Parker Fly Prototype - Ken Parker - Luthier Stories S2 E5
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- Опубліковано 24 лют 2023
- Ken Parker is a true visionary in the world of the modern electric and arch top guitars. His revolutionary “Parker Fly” design was a paradigm shift when it first appeared but as you will see - it didn’t quite turn out like Ken had planned.
In contrast to other episodes of Luthier Stories - this is a short-form interview. Think of it as a haiku - take note of every word Ken says because there is a lot to take in. This was filmed at the start of the Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival as everyone was getting set up and ready for the show. I was very happy to get the chance to get Ken Parker on tape for this one - I hope you enjoy it.
I hope you enjoy it!
Like what I do? Tip me here michaelwattsguitar.com/tip-ja...
Until next time, stay tuned
Michael
I know many people would love for Ken to make a Parker Deluxe 2.0!! Please make that happen Ken!!
It would be very cool
Especially with the technology available today and how many companies like Abasi and Strandberg are pushing the envelope like Ken did with the Fly, it doesn't look that out of place now. I would love one :)
Take my money 💰
this perfect guitar embodies: "i guess you guys aren't ready for this yet. but your kids are gonna love it"
Ha ha yes indeed!
2:37 Ken: The answer is YES. A Kickstarter is the next step.
I swear Ken Parker is a time traveler from 100 years in the future.
That prototype from the early 90's is still miles ahead of anything being built today.
Ken is absolutely one of my heroes too - I would so love to have an original Fly in my collection.
Totally agree!
How much are you willing to spend on Parker Fly Delux 2001? )
"I got over it and we produced the Parker Fly." When even your compromises produce legendary results...
Absolutely!
I still play my Parker Fly. I own 71 guitars and the Parker is still my favorite.
Yeah man!
Really interesting to learn what my Fly Deluxe evolved from. Still my #1 after almost 30 years.
Ken is a treasure. Watch his videos. He has been so gracious to make videos of his vast important knowledge of luthiery. Truly a gift to all of us. Thank you Ken and thank you Michael!
So true. Incredible well done sir !
OMG this is so great! I just got done watching a load of NAMM 24 stuff and none of it comes anywhere close to exciting me like this history and/or the prospect of owning another Parker some fine day...!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Ken's work has influenced my journey in so many positive ways. It's super cool to see the original prototype!
That's awesome! Thanks for watching!
YES, please. Make me one!
I love that Prototype, Awesome!
I think people hate the look, especially the horns.....guitars are fashion to a very large extent. The thinness and weight are amazing. Such a genius invention.
I would love to see Ken have another go...... I absolutely love my Fly.......which I bought after seeing/playing a prototype at the Frankfurt Messe many moons ago. In the meantime, all the best. Thnx for the Vid.
Yes!
Oui!
The legend himself
Yes indeed!
Such a fan of Ken and his genius! I own a few of his guitars and they are phenomenal
I have a Parker, it has a mahogany body, bought in 2003, it is such an amazing guitar. His archtops are basically my dream guitar but sadly price wise beyond me, but to be honest as I am no longer a performer, just a teacher, I would not do one justice beyond playing it everyday for my own pleasure. Nice to hear this story from Ken.
Thank you for sharing! Very cool
Ken - so glad you are making these videos. The world needs to know. I’m 63, an engineer first, and have been playing guitar since I was 16. 0:54 I bought your Parker Fly Classic SN 276076bmh
1996, with a one-of-a-kind red w/black swirl paint job, made specially for the Winter ‘96 NAMM show. Bought new from Rudy’s Music Stop in NYC in June of ‘97. Awesome guitar, always has been. So sweet acoustically with the Fishman pickups, great sounding electric as well. I’d love to meet you and tell you first hand what a wonderful instrument and engineering marvel you conceived and delivered. I’m so in awe to watch you discuss the evolution of this wonderful design. You sir, are in the same pantheon as Leo Fender and Paul McCarty. I assume you know that!!!
So glad to be able to give you this feedback after all these years!!
Ken Parker. You are a real special person. Cool calm bad-ass luthier! My Rushmore I say ! Right up with Leo Fender ! Top of the top!
2 PR Parker Flys, 2 Niteflys, a P38 and a Fly Mojo Singlecut - Love my Parkers! Thanks Ken!
Good stuff! That’s quite a collection!
Back in the early '90's I was in the Thoroughbred Music store on Hillsborough Ave in Tampa, when I heard this fella playing a Parker fly. This guy was playing incredible Jazz tunes that sounded lush and beautiful like a big L5 or something, then he flipped a switch and started whaling on some heavy hard rock song for a few minutes (sounded great). He threw another switch and started playing a Django Reinhardt style tune, and the acoustic sound was amazing. Once again he flipped another switch and started playing a classical piece, and the sound was amazing for a thin lite weight awesome looking space-age guitar like the Strat of the '50's I was blowen away !
Great job Ken !!!!
Beautiful design, I love it
It is gorgeous, some people don’t get it but I do!
I have 3 Parkers and really wish you were still in business!!! One of mine is the refined fly but I'm going to sell it becauseI like the original much better. Had a deluxe stolen years ago and I'm still on the lookout for it. I have about 20 other guitars.Fender, Ibanez ,epiphone etc,but Parker flys are the only ones I'll take onstage with me on the road!
Spectacular guitar! I would definitely buy one of these.
I still own my 98 classic and 99 midi fly and Nitefly M
Having sold my 99 deluxe.
So they were way ahead at the time... and deserve a come back....
I played this guitar at the Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival last fall. Ken just put it out on a table where anyone walking by could pick it up and play. Coolest guitar. I want one. Ken is a genius and super nice guy.
It was a great weekend Mike!
Interesting. Haven't seen this particular prototype before. I'm with my '95 Fly Deluxe 'till death due us part.
So good to see Ken here, love his work and approach to the new.... thanks for this post Michael.
Thanks for watching Scotty! Glad you enjoyed it!
Love my fly deluxe and nitefly
I would do some terrible things for a Parker Fly. Loved the shape as a kid seeing the guy from CKY play one, then as an adult I fell in love with the shape again seeing Adrian Belew with one. Incredibly unique shape that looks futuristic even today, maybe one day when I make it big with insurance fraud I'll be able to finally get one.
That’s the dream!
This was awesome... is there going to be any more? --- Love to see an hour with him
Oh I wish! This was a stolen few minutes before the maelstrom of the Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival but I’d love to have a proper chat with Ken in the future - what a guy!
And a nylon string version too, please.
Oooh the Spanish Fly!
I had a Parker fly deluxe, but unfortunately I had to sell it because I got laid off and I was married and I had a new born child and obviously needed the money to help support him for a little bit.
Man do I miss that guitar.
Wow. That was amazing! 🏆
Great vid!! Parkers are so awesome!! 🤘🎸🤘
Thank you David! Ken Parker is particularly awesome!
Want! Amazing guitar. Love the shape
It is very cool indeed Alex!
If you haven't yet, check out some of the later live-performances with Joni Mitchell.. AMAZING guitar-sound, and playing....
Yes please.
Yes indeed!
I really miss Ken's old Parker guitars before they were refined.
The design that emerged accidentally from engineering calculations turned out to be much more artistic than intentional design for aesthetic purposes.
When my friend saw it, they thought of a supercar, and I thought it was a really great comparison.
Thanks Ken.
I very regret I didn't jump on a Big 6 when you offered. I was in a bad mood or something that year.
Love my Parker Nitefly SA.
So you should!
My 1993 Deluxe Hardtail is still mint. I intend to keep it that way for as long as life lets me borrow it.
I own a lot of vintage guitars. Pretty valuable stuff. I also have three Parker’s. Whenever I play live, I’m on a Parker. Bought my first one new in the mid to late 90s and have never looked back.
Very cool! Yeah there is something very special about that design!
Very interesting Michael, I've never seen this prototype. You're really finding the rich seam of guitar building to us.
Thank you for watching Andrew! I found the prototype absolutely wonderful - I’m glad you enjoyed the video
I cannot tell you how much I wish this model could be resuscitated. Perhaps it could be added as an extra model to the KP Archtop - the Archtopperfly???. Would there be buyers for the Archtop Fly at archtop prices? I'm pretty sure there would .....
I’ll pledge the kickstarter!
Yeah I think it’s got legs!
Most fascinating
Thank you Joshua!
Seeing what could have been I feel robbed. Such an elegant and different design. I love the guitar with big pickup from the 50 and 60. But there is plenty of them. Noting compare to that thing.
I want one !!!!
We all do Kyle, we all do
This guitar would be amazing with something like Lace Alumitone pickups. Alumitones can be made thin enough to fit.
I want one!
We all do
Please make them!
I know right? Just do it!
I well remember the FLy coming out. I wasn't playing electric then, but it was so radical a departure that you had to love it. The thing about non-standard pickups was fascinating to me, as I went years later to get a Variax, which relied on piezos entirely (at least the earlier versions did).
There are some break sounds possible with a bridge mounted piezo on its own!
This is fantastic. I take some inspiration from Ken Parker in my own builds, though it may not be immediately apparent (I like the way he employs negative space most of all).
In any event, I have to heartily voice my agreement regarding guitar pickups. Broadly speaking, there hasn't been much evolution since the 1950s.
That proto is really amazing. I think I got three or four great ideas just from seeing it in the video.
Go for it! Thank you for watching!
@@MichaelWatts If you occasionally check my channel, you will find some really boring static shot videos of my guitars. I hope _(hope)_ that for my next build I will document the process, finally. I'm going to make all of the hardware from scratch, minus the tuners.
I want that prototype!
There may be a queue…
@@MichaelWatts There will definitely be a queue and I'm pretty sure I'll be at the end of it. Ha!
I thought the original "Fly" guitar was the art of the future ... but it did not catch on. I still like these.
Yeah man, me too!
@@MichaelWatts Just the most advanced guitar (IMHO) since the Stratocaster ...
Omg! This guy is still alive!? I thought he had died or something…. Soooo many questions. Soooo many!
Michael, this is fantastic content! If you can get Paul Languedoc to sit down with you, well… let’s just say it would be must-watch tv! Thanks for the vids!
Thank you very much! I’ll do my best!
what a cool thin bodied guitar
It is awesome!
You could use modified or custom alumitone Pickups on the Prototype. They should be quite thin and top mounting.
That is true!
Something like a lace alumatone would be an interesting magnetic pickup for this concept (along with a piezo). They can be made super thin and lightweight
I got it completely stock with the set up it had. It had 10s on it with the white pick guard on it. Lower end model. But I always had issues with tuning and the feel felt un natural to me. But that’s just my opinion. No that I have a PRS I like the feel and strength of it.
Do a kickstarter. They will come.
Let me drop a couple of lines here from a guitarist who has been playing seriously for 43 years. (1) The only innovation to the guitar since the 50s was Ken Parker, (2) I was on a business trip to the UK back in 2001 and went to try few guitars at the centre of London and tried this Parker nylon strings and it was an orange colour, and I couldn't forget that guitar after all those years and one of my few regrets that I hesitated purchasing it. In summary, I would love to see those guitars back again in one form or another
Thank you for watching Ihab! The nylon string Fly is a wonderful thing
As great as Ken is, if we’re talking innovation since the 50s, Steinberger and Gittler deserve a mention too.
@@ollimoore Right you are, they do.
Question how to find replacement spring in the old style tremolo system? My metal style spring broke in half!
I see them on eBay every so often
Ken I own the one that Reeves Gabrels road tested on the Bowie tour in 95. It's the one where the trem springs busted through the top. What do you think it's worth?
Would love one like your prototype.
I think we all would!
There’s a lot of people out there that will be pledging right now for the rebirth of parker guitars, i will trow my savings for that to happen!! And maybe with the technology available nowadays this prototype guitar could be done as it was supposed to be
It’s a beautiful idea, it really is!
Just because it can be done, doesn't mean it should be. A wafer thin Mk.2 Parker electric is always going to be a niche product and a limited commercial success at best. Based upon that and the price of Ken's archtop guitars, a Mk.2 Fly could easily cost $10K - so you'd better have deep pockets..
@@ThePedroDB I think that is exactly the demographic that a no-compromise version of the Fly made by Ken himself would appeal to.
@@MichaelWatts You could be right. Even so, I doubt Ken would be interested. He's moving forward, rather than looking backwards. The 'Potato Chip'/Fly is firmly in his past and he's very happy making archtops
i have a parker guitar for me it is the best of the guitars i would buy some other one but there is no place to listen to it for sale
where can I get one?
A huge part of an electric guitar’s sound is the pickups and electronics though, and if you’re using proprietary pickups that can’t be changed out for something else…that’s a big turnoff.
As much as I love my nitefly, I don't want it to be the size of a sheet of paper, lol.
The funny thing ken is if you did do a kickstarter they would sell.
It has to happen!
I’m wondering how he would have handled the pickup conundrum? Pure piezo, eh? A pickup like an arch top that floats?
Total piezo I think…
Seems like the Ritter princess Isabella was inspired by this or a similar concept of the top of an arch top
That’s very possible! I am a big fan of Jens’s work
Is the only guitar you need?
is it possible to bring back this particular model in to production?
I hope so!
@@MichaelWatts I grew up watching my guitar Hero, Dewa Budjana (Indonesian guitar player) playing this guitar and the first time I saw it, it was magical. It was a majik blue deluxe. I haven't been able to buy one since and only play for myself reminiscing the old days in high school band. Would love to be able to buy one that Mr. Parker envision such as this prototype one day.
Such a pity Parker guitars had to stop...
Steve DeMarchi from ALIAS & THE CRANBERRIES uses them all the time. Those Parker's sound amazing. I remember interviewing talking to Steve about playing Parkers and he loved the weight, tone and piezo pickup system. He said playing with THE CRANBERRIES and DOLORES O'RIORDAN's solo album tours Parkers worked flawlessly .... lots of videos of him playing them on the ALIAS BAND FAN CLUB you tube channel - www.youtube.com/@aliasbandfanclub3357/videos
Very cool!
Can we have this with piezoelectrics and a stereo output please?
Tuners facilitating 50+ tunings would also be nice.. See where I'm going with this??
It’s a beautiful dream!
Oh 5000 is super good price！！！！！ make it happen ~!~!~!~!~!~!please
I suspect that would just be a deposit…
Have one of the first 200 Fly guitars made in 1993, the frets are still perfect in 2024. The prototype is cool however there is no practice use for it without some electronics. I do not think we will ever see another Parker Fly due to the cost of making them. They are very labor intense to make, you need skilled craftsmen and there are not enough in the world today.
Very true…
take my $5000! Ken
You rulz !
Words can't describe what I wouldn't give to get my hands on a f****** Parker fly. When I had the chance to get one I didn't and I don't f****** know why. To be honest I didn't really start appreciating them until a bit later in life and of course at first glance their design is a little off-putting when you're used to the standard type of looks two guitars but I have really damaged shoulders so I need a light guitar but that Piezo system was f****** great and some of those finishes were amazing and how light it was f*** man kill kill for a Parker
I know what you mean - and the prototype is even cooler than the production model!
@@MichaelWatts bro I Can Only Imagine. And his archtops look gorgeous and they're nice and all that but I need me one of the old school electrics and it seems like he ain't making them anymore Carmody can't for licensing reasons? I don't know I would kill just I don't care if it was broke and I f****** fix it just anything Parker guitar I've wanted one for 20 years and I just can never get it. But anyway cool video really cool prototype he showed and it's nice to see he's still doing his thing you know. I subbed notifications are on thank you again for this video I appreciate it.
make the man some skinny pickups!
😂
How do i ask Ken parker smth
Get in touch via his website I guess, or leave a comment on his UA-cam channel - he’s pretty active there!
@@MichaelWatts whats his channel , or site
That's it? where is another 20 minute?
That’s all you get! We literally had 5 minutes together before the festival started
START A KICKSTARTER THING!!!
😂😂😂 that’s up to Ken but it would be awesome
Hard to understand why Parker Guitars went under. They made excellent instruments.
Sadly that’s not always a guarantee of financial success or longevity!
@@MichaelWatts Guitar players tend to be conservative when it comes to accepting new things. This probably hurt Parker quite a bit.
Can anyone name more than 3 artists?
The only one that comes to mind is Kevin Cadogan from Third Eye Blind. And that was around 96-2000.
@@roytofilovski9530 that was certainly true in the 1990s when the Fly first hit the market but it things have changed in the acoustic, archtop and even electric world substantially.
@@CFChristian Eddie Van Halen had one, Reeves Gabrels, Adrien Belew, Dave Navarro played one when he was with the Chilli peppers but you’re right - it was a niche instrument in its production format and as we see here, a guitar hobbled by compromise in some ways.
So Ken if God forbid you got any extra old ones lying around they can be damaged they can be whatever that you're willing to get rid of you have no idea what I would do to get my hands on one. So if you're feeling generous I know this is pathetic of me even asking this but my God I would kill to get my hands on one. As a fan of 20 years I just figured it's worth a shot to ask even though I know you won't even see this comment. If you start a Kickstarter to get Parker's back on the f****** Market I will donate whatever I can Parker's were my dad's favorite guitar to and he passed recently, he wanted also. Get these bad boys back on the market. There is nothing I wouldn't do not only to get Parker's back up and running in the market how to get my hands on my own personal Parker. I'd give every last red Cent I could spare when I could spare it to your Kickstarter. I'm f****** die-hard Parker for life.
Well, why don’t you?
But no really, Kickstarter when?
Ha - let’s see what Ken says
@@MichaelWatts Fair enough. I'm looking at Reverb right now and average prices are around $3k US.
@@CFChristian for the production model yes - but this, this is something very different
@@MichaelWatts Oh OK I understand. The resonance and having no standard pickups is definitely fascinating.
Stream died?
why did parker go out of business?
It did I’m afraid but there will be more! I don’t know all the details but I can’t help thinking that if Ken had been able to make a guitar closer to the prototype then things might have been different
@@MichaelWatts I have a 2003 nightfly
Parker guitars had a labour intensive production process, using exotic materials (of the day) and comprising of almost totally bespoke parts. They were expensive as a result. Economies of scale never came into play because they didn't become a huge commercial success - guitarists are very traditional in their ways. Ken was quoted (I paraphrase) as saying "they were making $10K guitars and selling them at $2K". Hence, not much profitability.
The company changed hands a couple of times. Attempts were made to reduce production cost of the Fly - the so called 'refined' Fly. Attempts were made to make Parker guitars that were more appealing to traditionalist guitarists. QC went down a bit. Lower cost components were used. Prices went up. The guitar didn't sell in big numbers. Final owners (JAM) probably decided the company was no longer commercially viable and stopped production/closed the factory...
Anyone can make Pickups, I wonder why he didn't make his own that would be compatible with that guitar?
Bean counters I guess?
I’m not sure *anyone* can make pickups but yes - it’s very revealing to see just how different the prototype is from the production model
@@MichaelWatts Thanks for the reply, I'm really enjoying your videos.
I do realise that making a good Pickup requires R&D but not special skills.
Also, I don't know about England but here in Australia we all made electro magnetic devices in high school science.
Later in the 80's I made my own split coil Mandolin Humbuckers because I couldn't buy them.
I suspect Ken didn't want to fit Mag Pickups at all. Piezo would have been enough. Mag pickups also compromised his ideal of ultra-light weight. He was probably 'persuaded' by Marketeers/Bean Counters to fit Mag Pickups to make the guitar more acceptable to a wider audience/traditional guitarists. They needed wider appeal to sell as many units as possible.
The original Fly didn't have a truss rod either (it didn't need one) but a 'compromise' Piano Wire truss rod was eventually installed to pacify traditionalists/minimise impact on weight. The potential frailty of that solution is still a cause of consternation for many potential owners to this day..
@@whythesadface your eduction is enviable! I wish I’d been winding pickups instead of doing Latin…
@@ThePedroDB I have an early Fly in which the piano wire truss rod failed (the wire itself was fine, the connection at the end is what broke) and as constructed that guitar absolutely definitely needed a truss rod - the forward bow from the string tension was enough to make it essentially unplayable. I guess any made without any truss rod at all (prototypes, presumably) must’ve been quite different , but I’m struggling to imagine that making it stiff enough for that would’ve made for a lighter weight instrument.
I’d pay $5k for one, no question.
I suspect that would be the deposit…
Id be up to sending ken money to make guitars again, as long as he promised not to sell the company again and ruin everything.
Sorry. I hated these guitars. Good craftsmanships. But was very hard to keep it tuned.
Really? I never had any issues - did you have the right trem spring for the string gauge?