Parker Guitars
The Parker Fly
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| Industry | Musical instruments |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Ken Parker |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Products |
guitars bass guitar |
| Website | www |
Parker Guitars was an American manufacturer of electric guitars and basses, started by luthier Ken Parker in 1993. The original company was acquired by U.S. Music Corporation in 2003, which was itself sold to Jam Industries in August 2009. As of November 2016, the brand was inactive after the factory in Illinois was closed. The official website states that the product line is being redesigned for release in 2017 once a new manufacturing partner is found. Parker is most famous for making the Parker Fly.
Parker guitars are characterized as thin and ultra-lightweight instruments; they are generally made from lighter woods like poplar, basswood, and spruce, although there are maple and mahogany Flys. They have composite materials (resin and carbon glass skin) to reinforce a thin carved body and neck. Fingerboards are composite and use stainless steel frets which typically last the lifetime of the owner. The combination of composite fingerboard and stainless steel frets has led to Parker’s reputation for the fastest neck in the business. Electronics include the integrated use of coil split humbuckers, single coil and piezo pickups with active circuitry. The proprietary vibrato bridge uses a unique flat steel spring which returns the guitar to perfect pitch every time. The vibrato has three settings; bend down only, full floating and locked.
In October 2002, Parker initiated the first production run of the Fly Bass bass guitar, in both 4-string and 5-string versions. The 5-strings were noted for their ease of use for 4-string players, both with respect to weight and string spacing. Parker 4-string basses produced in the original factory in Wilmington, MA shipped in 2003 and had seven digit serial numbers using the same formula for dating as the original NiteFly guitars while 5-string basses were shipped first and had six digit numbers that begin with 092 reflecting the 2002 manufacturing. Basses made by U.S. Music Corporation used the same seven digit formula continuing the 4-string serial number and dating. As with other Parker guitars, they offered both magnetic and piezoelectric pickups, with the ability to blend the two. The Fly Bass was discontinued in 2008 and Parker currently offers 4 and 5 string basses with the newer MaxxFly shape.
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Wikipedia