WTB: Reeves Gabrels Prototype

[Chitarr888]

Hi, Hello To all. I am looking for one of The prototype of Parker Nitefly Ken Parker gave To Reeves Gabrels. They have ticket neck And body. I would like To personalizzata It as Gabrels made with one of them during Earthling era. I allo ask You if You know artists And luthiers Who could personalizzata one of tese prototypes? Please answer me. Best regards,
Diego

[chrisjscott]

I don't believe that there was anything custom (from the factory) about that guitar; it was just an unfinished Parker Nitefly body. Looking at pics of it, it had a humbucker in the bridge and a single-coil (pretty sure that's a Sustainer, which would make sense, given the sounds he was making during that time) in the neck, but here's the key piece of all this:

I'm quite certain that I once read that he himself stated that the guitar was primarily a vehicle for his Roland GK2A pickup that he ran into a Roland VG-8. He was super-into the amp modeling thing back then (as usual, before anybody else).

So find yourself a really beat up Parker Nitefly (please don't ruin a good one - they don't make 'em anymore), strip it to bare wood, get yourself a Sustainer, a Roland synth pickup and a replacement pickguard and you're good-to-go!

Don't forget the glue and glitter.

[vjmanzo]

Great suggestion, @chrisjscott and welcome!

@Chitarr888, the NiteFly Ken made for Reeves has three .30” fingerboards layered on top of eachother so it’s .60” thicker than a typical NiteFly. There are, for sure, some NiteFlys out there that were made with two stacked fingerboards; that thickness, as far as I know, is the main difference between a typical NiteFly and the one you’re looking for.

[Browndog Owner]

The body, like the neck are both, one of a kind. Reeves described the body as being a slab of mahogany. Under the pick guard is a “swimming pool” rout (rectangular rout) to give Reeves the most options for maximum modification. In the end, he went with the GK-2 pickup and a Fernandez sustainer system. His incredible sounds emanate from his guitar in combination with his Roland on the floor.

[Browndog Owner]

The neck and body of the guitar are both customized by Ken, each one of a kind. The body is indeed a huge slab of mahogany with swimming pool route. There are a few speckles and “jewels” inside the cavity. It’s as thick as a telecaster body, and just as heavy. No other Parker is like this one. I agree with you, for getting as close to copying it as possible, I’d go with a NiteFly body.

[jb63]

Get a guitar like this:

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Parke ... -Guitar.gc

and put in a GK3 pickup. A GK2 would be cheaper. Then get a sustainer and put it in the neck.
Then get a Roland VG88 or GR33 (very cheap!) and start programming.

The secret weapon Reeves used was less the guitar than the Virtual Guitar Programming.

That part will take you some time but you can do it.

[mmmguitar]

FWIW, it’s worth calling that GC and asking if anything can be discounted due to it being a late-model NiteFly Mojo mistakenly listed as a more valuable Fly Mojo. Though given current supply chain issues in the guitar industry, there may be a corporate mandate to minimize haggling.

[Browndog Owner]

You’re right. Reeve’s mentioned that the key to his sound is in his Roland used in combination with a Fernandez sustainer and Roland pickup. (Not that his incredible playing has to do anything with it) lol

[Browndog Owner]

The body is literally a slab of mahogany, I wanna say two inches thick, but that would be too much. I’ll look for pics.