Total Refurbish of Trashed Fly Deluxe

[mmmguitar]

What do you think? Should I put splines/splints under the veneer?

If it was repaired with titebond, for example, then it’s safe to say it won’t break in the same place. Being as the veneer itself will act as a splint, I’d install any spline strips on the rear. But anything you decide to do falls under the “better safe than sorry” and cosmetic umbrellas, assuming the initial repair is stable.

[Fly Rod]

I wish I had a couple 3" long carbon fiber pieces of square shank
I'd make the time to inlay them under the veneer as they are super strong in two directions but flexible in the other two

Have a look at this thread = What another Junior Luthier did to a 12 String Takamine
http://cadam7777777.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... tring.html
Getting Ideas!

[vjmanzo]

I wish I had a couple 3" long carbon fiber pieces of square shank

Hey @Fly Rod—if you do go in that direction, there’s a lot of composite/carbon fiber options out there—some good, some not so good, but this company Dragon Plate is the real deal:
https://dragonplate.com/Carbon-Fiber-Strip

[Fly Rod]

Thanks for the link vjmanzo & much cheaper in cost than Stew-Mac in fact I would imagine that is where they buy it from
The break SEEEMS very strong & was done with Titebond Original Glue & think it will survive without any reinforcement
There are a few very small voids & was planning on using mahogany dust & #10 CA glue to fill them + there is a ding on the tip of the headstock too

[Fly Rod]

OH & It will be getting very light strings = .010" - .047" Martin Super Light Acoustic Strings = Less String Tension
I just started cutting out the peghead shape on the laminate with a 1/16" overhang = outside of the pencil line & have to wear cheaters to even see what I'm doing = going slow & cutting down with the coping saw blade in backwards

[Fly Rod]

Mike @ G-Man Guitars aka WI Guitars just emailed me & found a couple more sets of those bearings I have been after for almost a year now
They will be here May the 30th = OH YEAH!
He also told me he had very few left & didn't have them up for sale on eBay or Reverb BUT they are out there for those in need

I went ahead & drove the pins off the bearings with a scrap of metal with a hole drilled in it on top of a block of wood with a hole with a metal punch & a baby ball pean hammer, They were very tight & took some force to get them moving through
I ordered two sets of bearings in case I ruin one putting them on the pins

This is the very last part I need to get the Parker Fly Deluxe going back together
It's been a Long Time Coming..
Hey that's a Sam Cooke Song!

The Parker Fly Will Live & Be 100% Functional even if I have to get with Larry Fishman himself to get the electronics working

[mmmguitar]

The Parker Fly Will Live & Be 100% Functional even if I have to get with Larry Fishman himself to get the electronics working

Fortunately, you have a bit of leeway in wiring the guitar however you/your son so desires. Though if you’re going for a 100% era-specific restoration, you’ll find tracking down those parts typically involves buying a guitar with them.

[vjmanzo]

Great to hear, Fly Rod! Can you measure them once you receive them and let us know what Wiguitar sent you?

Marc is right—you’ve got lots of electronics options! Lots of fun times ahead!

[Fly Rod]

I know the two switches are going to be ruined & should have already tried to source them, I saw your list in a thread on FlyClone somewhere?
I can test them by bypassing them with a jumper wire or hook each pickup directly to my MINI AMP
Maybe I was thinking "Too Cheap" & wanted to open them up & clean the contacts + add some dielectric grease
Possibly the same for the potentiometers OR Just source them & replace, I have dragged my feet on this repair for TOO LONG!
Need to just buckle down & "Get Er Done"
I have a new "Output Jack" that is the modified Fishman for an acoustic that I have never soldered it in YET! Came from Stew-Mac...
Will have some time between now & when the bearings come but really wanted to do the paint before pressing the bushings back in for the final time
Got plenty more to keep me busy just on Guitars + Everything Else I have going on + The Takamine & Gibson Les Paul + upcoming Fender Jazzmaster HH

[vjmanzo]

I saw your list in a thread on FlyClone somewhere

In short, the mag pickups need a three-way on-on-on toggle and the mag-to-piezo toggle (if you're using the Fishman Powerchip) needs a three-way on-off-on toggle (for reference: the parts list).

[Fly Rod]

I measured the old bearings & Pins/Shafts

ID 0.1245"/3.16mm Inside Diameter of the bearing = Outside diameter of the Pins/Shafts
OD 0.3745"/9.51mm Outside Diameter of the bearings
Thickness 0.1550"/3.94mm Total Thickness Left to Right while assembled

I will measure the new ones which should be the exact same size = Lets Hope anyway
Also wonder about greasing these bearings like you would a wheel bearing on a automobile
Thinking a HUGE syringe full of synthetic wheel bearing grease & putting the bearing in a rubber tube & injecting the grease through to pack the bearings

Here's one = I need a 10mm drill bit for the tuners = same as the Parker's Sperzels for the Takamine's Laminate
25/64" = 9.92mm = 10mm

[Fly Rod]

Now I'm looking for all the parts from this adventure
I can't find the rear cover plate with the battery box cutout & can't find the three black metal knobs???
I know they are rear somewhere as they couldn't have grown legs & walked up the stairs out of the basement/man cave & flown away..
Moved some stuff around & now everything is different & just can't find stuff & it's driving me crazy..

I'm not scrambling to find these parts YET
The knobs would be easy = same as Charvel/Jackson but that rear cover plate?? & It's BIG TOO!

It would look like this -->


I know two of the plastic tabs that hold the battery box in that plate are broken off = gone but thought I could come up with something, even just a couple clumps of glue gun glue..
Need to clean up the mess in the man cave & get this Parker Fly Fixed.

Have you all seen that 2007 Amber Supreme on Reverb @ $7500 WOW!! Stunning FLY...

[mmmguitar]

@Fly Rod, as far as I can tell, the “refined” Fly 9v compartment is just a generic guitar battery box such as this one glued onto a cutout on the cavity cover (then again, I never pried the two apart to see if there was fastening involved). But any mod holding the battery in place with the current backplate (once you find it) should be just as good. The knobs are also super generic/cheaply replaceable - Whereas a set of the ‘90s rubberized Fly knobs were recently seen on Reverb for something like $500 .

[Fly Rod]

Mike @ WI-Guitar sent the four little bearings & they came in the package they have been in for the last 10+ years
Marked R2-ZZ(V1) Googles as a Bearing for a Fishing Real Made in China R2-2RS, R2-ZZ Ball Bearings, 1/8x3/8x5/32 [0.125" ID x 0.375 OD x 0.1562" W]

In the first photos I show how I removed them from the pins & re-installed them + oiled them with gun oil
100% Perfect fit in all three dimensions
Thanks Mike!

[mmmguitar]

Good to know I can take my guitars Fly fishing. Why’s everyone throwing tomatoes?

[Fly Rod]

Looks like these bearings are NOW used in some mini drones & are quite common
They are available on Amazon & eBay & are also available sealed with the part # R2-2RS & as supplied # R2-ZZ
Looks like buying them in 10+ packs is the way to go BUT I have a lifetime supply being I have two extra in my stash
I doubt I will ever own another Parker Fly just because I couldn't afford to ever have one except this project guitar for $30 + Parts
I see a few made in this era for sale but not many Refined Flys are ever up for sale, Mine is a 2007 Deluxe BTW
The prices lately are sky high even for a Night Fly & even a PDF-60etc., I assume the Night Fly neck My Bud has on his wall would fit a PDF as it also has a radial neck pocket, I once owned a PDF-60, Bought for $100 & was white, Sold it quite quickly but needed the soft bridge saddles replaced & they also came from WI Guitar back then 5-6 years ago OR longer

Going to fill the top where I sanded & added the patch & have a product called Timber Mate that is a pore filler, wood putty from Australia & have used it on the Gibson for pore filling.
It is water soluble & can be thinned & brushed on & sands very easily but it is rock hard, IIRC it's made from Aussie sand
It can be applied with a bondo spreader if the consistency is kept kind of thick
Might get around to brushing a layer of it on the guitar this evening but want to lay a layer of primer over where I have sanded though being it's water based & might raise the grain in the patch & bodies wood...
So Really I need to take the body outside & spray & nice layer of primer sealer on it first then carry it back in & let it dry then apply the Timber Mate

Going to unsolder all the electronics & then try an fix that mess outside the guitar, as I don't want that Timer Mate getting on the pickups + will just make it easier to work with stripped

Saturady Morning Here & have very little to do so maybe I can get some more time to put towards the Parker Fly & Takamine
Gary

[Fly Rod]

Going Monday to see Primus do RUSH's Farewell to Kings + their set...
Listening to RUSH & Primus today as I try get off my Hiney & get something done
11:30am & haven't done squat YET!
Wolf Glass & Paint Closes @ 12:00 on Saturday
Doomed again by taking my time to get things done

[vjmanzo]

part # R2-2RS & as supplied # R2-ZZ

Thanks, Gary! I could swear that I recall that the bearing changed in the USM-era from what @Ken Parker originally used (in consult with Gary Kahler)—so having this info is very helpful!

Keep up the great work and think of all the Fly wood-types if they also cover "the Trees"!

[Fly Rod]

What's even crazier than anything to ME is that the Parker Fly uses FLY ROD Bearings in it's tremolo unit
I would think the sealed bearing would be better for a fishing reel myself
Glad they are available too
Said in me looking these up they were capable of 35,000 rpm
Here's the sealed bearings

[mmmguitar]

I too am relieved to read that they’re easy to source, and will be looking out for the words “capable of 35,000 RPM” in some of this next month’s Reverb listings.