guitar, more of a mid-market model. Mine sounded very much like this video, Phil instantly brought back memories when he started playing, they had kind of a delicate strat sound. Ultimately it didn't make the cut when I needed to sell some gear for a move through no fault of it's own. I would definitely buy a p38 again, they have normal wood necks with no wrap on the back so no threat of delamination, and fit and finish was impeccable.
I own a Parker Southern Nitefly, Tele style with a piezo bridge. very unique guitar. extremely comfortable to play. not for everybody, but I use it on certain gigs and it works beautifully....
I worked at the Wilmington MA factory in '98. Temp job for the summer during college. My job was to scrape the glue off the sides of the frets after they were glued on.
I love Parkers. I was always impressed by how good they sounded and played. I like the headstock and the contours on the Fly Deluxe. My local music store has a gold one in their showroom, and I would play it a couple of days a week after school. I saved all summer for it. I think they had $1200 on the tag. The day I had the cash, I went down, and someone had bought it the day before 😭 I can't believe what these go for now! Having had a couple of back surgeries could really use a lighter guitar in my old age.
weight is the reason I walk out of the house with my Southern Nitefly when its a 3-4 set gig. piezo acoustic and straight electric sounds make for a fun gig...
I always thought that the upper horn matching the headstock shape was the coolest feature of Parker guitars... then I found out about some other features that make them so cool
I own a Parker Fly guitar, and it is absolutely amazing to play. It is very stable. I haven't had any problems with the frets. Very easy to bend the strings.
I was watching Ray Stevens on his show "Cab-O-Ray" last weekend and there were our old friends the Bellamy Brothers playing their Parker Flys! It brought on a lot of nostalgic feelings. Thanks for the great video!
This is my first visit to your channel and you did not disappoint. I have a music man JP majesty and I can see how this guitar paved the way for mine. Thanks!
I have a 98 Fly Deluxe. I love it to this day and it is just as fantastic as the day I bought it. Never done any adjustments, many thousands of hours, and still perfect. Better than anything else I have except the pickups are best for jazz style. The only thing that worries me is the trem spring.
I remember seeing the original Fly being demonstrated in a segment of Beyond 2000 back in 1994. What confused me is that I had just been introduced to the Explorer body shape earlier that same year and didn't realize that shape dated from 1958, while this one was brand-new. I was pretty blown away to think about the idea that you could switch from the magnetic pickup tone to the acoustic Piezo output. I would have thought Parker would last forever, considering that Grand Funk Railroad frontman Mark Farner wielded one when they reunited in 1998. It was largely because of him that I was momentarily tempted to get one, but I did not go through with it. Neither did I know that Parker went out of business until I watched this video. Now, though, the Piezo pickup is pretty common.
Hoping to purchase an early 90s Fly pretty soon. Absolutely wonderful design, every little fine point was thought through, and the exposed tension wheel on the early models is something I would definitely point to as being a 'futuristic' design element as you say in your video. For anyone interested, Ken Parker has now moved onto archtop guitars and they are every bit as unbelievable as these ones.
When someone comes along that knows what to do with the unique sound of that guitar, it is then the maker will wish he had not folded. That guitar is simply waiting it's turn. Now that I have actually heard it, I would definately bag one, thanks for the intro Phil. 👍
For those of us that loved them, the look was awesome. My reason for rarely playing mine, I got it as my first expensive guitar around 14 years old… I never really could achieve the sound I was wanting out of it. I adore everything about it’s ease of use & feel… but the three single coil setup didn’t carry the weight of a Strat for me, it was like a chime sounding strat. I also get some ringy overtones on mine when palm mutes, which is fixable with a gate. I’ve always had too much love to let go of it, but enough frustration to not play it. It’s sitting in my bedroom as something to look at, I actually love the look.
Thanks for this great video Phillip! I always wanted an origial Parky Fly when I first saw Reeves Gabrels (Bowie) in the early 90s. I finally got a Parker, the PDF105 radial neck in 2016 from Sweetwater. It was a demo, so I saved a few more bucks. While it's not an origial, going for crazy money, it still has that Parker feel and super light weight. In a world of big makers suing other companies for copying their model, Parker does something completely unique and fail becasue of it. It's too bad Parker has left the instument world. It really is an overlooked unique guitar.
Great video. I got a nitefly 4 for my 21st birthday in 1999 and it was my primary guitar for years. I saw a review of it in Guitarist magazine at the time and they raved about it. I loved the look of the shape so that’s why I got it. I also like the fact it seemed a bit ahead of its time and experimental which suited my vibe at the time. Later I went into Les Paul land and owned a bunch of customs but nothing came close to this guitar. In the last 2 years I’ve gone back to using it as my primary instrument. It never goes out of tune! Bridge etc is incredible. A couple of the frets did come off but it’s an easy fix with glue and a steady hand. Love it to bits! I saw David Bowie’s band using them - it’s on RUclips. Search “Hallo Spaceboy” it was on Jools Holland’s show. Guy on there uses it nicely! Thanks again for the video - I didn’t know half of these facts about it so great to find out this stuff.
I like the electronics and pick-up configuration a lot, and the stainless steel frets are a fantastic feature, too. I am not a fan of the headstock, with those exposed strings. But glued frets? Hard pass.
I own a Parrker Fly with the composite body and neck and it's one of the most incredible guitars to play. I own about 70 guitars and the Parker Fly is an amazing instrument. Plus it never warps and it's lighter than my Gibson and Suhrs. It's amazing that they vacumn formed the bodies using a commercial pizza oven. It has stainless frets and the tremelo doesn't have any traditional springs like a Fender. It uses a unique one piece spring made from spring steel. It also has a Fishman piezo bridge along with DiMarzio pickups and it plays in mono or stereo with a Y cable.
I've had a Fly deluxe since 1996 and it very quickly became and remains my go to. I play others at home but the Fly always goes to the rehearsal studio. So easy to play. Stays in tune. Really versatile in terms of sound. Lightweight. Better upper register access than anything else.
I've had my Dusty Purple Fly Deluxe for around 25 years. the only thing I have ever done to it was have the nut slots widened to accept 10-46 strings. Once I adjusted the bridge compensation, swapped the vibrato spring (it uses one leaf spring, and came with two - one marked 9 and one marked 10) and set the tension, I have never had to change anything in the setup. Never. It was prefect when I got it and has remained so to this day. New strings and batteries as needed, and the occasional cleaning is all I have ever had to do to it. Never had to touch the truss rod or adjusted the pickup heights.
Thanx for your video. I've been playing a white Nitefly since 2008 and to me, this is still the guitar of my life. Excellent. The look is still unique.
So years ago, I worked for the ad agency that did Parker’s advertising (they where distributed by Korg which was the client at the time). I remember distinctly how great these guitars played but how uncomfortable that horn was sitting down and playing. Regardless I lusted after one but never did get one. I did get an opportunity to play one when I sat in as a model for a photoshoot for the Korg Pandora effects box. (I was out of focus playing the Parker in the background.) thanks for bringing back the memories!
That’s a freaking cool guitar! I bought the white one back in 1994 I think and I still have it. I had a gig with my band this past weekend and I used my Parker guitar. I love the acoustic sound! Thanks for posting this!
The Adrian Belew signature model is the one I drooled over. It had every bell and whistle you could imagine in bleeding edge guitar tech advancement for the 90’s! Belew was doing things with his technique no one else could come close to so it was the perfect marriage of instrument and player.
I watched an interview with Adrian and he said something along the lines of that he loved his old Strat that you see on old King Crimson videos, but it was always going out of tune, whereas the Parker never did. It's form or function!
An acquaintance of mine was solely responsible for installing the electronics in the Adrian Belew signature model. There was quite a bit of modding and fabrication that needed to be done to get everything to work and fit. He was a machinist by trade and a pretty decent musician too and they got along so it was a good, productive relationship. Lots of good stories about Adrian and the folks who could afford his guitars.
Thanks for your videos Phillip! I always wanted a Parker but yes they were too expensive to me. But I did buy PRS CE and it was about $1,500.00 which is about my limit. I know Mark Farner from Grand Funk really loved it and did well with the weight as he had back problems. Keep up the good work!
Dave in Casa Grande, AZ here, you serviced my Parker Fly a decade ago, you did a an incredible job. Fantastic instrument even with the weird cable! I still own it, it is wasted on me as I am not the musician I hoped to be, based on my experience 5 or 6 decades ago. Looking forward to your review of the Parker Fly. Mine is from 1999. I always enjoyed my visits to your shop in Chandler. All the best to you and your beautiful ginger bride.
I bought my first Parker from Ian Thornley. I loved the tech. My young daughters also loved the light weight so I got them each their own. Love mine still
i had a dragonfly for a bit. it was an amazing instrument. the only thing that makes these guitars better, is replacing the bridge saddles for graphtech ones. improves the sound massively.
It certainly speaks with authority! I remember trying out one of the original Fly guitars in a shop in Sydney. I didn't care how it looked as it played so well....
Love this and all your videos! I have a friend who was a guitar tech at the Parker Factory in Wilmington MA. He got me a good deal on a 1999 Parker Fly Deluxe with Gen 2 Dimarzio Humbuckers and the Fishman Piezo pickups. Still plays and looks great. At 4.5 lbs it's just easy sometimes to pick up and play.
I have a Washburn USA V with the Parker carbon board and ss frets from 2007. Played every day and no problems at all with the neck and the frets are just like day one.
I have one of the very first pre-refined hardtails, and it is simply amazing. It took a while to get used to the thin neck, but man, once I did, I couldn't put it down. Pros: Tuning stability is impossibly good. Also, haven't had to touch the truss rod in 20 years. Action can be set so low as to also seem impossible. (I play mostly blues, but this in my "rock" axe. By far the fastest guitar neck I will ever play. The low action also forced me to work on playing lighter, and the added benefit was more control of dynamics, when playing all my other guitars. Even unplugged, it's more resonant than my 335 and Yamaha sa-2100. The stainless frets are so durable, there is virtually NO wear on then after decades of playing. Weight only 4.25 lbs. Almost half the weight of any other guitar I own. Can play for hours and no neck/back strain. Looks. k, some people hate this guitar's body design, but I think it is one of the most beautiful and unique designs ever. Cons: -changing battery is a pain, especially since modern 9 volt batteries are a little bigger and more square than 20 years ago. Who knew? -cable has to be unplugged when not playing, or battery will be dead within a day or two. -pickups can sound a little plinkey/pingey at low gain. Part (but not all) of this is due to the Stainless frets. But, add just a little pre-breakup gain, and it sings. -Frets are glued on, and have had a few start to separate from the fingerboard. Very easy and quick to fix if you know what you are doing, and use the right glue. A nightmare if you screw it up.
I just want to say as well that Phil is such an awesome dude. When I was in 8th grade, my parents had my only guitar in and out of the pawn shop, and I would go to his store after school to play. I would be in there for hours with no intentions of buying anything, and I’m sure he knew that. But he would just let me play whatever I wanted for as long as I wanted, and tell me everything about whatever guitar or amp I was playing. My parents ended up selling my guitar to the shop and Phil helped me put a new one in on layaway and I worked for my grandpa to pay it off. That was 8th grade. Im 31 now and can honestly say if it wasn’t for Phil and his passion and patience I would not have continued playing guitar as his shop was my only outlet. Happy to see him doing well with his channel
Great testament! I can totally see Phil operating exactly like that. Our local music stores were all the opposite, more like "LOOK BUT DONT TOUCH AND GET OUTTA MY YARD KID...".😂. Which is also why, the second we turned 16 and could drive, we ditched all of those stores and drove to places 2-3 hrs away to play and buy our gear. This was 20 yrs before any Internet... We figured out where the cool stores were strictly by word of mouth. You met a guy who knew a guy whose dad worked with a guy in a band and he bought his guitar at "X" 150 miles away. Saturday morning we were there checking it out😅. Barely enough money for gas,we were tire-kickers most of the time. Until we weren’t.
You can just tell he's a good guy, but your story just confirms it. I used to just be a player that never wanted to tinker or learn how to fix things, but he has led me by example and gotten me interested through his passion and knowledge. Very well done Philip.
What a cool story! Rock on Brother!
Go Phil! See I knew he was a superhero!
wait, our Phil? He used to kick me and throw things at me, lol. Just kidding, Hes a superhero
Guess I'm weird, because I loved how those played, sounded, and looked back in the day. I just couldn't justify the cost for the model I wanted. I always like when you do these retrospect episodes.
I had three of those , I also love them.
I never played one, but it was the cost imo. I think everyone would rather have an american fender.
i wish parker would come back, the fact that they were super lightweight and NOT a "headless guitar" makes them GOAT in my book. nitefly is the best
Headless guitars are awesome.
Nitefly mojo was my favorite of all the Parker instruments. For some reason I never got on with the full fledged fly body
@@BitMatt1 i have two headless strandbergs and two headless kiesels, i'd rather change strings on a floyd rose guitar with a headstock than a fixed bridge headless guitar, but maybe that's just me
Parker is still around making guitars.
@@matthewf1979 Only in name, they have nothing to do with the original Parkers
There's nothing ugly about Parker Flys. Some of the coolest looking guitars ever.
Totally agree. In a sea of guitars that look all too familiar, the Parker's really stand out. IMO.
Yep agreed. It was a phenomenal guitar too.
Love the fly. It loves you back!
Nah man they ugly af
i agree, i have a 97, plays so well
If it's a Parker Nitefly video, I feel compelled to chime in. Great vid Phillip! These, IMO, are the best Parkers to start with. Even I don't always love the Fly. In fact, I rarely play mine. But the Nitefly is an easy guitar to mod to your liking. Also, it just feels like a futuristic strat, so I think even traditional guys can get into it.
I was waiting for you to comment or someone to mention you in the comments! 🤩
I was wondering how long it would take you to see this. 😆
@@Mechagnostic same lol
But the tone on these things sucks!! Parkers just don't have the balls and character of an EVH or really 100s of other guitars.
Hey Andre, was watching the video and thought you would be the ideal person to comment here! I disagree with Phil, what killed Parker guitars, here in Europe, was the price and the rarety of it. I only saw one or two, during the ninetees. I love the design and all the futuristic specs it had, but couldn't afford one , by that time.
Literally, one of the best guitars I've ever played. It's shocking how great they feel! It's like the Music Man John Petrucci, ugly but feels incredibly great!
Stop lying louis I remember you saying they sucked.
Literally? boooooooo
Quite literally the most underrated guitars to ever exist. If you got to play one, you know. Hopefully one day they come back in some iteration because I certainly would buy one.
I still love my Parker Deluxe Pre-refined! Parker's were way ahead of their time and totally underrated. The frets coming off happend to the later refined models when Ken was no longer involved
I also have a pre-refined Fly Deluxe, it's the one guitar I would never sell. It's my dream guitar and regardless of what most people think of the body shape, I think they're beautiful.
@@visionsofbeyond9095 I totally agree. I just got mine last year and love it. Don’t sell it! They are going for a lot now but they will only be more expensive and harder to get moving forward. I agree I don’t care what anyone says they are beautiful works of art!
@@fibonacho Nice! That's an old one. Mine is a 95 Majik blue Deluxe hardtaile version
Iv got a refined fly deluxe, the thing is impeccably perfect.
I have many US made, costly guitars. The Fly Classic stands alone.
I was fortunate to have worked with Ken back in the early 2000's doing some carbon development with him during my time with Composite Acoustics. Spent a week or two up at his Boston factory and home shop. I still have a few of the Fly's and some clicker press carbon headstock caps we played with. I love the Archtops he is doing now.
CA guitars what happened?
@@MrCyrusorleans Hi Bernie, After Hurricane Katrina,it took a good 18 months to get production running again. With all the Venture Capitalist invested in the company they probably decided to cut their losses. I worked directly with Ellis, the founder and President of CA Guitars, in Engineering and Product Development. Ellis licensed the technology to Peavey after that. They were still doing the Cargo Guitar up until Peavey pulled out of Mississippi. Not sure what they are doing with it overseas Now. We were way ahead of our time with the CA.
Archtops? I am considering buying one; I played an old ES335 I like, and PRS has a new one the sounds really good.
How do I find out more about Ken's archtops?
Thanks a lot
-Jeff, retired Mechanical Engineer.
@@JeffMountainPicker just search Ken Parker guitars
As a kid in the 90s I remember thinking the Parker Fly was the absolute coolest looking guitar that I never could afford. Even the "affordable" version. Cool to see it on here.
I've had a Fly Deluxe since 2014, and frankly, its the best guitar ever built - the easiest to play, keeps tuning excellent, and I haven't had to have it setup until 2 weeks ago (since I bought it!!)
Truly awesome piece of gear man!!!
Still one of the guitar I wanted ever since I was a kid
same! and I bought a Parker fly classic when I could finally afford one :)
@@DD1072goos for you buddy. someone offered me a nitefly few months after my wedding. Too bad I have limited funds. But im still searching for a nitefly.
Yep, me too
I finally bought my dream Parker pre-refined last year. 95 Makik Blue Deluxe hardtail
Same, 👍my 99 Fly is green, 98 Nitefly is pearl white😍
Love them & You won't regret getting one
I've been playing guitar for 60 years and I can happily say the Parker Fly is the greatest guitar I ever played. I own many guitars, Fenders, Fender Custom Shop, Gibson, Gibson Custom Shop, Ernie Ball, Suhr, Ibanez, Jacksons, Steinberg, Martins, Ovation, ESP, Taylors, etc. and the the Parker is still my favorite it still an incredible design. It weighs about 5 pounds and has a beautiful neck. The guitar is not affected by humidity and is incredibly strong. The DiMarzio and the Piezo pickups sound great in stereo. Plus it has an amazing tremolo system.
I thought they went out of business because the guitars were astronomically expensive. I certainly never thought of them as ugly. Incredibly original and super cool.
Yep,me too. I wanted one but couldn’t justify paying the price for the nitefly and not getting the specs I wanted for the price I was paying.
I ended up getting an E.S.P. L.T.D. with everything I wanted for a decent price
Yup, I thought they were a bit pricey for what they were.
Expensive? Doesn’t seem to bother Gibson.
@@stockholm1752 Parker Fly doesn't have as widespread of a potential user base as Gibson...
i find the travel guitars to be ugly since you get well nothing except a stick with knobs
I loved them since Reeves Gabrels first played one with Bowie (Tin Machine?). I love the look...just can't afford one. Almost bought a kit to build, just to have this style of guitar in my collection...but without the carbon fiber, it wouldn't be anything close to an original.
I remember those ads with Reeves Gabrels in all the guitar magazine and thinking that he looked like someone from the future.
At the time I was around 17, and by the time I could actually afford one many years later, they were already hard to find.
i was going to say, Adrian Belew
I saw Bowie at Phoenix Festival , UK in 1996 and I remember Reeves playing a white one I think. "Hallo Spaceboy" was heavier than Slayer!
Reeves played Steinbergers in Tin Machine. He started playing Parkers on "Outside" I think. By "Earthling" he was playing a NiteFly that he painted himself.
I used to work at the Parker factory in MA from 97-99. I applied the carbon fiber onto the back of the guitars and the fretboards to the necks. When needed I also sanded in the sanding room, and shaped in the shaping area when the guitars came off the CNC. Without question, the Parker Fly is still the lightest & most versatile electric guitar Ive seen. The Nite Fly was a stripped down version introduced to offer a guitar at an affordable price to save the company from lagging sales & impending bankruptcy. Since the Flys were over $3000 at the time, it made a lot of sense....but I watched as more & more of my co-workers were let go. The end was sad but for a time, it was a great place to work. Nearly everyone that worked there was either a wood worker or a guitar player & all of them were awesome. I miss that place.
I found out about them last year and have bought 2. Amazing fast neck, super light, stay in tune, great pick ups, and actually like that it doesn't look classic.
They were crazy expensive (for me at least) as a teenager in the 90s, maybe the used market can be an option now 🤔
I always thought it's it own classic look especially with that pickguard.
I found a parker dealer in my town 15 years ago and FELL IN LOVE with the Fly. These guitars are incredible. Especially the pre 03 models when they were still USA made in the original factory. These were 30 years ahead of their time. Nowadays these would be a youtube or twitch streamers wet dream for catching people's eyes.
,,,,yes........but ,,,,,,......everyone I know who has one,,,,,swears by them,,,,one of the best ever,in its time🎸🎸
Nothing ugly about Parkers. Amazing ergonomic design, incredibly lightweight, and killer action. Absolute tone machines if you're looking for something very hi-fi. I owned two, an original hardtail, and a Supreme, both made by Ken's small company when they first came out. My hardtail was 4 pounds. The Supreme a little heavier, and the vibrato bridge was light years ahead of everything out there, probably still is.
30 years later you still have most luthiers refusing to work with steel frets because it wears out tools quicker.
@@guyincognito320 They should up their game.
I never found them ugly. My only complaint is the horn that can dig into your chest but I eventually adjusted to that.
@@roberteltze4850 Yeah, sitting... amazing stage guitars because of the incredible lack of weight!
I bought mine in the late 90s and still love playing it . I think it's a great guitar and was ahead of it's time 🎸
I always loved the Parker guitars. I played a few in stores in the 90s and thought they played and sounded beautiful, and then someone let me use theirs when I was sitting in with a band one night away from home and was blown away by how comfortable it was to play. The look never bothered me.
I remember being in a local guitar shop when these came out and the owner was very excited that he got the shipment in. He was convinced that everyone was going to be playing these from students to professional musicians due to how lightweight they were. His thinking was people could play these for hours without the weight of heavier guitars. I thought it was a decent design and I also liked how light it was.
Always loved the Parker Fly guitars but could not afford one at the time. Played quite a few and they were very versatile, light and amazing to play. Ken Parker was a pioneer and ahead of his time with the Fly.
For me they're awesome looking, love the looks so much!
I loved my Parker. It's lighter than any other guitar but sustains like crazy. I used the acoustic separate from the electric, or both together. The acoustic going direct to the board sounded fantastic and I got a ton of compliments on the sound, and several guitar players I know went and bought one after they heard mine. They had stainless steel frets because Ken Parker realized fret jobs are expensive and strings are cheap. They were shaped that way so the balance would be perfect with any strap and never head dive. Great guitars.
Fantastic video, Phil! I have a Parker Fly Mojo I bought brand new back in the early 2000s, and it's still my #1 guitar. It still looks flawless, and plays like a dream! Loved this video and really looking forward to part two!
1997 I went to Chuck Levins Music (Wheaton Md), with the goal of buying 2 new tour worthy guitars. I already had an 1988 Les Paul & PRS Custom 24, and was looking for some variety. The three guitars that I narrowed it down to where: Parker Fly, American made Peavey Wolfgang and Japanese made ESP Horizon. All three guitars played and sounded great. The Parker was the most expensive of the bunch. All of the salespeople said that the Parker was a great guitar, but there was no established history of customer support or durability. I left with the Wolfgang and Horizon (still have all of them today.), but always thought that I’d pick up a Parker later. Really cool ideas and specs, I just wished that they would have established a market and following because it had such a unique look. As always, love your content Phil!
Honestly, I think a fly "trying to be a strat" (pickguard, burst etc) models look real goofy, but the solid coloured ones are really cool in their wacky way. What would really sell it for me was a matching coloured headstock though
I agree. I have a cheaper p44, but it's wood grain w/two humbuckers and it's one of the best looking Parkers, I think. Plays like a dream.
My Nitefly is one of my most played guitars. It’s the easiest to play and stays in tune well. The bridge engineering is superb.
My first electric was a Parker Nitefly.i never could get a good sound out of the electric pickups, but that could have just been 90s multi-effects pedals, but the piezo was great. Yours pretty clearly sounds better. Also ran into an apparently common issue where the truss rod would get stuck and not adjust the neck properly. Apparently there's a workaround now. Kind of miss it though, lots of memories.
Tim Pierce has a story where he was supposed to be playing acoustic guitar for some vocalist at a live performance- and he gets there and there's no guitar to play. I can't remember if he was responsible for bringing it or if he had given it to someone for some TLC and they failed to bring it but- he had no acoustic to play, and it's show time. But someone there had a Parker Fly in the back, and they brought it out and that's what he used. It's an insane story- much better when he tells it.
He borrowed the guitar. After rehearsal he left it plugged in not knowing that would drain the batt. When performance time came the batt was dead and Tim didnt know what happened. The shows drummer had the parker guitar in the dressing room.
Got my hands on a high end model Parker in the mid 90s. Although it was not for me, it was a damn work of art. So far ahead of its time, especially when pawnshop Cobain guitars were all the rage.
Thrilled to see parker guitars torn apart on this channel! One correction if I'm not mistaken: that button isn't an on/off switch- it's a mono/stereo output toggle (to blend the piezo and magnetic outputs into a single mono cable or to split them using a Y cable)
That's how my Fly † does it. There are two jacks at the bottom, with a button next to them (not on the face of the guitar). The button switches the jacks between
_One off / one stereo_
and
_Both on / both mono_
I made a 25-foot insert cable (the longest I could find at the time was 10 or 12 feet) to run the guitar to both my amp and a D.I. for the PA. Haven't played it in a long time, but it's a great guitar.
† ("standard" Fly--not a NiteFly)
The only reason I ever wanted one of these was because of Derron Miller of CKY. I used to watch all of the CKY music videos back in the day on repeat and he was always playing a version of the Parker Fly. I loved the weird shapes of the upper horn and headstock. I knew nothing else of them other then they looked kick ass to my 13 through 15 year old self.
Disengage the Simulator.
CKY and Adam D of Killswitch Engage is how I stumbled upon this guitar aswell
Parkers are an aquired taste, and boy have I acquired the taste. Play in a jazz/r&b band and have to cover a lot of different sounds, and the Parkers are great. Have a '98 Fly Deluxe, a Fly Mojo, a Nitefly, a DF724 (more recent superstrat style) and a PDF70 (Tangerine with Floyd Rose). Especially like the weight, helps to get through the 3-4 hour dance gigs we often get.
Back in the late 90s I was enthralled by how futuristic the original Flys seemed to be. Never was able to afford one until the late 00s and I got myself a Fly Mojo (think that was Parker under new owners). I'd only change one thing, to angle off the top horn as it pokes me if I play it sitting down.
Love Parker Guitars. Also I want to congratulate on the new guitar company man! Will I see you at Namm?
Yes, should be there for at least a day. I was planing on stopping by the Solar, Delicious Audio booth
Great video. I remember being taken aback by how good these sounded. I never played one though and would be interested to hear about the neck profile. I also loved hearing you play the theme song!
I had a Parker Nitefly back in the early 2000's, and man I loved that thing. That was the smoothest playing guitar I have ever owned even up to this point, never had a guitar with such a smooth playing neck since either. Buuuuut, there is a big butt coming. After I had it about a year, somehow the neck got warped, don't know how. I always transported it in a hard case and hung it up when not in use. But the neck got so far out, I took it to multiple different luthiers, and nobody could ever get it to play right again (the intonation). Such a shame too, I loved that thing when it was right.
When I first tried the Parker Fly Deluxe in 1995, I thought I had never played a better instrument in my life, the feeling was just amazing and it fit me like a glove, but only if I didn't have to look at it. It ended up that I still have her to this day and that black, ugly beauty will never leave her home. And yes, big thumbs up to Phillip for the great video, keep it up!
Yeah, I have my Fly Deluxe, (2003?) pure white, light as a feather, and I still play it every day. I love the feel, the tone, and the action.
I played with a band for a couple of years with, after a nasty back injury; if I'd been slinging a Les Paul, I'd have been crippled. The super light-weight Fly was no problem.
Cheers
I was obsessed with the Parker Fly when it first came out. A white one just like yours showed up at my local music store when I was in college in 92, and I would stop in and play it as often as I could. Never managed to get my hands on one for myself.
I've always wanted a Parker Fly. I thought the body shape was interesting, and saw players from all genres using them. It didn't have a stereotype or category for the genre of music played. The biggest hurdle for me back then was the price. Hope to see you do a video on the original Parker Fly.
Check out "shatnershairpiece" on RUclips. He's a Canadian from Vancouver who has a Parker Fly and can really make it sing.
I have the Parker Fly Mojo. Except for the upper horn that sometimes digs into my ribs and the fact that they went out of business, one of my favorite guitars. Thanks for posting
Gave these units a fair shake, back in the day...and I was very impressed by the tonal options, playability and comfort! I was NOT put off by the aesthetics. The deal killer for me was the price combined with doubts as to whether the weight-saving technologies employed would lead to longtime durability issues.
False equivalency logical fallacy: Weight, stiffness, strength, density, flexibility, malleability, pressure resistance... are all different physical properties, where one doesn't make, nor rule out the other. Although many dense materials are heavy, it doesn't mean they are strong, or stiff... and you can have a light weight but highly dense material too, and one that is either flexible, or stiff...
Take a Carbon fiber rod at the very same dimensions of a steel rod: The carbon fiber rod is stiffer, where as the steel rod is more flexible, and so the steel rod will bend and return to shape, but if bent too far, stay bent for also being malleable where the carbon fiber is less flexible, not mailable at all, and always returns to the same shape after bending . On the other hand the carbon fiber after bending a certain amount will snap and break. In either case though, if in a guitar neck, and you bend one with either that far that the steel will misshape, or the CF break, the wood is busted beyond repair anyhow, or you rip out the bolts holding it to the body... The carbon fiber is stronger by roughly 10%, but almost 100x lighter in weight than the steel, is a little less dense, and doesn't rust either, and because it isn't as flexible as steel, it makes for better tuning stability and sustain. Also: When used for neck reinforcements to get better stability from warping and in tuning, steel can add up to neck dive where with CF it's much less likely. A lighter guitar is a big plus if you play 45 minute sets or longer, as it doesn't do a number on your shoulders, neck or back, and Parker's were very light.
Parkers are great guitars, and if you dress like an alien 👽while playing one, the shape isn't all that odd!😜 Look up the guitars Steve Cline used to make in the 80's (and may still make). He was all about ergonomics and not wanting to be in everyone else's box.
Truly mind-boggling logic. Yours is the superior intellect...
@@howardthrust I didn't write that to show off my intellect, but to tell you you were looking at it the wrong way. I did although study engineering, and have been building guitars for 4+ decades. Longevity/decay rates is of course a factor with any material but again, weight is not the determining factor.
When someone corrects you on things that are not mere matters of opinion, they are not attacks, but attempts to share knowledge. If you see them as attacks, rather than learning opportunities, you are not doing yourself any favors. Sure, had I called you stupid or similar as some people may do, it would have been an attack, but even then the information may still be valid, and they are just dicks in conveying it.
Logical fallacies are also not attacks by nature, but a big part of the study of philosophy, more specifically "the rules of logic" as used in epistemology (How we derive knowledge). They are just short descriptive terms so one can spot them in ones self (Self improvement) and in others when in debate or argumentation..., and convey them by name, instead of having to write whole paragraphs or essays.
Yeah, this was really great- I always wondered what happened to Parker Fly guitars, and never saw any in the wild. The look of it honestly doesn’t bother me at all, and for me it would come down to practicality… like, is the thing playable, does it sound and feel good, you know does it sing? Sounds like the answer is yes! I’ll keep an eye out for the follow up, thanks again man!
I wanted a Parker Fly so badly when I was young and I looked up the prices a few weeks ago and whew, gonna still have to wait on that. :) Nice overview of this brand and review of the Nitefly, Phil!
Exact same story here. Really wanted one back in high school but obviously couldn't afford it back then. Looked again and...still can't afford it now.
Great video Phillip! Fellow Parker owner here (two Flys, one NiteFly, and a few P-series) One addition: many of the "fret popping off" issues were caused by user error! Many times, the player used a solvent-based fretboard cleaner on the fretboard, not knowing/realizing that it would dissolve the epoxy holding the frets on.
There are two guitars I own that when I strap on, they feel like modern instruments, not instruments based on ideas from the 1950s, or the 1960's:
Petrucci Majesty & Parker Fly Deluxe
You need strandberg in your life
I own both as well. Plus a JP6. All fantastic guitars, but the Parker is easiest to play. Their mantra "Nothing plays like a Parker" is no BS.
I like weird shaped guitars, and always thought that they were cool. I'm not sure why I never tried one out. Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad fame switched to Parker guitars because he needed a light guitar due to a neck injury from a car accident. He loves them. I heard an interview once where he said that the Parker guitar makes him play better.
The greatest regret of my guitar life is selling my NiteFly 2. It is only with hindsight that I realise what I perceived as 'blandness' was actually overbearing versatility.
Parker's are gorgeous. I remember playing them in Guitar Center back in the day. Now I wish I got one when the were in production.
The first time I saw one, in the '80s, I fell in love with the look. I've never had the opportunity to try one, but watching Ken Parker's videos, I've come to have a deeper appreciation for the visionary genius of their (and all Parker guitars!) design.
So visionary nobody uses them anymore.
They didn't come out until 1993
@@DanielBerzerk Oops, my bad, give or take a few years...
I have a P44, which was a less expensive version of the fly with two split-coil humbuckers and a flame maple top. I love the guitar. I love the looks. I love the sound. I love the feel. I love the versatility. No regrets.
I bought a Parker Fly Deluxe as soon as it arrived at the music store I worked at in 1999 and still have it in it's original gig bag with tremolo, wall hanger and manual. It has about 2 hours play time on it as I don't want to run the risk of nicking it up or scratching it (OCD). Understandably, it is pristine. Not a blemish or fingerprint. Just as it came from the factory. It is incredible. The light weight and the panorama of sounds and tones are from another galaxy. The playability is off the charts. And the technology and components in the saddles that allow for an "acoustic guitar with pickup" sound is ridiculous. Just flick a switch and prepare to raise an eyebrow. This guitar is as if it came from some portal to the future. I will not part with it.
But you also are afraid to play it? What is the point in havin it if you're afraid from scratching a guitar you'll never sell?
@thefactorypilot145 it's a boomer thing.
"The playability is off the charts."
"It has about 2 hours play time on it"
ok...
You are wasting a beautiful guitar. It is a tool to make music with. It is made to be played. You are probably missing out big time.
So informative! Never knew you could change the trem to floating. I've owned a Nitefly for over 20 years - bought used. Was my main axe in an all 80's band. So much so, I bought a second one (now sold to my best buddy). Great guitars. Here's where the story turns ugly.
About 5-6 years ago, it forgot it in a car on a warm day. Within a few weeks, the 5th fret fell off. The first time was in the middle of a show, and I promise you've never experienced anything like it - took me many bars to even figure out what had happened. A local shop was able to procure the epoxy and put it back on, but it became a recurring problem. Others started to fail as well. After a few years of fighting it, it became almost impossible to work on. I feared it was done - I've never "thrown away" a guitar before!
Another local shop knew a place in Chicago that worked on them (I'm a couple hours south in Champaign), so he drove it up there. Pretty sure its Third Coast. Three months and $750 later, it came back "factory restored", but within a couple months the first fret came up a little and it was unplayable. Sent it back and they fixed it for free.
The jury is out as to the new frets longevity, but In the meantime, I've just pulled it out of the guitar vault and will start using it on some gigs.
Moral is don't ever leave these (or any guitar) in a car for a day.
Video note - I would A/B box it into a DI for a true acoustic guitar sound. My Nashville Tele has a piezo bridge, but the Parker sounds much better.
Again - always loved this guitar.
Rock on my friends.
Personally I think it looks awesome I'd get one right now if I could afford it.
I had a p38 and it was great. All wood guitar made in korea and the piezo was a great addition. Gigged w it a lot and always got compliments
Adrian Belew and Vernon Reid wouldn't steer us wrong!
And Mark Farner has been playing one for years
Really looking foward to the other Parker Fly video. One because for my 21st birthday my parents gave me a Parker Fly as my present because I had always love the look of it. Two because unlike many people the Parker Fly guitar was my first expensive guiatr rather then a Gibson LP or a Fender Strat. Third becasue I was trying to look for information regarding the Parker Fly guitar on youtube and that is how I found your channel and since then I never stop wacthing. Thank yiu Phill.
I’ve been playing Parker guitars for years. All those things that people hate about it are exactly the things I love about it! They are simply awesome guitars that weigh virtually nothing. If you know, you know…
I own 1, right now its in a storage unit. Loves, extremely light, sounds good and the piezo pickup. Great balance when playing standing up. Hates, really expensive, the top part poking into your ribs when sitting down to practice. The electronics if you have problems, not easy to find someone with the knowhow to repair. There was a time frame when they had qc issues where the frets would pop out. The later years they made some imports which did not sell well. Was interested in the dragonfly guitars but they were not easily available and had to import them myself. Don't live in the USA unfortunately.
The ugliness cannot be understated. Guitarists better than I will ever have decreed the Parker to be one of the best instruments theyve ever touched, however.
I got my first Parker Fly in 2003. It was this gorgeous midnight purple/black. I loved how fast the neck was, how well it stayed in tune, and the fishman pickup sounded great! It was cumbersome to play sitting down though, as that weird horn would dig into my sternum, and left a bruise after a while.
I met Ken Parker at NAMM, told him I loved the guitar and I asked him if they had ever thought about a different design, as the Fly was difficult to play sitting down. He looked at me with contempt and said:
"If you don't like it, sell it." I was taken aback. I then glared back and replied "OK. I will." I sold it a few weeks later and soon after Ken sold his company. It was a decent guitar, but if you ask me, that's no way to run a railroad.
Cheers!
I had a parker p38, cool guitar, more of a mid-market model. Mine sounded very much like this video, Phil instantly brought back memories when he started playing, they had kind of a delicate strat sound. Ultimately it didn't make the cut when I needed to sell some gear for a move through no fault of it's own. I would definitely buy a p38 again, they have normal wood necks with no wrap on the back so no threat of delamination, and fit and finish was impeccable.
I own a Parker Southern Nitefly, Tele style with a piezo bridge. very unique guitar. extremely comfortable to play. not for everybody, but I use it on certain gigs and it works beautifully....
I worked at the Wilmington MA factory in '98. Temp job for the summer during college. My job was to scrape the glue off the sides of the frets after they were glued on.
I love Parkers. I was always impressed by how good they sounded and played. I like the headstock and the contours on the Fly Deluxe. My local music store has a gold one in their showroom, and I would play it a couple of days a week after school. I saved all summer for it. I think they had $1200 on the tag. The day I had the cash, I went down, and someone had bought it the day before 😭 I can't believe what these go for now! Having had a couple of back surgeries could really use a lighter guitar in my old age.
weight is the reason I walk out of the house with my Southern Nitefly when its a 3-4 set gig. piezo acoustic and straight electric sounds make for a fun gig...
I always thought that the upper horn matching the headstock shape was the coolest feature of Parker guitars... then I found out about some other features that make them so cool
I own a Parker Fly guitar, and it is absolutely amazing to play. It is very stable. I haven't had any problems with the frets. Very easy to bend the strings.
I was watching Ray Stevens on his show "Cab-O-Ray" last weekend and there were our old friends the Bellamy Brothers playing their Parker Flys! It brought on a lot of nostalgic feelings. Thanks for the great video!
Great demo! I ❤️ when great technical guitarists w/great tone demo guitars.
This is my first visit to your channel and you did not disappoint. I have a music man JP majesty and I can see how this guitar paved the way for mine. Thanks!
I have a 98 Fly Deluxe. I love it to this day and it is just as fantastic as the day I bought it. Never done any adjustments, many thousands of hours, and still perfect. Better than anything else I have except the pickups are best for jazz style. The only thing that worries me is the trem spring.
I remember seeing the original Fly being demonstrated in a segment of Beyond 2000 back in 1994. What confused me is that I had just been introduced to the Explorer body shape earlier that same year and didn't realize that shape dated from 1958, while this one was brand-new. I was pretty blown away to think about the idea that you could switch from the magnetic pickup tone to the acoustic Piezo output. I would have thought Parker would last forever, considering that Grand Funk Railroad frontman Mark Farner wielded one when they reunited in 1998. It was largely because of him that I was momentarily tempted to get one, but I did not go through with it. Neither did I know that Parker went out of business until I watched this video. Now, though, the Piezo pickup is pretty common.
I started playing guitar in 1997 and I remember wanting one of these so bad! Thanks for the video! It was fun to see/hear one in action.
Hoping to purchase an early 90s Fly pretty soon.
Absolutely wonderful design, every little fine point was thought through, and the exposed tension wheel on the early models is something I would definitely point to as being a 'futuristic' design element as you say in your video.
For anyone interested, Ken Parker has now moved onto archtop guitars and they are every bit as unbelievable as these ones.
When someone comes along that knows what to do with the unique sound of that guitar, it is then the maker will wish he had not folded. That guitar is simply waiting it's turn. Now that I have actually heard it, I would definately bag one, thanks for the intro Phil. 👍
For those of us that loved them, the look was awesome. My reason for rarely playing mine, I got it as my first expensive guitar around 14 years old… I never really could achieve the sound I was wanting out of it. I adore everything about it’s ease of use & feel… but the three single coil setup didn’t carry the weight of a Strat for me, it was like a chime sounding strat. I also get some ringy overtones on mine when palm mutes, which is fixable with a gate. I’ve always had too much love to let go of it, but enough frustration to not play it. It’s sitting in my bedroom as something to look at, I actually love the look.
Thanks for this great video Phillip! I always wanted an origial Parky Fly when I first saw Reeves Gabrels (Bowie) in the early 90s. I finally got a Parker, the PDF105 radial neck in 2016 from Sweetwater. It was a demo, so I saved a few more bucks. While it's not an origial, going for crazy money, it still has that Parker feel and super light weight. In a world of big makers suing other companies for copying their model, Parker does something completely unique and fail becasue of it. It's too bad Parker has left the instument world. It really is an overlooked unique guitar.
Great video.
I got a nitefly 4 for my 21st birthday in 1999 and it was my primary guitar for years. I saw a review of it in Guitarist magazine at the time and they raved about it.
I loved the look of the shape so that’s why I got it. I also like the fact it seemed a bit ahead of its time and experimental which suited my vibe at the time.
Later I went into Les Paul land and owned a bunch of customs but nothing came close to this guitar.
In the last 2 years I’ve gone back to using it as my primary instrument.
It never goes out of tune! Bridge etc is incredible.
A couple of the frets did come off but it’s an easy fix with glue and a steady hand.
Love it to bits!
I saw David Bowie’s band using them - it’s on RUclips. Search “Hallo Spaceboy” it was on Jools Holland’s show. Guy on there uses it nicely!
Thanks again for the video - I didn’t know half of these facts about it so great to find out this stuff.
I like the electronics and pick-up configuration a lot, and the stainless steel frets are a fantastic feature, too. I am not a fan of the headstock, with those exposed strings.
But glued frets? Hard pass.
I own a Parrker Fly with the composite body and neck and it's one of the most incredible guitars to play. I own about 70 guitars and the Parker Fly is an amazing instrument. Plus it never warps and it's lighter than my Gibson and Suhrs. It's amazing that they vacumn formed the bodies using a commercial pizza oven. It has stainless frets and the tremelo doesn't have any traditional springs like a Fender. It uses a unique one piece spring made from spring steel. It also has a Fishman piezo bridge along with DiMarzio pickups and it plays in mono or stereo with a Y cable.
I've had a Fly deluxe since 1996 and it very quickly became and remains my go to. I play others at home but the Fly always goes to the rehearsal studio. So easy to play. Stays in tune. Really versatile in terms of sound. Lightweight. Better upper register access than anything else.
I've had my Dusty Purple Fly Deluxe for around 25 years. the only thing I have ever done to it was have the nut slots widened to accept 10-46 strings. Once I adjusted the bridge compensation, swapped the vibrato spring (it uses one leaf spring, and came with two - one marked 9 and one marked 10) and set the tension, I have never had to change anything in the setup. Never. It was prefect when I got it and has remained so to this day. New strings and batteries as needed, and the occasional cleaning is all I have ever had to do to it. Never had to touch the truss rod or adjusted the pickup heights.
Thanx for your video. I've been playing a white Nitefly since 2008 and to me, this is still the guitar of my life. Excellent. The look is still unique.
So years ago, I worked for the ad agency that did Parker’s advertising (they where distributed by Korg which was the client at the time). I remember distinctly how great these guitars played but how uncomfortable that horn was sitting down and playing. Regardless I lusted after one but never did get one. I did get an opportunity to play one when I sat in as a model for a photoshoot for the Korg Pandora effects box. (I was out of focus playing the Parker in the background.) thanks for bringing back the memories!
That’s a freaking cool guitar!
I bought the white one back in 1994 I think and I still have it. I had a gig with my band this past weekend and I used my Parker guitar.
I love the acoustic sound!
Thanks for posting this!
It sounds awesome and looks different. I had a few chances to play Parkers. They are amongst the best. Wish I had one.
The Adrian Belew signature model is the one I drooled over. It had every bell and whistle you could imagine in bleeding edge guitar tech advancement for the 90’s! Belew was doing things with his technique no one else could come close to so it was the perfect marriage of instrument and player.
I watched an interview with Adrian and he said something along the lines of that he loved his old Strat that you see on old King Crimson videos, but it was always going out of tune, whereas the Parker never did. It's form or function!
An acquaintance of mine was solely responsible for installing the electronics in the Adrian Belew signature model. There was quite a bit of modding and fabrication that needed to be done to get everything to work and fit. He was a machinist by trade and a pretty decent musician too and they got along so it was a good, productive relationship. Lots of good stories about Adrian and the folks who could afford his guitars.
Thanks for your videos Phillip! I always wanted a Parker but yes they were too expensive to me. But I did buy PRS CE and it was about $1,500.00 which is about my limit. I know Mark Farner from Grand Funk really loved it and did well with the weight as he had back problems. Keep up the good work!
Dave in Casa Grande, AZ here, you serviced my Parker Fly a decade ago, you did a an incredible job. Fantastic instrument even with the weird cable! I still own it, it is wasted on me as I am not the musician I hoped to be, based on my experience 5 or 6 decades ago. Looking forward to your review of the Parker Fly. Mine is from 1999. I always enjoyed my visits to your shop in Chandler. All the best to you and your beautiful ginger bride.
I bought my first Parker from Ian Thornley. I loved the tech. My young daughters also loved the light weight so I got them each their own. Love mine still
I owned one of the SA NiteFly models, and currently own a MidiFly which is a NiteFly with midi controls. They have been incredible instruments!
i had a dragonfly for a bit. it was an amazing instrument. the only thing that makes these guitars better, is replacing the bridge saddles for graphtech ones. improves the sound massively.
I love the white one you showed. I played one years ago and it felt and sounded great. I do not think they are ugly. Les Pauls are ugly.
It certainly speaks with authority!
I remember trying out one of the original Fly guitars in a shop in Sydney.
I didn't care how it looked as it played so well....
Love this and all your videos!
I have a friend who was a guitar tech at the Parker Factory in Wilmington MA. He got me a good deal on a 1999 Parker Fly Deluxe with Gen 2 Dimarzio Humbuckers and the Fishman Piezo pickups.
Still plays and looks great. At 4.5 lbs it's just easy sometimes to pick up and play.
I have a Washburn USA V with the Parker carbon board and ss frets from 2007. Played every day and no problems at all with the neck and the frets are just like day one.
I have one of the very first pre-refined hardtails, and it is simply amazing.
It took a while to get used to the thin neck, but man, once I did, I couldn't put it down.
Pros:
Tuning stability is impossibly good. Also, haven't had to touch the truss rod in 20 years.
Action can be set so low as to also seem impossible. (I play mostly blues, but this in my "rock" axe. By far the fastest guitar neck I will ever play. The low action also forced me to work on playing lighter, and the added benefit was more control of dynamics, when playing all my other guitars.
Even unplugged, it's more resonant than my 335 and Yamaha sa-2100.
The stainless frets are so durable, there is virtually NO wear on then after decades of playing.
Weight only 4.25 lbs. Almost half the weight of any other guitar I own. Can play for hours and no neck/back strain.
Looks. k, some people hate this guitar's body design, but I think it is one of the most beautiful and unique designs ever.
Cons:
-changing battery is a pain, especially since modern 9 volt batteries are a little bigger and more square than 20 years ago. Who knew?
-cable has to be unplugged when not playing, or battery will be dead within a day or two.
-pickups can sound a little plinkey/pingey at low gain. Part (but not all) of this is due to the Stainless frets. But, add just a little pre-breakup gain, and it sings.
-Frets are glued on, and have had a few start to separate from the fingerboard. Very easy and quick to fix if you know what you are doing, and use the right glue. A nightmare if you screw it up.