tell me about Parker Guitars.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Juggernaut
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Juggernaut

Juggernaut

Well-known member
I got a line on one, actually the guys holding it for me, I've played some in the past (years ago) and if memory serves me, they play and sound outstanding, just funky looking.

Anyways, anyone? worth $275?

Here is a pic of one like it.
parkerp44.jpg
 
Hell I thought for $275, even if it needs a pick-up swap, and plays nicely why not?



But I wanted some thoughts from you guys before I take a hit on it.
 
That's a good deal, even on a Korean model. They play really well, are super light, the tones vary from nice and clear to sterile depending on your view. It can be difficult to swap pickups because of how thin they are, only a few models seem to fit.
What's the worst that can happen? You sell if for $250 next week?
 
Yea that kind what I was thinking, BUT also, if it plays really well, I can work with the tone.
 
Juggernaut":7b65c said:
Yea that kind what I was thinking, BUT also, if it plays really well, I can work with the tone.

They're V E R Y thin sounding guitars by nature, so pickup swapping won't do much for you...
 
hmm.......


Is it worth $275 to try it out? possibly. :D


I'll think on it, but it sure is tempting, just because the last one I played, I LOVED. so......
 
I played one through a VHT CLX on a Bogner 4x12. And it was one of the more expensive Parker guitars. It was at that guy Ralphs place who is from Philly. He the guy who had his cover band on the web cam feeds playing down in Key West.

And yes, the Parker guitar was terrible sounding. Sounded thin as a ritz cracker. I plugged in some shred guitar he had and it pissed all over the Parker. I would never consider one of those guitars at any price because i have played a few others that also sounded like shit. All IMHO.
 
Man my memory must completely screwed then cause I played one next to an ESP KH2 (neck-thru) and prefered the Parker over the ESP, which is odd because I LOVE ESPs.

Dammit, not a Parker to be had here in town either..........


How are the piezos on these?


The guys at HC are raving about them in my thread over there. BUT I trust you guys alot more :D
 
Because they use graphite for the neck, it does make the sound more "flat". Pickup swaps don't fix that. :) Some of them can sound better than others. I owned a Fly Deluxe that actually sounded nice in a lot of ways (although it didn't sound very deep). But if I had to make a snap decision on whether to buy one without having tried it, I'd say no. For the most part the Parkers I've used have sounded fairly "flat". I'd rather get a Yamaha Pacifica (strat or tele copy) for the ~$300.
 
I didn't like the sound much of the Fly I tried, and it was freakishly light which just felt weird to me. I could see it being useful for people with bad backs, but otherwise I'd get something else.
 
ive never played one, but i kinda like the shape. its unique.
 
They suck. Now, before you think this is some moronic opinion from someone with no experience, let me break it down.

I worked for U.S. Music (Washburn, Parker) in the Mundelein, IL Custom Shop for a few months. I left after getting a good look at the company. I did not like the work environment. Annnnyway. While I was working there, I was one of 2 assembly guys for Parker Guitars. All I did all day was put then together...at least in a perfect world. I spent most of the day dis-assembling return guitars with defects.

Regular defects (and by regular, I mean it happened often) include:

1-Frets falling off, because they are glued to the carbon fiber with Lok-Tite. If they are not done perfectly, they fall off easily. There is only one guy who puts these frets on, and it's a REALLY hard job to do.

2-bubbles under the carbon fiber from air and moisture in the wood.

3-Pickups not working. Half of the pickups we got from SD did not work.

4-Piezo bridges not working. Most of these fail testing as well.

These are the more common problems. About half of the guitars we got at the assembly area had to go back because of neck/fret or finish issues. The import models rock for the money, honestly. But for the price you pay for the American custom shop "quality" it isn't worth the price. Don't expect a fast turnaround time if you need repairs either. The quality of the Parker line next to the Washburn USA Custom Shop like (which are both built in the same factory outside Chicago) is crazy. The Washburns blow them out of the water in every way.

Now, not all Parkers are bad. Like I said, the import models rock for the money, and if you can find a Parker from back before US Music bought them out, the quality will be top notch. I have a buddy who loves his Parker, one of the new ones, and I can't figure out why. He works for US Music as well, so he knows the issues (he's also the only person in that plant I could find who LIKES Parkers). It just breaks down to what you like individually. The biggest issue is that Carbon Fiber neck and fretboard though...and now Washburn will be putting that neck on their new V model that will be debuting at NAMM...but that's a badass guitar, if I do say so myself :rock: :rock: :rock:

P.S. Thump, NiteFly's are still made in the US...they just can't make them right anymore.
 
I have a buddy who loves his Parker, one of the new ones, and I can't figure out why. He works for US Music as well, so he knows the issues (he's also the only person in that plant I could find who LIKES Parkers).

I like mine and I work in the office, does that count :confused:
 
LIA1":da460 said:
I have a buddy who loves his Parker, one of the new ones, and I can't figure out why. He works for US Music as well, so he knows the issues (he's also the only person in that plant I could find who LIKES Parkers).

I like mine and I work in the office, does that count :confused:


Haha, Rich, that you? You're all over the place!
 
I worked on one of those foreign ones with a pickguard about a year ago. It was all in all a complete piece of dogshit. Comparable in quality to most $200 guitars. The neck had more bow on one side than the other, so much for that carbon fibre, huh? Shitty fretjob, cheap nut that wasn't cut properly and put on with WAY too much glue. And of course it sounded thin and tinny. I would rather have a Squier standard strat.

All the other ones I have played sounded terrible as well. (USA, etc)
 
Strat+Marshall":7f27e said:
I worked on one of those foreign ones with a pickguard about a year ago. It was all in all a complete piece of dogshit. Comparable in quality to most $200 guitars. The neck had more bow on one side than the other, so much for that carbon fibre, huh? Shitty fretjob, cheap nut that wasn't cut properly and put on with WAY too much glue. And of course it sounded thin and tinny. I would rather have a Squier standard strat.

All the other ones I have played sounded terrible as well. (USA, etc)


That carbon fiber has a tendency to warp the fuck out of the necks.
 

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