After the fiasco in this thread from the dealer who shipped the wrong guitar and then didn't have the right one
--- I went to Funky Munky Music. Larry was very helpful and had Parker ship one directly to me (thanks Larry).

It's beautiful, and the pictures don't do it justice.

First of all it came in a serviceable case (definitely NOT a flight case)



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Here is a picture of my first impression.
Notes:
1) This is the only picture that shows the color the way it really looks
I took it on a different day from the rest of the pictures, and not being a photographer, I don't know what I did differently
2) I put the little white markers on the knobs myself (automobile reflector tape)



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A closeup of the body (see how faded the color looks? Again, I don't know what I did wrong - I'm a musician, not a photographer)



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The bridge (I can hear James Brown yelling "To the bridge -- to the bridge!" and the rhythm section accenting the climb)



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What good is guitar porn without a closeup of the knobs? (again, the tape markers are my own "improvement")



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Headstock



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This thing is both light and skinny!!!

Note: I "enlarged" the fret marker dots myself with some of the same tape that I put on the knobs. When the stage is either dark or brightly lit
from the front, and I have my mouth on the microphone, I need to see the dots out of the corner of my eyes.



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The backside



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Last one



Ain't she a beaut?

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It's a dream to play. It's comfortable, well balanced, light weight, and I lowered the action so all it takes is a light touch.

So how does it sound?
  • Take all this into consideration ... I'm a pro musician, but since the 60s it's been predominantly sax.
    I've doubled on rhythm (barre chords) and bass using the instruments from my band-mates when there was no room for a sax.

  • I also play with a Digitech RP355 direct into the PA set (I schlepp sax, flute, guitar, 2 wind synths, PA set, speakers,
    another guitar for my partner, a tactile MIDI controller, and a rack full of synth modules.
    I'm not about to add a guitar amp). Also, I have only played a real Fly for about 15 minutes, so there is no way this is a comparison to that.
    My other guitars are a 1970 Gibson ES-330, a Epi Casino and an LTD-EC50 that I put GFS Mean 90 pickups and a Varitone in.

  • Positions 1 and 3 (neck and middle) sound Strat-like.
    Position 2 and 4 sound a little fatter.
    Position 5 in the humbucker mode sounds Gibson-ish.
    Position 4 with the humbucker in the SC tap sounds a little like a tele.
    And the Fishman sounds close enough to a real Flat-Top guitar to tickle my ears - it has the acoustic jangle that most pedal simulations miss.
    Mix the Piezo with the mag pups and it sounds like a flat top that has a magnetic pickup in the hole.

  • It's still new, I'm gigging with it, and still exploring the sounds I can get from it so the above isn't final.

  • The whammy bar does not put the guitar out of tune if you tune the guitar up, wiggle the bar, and then re-tune.

To summarize the review in two words, "I'm Delighted".

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

Last edited by Notes Norton; 12/07/10 10:03 AM.