World's BEST Super Strat? (Parker Nitefly w/ Mods & Improvements)

[@kirtb9784]

You just showed up tonight in my feed, and I’ve watched a few videos. You are doing great. Subscribed. I think I’ll be learnin from you, professor.

[@andrefludd]

Thank you, sir!

[@jinbyun]

Man, you really make me want a parker guitar. Great job on the guitar!

[@andrefludd]

Thank you sir!

[@ScisaacFisaac]

The amount of mod work you've done to that Parker basically makes it more a Signature instrument than many Signatures out there. Someone should probably pick you up and make a Parker clone with the thinner body :)

[@andrefludd]

Hahaha maybe one day!

[@paulievee8830]

Come on Andre I think it's time for you to design your own guitar! I don't mean a signature guitar I mean take an inexpensive guitar, preferably lightweight, something like a squire affinity Stratocaster? You'd have a great neck to work with even the fret work on those things are somehow superior to their expensive big brother fender stratocasters. The fretboards themselves are 75% perfect as is. I think the only thing you would want to do is change the body style so that it will fit on the lap more comfortably. Of course pickups and wiring would probably be the only other thing you'd need to do. I would estimate that you could take a $269 guitar add another $100 in parts and some very miniscule labor and come up with your idea of a perfect guitar. Actually all of our ideas of a perfect guitar. I always pick up the guitar and say well why couldn't they just have done this? Or how much more money would it have cost them just to do that? And why is there either no finish or a pleasant satin finish or a ridiculous high gloss finish on the back of a neck? Anyway you should definitely try it I know you are not a loofare as you keep telling us but with a couple of quick little changes and maybe get a guy to help you and you could probably improve one of these guitars a thousand percent with just very little money! It's worth a try

[@gregmock6808]

You have a great touch with the fingers and the bar...great tone

[@andrefludd]

Thank you so much!

[@ckyratm]

Nice video! I’ve been a Parker player for a long time and also have a Nitefly that I’ve heavily modded. It’s cool to see people still playing these. 👍🤘

[@andrefludd]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@dlmyrs]

Really love those pickups. That switch to the humbucker for metal….wow!

[@andrefludd]

The pickups are literally insane. Check out the full review. I have the lowest output version and it can do all of that.

[@dougbutton9352]

Just bought a nitefly and have hear great things about the Zexcoils.... thank you for the wealth of info!

[@andrefludd]

No problem I'm glad it was helpful!

[@Ancaja123]

the whammy demo was absolutely incredible. so expressive.

[@chrisva4268]

Great video, you've really made this guitar your own! I think all those mods are worth the money, since they are functional, and there's nothing wrong with spending a little extra here and there if it makes you happy! It's inspiring me to mod my guitars electronics. Have fun playing on your new workhorse!

[@andrefludd]

Well said! Thank you for the support.

[@SculptyWorks]

So, I went and got a Nitefly, partly because it was a deal I couldn't resist, and in big part because you spoke so highly of it. I had never played a guitar that's so comfortable! 2 hours into my practice, and I realized I hadn't had to adjust the guitar or complained about it being heavy or digging into my ribs a single time! In fact I didn't realize 2 hours had passed. I'm still dialing in the sound, the DiMarzio humbuckers might be a bit too aggressive, ...or maybe I just need more finesse with them. Ken Parker is a genius! 👍👍

[@TheDarkmore]

If you like soldering it is fun to try humbuckers in parallel mode (if they have 4 wire). If I need a beefy singlecoil without hum, I install hotrails in parallel. The coils in a humbucker connected in parallel are super hum cancelling, just checked with my ibanez INF1, with tons of gain, in series there is some hum, but with parallel connection the hum is totally gone (in parallel the output drops a bit, probably that's why it is more hum cancelling).

[@Evilgeddylee]

First guitar player I played with had a Parker Fly. He sold it to another guy I played with as well so spent a ton of time around it. Super comfortable and perfect clean sound. The piezos were fun to play around with too

[@PedroBrando]

The location of the volume control was a problem on the Fly deluxe I had in the 90's.I placed scotch tape on the contol and tried to incorporate a volume pedal into my playing.I sold that gutar regretfully. In more recent years, I purchased one of the last of the American Parkers.I believe it is a Dragon fly series. I thought that all the American made Parkers had active pickups, which should eliminate noise.

[@shawnpbrennan69]

Another great video I am still so stoked about my Nitefly

[@nickkellie]

Very cool - I’m a fellow zexcoil user! I used to play a Parker fly deluxe that I sold years back but can’t afford to buy one back!

[@andrefludd]

Thanks for your comment. I new to the zex coils but I love them.

[@Celticsaint777]

Great channel. Thanks for sharing this information.

[@andrefludd]

Thank you for watching!

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

I totally agree about tone.. The tone comes from the pickups, the nut and the bridge and strings. I played a nitefly or paker with that body shape that was very lightweight and it was probably right before the company went out of business.. It was the first time I played one and the first time I played a guitar with stainless frets which I love and makes me wonder why every guitar company have not used Stainless frets. These Parkers were so ahead of their time.. There's a guitar company from South Africa that makes really small guitars made from Carbon fibre and stainless frets. They are expensive though at about 3k as a base price, but very nice. I have two or three S series Ibanez guitars which are very lightweight and they have the excellent Edge Low Pro trem system, and one has a standard strat style bar.. I love them. They have dimarzio's.. The amount of money you put in a guitar is subjective if you like it and it works for you man! Just enjoy the guitar you have and have customized. Variety is the spice of life! Enjoy brother! I'm going to have to try those pickups you have. Those zexcoils. They sound great man! Good video's and keep up the good work.. By the way, I can hear this video just fine! Very cool.. Be safe and well my friend and regards from South Central Indiana. The heartland. Indiana. USA Tim

[@JoshNotJohn0]

If you do gut the nitefly and use the thinner one, maybe you can get a gut shot of the pickguard so we can learn the wiring of the on-off switch for the piezo?

[@andrefludd]

The Piezo is on a circuit board. Check out the fly clone forum. They have diagrams of most things.

[@partydeer1640]

I think the addition of the Jason Becker-like numbers to the fretboard is a cool mod. Are those stickers? I'm sure it comes in handy for teaching!

[@andrefludd]

Yea they are just stickers. I forgot the company, but they are available from a lot of different makers. I got it exactly for teaching like you said. All black fretboard doesn't help haha.

[@matt_kaefer]

I think all of the modifications are super valid. It is almost like buying a suit and getting it tailored to your body. Your instrument should feel comfortable to you and allow to you do anything with it. Physically and aurally. It is important to try everything and see what you like and don't. I play the double bass primarily, but I am no stranger to guitars. I have 3/4 guitars, with different pickup configurations that I primarily use for recording and writing songs. To think I could have 1 that does everything is wild. That Parker sounds beautiful. I played a gig with a dude that had one, he wasn't really fun to be around. I am glad that there are cool people playing some Parkers! Been enjoying the channel! I am also an NJ musician who goes to the city so I know how you feel.

[@andrefludd]

A NJ man, commuting with a double bass, you have my respect haha. Yea, this Parker is basically all I'd have if I wasn't doing guitar reviews. It's all I really "need." Thanks for your comment. Hope to run into you sometime.

[@brushstroke3733]

Fantastic presentation with lots of cool tips and ideas. It took me a long time to start seeing guitars as tools rather than furniture I could play. Now I see making music as the goal rather than being a guitar player, which ironically opened up my ears and mind much more to tones, amplifiers, pickups, adjusting and modifying guitars myself, etc. It's a whole new world and I love it! Thanks for sharing your reasoning for your personalization choices. Well done, doc!

[@andrefludd]

Thank you for your kind words. Such an honest and mature journey you shared in that comment. I think if more people had your perspective the guitar community would be a better place.

[@weedian710]

Sounds awesome. You're playing is so nice.

[@andrefludd]

Thanks a lot!

[@hotchow8766]

As a Parker Fly owner, I am a prisoner to the proprietary tremolo spring, ribbon wiring nightmare and the nagging feeling of frets jumping off of the neck. It is still my favorite guitar. I am now looking to research common aftermarket parts and grab a Parker PM24. The plan is to carbon-fiber wrap the body and install the same magnificent pickups from your other video.

[@andrefludd]

You sound like you know your way around building. I bet you'll come up with something amazing. You might enjoy what is happening over at the flyclone forum. Dr. VJ Manzo is doing all types of things with the fly with Ken Parker's blessing.

[@nikonmikon8915]

Could you do a video about the p38? Would love to know everything you know about them, even obvious details would be welcomed!

[@andrefludd]

Honestly, it is a less interesting guitar, but I will def put it on the list!

[@nikonmikon8915]

@@andrefludd Do you know of any locking tuners that drop in the P38? I've been looking for years

[@kevincognito3575]

I know you found those tribuckers so this might not be something you need but Electra harmonics makes a pedal called the hum debugger it's not a noise gate it kills 60 cycle hum perfectly it's amazing

[@andrefludd]

I will def check it out, but if it works as well as you say, you may have reopened the pickup rabbit hole for me. haha

[@kevincognito3575]

@@andrefludd sucked into the abyss yeah it's a cool pedal definitely I use mine on the medium setting works for everything everywhere

[@robgarnett3767]

It’s worth it. It’s all what you like to help you with your stile of play

[@andrefludd]

Couldn't agree more!

[@kelvinklauck]

Your tones are great dude, can you make a video on you pedalboard/rig?

[@andrefludd]

thanks! I have a video on it already! It’s all from my axefx3.

[@Kabayoth]

Parkers aren't my first love, but they are an enduring love of mine. Never been able to afford the Nitefly or Fly line. I have a P38 and a PM24. I'm suddenly taken with the idea I need a P36, but I likely need to attend to these two guitars first. The P38 needs another bridge pickup since the P-Rails I installed isn't quite working the way I want. Also the frets have seen better days. The PM24 is not turning out as I had hoped. Something is wrong with the output jack which causes trouble with Y-cables. Also I bought a leftover set of Dimebag Darrell pickups, and I'm not really liking them. This was supposed to be an Iron-monger, but it sounds generic to my ear. No different than a Schecter.

[@andrefludd]

I once calculated how much I spent Moding my p-38. Different pickups, getting it setup, fixing a piezo issue I had. If I had saved all the money I could have just bought a nitefly. That’s why I ended up getting one. Idk if you are in the same situation but just thought I’d share. Thanks for your comment.

[@_Yep_Yep_]

You really distilled pure tone at every setting on that rig. You either just...lucked into that or put a shit ton of thought into the execution of the pickups and electric hardware. Neat that it worked out perfectly.

[@andrefludd]

It was a lot of thought haha. Thanks for noticing

[@ibanezman1025]

I’m looking at getting a 1997 nitefly but am also considering a Strandberg. I know they are totally different instruments but would you be able to recommend one or the other for Jeff beck type of fluid/teen/lead playing? Great channel!

[@andrefludd]

Can’t really compare the two instruments but the Strandberg will have better high fret access if that matters to you

[@ibanezman1025]

@@andrefludd Thanks so much! They're radically different but I'm looking for comfort, ease of playing, etc. seems like I can't go wrong either way. Love your videos!

[@dmitriblake61]

Nice video. Quite informative. I'm not too versed in Parker modifications so this video was really cool for me to watch and learn about new stuff for old things. I like that you replaced the volume with a toggle switch. Nice choice. I have a washburn renegade that was kinda built in parkers ideals, funny enough, I too could not stop punching my knob while playing; I tend to strum. I ended up reducing the control interface to a single volume knob located where the pickup selector was. Both pickups are passive and live, direct to the output jack. Somehow I think it sounds infinitely better than the middle position of a toggle. Which sucks because I believe in pickup selectors. Also, Kiesel does have girthy options for their necks but you have to ask for it and pay an upcharge. Last I knew, they had two levels of "thicker than standard". While we're talking about alteration, have you considered having an isolated active circuit installed so you can instaneously access those honed tones at the push of a button/flick of a switch?

[@andrefludd]

Thanks for your kind words! I didn't know Kiesel had more than the 2 necks they offer. Thanks for sharing. I'll have to reconsider them in the future. I do like your idea of an isolated circuit, but my go to tones are all pretty easy to reach now. But if a company were to design an Andre Fludd Signature guitar, it would DEF have that circuit. Perhaps one day. 😁

[@whssy]

Came straight here from your other Fly video. I remember these guitars from my first forays onto the www. in the late 90s and thinking "why are people paying so much for something so ugly?". 20 years on I get it. Still not enamoured with the shape - but the innovations are staggering.

[@andrefludd]

I couldn't agree more!

[@pytheus]

Thanks for another great vid!! Question: in your quest, did you give many PRSs a pluck?

[@andrefludd]

I've tried PRS guitars, but I never owned one or put serious time on one. Nonetheless, every time I pick one up at a guitar store, I'm always very impressed. If I was going to buy a budget guitar, it might just be a PRS.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

May I ask if you use an Amp or Modeler going direct to FOH or ? when gigging or ? Do you have any video's about the same? Also, do you have any video's of any pedals or effects you use? I'm trying to get down to the bare minimums for my guitar setup. One or two guitars, one modeler for front of house and headphones for practice and just maybe a wah (I love my morley wah which is step on it and it works and step off and it goes off) and I like delay and reverb in the loop.. etc.. Thanks man..

[@andrefludd]

I only use a Axe Fx3. That’s really the simplest thing. Any decent modeler and PA or cab. Works really well live and when home very versatile. Just throw on some headphones, or use a tiny $30 speaker with it at home. That’s my strategy!

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

@@andrefludd Cool. Very cool. ♥️🤘♥️

[@geraldoestaurdo9930]

What is the practice tool called to hope the guitar on your lap?

[@andrefludd]

It's called a performaxe!

[@firecrackerheart]

the gold hardware/accents on the black body/neck/headstock is super (nite)fly .. .

[@Arwndr]

Hi! Thanks for all your videos! You are often say about your wish for try flat fretboard for some of your guitars. It is possible to do that in a not expensive way. Just choose any guitar you want to try in flat fretboard style with ordinary neck, and give it to guitar fret master. He can change fretboard radius from ordinary to flat, with changing of frets, or living the old ones back. I am in process of doing this for my own guitar. Any one can do that. As you like to play more than manage guitar yourself, you are definitely already now some luthier who can do this for you. Best wishes ☀️🌿🍀🌾✨🙌🏻

[@micemr76]

Wait I've never seen an hsh before. Is that a custom set up?

[@andrefludd]

Yea you just buy the humbucker set and a single coil pickup to go with it.

[@weedian710]

That p38 was sick.

[@andrefludd]

Retired now and a shell of her former self. I used to have crazy pickups in it.

[@seanhayes2998]

If you do the swap (I hope you do) please do a video documenting it for us nerds 🥸

[@andrefludd]

well technically I'd be bring it to a local guitar tech to do since I am horrible at working on guitars. If I do, I'll see if I can find someone wiling to be filmed.

[@BenBreard]

What's the stand you're using on the lower horn? That looks like it gives you the "Klein ergonomics". I could use something like that.

[@andrefludd]

YES! I thought about saving for a Klein guitar, but then I found this, and now I can turn any guitar into a Klein. It's called a performaxe.

[@Animal22021]

Have you found somewhere to get spare parts for Parker’s

[@andrefludd]

It depends on the part. What are you looking for? Reverb will have a lot of people selling used parts and old factory stock. Some things are harder to get like bridge saddles and spare necks are rare.

[@Animal22021]

@@andrefludd I’m having a hard time finding the battery holder for my 1998 nitefly I’ve bought a few and they were wrong but were being sold as the correct one

[@andrefludd]

@@Animal22021 ​ That's going to be a very tough one, man. I wish you luck. Try asking around at the flyclone forum.

[@etherboy3540]

Honestly I think ~$2300 is pretty reasonable considering how many sounds your modified Parker is capable of. Plus it's in a form factor that you're familiar with and like. FWIW Kiesel has a thicker neck profile but it's an off-menu item as it's not very popular.

[@andrefludd]

Thanks for the Kiesel tip. I didn't know that. I'll have to check that out in the future!

[@ZeeKat]

Now that's some seriously perfectionist upgrading(which IMO doesn't require explanation - if you play the thing upgrades aren't an "investment"). Shame the company folded, the coolest looking instruments.

[@andrefludd]

I agree 100%. I play it around 20+ hours a week. I consider it an investment!

[@marksonv_01]

never seen one of these irl before. If they all look as good as yours id love to try one

[@andrefludd]

You should!

[@jimcadorette1140]

What are your thoughts on the p-38?

[@andrefludd]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZq5gmmopLyGp5o

[@jimcadorette1140]

Wow. Thanks for that. Your videos are amazing. Honestly I just got a ‘96 classic fly trans cherry and can’t put it down. My biggest gripe is getting poked in the chest. Does the nitefly really solve that issue? I’m ready to go out and get a v5-v8 after watching your video. Thx!

[@andrefludd]

@@jimcadorette1140 No problem!

[@MiaOgundipe]

Kiesel has a thicker neck profile than their standard and also offers the piezo system. . .

[@louiscyfer6944]

great content.

[@andrefludd]

Thank you!

[@louiscyfer6944]

@@andrefludd you are expensive. i am already looking on reverb for a nightfly

[@benchinho]

I'd say leave this one as it is... But that's me ;) which picks do you use?

[@andrefludd]

Your vote has been tallied! I've tried pretty much every pick over the years. Right now, if I have to perform a bunch of different styles without changing picks, I use a 1.00 dunlop flow pick. It's hard enough to play fast, but still thin enough to strum funky. I also use that pick for metal. If I'm doing something that will be exclusively jazzy, I go with the flow 3.0. If I am doing some funky .73 dunlop flow. What about you?

[@benchinho]

@@andrefludd thanks. As i play bass (i know, i know...) I prefer thinnish ones. The thicker it gets, the duller the tone imo. I switch between dunlop nylon .73, tortex .60 and jazztone 207 if i want duller.

[@benchinho]

@@andrefludd might have to check a parker bass now... ;)

[@kevincognito3575]

That's stacked volume tone I don't know I would have put the tone somewhere else so that I can do volume swells but that's just me

[@andrefludd]

I thought of that as well, but I just got a volume pedal instead. I also have a sustain pedal. I enjoy using my feet while I play with my hands. It makes me feel like a drummer or a pianist.

[@kevincognito3575]

@@andrefludd definitely a volume pedal is a good solution especially one with a boost or a buffer so you don't lose any volume but just for me personally I can do volume swells a lot faster and some little tricks with the knob but that's just me you know...... If you're bugged about the 60 cycle hum you should check out that other electric harmonics home debugger pedal nothing works great man it's not a noise gate something different

[@kevincognito3575]

@@andrefludd those Zexcoil pick ups are a sexy piece of hardware though buddy so I ain't knocking that at all they look beautiful

[@andrefludd]

@@kevincognito3575 The gold on black pops right?! Love it.

[@kevincognito3575]

@@andrefludd hell yeah you can never go wrong with black and gold That's the timeless fancy combo right there 👍👍👍👍👍

[@frankifran5335]

Do you have any Parker Flys? I think having videos on a Fly and other comparing it with the Nitefly could be very interesting. My guitar teacher is a Parker nerd and has an incredible collection (he has limited edition Flys Artist and Supreme and Ken Parker's personal Fly) and is the best and only brand for him, the closest thing he tried was a Music Man Majesty and still the Parker won hahahahaha

[@andrefludd]

That sounds like an awesome collection. I don't currently own a Fly but I have in the past (I put at least 100 hours into playing a fly so I know it well). I talk about it a little more in the longer Parker video on my channel, but the neck on the fly just isn't comfortable enough for my larger hands. I really loved it, but I have a strict gear rule: I don't keep anything that I don't play weekly. I just can't afford to financially. If I can find someone with one I'd love to do a comparison.

[@frankifran5335]

@@andrefludd how tall are you? I've seen you use a stand for your guitar and I don't know if I should get one, I'm 6ft and feel like the guitar is too low when I'm playing sitting down

[@andrefludd]

@@frankifran5335 I'm 6ft on the dot. The stand is very adjustable so it's suitable to any height. If you are unsure, get a small pillow from your couch, put it between your thigh and guitar and see if that improves the comfort. Not a great long term solution, but if it helps, the stand will also help!

[@frankifran5335]

@@andrefludd I'll give it a try! Do you have the model or a link to the stand? Thanks a lot btw!!

[@andrefludd]

@@frankifran5335 np, sir! Just google performaxe. You’ll find the stand easily!

[@weedian710]

Ah!!! Lucille 😍

[@andrefludd]

She has inspired so many :)

[@ironblast5]

Do the swap

[@andrefludd]

Your vote has been tallied and is appreciated haha.

[@NobodyNewsNetwork]

Parkers are HEAVILY featured on NIN "The Fragile" album. Besides for drums, vocals, and piano, all the sounds you hear on that album are heavily processed Parker Flys. He barely used any synths on that album.

[@andrefludd]

Thanks for sharing! I didn't know that fact.

[@josephesposito3499]

If you think Biden is a communist you should check out this loon Ken Parker, although he made a great guitar, unfortunately he is a left wing asshole. He promotes Elizibeth Warren, Greta Thornberg, and believes in rape culture. He doesn't know Broc Turner was FRAMED...

[@nachobizness1231]

omg, hate volume knobs that are in the general location of that volume knob.. nice to know even a professional has the same dislike, i thought it was just me

[@andrefludd]

It's SO annoying haha. This little mod is so freeing.

[@Hickalum]

10:30 OMG .. What are trying to do ??? … Why ??? If you “really like humbuckers” then all you need is two volume pot’s .. That’s it. Nothing else. Both p’ups permanently mixed (ie, middle position). Every tone you need is there … Simples … No tone knob, no coil split, no pickup select, no 5 way switches … no switches at all ! And no noise.😢 As a teacher you should see the benefit …

[@daceyatesfdfband3209]

Ok.. here is what i think . No, leave this guitar asis. Because of how much work, time and money you have spent on it to get it how you want it. Then just slowly, as you can afford to, carry these personal/mods over to your other guitars that my need them.

[@andrefludd]

That is def the smarter move!

[@savionramsundar1935]

thats one ugly ass guitar but it sounds damn good

[@andrefludd]

It looks pretty dope to me