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1985 Parker Fly Prototype Pics


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Thanks Sambo...glad YOU recognised what it was...

I'm pretty sure it's the first Fly made...

there may have been a rough earlier version.

History: Ken Parker sent this instrument to the Australian company Passac in 1985.

They were developing a new advanced guitar to midi interface and were experimenting

with piezo bridge pickups. The system they developed (the 'Sentient Six') was quite innovative,

but unfortunately the company got into difficulty and was forced into liquidation.

I attended the liquidation auction and saw the Parker guitar being sold.

I didn't buy it at the time, but obtained the prototype scale drawing prints in another lot.

Over the ensuing years the guitar went through various people's hands, I saw it hanging in

several guitar shops. When I saw an article in Bass Player magazine announcing the Parker bass

prototype, I immediately recognised the shape, and rushed down to the guitar shop to buy it.

The guitar is as it was at the liquidation, the only change was swapping the gold sperzels

for silver ones, I just thought the silver looked better on this particular guitar.

Definitely a milestone in American guitar history

Edited by mutronboy
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To be perfectly honest, i wouldn't buy the thing anyway. I think they're dog ugly! But, you gotta realise the elegance of the design, So thanks for posting it dude, Maybe if you were feeling very generous you could make us all a scale plan for the downloads section :D Hee hee (i know that's a bit cheeky!!)

Edit: Has anyone else noticed it has 23 frets?! Oddity!

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Hi Sambo,

I don't mind the shape so much...I suppose I've gotten used to it...heh

What get's me is that he's come up with such an innovative design...

yet used the bog-standard Strat configuration for the pickups..

I suppose with some things you just gotta go with what you know that works..

The neck's a bit narrow for my hand, and has a bit too much curve (I prefer a wide, flat board)

Interestingly, the plans have position markers, (which Parker have never used) and he also

forgot the pickup switch (he might have originally intended a pot type switching system)

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You took out the original tuners and replaced them??!! That really reduces the future value of the instrument, you know?

I think it's kinda cool seeing a Fly with single-coils. I'd kinda like to see a Fly with some EMG-SAs. Maybe under their new ownership they'll eventually do something with single-coils. I like humbuckers like everyone else, but there's no replacement for a good Strat-style setup for many songs.

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pm20_popup.jpg

Meh Im not a big fan of the fly But I do realy like the P-series PM-20 very nice looking guitar, If I ever get a Parker That will be It

P.S- WOW idch the first SPAZ OUT I've seen from you :D Look's Like someone Need's a cup "O" coffie

!!METAL MATT!! :D

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Yeah Crafty, I changed the tuners...but it was the same model Sperzels so it's easy to change back...

at the time I bought it they hadn't even released the production guitars...I didn't know they were gonna catch on...

I was gonna put EMG's in it once..I had a set hanging around...but the routing is too narrow...

even the strat pickups that are in it have been modded to extra skinny...

and I wasn't gonna start chopping into it...heh

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Thanks Sambo...glad YOU recognised what it was...

Okay, I'm willing to apologize for being out of line :D

I'll feebly justify my attack by saying it was still morning for me, the kid was crying at me....etc etc.

Anyway, sorry for jumping the gun. I thought you were just trying to scare up interest for your own auction.

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Hi Moreau...I did have a Mutron Octave Divider and a Bi-Phase but I got rid of 'em ...

Still got my Mutron IV Envelope Filter, though...I need that 'cos I play in a Zappa tribute band...

gotta be able to get that 'Stinkfoot' sound...heh

Hey....no hard feelings, idch...

probably my fault anyway being a newbie and not lookin' for the right section..

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Yeah Darren, they're 20 years old this year (from the prototype)

I suppose if Passac (midi guitar co.) hadn't have gone into liquidation,

they might've come out sooner...

This one's pretty much the exact shape of the production models 7 years later...

Some of the carving is a bit deeper and sculpted, but basically the same...

Of course the bridge and controls and backplate are different, but the shape is totally there...

Edited by mutronboy
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