craigny
Member
Right the nitghtflys...
Parker Flys?
- Thread starter wkcchampion
- Start date
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Right the nitghtflys...
wkcchampion
New Member
Time to revamp this thread, J2112C suggested it and so.. here we go.
Today I restrung Eldy and, as always, I took the occasion to clean it all up.
I took some pics of frets and finish: after 15 years (and I'm sure that the previous owner abused her... ) they look in excellent shape!
Go Parker!
Here they are: ImageShack(TM) slideshow
You see 3 strings on because I usually remove half of the strings and clean that side of the fretboard, and then I repeat the process with the other half. I know there's a mark in the carbon fibre on the first fret, but it's just a scratch, it's not a hole or dip like it may look like (and the prev owner caused it).
PS: the finish is actually darker, but after cleaning, it's quite reflective so it looks like a light blue in the pics.
Today I restrung Eldy and, as always, I took the occasion to clean it all up.
I took some pics of frets and finish: after 15 years (and I'm sure that the previous owner abused her... ) they look in excellent shape!
Go Parker!
Here they are: ImageShack(TM) slideshow
You see 3 strings on because I usually remove half of the strings and clean that side of the fretboard, and then I repeat the process with the other half. I know there's a mark in the carbon fibre on the first fret, but it's just a scratch, it's not a hole or dip like it may look like (and the prev owner caused it).
PS: the finish is actually darker, but after cleaning, it's quite reflective so it looks like a light blue in the pics.
I do not know why but I had it in my head Eldy was white not blue... I must be getting senile in my old age.
Nice having the wheel on the top, much better access too. Ypu have interesting knobs on there what is the double knob?
Obviously one is a pop up coil tap.. but there is one with two dials...
Nice having the wheel on the top, much better access too. Ypu have interesting knobs on there what is the double knob?
Obviously one is a pop up coil tap.. but there is one with two dials...
wkcchampion
New Member
I do not know why but I had it in my head Eldy was white not blue... I must be getting senile in my old age.
Nice having the wheel on the top, much better access too. Ypu have interesting knobs on there what is the double knob?
Obviously one is a pop up coil tap.. but there is one with two dials...
No, the Mojo is white, Eldy is Majik Blue!
Eldy is a so called Pre-Refined Fly (pre-2003), so it has 4 knobs:
- Master volume (which was removed in later models)
- Magnetics volume
- Magnetics tone
- Piezo volume and tone (which was removed too) in a stacked pot.
Pre-Ref Flys have no push/pull coil-tap, but the coil-tap is active in the center position. Therefore having: neck H, both splitted, bridge H.
Eldy, being a 1995 Fly Deluxe, is loaded with the so called Gen1 di Marzio pickups. Gen2 were introduced in 1999 and are still on today. The Mojo is the only excpetion as it has Seymour Duncans.
EDIT: John, here u can read my comparison between Pre-Ref and Refined Flys.
http://forums.parkerguitars.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10872&SearchTerms=refined,vs
wkcchampion
New Member
I had a Nitefly too (before the Flys) and it lasted short too, but I think that mine was a lemon as it had piezo problems and was hard to keep in tune. The only Nitefly I hear is good is the Nitefly Mojo (or custom orders). I had a black SA.
Flys are completely different instruments, especially the early ones like Eldy that were almost handmade. They neck is not bolt-on and they have the patented flat-spring bridge and many other features that the NiteFlys don't have. Apples and oranges.
BTW Niteflys are now discontinued and replaced by the Dragonflys.
I've got a 98 Deluxe in Dusty Black, sweet little guitar. Had DiMarzio make a new set of pickups for it as the original Gens where a bit bland.
So it has a bit more oomph than a regular Deluxe from the 90s.
Plays like a dream, never goes out of tune.
Only thing about the design I dislike is the top horn sticks right in your chest when your sat down.
Unbelievable sustain and phenomenal tone kind of make up for that though.
So it has a bit more oomph than a regular Deluxe from the 90s.
Plays like a dream, never goes out of tune.
Only thing about the design I dislike is the top horn sticks right in your chest when your sat down.
Unbelievable sustain and phenomenal tone kind of make up for that though.
wkcchampion
New Member
I'm not a fan so black as I thihnk it's a sad colour, but great guitar of course! Eldy's younger sister. Yes, both my Flys never go out of tune too.
Curious that we like and dislike the Gen1 for the same reason: I like them because they are "bland" hahaha. The Fly Mojo is there when I need "some beef"
Curious that we like and dislike the Gen1 for the same reason: I like them because they are "bland" hahaha. The Fly Mojo is there when I need "some beef"
wkcchampion
New Member
I've added 3 more pics, taken without using the flash and only natural sunlight, to show the beauty and the real colour of the finish even after 15 years.
Just recheck the album link out: ImageShack(TM) slideshow
Just recheck the album link out: ImageShack(TM) slideshow
wkcchampion
New Member
yes very nice that is Majik Blue?
It has a nice sparkle in the finish.
Majik Blue! Right from '95.
I'll clean and restring Mojo the next weekend nd i'll post pics of her too
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I saw Adrian Belew the wizard, use one and it was great. If I get used to the the shape I'd like to get one one day. What is the best tremolo system that they use? Ive seen a few different tremolo systems on different models.
wkcchampion
New Member
The Fly has been using the same tremolo since its introduction. It's an unique system with a patented flat spring (different springs for different string gauges). The piezo floats on two ball-bearings, therefore being a hardtail bridge rolling on two spheres, and not a knife-edge system. This means virtually zero wear: Eldy still has the original bearings and they are perfectly smooth, they require no lubrication.
The bridge can be put in fixed, bend-down only or full floating mode. If properly set, it stays in perfect tune no matter what. The big wheel you see sets the tension on the spring and is a critical setting - I wrote two guides on this. But it's easy to set up once you learn how it works.
The saddles have changed during the years, some prefer the old and some prefer the new ones. All are piezo saddles of course, except rare non-piezo models (discontinued).
The Nitefly and import P-Series employ a similar looking bridge, but it's a quite common non-locking bridge with coil springs. The Fly trem is the real deal of course.
marvin
New Member
I just found this thread and find it very entertaining. I worked with Ken hand building the prototype Fly's (back in Fishman's basement in Woburn ,91'), then helped Ken set up the factory and get the fly into production in wilmington. I returned to Wilmington a couple of times later on to help get the trem model and the bass into production.
A couple of notes:
The SS fret "buzzing" myth may have come from the fact that some of the early fly's with redwood necks did buzz (sympathetic vibrations I think), hence the switch to basswood necks which are more tame. (also dropped the "tone" of the guitar by about a half step).
The gen1 neck pickup is a Norton/Fish. Larry Fishman (former president of Parker) worked with Steve Bluecher of DiMarzio to voice it for the Fly (starting with a Norton).
Ken designed the trem with the intent of not altering the sound from a hardtail if possible. (did a good job of it too IMHO).
I think it's really funny when people refer to a Fly as a "composite" guitar, it's only reinforced with composites and the fretboard is composite.
I have 5 Fly Deluxe's, 4 hardtails and one trem, they all sound different because of the different wood.
The best sounding is a pre-serial # (first one out of the production line), Port Orford cedar (yellow cedar) with a redwood neck, 93'. A pre-serial # mahogany body, redwoodneck 93'. A poplar body, redwoood neck, 93'. A poplar body/basswood neck 94'. And a poplar,redwood trem, 94'.
They all sound great through my 73' 100W Superlead full stack and my 83' JCM800 combo, as well as my 64' AC30 Vox and my 63' blonde Bassman. I sold all of my other guitars long ago. The only guitar I regret selling was my 59' LP flametop which I sold in 1970 for five hundred bucks!
I can't speak of the quality of the USM Parkers as I have never picked one up.
P.S. The big reason that famous players don't play Fly's is because Korg would not give endorsement money. You might be surprised how many "famous" guitarists have Fly's but can't play them on stage because they are endorsing other guitars. EVH was able to play his on stage one time (was televised) but only because it was billed as an "acoustic" gig. Shortly after that his EB guitar had a peizo bridge in it.
A couple of notes:
The SS fret "buzzing" myth may have come from the fact that some of the early fly's with redwood necks did buzz (sympathetic vibrations I think), hence the switch to basswood necks which are more tame. (also dropped the "tone" of the guitar by about a half step).
The gen1 neck pickup is a Norton/Fish. Larry Fishman (former president of Parker) worked with Steve Bluecher of DiMarzio to voice it for the Fly (starting with a Norton).
Ken designed the trem with the intent of not altering the sound from a hardtail if possible. (did a good job of it too IMHO).
I think it's really funny when people refer to a Fly as a "composite" guitar, it's only reinforced with composites and the fretboard is composite.
I have 5 Fly Deluxe's, 4 hardtails and one trem, they all sound different because of the different wood.
The best sounding is a pre-serial # (first one out of the production line), Port Orford cedar (yellow cedar) with a redwood neck, 93'. A pre-serial # mahogany body, redwoodneck 93'. A poplar body, redwoood neck, 93'. A poplar body/basswood neck 94'. And a poplar,redwood trem, 94'.
They all sound great through my 73' 100W Superlead full stack and my 83' JCM800 combo, as well as my 64' AC30 Vox and my 63' blonde Bassman. I sold all of my other guitars long ago. The only guitar I regret selling was my 59' LP flametop which I sold in 1970 for five hundred bucks!
I can't speak of the quality of the USM Parkers as I have never picked one up.
P.S. The big reason that famous players don't play Fly's is because Korg would not give endorsement money. You might be surprised how many "famous" guitarists have Fly's but can't play them on stage because they are endorsing other guitars. EVH was able to play his on stage one time (was televised) but only because it was billed as an "acoustic" gig. Shortly after that his EB guitar had a peizo bridge in it.
wkcchampion
New Member
Hi Marvin, nice to hear from you! Why don't utell your story into our Parker forum? You'd be very welcome.
You'll find me and many others there. I'm the one who wrote the setup guides for the bridge.
marvin
New Member
I have been there. I stopped going there for a couple of years but have been back recently. If you do a search of my name you can find some old pics that I had Alex post for me.
wkcchampion
New Member
Hey john, been long since the last we talked.
Yes Marvin, tiem for an offical return to the Parker forum and some pics!
Yes Marvin, tiem for an offical return to the Parker forum and some pics!
marvin
New Member
I'm not much of a USMusic fan. IMHO USM doesn't have a clue.
