Parker Guitars

Parker Guitars
Industry Musical instruments
Founded 1993 (1993)
Founder Ken Parker
Headquarters Chicago, Illinois, United States
Products guitars
bass guitar
Website www.parkerguitars.com

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. [1] Parker is most famous for making the Parker Fly.

Company

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 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.

History

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. Numerous other changes were made as well.

The original Parker factory was located in Massachusetts, but in 2003 the company was sold to U.S. Music Corporation based in Illinois, and manufacturing was moved there. The Parker custom shop opened at the U.S. Music Corp. headquarters factory in 2005.

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.

In 2015 company representatives unofficially announced that Parker's US factory had ceased operations, saying a search for a new manufacturing facility was underway. Since then, no new Fly models have been produced, but it is unclear whether other Parker-branded imports are still being manufactured in Asia.

As of late 2015, 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.

As of November 2016, the brand was inactive after the factory in Illinois closed. The official website stated that product line was being redesigned for release in 2017 once a new manufacturing partner was found.

Endorsers

Current and past Parker players include Adrian Belew, Todd Tamanend Clark, 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, Deron Miller of CKY and Beni Alimi of Future Rage.

Last Known 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:

References

  1. ↑ "About Parker Guitars".
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