A little different, anyone know more about these?

[JohnZ]

Hi! New member, nice to see Parker fans.

So here's mine.

2008 I think. Heather Grey. From what I know its a cedar body.

Really haven't been able to find much about it. Bought it a few years ago, from a guy with way too many guitars who didn't play it. I have way too many guitars, but I play all of them
Haven't seen others. On the old Parker forum, someone mentioned seeing a handful on a tour of the Washburn run factory. They were supposed to be Spanish Flys, but they had either ugly tops or a small defect. Mine has a small patch on the back of the horn where someone didn't smooth out the carbon fiber before cooking. Rather than scrap it and eat the cost, they were each painted a different color and sold. Their guess was 5.

Anyone have any info? Any search I've done on Cedar Parkers just brings up the old Reverb listing for this guitar (no I didn't pay the asking price )
Anyway, plays great, sounds great, and I love the color.

[vjmanzo]

Hi @JohnZ, welcome!!!

Great looking Fly! Here’s the story with cedar Flys—it’s a short story @Ken Parker loved cedar—and it’s similar to spruce tonally—and the Fly Artist model was, for a time, considered as either Spruce or Cedar. However, very early in the Parker Guitars days, Ken developed an allergy/intolerance for cedar (not uncommon with cedar), so cedar was no longer used.

Once Ken was no longer with Parker Guitars, USM custom shop orders expanded wood types used to include cedar once again. Looks like your Fly was a custom-ordered Fly. Since it has a solid paint color (like a Deluxe) it is probably not a very attractive piece of wood underneath, so perhaps it was deemed unfit for a Spanish Fly, but ya never know—it could have just been that the previous owner wanted what they wanted (wood and paint). The oopsy with composite application is unfortunate, but not horrible—no one knows it’s there when you’re ripping on stage

More info on wood types here!

Would love to hear that one!

[JohnZ]

Many thanks for the info!

Yeah, the little carbon bubble doesnt bother me, the rest is flawless. I'm always amazed how many used Parkers are damaged. I don't know if it's people doing tricks because theyre so light, but its funny how dinged up many are.

It sounds great. I did an experiment in my studio playing the same riff on 15 guitars through the same 88 Jubilee. That Parker was near impossible to tell from... a Gibson custom shop 58 LP.

[vjmanzo]

I'm always amazed how many used Parkers are damaged.

Ya know—I was just saying that the other day! Maybe it’s that the only used Flys on the market are the abused ones? Accidents happen and I don’t “baby” my equipment, but some of these Flys appear to have been chewed!

[Fly Rod]

Welcome to the Forum JohnZ
That's the 1st Cedar Fly I have seen.
VERY COOL

I tried making a guitar from Cedar & well the wood was too soft but made a nice cutting board so I sandwiched it with Ash
Still in my shop & I call it "The NightCaster".. Copied a Gibson Nighthawk Body shape..

ASH BACK

CEDAR TOP

[mmmguitar]

Maybe it’s that the only used Flys on the market are the abused ones?

Yep. I’m afraid that’s how the “vintage” market works: People get duped into buying lemons by being sold on the premise that the age of the thing somehow equates to quality, then resell it for profit by perpetuating the lie. Meanwhile, the keepers remain kept. Wine collectors do the same thing.

Our main Parker flipper, for example, has finally resorted to listing the defective Flys he got duped into buying - But all he’s doing differently is adding more hyperbole to the listing (and somehow resisting the compulsion to list the guitar for five grand more than he paid).

[JohnZ]

Maybe it’s that the only used Flys on the market are the abused ones?

Yep. I’m afraid that’s how the “vintage” market works: People get duped into buying lemons by being sold on the premise that the age of the thing somehow equates to quality, then resell it for profit by perpetuating the lie. Meanwhile, the keepers remain kept. Wine collectors do the same thing.

Our main Parker flipper, for example, has finally resorted to listing the defective Flys he got duped into buying - But all he’s doing differently is adding more hyperbole to the listing (and somehow resisting the compulsion to list the guitar for five grand more than he paid).

That does make sense, especially with guitars like these that have a niche market. People who love them LOVE them, and don't sell. So there's not much out there that's pristine.

But it's odd considering how expensive they were new. I couldn't afford one as a kid when they came out. I know the market dipped a bit for a while in the 2000s, but they were never cheap. I do plenty of shows and some guitars I have are 30 years old, no gouges, chips and such. This guy has two 95's, pretty colors, and way more dings then I would think for a guitar costing that much. That's way more than "average playwear" to me.

https://www.ebay.com/str/cwh1guitars?_pgn=2

in 95 they were what, 3 grand? I just don't see how someone buys that and smacks it up. To me, they just feel to technical for that.