the Fly Clone Project

I've got this wonderful Parker Fly Bass 5 that I'm getting more and more fond of. It's a fabulous instrument which is both comfortable and responsive.
My question is with regards to the eq controls. Normally, preamp controls are most commonly cut/boost with a mid de tent. However, on this instrument there are just no center detents on any pots. not even on the pan control of the magnetic pickups.
So, the question is simply... Are the controls boost only, or are they cut/boost with a lacking or possibly worn out center detent?

Thanks for any insight

Hey @MrWalker—welcome to the Fly Bass club

The stacked piezo knob is the only knob on my Fly bass (an FB-4) that has a center detent and it’s just the lower of the two knob parts that controls EQ. Hope this helps!

Yes, that's the case on mine as well. So that's why I wonder if the two band eq for the magnetic pickups are boost only or if they are cut/boost.... Since they are lacking the center detent.

Thanks for the welcome Been here a while though. Did some work on compiling those serial numbers for the cheaper lines a while ago.

Yes, of course, I totally remember you and the great work you did deciphering the serials! I assumed you were new to the Fly Bass—hence the welcome.

That’s a good question—I always assumed they were boost only; lemme check mine and see what I come up with. I definitely don’t have a detent on mine (only the piezo).

For posterity's sake, we're referring to what the FB-4 manual refers to as the "Stacked Magnetic Tone Controls": There's no explicit mention to it in the manual, but the upper knob seems like a low-pass filter that cuts the high frequencies when lowered, and the lower of the two knobs seems like a high-pass-filter that cuts the low frequencies when lowered. So, it seems like having both knobs turned fully clockwise will give you the magnetic pickup blend without any EQ cuts applied.

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 5:20 pm Yes, of course, I totally remember you and the great work you did deciphering the serials! I assumed you were new to the Fly Bass—hence the welcome.

AH, yes, good point thanks!!!
In fact, I have been a Parker fan since seeing Steve Swallow in the early 90s. Was drooling over the "soon-to-be released Fly Bass" that never made it to the market. Got a PB41 in the early 2000, but realized that it was just a teaser. But didn't manage to secure a "real-deal" Fly Bass 5 until about two years ago. And it quickly became one one of my favorite basses. I had to get a Fly guitar since I love the design... And I also got a PB51 recently from a friend. So I guess I'm hooked

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 7:51 pm For posterity's sake, we're referring to what the FB-4 manual refers to as the "Stacked Magnetic Tone Controls":

Correct
Could be you're right. I guess it should be possible to test as doing both anti-clockwise should make the sound very different than for a regular cut/boost preamp. Will see if I can verify.

Thanks!

I still think it's a bit strange that there is no center detent on the magnetic blend pot. But Parkers was never conventional, so why should they start with the Fly Bass?

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 7:51 pm There's no explicit mention to it in the manual, but the upper knob seems like a low-pass filter that cuts the high frequencies when lowered, and the lower of the two knobs seems like a high-pass-filter that cuts the low frequencies when lowered. So, it seems like having both knobs turned fully clockwise will give you the magnetic pickup blend without any EQ cuts applied.

I think this is correct! Just tested my FB, and it's quite apparent that there's frequency cutting going on, without the volume increase/decrease normally associated with regular cut/boost preamp. I don't understand why they didn't document this, though. I think it's a pretty nice feature!
In mostly using this bass for jazz in smaller settings instead of an upright and use only the piezo pickup for the most part. So haven't studied the magnetic tone controls that closely.

MrWalker wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 3:38 pm …use only the piezo pickup for the most part.

How great/useful is that piezo, right?!

The blend control for the magnetic pickups was an interesting design decision—I didn’t really get the practicality of it at first, but now it’s actually one of my favorite features!

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 1:23 am

MrWalker wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 3:38 pm …use only the piezo pickup for the most part.

How great/useful is that piezo, right?!

The blend control for the magnetic pickups was an interesting design decision—I didn’t really get the practicality of it at first, but now it’s actually one of my favorite features!

The piezo is great! And the design with separate eq for piezo and magnetic pickups are gold! They always require different eq-settings and most other piezo implementations don't work due to this! The FB is the best piezo/magnetic solution I've seen to date.

I guess blend is more common in the bass world than in the guitar world, so bass players are more used to it. And I think it is more useful on bass than guitar. But again, the FB implementation is extremely even and well designed, with no volume difference across the sweep. It can almost be used as a tone control rather than a pure blend. I also think that they actually use one standard potmeter for it so blending is done by the electronics and not directly by the potmeter itself... Most other blends are a dual volume potmeter.

Again, Ken and Larry show their ingenuity.

MrWalker wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 1:38 am Again, Ken and Larry show their ingenuity.

I’ll second that!

The Fly Basses I have are prototypes and what's in them may or may not apply to any of the production basses. It certainly doesn't apply to the Korean basses or some of the stuff Washburn made.

The first 30 or so basses didn't have a balance pot. They actually had an LP style 3-way toggle switch. I have a picture from the NAMM show where we first showed the basses of Ken, Nick Epifani and me that clearly illustrates this.
Mine has a master volume, mag volume, balance control without a detent, stacked active bass and treble controls and a stacked piezo control that's just a volume and a high end roll off.
As I understand it, the mag EQ has a long history that has its roots in some OEM work that Fishman did. The original EQ's were boost only.

Howdy @Flybass5! My FB-4 was purchased from Eric Mckenna of Boogie Street Guitars in 2003. He purchased it unfinished from the Wilmington factory as things were changing hands. The controls are as follows:
1) Stacked Piezo volume and tone controls
2) Stacked Mag tone controls
3) Mag pickup pan
4) Mag pickup volume
5) Master volume

On the card that comes as case candy it states for "Upright" tones turn 4 off, 1 up to taste, and piezo tone rolled off. For "Electric" tones turn 4 up to taste, 1 off, mag pan to find your tone, and use the bass and treble to dial in. Honestly I've used it mainly in a studio environment where it was easy to dial in what was needed. I also played with a trio for a bit, using it for electric sounds and dialed in humungous, fat tones and never changed them. I am primarily a guitar player and bought this for studio needs. It's an incredible instrument and beautiful at the same time. You can see her and my Parker stable here: viewtopic.php?t=514

Enjoy!