Parker Guitars

The Parker Fly.

Parker Guitars is an American manufacturer of electric guitars and basses, started by luthier Ken Parker in the early 90s. Parker is most famous for making the Parker Fly.

Parker guitars are characterized by being thin and ultra-lightweight guitars; they are generally made from lighter woods like poplar, Basswood, and spruce, although there is a mahogany Fly. 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 well deserved 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 3 settings; bend down only, full floating and locked.

In October 2002, Parker initiated the first production run of the Fly 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 basses produced in the original factory in Wilmington, MA have seven digit serial numbers using the same formula for dating at the original Nite Fly guitars. Basses made by U.S. Music Corporation have serial numbers that begin with 092. 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.

2003 was the last year of the original Flys, with the balance wheel on the face of the guitar and the 4 knob setup. In 2003 the Fly was "refined" with a new control layout consisting of a master volume, a master tone [coil split function is on this control as well] and a master volume for the piezo eliminating the separate volume control for the magnet pickups and the piezo tone control. Change was also made to a traditional center channeled truss rod.

In 2003 the company was sold to U.S. Music Corporation based in Illinois. Manufacturing also moved to Mundelein, IL in 2003 and Buffalo Grove, IL in 2012. The Parker custom shop opened, at the U.S. Music Corp. headquarters factory, in 2005.

Current and past Parker players include Adrian Belew, Juliette Valduriez, Johnny Clegg, Reeves Gabrels, Vernon Reid, Trent Reznor, Dave Martone, Joni Mitchell, Mark Farner, Andre Tonelli and touring guitarists Robin Finck, Danny Lohner & Aaron North of Nine Inch Nails, Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage, Vince Genella, Saul Zonana, Stephen Rockford Hammond and Deron Miller of CKY. As of late, Parker has released several special edition Flys. There has been the Fly Mojo Snakeskin where a stock Fly Mojo was covered in snakeskin. Also were the 4 seasons Fly Mojos which were Mojos made corresponding to the season. Also released under the select series was the koa Fly Mojo.

In 2009 US Music was sold to Jam Industries, Ltd., a Canadian Musical Instrument distributor.

In 2010 the MaxxFly model was introduced. Based on the Fly model, it features a refined headstock, allowing the guitar to be hung on a standard guitar wall hanger, a refined top horn, which is more ergonomically and traditionally shaped, standardized pickup cavities, 22 frets instead of 24 and a slightly thicker, heavier body. It shares the same construction as the standard Fly.

Current Production Model Line-Up

USA Models

Parker Select Series:

Radial Neck Joint USA models:

USA Nitefly Series:

PDF Radial Neck Joint Models (Models ending in 5 feature the Graph Tech Ghost piezo system):

New and Other Models:

Legacy Models

Parker Select Series:

Bolt on USA models:

P-Series:

External links