Modifying a Southern Nitefly

[StrumDummy1998@]

The Southern Nitefly is my favorite Parker. But, I’m not the biggest fan of the trad tele single coil neck pickup. It’s a little too thin for my tastes. I want to change it to a humbucker (or a thicker sounding tele single coil), but I’m admittedly apprehensive given how rare the guitar is. Thoughts?

[vjmanzo]

I want to change it to a humbucker (or a thicker sounding tele single coil), but I’m admittedly apprehensive given how rare the guitar is.

Hey @StrumDummy1998@—I can certainly empathize with the thoughts about keeping a guitar stock. Since you're asking for "thoughts", my personal thought is that if you're certain that a pickup substitution is necessary, then swap it out. My usual go-tos are to reposition the pickup or change the strings, both of which can have a significant impact on your tone; however, swapping a humbucker for a single-coil is a very significant difference, so if you're sure that's the direction you want to go, I'd buy a separate pickupgard and go for it.

I am personally less sentimental about modding USM-era Parker Guitars, respectfully, than I am Parkers made in the first decade, but even when it comes to Flys and NiteFlys made in that first decade, my fundamental view of instruments is that they are intended to make music and therefore they ought to be modified as needed to fulfill that purpose—this is part of the several-thousand-year tradition of human beings adapting instruments together to support their creative ideas. By contrast, the notion that someone would regard a musical instrument as a collectible is a very recent perspective in human development.

[mmmguitar]

I want to change it to a humbucker (or a thicker sounding tele single coil), but I’m admittedly apprehensive given how rare the guitar is. Thoughts?

There are a wealth of aftermarket tele-sized pickup options which can be auditioned without permanent modification to the guitar. If you're concerned with depreciation, just keep the original pickups around to put back in the guitar, should the time come.

[jb63]

The southern is one of the easiest pickup swaps to do, plus there are a bunch of original pick guards available on eBay.

Here is my unsolicited pickup advice:

https://www.tonespecific.com/collection ... nt-pickups