Feel free to delete this if it is the wrong section of the forum.
I bought a Nitefly SA back in 04 and the manual for it does not coincide with the guitar itself.
Like there isn't a Stereo/Mono switch but it does have the Piezo volume knob. Then I noticed everyone else had a hole to access the Stop screw to change the tremolo setting. Where as the back of my guitar's cover does not have that hole drilled.
And finally, I was having pick up issues recently which led me to this site, my pick ups, magnetic and piezo(obviously) only works with a 9volt battery put inside the guitar.
So I guess my questions would be, should I drill a hole into the back cover of the guitar to get to the tremolo screw easier?
Checking the out put of the guitar by touching a multimeter to the end of the cable while plugged into the guitar, the output is incredibly low without a battery inside.
Is something wrong with my guitar? Everything is perfect when a 9volt battery is inside the guitar.
Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
Hi @barabbasb; welcome to the forum.
Without seeing the NiteFly, it seems like your guitar is not from 2004 and is either a NFVM 1 or 2, which has a passive piezo system and utilized an external device to separate the two discrete channels (mags and piezo). If there is no battery route in the back of the guitar, that would likely confirm my suspicion.
It’s possible that the previous owner upgraded the piezo to a Fishman powerchip or other system, which would explain why the 9volt is needed at all.
Can you post some photos and the serial number?
Without seeing the NiteFly, it seems like your guitar is not from 2004 and is either a NFVM 1 or 2, which has a passive piezo system and utilized an external device to separate the two discrete channels (mags and piezo). If there is no battery route in the back of the guitar, that would likely confirm my suspicion.
It’s possible that the previous owner upgraded the piezo to a Fishman powerchip or other system, which would explain why the 9volt is needed at all.
Can you post some photos and the serial number?
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
I'll take some pictures of it for you when I get home from the office. I got it new from either music123 or musician's friend. I love the guitar itself and I am really sad to see Parker isn't around anymore.
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
This is the link with my pictures on Imgur.
Serial number is 0404093 which I took a picture of as well.
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
Hi @barabbasb—Got it; that is, in fact, a 2004 as you correctly stated. That model has the Fishman Powerchip in it and the magnetic pickups, which are passive, are running through an active buffer in the Powerchip in order to maintain the relative balance of both the mags and the piezo. The unit needs a 9volt because of this. If you open up the back, there should be a blue trim pot, which you can use to control the level of just the piezo.
The manual we have describes the original Fishman piezo systems for the NiteFly, which required a button-type switch to allow the signals to split to the Tip and Sleeve or a TRS cable, but the Fishman Powerchip (in your NiteFly) uses a smart-sensing system to detect a TRS cable (versus a standard TS instrument cable). The guitar you have had a three way toggle opposite the five-way mag pickup selector; that switch is described correctly in the manual: when a TRS cable is inserted, the piezo will automatically route to the Ring channel of the cable (with magnetic pickups on the Tip—or vice versa).
Hope this helps.
Others might have some insights about the bridge issue you mentioned. Keep us posted!
The manual we have describes the original Fishman piezo systems for the NiteFly, which required a button-type switch to allow the signals to split to the Tip and Sleeve or a TRS cable, but the Fishman Powerchip (in your NiteFly) uses a smart-sensing system to detect a TRS cable (versus a standard TS instrument cable). The guitar you have had a three way toggle opposite the five-way mag pickup selector; that switch is described correctly in the manual: when a TRS cable is inserted, the piezo will automatically route to the Ring channel of the cable (with magnetic pickups on the Tip—or vice versa).
Hope this helps.
Others might have some insights about the bridge issue you mentioned. Keep us posted!
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
Do you think it would be ok to drill a hole into the back plate in order to access the tremolo stop screw easier so I can change modes? I have just left it on balanced since and have never changed it since I purchased the guitar.
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
If it were me, I’d drill through that backplate without hesitation; it’s just plastic and you can always trace the original and cut a new one out of pickguard blank material if needed.
You could also try playing without the backplate on; Clapton and some other Strat players swear it sounds better though I’ve never seen anything empirical to confirm or deny that this has any impact on tone other than perceived impact on tone.
So just to confirm: your bridge does have a step in place, correct? The balancing act takes a little getting used to on a Fly/NiteFly, but the bridge really a great design and I think you’ll be very happy with the results. There’s a few guides on setting up the bridge here that you may find useful; you’ll have to just adapt what’s being presented (for the Fly) for the NiteFly, but the balancing process is the same.
Keep us posted, @barabbasb!
You could also try playing without the backplate on; Clapton and some other Strat players swear it sounds better though I’ve never seen anything empirical to confirm or deny that this has any impact on tone other than perceived impact on tone.
So just to confirm: your bridge does have a step in place, correct? The balancing act takes a little getting used to on a Fly/NiteFly, but the bridge really a great design and I think you’ll be very happy with the results. There’s a few guides on setting up the bridge here that you may find useful; you’ll have to just adapt what’s being presented (for the Fly) for the NiteFly, but the balancing process is the same.
Keep us posted, @barabbasb!
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
When I take the back plate off, it looks like the standard floyd rose. With the 3 coiled springs maintaining tension for the bridge.
I am not sure what you mean by step. But for sure there is a screw hole to adjust the bridge to different modes. I wish I had that bridge with the tension wheel. But I really love the design of the bridge I have now. It feels like a real step up from a floyd rose.
I am not sure what you mean by step. But for sure there is a screw hole to adjust the bridge to different modes. I wish I had that bridge with the tension wheel. But I really love the design of the bridge I have now. It feels like a real step up from a floyd rose.
Re: Parker Nitefly SA 2004?
Yes, I meant the “Stop Screw” as per pages 8 and 9 of the NiteFly manual; on a Fly they call the comparable component a “Step Stop”, though I suppose the Stop Screw is more like a combination of the balance wheel on a Fly and the Step Stop on a Fly.
Yes, the wheel is a great design compared to the accessibility of the stop screw, but, once you get the Stop Screw balanced in your NiteFly, you’ll be able to bend up or down freely and return to tune very well! The locking tuners alleviate the need to mess with licking nuts and the extra string length between the nut and the tuning pegs adds to the sense of elasticity in the feel compared to a Floyd Rose (though it doesn’t impact the tone at all).
Yes, the wheel is a great design compared to the accessibility of the stop screw, but, once you get the Stop Screw balanced in your NiteFly, you’ll be able to bend up or down freely and return to tune very well! The locking tuners alleviate the need to mess with licking nuts and the extra string length between the nut and the tuning pegs adds to the sense of elasticity in the feel compared to a Floyd Rose (though it doesn’t impact the tone at all).