Parker Guitars
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Parker Guitars is a manufacturer of unique and lightweight modern electric guitars and basses, started by Ken Parker in the early 90s.
Ken Parker is an accomplished luthier. Beginning in a workshop in Rochester, New York he designed and crafted electric guitars without depending on the examples of traditional acoustic and electric guitar design.
Contrasts between his guitars and others include :
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- Thin, lightweight guitars, generally made from lighter woods like poplar and spruce (although there is a mahogany Fly which is still fairly light).
- Extensive use of composite materials (resin and carbon fibre) vs. all-wood or plywood construction.
- Composite fingerboards with stainless steel frets vs. wood fingerboards with nickel-brass frets.
- Integrated use of coil and piezoelectric pickups with active electronics.
- Ergonomic body design.
- Adjustable, lockable floating bridge.
In 2004 the company was sold to US Music Corp (Washburn) based in Illinois and are now made mainly offshore. Budget models, similar to Parker originals such as the Fly model, but with bolt-on necks and other features more typical of standard electric guitars, are made under license overseas and sold in the USA under the Parker label.
Since 2002, Parker has also produced the Fly bass guitar, in both 4-string and 5-string versions. These are extremely high-quality, well-balanced instruments that redefine the bass-playing experience. The 5-strings are especialy notable for their ease of use for 4-string players, both with respect to weight and string spacing. As with other Parker guitars, they offer both magnetic and piezo-electric pickups, with the ability to blend the two.
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