# Parker guitars???



## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

I played one of these many years ago in a shop in Toronto but being that I was younger and less experienced I don't really remeber what it was all about. I definately remember how light it was, which is why I'm looking at getting a Fly Classic......considering my back has been fooked for years and obviously isn't getting better. 

I'm not able to play it before hand and I'm wondering if anyone on the forums has one or had one that can convince me that their worth the crazy price tag. The one I'm after is a one-off going for $3599 (Mojo setup with basswood neck and custom colour) Unfortunately I'm going to have dump some gear to get it, includng a PRS so I want to be more informed. If any one has any info/experience with these.........please, fill me in.

Thanks,

J


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

J, to bad your back is still messed up.

I have played one at the local shop here and it was real light, 5 pounds according to the specs.
Because of the weight it had a different feel more toyish yet solid, the carbon fibre was amazing.
Fit and finish were where it should be on the $2,000 dollar guitar.

The tone compared to the LTD I played before it was different, easy chord to the same easy chord really rang in its own way.
It sounded like the guitar felt, light and airy but with a solid tone if you dig in.


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## Guest (May 30, 2010)

mhammer has a Parker. Sweet guitars. They play effortlessly. I dig their vibrato setup and the whole blendable piezo+mag pickup thing.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Which PRS are you looking to dump? None of yours have the wide-fat profile, do they? You can see where I'm going with this


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## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

Budda said:


> Which PRS are you looking to dump? None of yours have the wide-fat profile, do they? You can see where I'm going with this


Seriously, I've been beating myself up for days over this. I love them all and can't really see a reason to choose one over the others. Except for the CE24..........(I can't get covered pups to fit in the cavity) which burns my balls.......but I think it's safe because it's by far the lightest being that it's a 92 with an alder body.

You're right though......None have the wide fat. Still think you should have been all over that whale blue SCT I got rid of last year. There was something special about that one.

About the Parkers.......I thought maybe I should step into a used one before I fork out 3.5k, but even all chipped to hell people are still asking $2000+.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I did want the blue one! I think I had ordered mine at the time, or didn't have the money for some other reason. I played a MIK model w/ trem, it was nice and light, felt different then your usual electric. Adam D of Killswitch Engage also went to Parker due to back issues.

I think there's some wide-thin SE models in town, I'll give the Paul Allender SE another go - It'd be nice if you knew where your guitar went!


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i played one in a music store over 10 yrs ago and never forgot it. it was very impressive. the guitar actually called me a philistine and told me to keep my dirty paws off. soooo embarrasing.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

I tried a few high-parker guitars...not my thing, i'm not a big on lite guitars realy, and for what i play, mostly metal, tone wise it did'nt ring enought. 

I have insane back probleme has well...but 3 to 4 pounds on your back will not change a thing, it's mostly in your mind.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The Parker I have is a P44, which is not one of the composite-body models. This is a budget mahogany-body model (I paid under $600), without the Duncans. Same neck quality, and very comfortable feel, but a bit more weight. Decent vibrato system that generally returns to pitch nicely. Good quality for a "budget" instrument.

The Parker to really drool over is the Adrian Belew model, which has just about every guitar bell and whistle a person could want: MIDI, Fernandes sustainer, piezo bridge.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

The Belew model is a nice one but very expensive


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## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> The Belew model is a nice one but very expensive


.......also, that top control is way too close to the strings for my style!


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## Guest (May 31, 2010)

GuitarsCanada said:


> The Belew model is a nice one but very expensive


That guitar is righteous. But made of 100% solid unobtanium I'm afraid.

FWIW when I played mhammer's Parker at the guitar/amp/effect party I had no idea it wasn't a US model. Nice guitar. The fingerboard, IIRC, was quite flat which was cool.


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## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

al3d said:


> I tried a few high-parker guitars...not my thing, i'm not a big on lite guitars realy, and for what i play, mostly metal, tone wise it did'nt ring enought.
> 
> I have insane back probleme has well...but 3 to 4 pounds on your back will not change a thing, it's mostly in your mind.


 The difference between my CE and my SCT is likely 3lbs and for me it does help. 

Is anyone aware of quality issues after Washburn bought Parker? Should I be looking for an older one?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I haven't heard anything on sevenstring.org, if that counts for anything (I imagine it'd come up).


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Metal#J# said:


> .......also, that top control is way too close to the strings for my style!



I take it you're not a Strat player?


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## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

Milkman said:


> I take it you're not a Strat player?


Nope......I actually moved all my volume knobs to the bottom on my guitars to avoid rolling it back by mistake. Although I had a mij strat back in the 90s in burgandy mist that only had 1 hum and one control that was nowhere near the bridge or strings. Great guitar but the frets were fubar.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Had a P44 in the past, a really nice guitar!
The options are endless and the build quality is top notch!
Sold it to pay school bills!


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## jcon (Apr 28, 2006)

Here's a vid I saw not too long ago about the making of a Parker guitar... Pretty interesting stuff.

[video=youtube;Yt085421u_U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt085421u_U[/video]

Cheers,
Joe


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## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

Cool!!!

Thanks


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## kdwace (Apr 17, 2010)

One of my friends is a huge fan of parker guitars. I played many of them at his place and I was amazed at playability (really fast neck and light-weight). However, as I played for longer and longer I didn't feel like I'm playing a real WOODEN guitar. That was just my impression...


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## DrumBob (Aug 17, 2014)

I tried one once and didn't like the looks at all and the neck was way too skinny. The appearance of those Parker guitars ultimately helped caused their demise, I believe. Guitarists, like drummers, are basically a conservative lot who want instruments that look like the guitars that were available in 1950s-60s. That's why there are so many vintage reissues out there today. The proven classic designs are still the ones the vast majority of players covet and the parkers were just too radical. The market for Parker guitars was ultimately too limited. 

OP, if you like them and want one for whatever your reasons, I hope it works out for you. Personally, I wouldn't dump your PRS guitars though, but you need to do what you have to do.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

@DrumBob You realize you responded to a 10 year old thread. LOL Now I wonder what came out of this.


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