the Fly Clone Project

Hello my Name is Gary BTW aka Fly Rod & am 55 Years Old JFYI
I live two miles from Louisville Kentucky in Southern Indiana Just across the River
My Oldest Son used to work for the Street Department here in Clarksville
The Garbage Men find Guitars every day BTW, What would be easily fixed goes to a guy who works there with a booth @ The Peddler's Mall
I have several guitars that need repairs from Broken Headstocks, Missing Parts etc., It Goes On & On..
Well about a year ago I bought this Refined Parker Fly for $30 from one of the Guys there, I Pretty Much Bought Their Lunch..
It been sitting around a long time & on August 26th 2021 my Youngest Son turned 30 & has been looking at a Dream Guitar of His which is a Steinberger XP-2 Bass, We found one on Reverb Cheap that needed a Tuning Jaw & a Leg Rest + Setup & New Strings, We went ahead & found the parts first & Ed Roman's in Las Vegas had everything We Needed, So He ordered the Bass from Nashville Tennessee & It shipped Pronto & was here Quick.. The Parts arrived a few days later so He was playing that bass without a D String..
Understand that We have many guitars & a three basses ++?? Keyboards, Organs, Synths etc.
Well after fixing the Steinberger it lit a fire in me again to do something with these guitars that are littering my basement.
First I had to just solder a output jack in my Son's Fender Swinger & Then came out the Parker Fly with the hole busted in the top where the trem spring broke I assume, It's missing the adjustment parts = Threaded FLY ROD, Adjustment Nut, & T-Bar + The Tremolo Spring which is what led me here to the Fly Clone.. We have all seen that .010" & .012" springs on Reverb & eBay for ridiculous prices..
I THINK This Parker Fly is a Deluxe being it's body is made of Poplar & Marked BP which equals Basswood Neck & Poplar Body.
I can see the wood because of the hole in the front of the guitar.. A yellow kind of wood, I will find a scrap of Poplar to repair that hole after I get the guitar up & running + some fiberglass auto body filler.. I was a Auto Body Repairman back in the Late 80s Early 90s BTW.
The Fly Guitar is marked Parker Guitars on the front of the headstock & BP USA Fly Guitar on the Rear & the Serial # is on the bottom is P0706055 which from what I can decipher is P? YYMMDD# = 2007 June the 5th & #5 of the Day..
I Know it says USA but assume it was made in Korea or Indonesia.. I made up a threaded block to block the trem & then set about to clean the guitar up some with Windex & a Micro Fiber Towel, Then I went to string it up & that's where my problems started..
The Guitar has been wet or moist & the locking pins in the Sperzel Tuners are all locked up except for one which is missing the locking knob & the insert pin.. I took the tuners all apart & soaked them in Sili-Kroil & started cleaning them up one at a time with a bronze brush & Q-Tips & Have them apart down in the basement now, I will pack them back up with White Lithium Grease & Reassemble.
The one tuner missing the knob & pin will go on the High E as I can get several wraps on the short shaft, It was on the Low E BTW..
That's were I stand with the Parker Fly So Far!! I did order the threaded Fly Rod & T-Bar from eBay or Reverb?? Can't Remember??
I had my Wife pay for the stuff with Pay-Pal & should arrive soon.. BUT Without the Nut & spring I'm still looking for parts..
Also will need a Tremolo Arm with the Foam Tip..
I will get with Bob Sperzel & get one new tuner & transplant those parts into the existing tuner so it doesn't look out of place..
Got the back plate minus the screws + battery box & wires, I see where they need to be soldered back on.. Hope That Works & Can get the Piezo Working, This Refined Fly has DiMarzio Pickups Too.. They where just about the only aftermarket pickups back when I 1st Got into guitar & bass in the late 70s/Early 80s, Long Before you started seeing Seymour Duncan's..

The FlyClone is the very best Parker Guitar Forum that I have ever come across with lots of knowledge..
I'm still learning BUT did have a Parker PDF60 a few years back.
I have a few pictures that I posted elsewhere but here they are..

The Parker Fly that was Found in the TRASH..
Changed the Title of my thread Maybe??

I know this FlyClone forum is 100% Parker but had the thought other Forum Members must have other Guitars etc.
And I'd bet their choices are very similar as We Tone Search looking for Valhalla..
I'll Just post a few name brands & types to see for myself.
Steinberger, Brian Moore, Gibson, Fender, Ovation, Peavey, Jackson/Charvel just to name a few..
Hamer comes to mind too but don't have one.. WHY?
Other Gear Roland GR-55 for instance.. Amps Peavey Vypyr, Ashdown Bass Amp etc.

I will keep FlyClone informed on my progress as I try an restore this Parker Fly..
Tuners for now.. Could have just bought a new set of Sperzel's for the time I have invested in cleaning them up..

Wow! Yes BP makes it a Parker Fly Deluxe, and made in USA.

All the best with the restoration. Hopefully the guys who are more experienced might chime in with suggestions.

Thanks ahmadimran It is marked BP USA & as I had read here @ FlyClone it has a Basswood Neck & Poplar Body..
I might be able to get it going 100% if I can score one of those $179 .009" springs = OUCH!! + The adjusting nut which I can fabricate IF I have the right size tap.. Or a Lug Nut from Auto Zone or Home Depot..

The Spring is the reason I Found this forum via a search for Parker Fly Tremolo Springs..

I do have a question & it has to do with how the T-Bar fits into the Threaded Rod with the keyway slot..
I assume it has a hole drilled into it & that it is aluminum but I can't see the hole in the threaded shaft??

Now I don't even know what I ordered as my Wife did the transaction.. Might look on eBay again..
OK I didn't order the T-Bar, There's one on Reverb Now..

Here's were I sit with the "Parker Fly Project" SO FAR..

The Tuners have been WET.. See the rust & that's after I soaked them in Kroil & wiped them down
I went ahead and made a bolt for the 1st string tuner formerly the 6th, See Pic..
Used a #8x32 Hex Bolt & cut it down & tapered the end to be just like the factory locking knob with 6 threads exposed & cut a drill bit down to make the locking PIN.. I have two more tuners to pack with White Lithium & Re-Assemble..
It'll work & get me going on the project so I can string it up & test the magnetic pickups & piezo..

The battery box has two of the locking tabs broken off, So I will take a glue gun & fix that on the inside.. OR??
Have one new Energizer Alkaline 9 Volt Battery.. I usually use Lithium Ion in these Active Guitars BTW.. No ACID..

Still need to order the T-Bar & Tremolo Arm from Reverb/eBay, Would love to have the small plug to attach the 9v directly to the board but will Need to solder to the output jack anyhow.. I have a junk PC in the basement & should open it up & search for said plug..
It should have at least one inside it somewhere on the sound board.. With the rust issue I bet the Output Jack is also Rubbish..
I have one in my stash NEW from where I put one in My Ibanez SoundGear Bass & bought an extra..
Have the Fluke Meter sitting here just need to get these tuners finished 1st & Mounted Up..

Will be needing that Tremolo Spring, I Offered $100 Toward the manufacture of the "Spring Project"
I have even thought of making one myself, If I knew the size & thickness of the spring material..
I'll get an adjustment nut as soon as I get the keyed threaded "Fly Rod"

Someone measure their springs rectangular shape at rest & measure the thickness PLEASE!! For a .009"

Don't want to recut the nut + .009"-.042" are my go to strings on tremolo guitars, I have two sets of EB Super Slinkys IIRC = PINK Pack.
I know Ken Parker used D'Addario Strings but don't have those here currently + hate those colored balls.. Want Brass..
Have those strings on a couple of Basses = D'Addario Chrome Flats on the Ibanez SR300 & Jackson JPB-7 Fretless..
The New Steinberger Bass got LaBella Flat Wound Double Ball.. D'Addario doesn't make Flats for the Steinberger but do have round wounds
Gary/Fly Rod

Super interesting thread.
I have zero ability in the field and I am in true awe of those who can bring an instrument back to life.
Looking forward to the development of this project.

I am now trying to create the tremolo parts I don't have..
Bought the treaded rod with the toothed slot from Wi Guitar & yesterday found & cut down a Lug Nut to be the adjustment nut or Tension Wheel.. = 1/2" x 20 tpi
Cut the lug nut down to 9/16" thick & ran a tap thru the threaded hole & finished the face to sit against the body.. Need to order a T-Bar & Tremolo Arm + The bushing the arm goes into & then a Spring..

The Fly Deluxe is having electrical problems & will start at the output jack & work my way toward the switches & pots etc. & pickups.
Then onto the piezo system.
Just need to get some time.
Gary/Fly Rod

I saw the 2nd half of a concentric knob & thought to myself "That Looks Like the Tension Wheel of a Parker Fly"
Was digging thru a pile of used guitar parts at a local "Music Store"
It is chrome plated brass JFYI & after drilling & tapping it might just be the ticket
Also have a couple nylon spacers that could also but made to work & be lighter weight
See Photo next to cut down Lug Nut
I have the T-Bar, Tremolo Arm w/ Foam Tip + Plastic Insert for tremolo in my Cart @ Reverb
STILL Will NEED a .009" Tremolo Spring..

Didn't do MUCH to the Parker Fly Project today but took the control nuts off & got the electronics loose to start my searching for the electrical problem/s..
Also got a buddy @ TalkBass going to cut & send me a scrap of Poplar to repair the hole in the top + have asked the forum for anyone who is into carbon fiber for auto race cars to get me a small piece & some epoxy resin..
Was planning on putting strap buttons on the Fly & came up with one Schaller & a Few Jim Dunlop strap locks from my stash of goodies..
Might Just go & BUY a new DiMarzio ClipLock strap.. Saw a few interesting looking Steve Via models available locally..
My Son wants a Black DiMarzio ClipLock Strap on His Steinberger XP-2 Bass,
I'll do that in the Morning.. Have two in stock now.. One Black & One White
I also removed the two snap rings from the Fly & put a small amount of penetrant oil down in there, Haven't even tried to turn those adjustment screws YET!
NOTE the treble side bushing is pulled upwards about a millimeter.. Have read on here that they can be reset or CA glued into place..
Next will be the electronics & then the body repair..

Only the rear of the Fly is CF-reinforced; so something like Titebond should be sufficient for gluing in a thin patch of scrap poplar that won’t be bearing any string tension there on the top behind the bridge rout. I’ve been too busy to post much this past week, but have been enjoying reading these regular updates on the restoration. We’re all going to feel like we owe you a beer by the end of this.

You are correct that there is nothing on the front of the guitar except a thick tough paint..
I thought it was coated with carbon fiber or fiberglass but was mistaken..
There's a guy who makes bass guitars on TalkBass & He is sending me a scrap piece of poplar to glue into the body..
Will have to rout down & make a rectangle & make the exact piece to fit & glue into it..
Removed the two snap rings on the rear & put several drops of penetrating oil into the adjustment area hoping it would get to the threaded parts of the tremolo height adjustment, haven't tried to turn the two hex head screws YET..
Will also need to remove the trem in order to go about repairing that huge hole & will wrap it in an old sock & use blue painters tape to cover the pickups & electronics cavity so saw dust doesn't get into these parts..
Need to also fit some strap buttons & screws to this guitar, I have a couple DiMarzio ClipLock Straps, + Schaller & Jim Dunlop locking strap buttons & hardware in my stash of parts..
Haven't gotten around to looking at the electrical problems YET.. Haven't been feeling well & hurt all over like I have the Flu..
Will report back when I get more missing parts + still NEED a .009" SPRING..
Gary/Fly Rod

First off Parker Guitar Owners
I had read that Ken Parker preferred D'Addario strings & had said I wanted Brass Ball on my strings & went with EB Super Slinky.

Found a fix or possible problem with the Piezo pickups that is that all six strings must be grounded in order for the whole system to operate as intended.. The painted balls don't allow for a ground threw them
Here's the post with text + pictures = Not Mine..

" A problem unique to the Piezo Bridge on a Parker Fly Guitar.


Once when I changed the strings on my Parker Fly Guitar I noticed that one of the high strings would not sound (electrically). I thought something had gone wrong with that element on the Piezo pickup. The others sounded, but not that one string. What I found was that the individual piezo saddle button (with the string slot in it) sits on top of the ceramic piezo element saddleand is not connected electrically to the saddle or bridge, except for the string resting on it and grounding through the barrel end to the tailpiece. So I looked with a multi-meter to see if any of the other saddles were grounded, (all of six string-slots floated, no contact with the saddle). Saddles on newer Fly's I have looked at seem to have some sort of foil packing wrinkled around the button to make contact. PaintBall The string set I had put on was D'Addario with (painted) color-coded barrels which broke the usual electrical contact with the machined aluminum tailpiece. I noticed that the saddle of the Piezo element needed to be grounded (by way of the string) when one of the other string wires I had not trimmed off yet at the tuners touched the offending string post, whereupon it grounded (through another string) and started sounding again. Use only strings with bare bronze or the newer anodized barrels and the problem never comes up. If you have no choice but to string up a set of D'Addario's with the painted barrels, leave the tails on at the tuners and braid them together to get through the night. The wound strings will usually have enough bale around the barrel to make contact with the tailpiece, but the light strings may just clear through, with only the barrel contacting the string hole for electrical grounding. Watch for it." Been looking at the wiring on the Fly & haven't come to the solution YET!!
Still need to attach some strap buttons on this Fly Project & this what I have come up with.
I have two Jim Dunlop strap buttons & one Schaller strap lock.
Not sure I want the push button type at the top of the Fly as it could get pressed against the chest & fail but the Schaller requires the button to be pulled instead.. Or Just go buy another DiMarzio StrapLock strap, Just put one on my Son's Steinberger this morning..
Always thought the Schaller looks to hold the weight better than the Jim Dunlop, In fact if the Schaller gets pulled it will still hold onto the guitar where the Jim Dunlop if the button gets pushed the guitar will just fall loose..

That is a WILD find, and an AMBITIOUS project! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Fitting strap buttons to it this morning = had to turn the heads small enough to fit inside the Jim Dunlop strap buttons plus had to cut down a screw for the upper horn & taper it, I have always used candle wax to lube these things for install..
My Wife has a wax burner & they smell good, I dipped the screws threads in the liquid wax & wow it's perfect..
While I had the strings slackened & put a back bow in with a clamp & loosened the truss rod & gave it a drop of oil & then tightened a bit more, It had just a bit too much relief for my taste.. It will live.. Did just as Ken Parker suggested..
The electronics are my problem now.. The Fluke Meter & some time & I'll figure it out..
Gary Pictures to come..

This is incidentally becoming a wonderful guide for Fly owners looking to troubleshoot a few issues any guitar may become afflicted with, but that many (including self-proclaimed professionals) are intimidated by when the guitar in question is a Fly. This restoration project you have been so generous in documenting will surely continue to inspire others as it has inspired me, Gary. Thank you.

I Came here looking for help & think I may have read the entire site by now..

Well it seems every thing I touch on this Parker Fly is either goofed up or in need of some love..

Installed strap buttons this morning which required I turn the heads of the two screws down to fit inside the buttons, That was easy spun them in a cordless drill & filed against the turn to make them nice & round & smaller, Had to cut the one down for the horn, measured the thickness of the body with a caliper & took more off for good measure then spun it the other way to sharpen the screws point & then blued them with a gun bluing pen, I dipped the threads in candle wax from one of those wax burners Smell Good Things my Wife has around to give lubrication to the wood.. Worked like a Champ BTW..

Then I decided it was time to remove the bridge & it's mounting hardware.
I had already slackened the strings as I was wanting a bit less relief & loosened & oiled the truss rod nut. Ken wanted .009" @ The 5th fret
Started turning the two height adjustment screws on the back of the guitar counter clockwise & bit at a time back & forth till the bridge rose up & it came loose.
I had also removed the two snap rings on the back of the guitar which then gave me the two screws & washers which were rusty & needed cleaning up.. That's when trouble started as the nut came loose & the high E string was stuck under the 1st fret WHAT??

OK I have read that I can clamp & glue that fret back in place with some thin CA Glue.. It's up about 2mm in.. The .009 string just slides underneath.. I will have to find some thin CA Glue, Not sure were locally? Or order some from Stew-Mac.

The nut appears to have been glued several times & had lumps & high spots in the glue, I cleaned that all up with a razor blade & a needle file then emery boards + the nut too.. Got it nice & square on both parts.. I have always glued nuts in place with several micro drops of wood glue mostly on the end of the fingerboard & a few drops in the recesses underneath.. Not much glue as it makes a mess.. + Can deaden tone.
So I removed the strings & rolled them up as they have only been on the guitar a few days with little play time..

Moved the bridge as far away as possible by giving all the slack internally as I have the potentiometers & switches all loose looking for the electrical problem that the guitar has, Also the battery box connection was pulled loose too, I see where those two wires solder, The ground - to the output jack & the positive + solders to the small PC Board.. I was able to come up with the seven screws at the music store the other day, Good Used Screws.. Was lucky to get the back cover & box but the holding tabs are broken off on one side.

I should have the scrap piece of poplar Friday & will then fit & cut a piece & then setup a router on a sled & see about making the patch for the front of the body..

Need to take some time with the wiring diagram & the Fluke Meter & find what's the trouble with the electronics..

Yesterday three more guitars surfaced on garbage day, The Trio Cost Me $20.. $6.33ea
Checkmate, Harmony & a Teisco.. All 60s & 70s Models with missing parts etc.
Pictures to come Later On..
Checkmate has a five piece neck = Very Cool..

The $30 Parker Fly Deluxe was the find of a lifetime IMO.

Here's some pictures of the ongoing restoration & a few problems that arose.

Question.. Should I lubricate the bridge parts = Threaded shafts & hex Bolts?? With Oil or Lithium Grease?
Didn't remove the bearings from tremolo housing, Should I clean & pack them like a wheel bearing?

Cleaned up the rusty parts of the bridge with a brass wire brush & then cleaned that mess off with Hoppe's #9
Put Loctite 242 on the two bridge set screw hex bolts..
Going to put a small hex bolt in the polymer stop as a switch 4-40 allen screw

Here's the 3 for $20 Guitars from yesterday

@mmmguitar is right: great "build thread", @Fly Rod! Thanks for documenting this process!!

Regarding the fret issue, you likely saw this already, but Ken's guide "How to Glue on Frets That Have Fallen Off" has some useful info and links to some additional guides and videos. FWIW--I used Zap in the pink bottle with success, but you have to watch it because it's runny!!

Not sure if you need to lubricate the bridge parts as long as they're able to turn. Are they moveable now that you've cleaned them and de-rusted them? With a Fly, the main reason to second-guess any sort of goop, grease, solvents is when it pertains to the composite material, which is everything on the playable side of the fingerboard/neck and what's underneath the paint on the back. If the bridge needs a little drop 'a something to make it move, that should be fine.

Keep it up!!! This is awesome!

#FlyMods

I looked the internet over & can't seem to find a photo of what a Parker Fly looks like with the tremolo removed except mine with the hole.
Would love to just SEE what I am trying to recreate.
I got the piece of Poplar in the mail five minutes ago.
Will get the Parker Fly strapped to the table & make up a jig for routing the damaged top for the clump of poplar..
I guess I'll just get it close & whittle the poplar down with a 100 year old super sharp Stanley #4 hand plane after a rough cut on the chop saw.. My Planer is a Bailey #7


"Attention All Planets of the Solar Federation"
-----------"We Have Assumed Control"-----------

Didn't do much to the Fly Today..
Cleaned up a bunch of my tools & that is a HUGE Job..
I'll try an find some thin CA Glue locally either at Michael's Hobby Shop or Wood Craft..
I will need it for the loose fret + one of the bridge post bushings has moved about a mm too.
Nut?? Not so sure about using CA Glue on the String Nut.. Always used wood glue, Need some Titebond too..
My router is a big Craftsman with 1/2" or 3/8" bits & my Dremel based one only has one reverse spiral bit.
I might just do the wood patch with a sharp chisel & a gouge instead.. Slow & Easy
Also I don't own a bandsaw, BUT have a giant very old miter box with a back saw that's 6 Feet long = Old School..
My wood shop is full of my late brother's stuff & tools stacked on my table saw
I could cut the patch with a sled I made on the table saw but would be dangerous to do so.. I Like my Fingers.. A Lot..
They've been with me for 55 years now..
More to come very soon..

It does almost seem like this Parker Fly Deluxe is Jinxed somehow..
I will get it up & running though..