... Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 OK, so I stopped by Bass Northwest to say hello to the kids there and inquire about SWR 4x10 cabs... little did I know that they had a Parker Fly bass! A 5 string no less! http://www.bassnw.com/New%20Exotic%20%20Basses/parker_fly_bass_5_st_red.htm I've been curious about playing one of these since they were announced at Winter NAMM last year. Here's my take on it. It's red. Thank you very much, goodnight! OK, you wanted more information? Oh, silly me. Read on: The body shape is rather odd. I only played it sitting down, and I'm not so sure I'm down with it. It's very, very light weight.. it felt like at any moment it could just launch out of my hands and fly away. The neck is nice and the cutaway allows for very easy access to all 24 frets. I dig composite necks, I've had a Modulus Q4 fretless in my arsenal for a very, very long time. The width, depth, and overall shape of the neck was very satisfying. It kind of reminds me of my Lull M5, however it's a bit narrower (across) all the way up the neck. Electronics. Yes, well.. it's of course got both the peizo and electronic pickups in it, and they can be used separately or blended together. The peizo's sound great but I wasn't impressed by the tone from the electronic pickups. It may have been the lack of a mid range control knob, which I have grown to love and cannot live without now... but the electronic pickups just made the bass sound very bland. There was nothing at all special about the tone. Even with the peizos blended in, I just wasn't that impressed. In the final analysis of it all, I wouldn't buy one. If someone gave one to me, I'd play it every once in a while I suppose. I'm dissappointed by this thing. I wanted it to be the coolest thing ever, but it just isn't. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 I'm kinda dissapointed... I was hoping to hear a glowing review... but maybe thats a dign for me not to spend my tax return on a Parker... My guitar player has a Fly Deluxe and I love it, as far as guitars go, and I was seriously considering a Fly Bass... (not red though, sorry dude, just don't like red!) I finally checked out the Carvin site though, and might pick up one of those instead... and get an Amp with the savings, yesno? Anyone else out there have input on the Parker Basses? DX Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 My reaction when I saw a picture of the thing was "man, that's one ugly looking bass". I'd heard great things about the Fly guitars though...pity the bass doesn't live up to the Bump's Zappa-approved standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted January 10, 2003 Author Share Posted January 10, 2003 Originally posted by BenLoy: My reaction when I saw a picture of the thing was "man, that's one ugly looking bass". I'd heard great things about the Fly guitars though...pity the bass doesn't live up to the Bump's Zappa-approved standards. I love the Parker guitars... which is something I neglected to mention. I'd really like to have one for home recording and/or closet guitar playing. I am very sad that the basses are not equally cool. Bummer. "Zappa-approved standards"... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 This is what I wrote about trying out a Parker Fly bass at last year's NAMM show: The Parker Fly bass has finally arrived. It had a lot of great sounds, but also had a $3000 price tag. If it had arrived 10 years ago as promised it would be a winner, but everyone else is making such great basses that I think it will be a tough sell. I'll be at NAMM again next week and I'll give it another look, but I still think I'm going to keep my wallet closed. (I'd better, or my wife will kill me!) ("Aren't 8 basses, 2 guitars, 4 bass amps, 1 guitar amp, 10 pedals, 3 rack mounted effects units enough?") Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Those Parker Flys sure are groundbreaking guitars. It's a shame the bass hasn't lived up it's expectations. I think it might be the mass-production process that killed it. The very first guitar Parker ever buit was a bass, and he built custom basses for a few players, but had to adapt his design so that it could be mass produced. I'm sure his hand-made basses are amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 Originally posted by jeremyc: .... (I'd better, or my wife will kill me!) ("Aren't 8 basses, 2 guitars, 4 bass amps, 1 guitar amp, 10 pedals, 3 rack mounted effects units enough?")uuuuum, no. DX Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 "man, that's one ugly looking bass". I disagree. There's at least enough ugly there for TWO basses. (wokka wokka wokka) There must be any number of variations on "ugly mama" jokes we could come up with. Seems the more I look around, the more I like the basses I already have. And I've got a LOT more money left over! Life is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
music-man Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 Ew gross. This makes me realize that while I tend to really like "experimental" and "non-traditional" guitars (I loved that Pat Metheny played a completely wacked-out looking triangular thingie) ... when it comes to bass, I'm strangely traditional - seems I really like a "classy" look, not something goofy ... Then again, maybe this bass is just plain ugly. I'd give it a second look if it SOUNDED great though ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 our thanks to tater nuts, who sacrificed himself but left this review as part of his considerable legacy. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 our thanks to tater nuts, who sacrificed himself but left this review as part of his considerable legacy. The thread that gave him that handle is a considerable legacy in itself :grin: I sure do miss him! "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Tater Nuts, Tater Nuts, where do you ro-oam... Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groove Mama Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Thanks for reposting this thread. I wonder if the quality of the Parker basses has improved since 2003. Queen of the Quarter Note "Think like a drummer, not like a singer, and play much less." -- Michele C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfxj Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Bump, music-man, dcr... Lot of old guys in this thread. Push the button Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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