Parker Guitars Fly Mojo Flame Single Cut

USA made 2006 model, bought used.

Non-traditional and thoroughly modern construction using mahogany neck/body, composite fretboard and body exoskeleton, deep neck joint sculpt, smooth heel joint, 22 stainless steel frets, lightly flamed maple cap in green burst, Duncan JB and Duncan Jazz passive humbuckers with coil split on the tone control, 2 volumes, TonePros bridge and tailstop, Sperzel locking tuners.

Most of my very favorite parts integrated into a modern instrument platform. Very light weight and comfortable.

A competently featured guitar overall, nicely done Parker. No vibrato, piezo or stereo out, so compared to its kissing cousins the Fly and NiteFly, I give it lower marks. Since I didn't want those on this guitar it suits the need fine, just in a more straight-forward way. Compared to my other guitars, I think the composite materials used, in particular, are equal to or better than the best, so it picks up marks for technology advances.

As I believe was noted before, this rig is not a Les Paul sound-alike even though it resembles one by virtue of being a single cutaway bodystyle and mahogany construction. This happens to be true for all the other mahogany singlecuts I've tried though, so that's seemingly not a real flaw. If you have to nail the LP tone, consider the genuine article, but if you're OK with "close enough" or a totally different tonal identity, keep reading.

For my variety of playing styles, mostly classic rock, a little hard rock, some poorly-done fusion and chicken-picking, the Parker covers the range OK. In fact, it's ability to get you 80% of the authentic tone you want across a breadth of genres is probably one of its attractive attributes from my viewpoint. I suppose a case could be made that because it has pretty neutral tonal characteristics with none being particularly overpowering, that it also has no strong personality. That'd be a fair enough point.

The Duncan pickups are both above average in this guitar, with the JB being a moderately high powered bridge and the the Jazz a moderately low powered neck pickup. Both do well in humbucking mode, and a passable job when coil split. You won't probably get a great Rickenbacker or Tele tone from the split coils, but the basic capability adds a nice variety to the palette. And like the LP thing... if you have to have an authentic Tele tone, see your friendly Fender dealer.

The JB in this setup reminds me of the bridge pickup in the EBMM Axis, with a creamy top end and slightly flubby bottom. It does avoid the pronounced mid peak that the Axis pickup has though, making for a slightly less colored tone. It doesn't clean up very well when rolled back unless you split the coil to get reduced output. It is, however, very responsive to picking dynamics. I wish the bottom were a little tighter for palm-muting because it lacks a bit of articulation crispness, but the buttery top end makes up for it when soloing and sustained chords or open strings are pretty lush.

The Jazz is a really beautiful neck pickup that I can't find any notable flaws in. I'd compare it to the Dimarzio PAF Pro in terms of output and tone. Because of its relatively lower output, rolling back the volume cleans it right up. It maintains articulation at all volume settings and picking dynamics, making for a nice soloing or rhythm option.

The JB and Jazz seem well matched together as they cover a lot of territory when used singly or blended together. The output between them doesn't change noticeably when switching between them in either humbucker or single coil mode. However, as you'd expect going between humbucker and single coil mode does have a noticeable difference in volume.

The pickups are also a bit noisy when coil split, and could benefit from a noise gate in your signal chain. Seriously... duh on such a leading-edge product. EBMM has a really ingenious little system they use to make their singlecoil and P90 pickups noiseless. As long as I'm making a wishlist for Parker, this would be right after direct-mounted pickups.

Most of the tones I've tried to get out of this guitar have been achievable with a minimum of tweaking. If you can't get a credible tone out of it for a specific purpose, I would propose that it's not the guitar limiting you. The one exception I'd note would be constant down-tuned palm-muting, as the JB's bottom end doesn't lend itself well to it.

Purchased second-hand from a performing musician who apparently took very good care of this guitar for the 2 years he had it. His setup was fine, but I can't comment on the original factory setup.

All parts are extremely tight, high quality and fit together with no obvious gaps, except for the control cover on the back of the guitar. For some reason, it has a slightly uneven gap around it when screwed in place, and it feels like thin, flimsy plastic. This is very different than the generally top-notch feel and look of the guitar, but is kind of a nit as it's not seen by an audience and doesn't impact playability or maintenance.

My top is green burst, with a lightly flamed top, which appears to be a single piece as opposed to bookmatched halves. Don't know that it affects the sound any, but I kind of like the one continuous piece of wood from an aesthetic perspective. As for the "Wow" factor of the top, this one is no PRS for sure, it's pretty unimpressive visually based on just the grain. Some others I've seen have much nicer tops though, so they apparently can be had if that's desirable.

The green-to-black burst effect is smooth and attractive, so I guess its an OK looking guitar at the end of the day, nothwithstanding the angular parts common to all the Parkers which is a matter of taste. Still don't like the headstock shape, but it's functionality good so I'm sure it's like that for a reason.

Action with 10-52 strings, my preferred gauge, is buzz-free and very smooth at a medium-low action height. I've never tried it at anything like Ibanez RG-low but I'd predict it could be played that way too with minor adjustments, based on how stable the neck seems to be.

The combination of the composite fretboard and stainless frets make for a very smooth and fast playing experience, with a slightly dead fretting feel compared to other guitars. It doesn't sound dead at all, but the fret-hand feel is a tad rubbery somehow compared to maple, rosewood and ebony fretboards with nickel/brass frets. I like it, just takes a little getting used to at first, as you don't get quite the same tactile experience. It initially caused me to slow down and listen hard to confirm I was actually playing cleanly.

String bends are ridiculously easy and consistent, with nice, even tone and volume all the way up and down the fretboard. Sustain is above-average. Probably a result of Parker's claimed industry-best manufacturing tolerances. Maybe so, maybe not, but it does sustain a note for a long time.

The neck has a wide-shallow feel to it. Similar feel to a PRS Mira with the Wide Thin profile. Pretty comfortable overall, and the finished neck doesn't get sticky like some will, surprisingly. The compound radius of the fretboard is very comfortable and flattens out nicely up the neck.

I don't think the nut is compensated, but it does have an unusual angled, wedge shape to it. Whether it is or not, I find that more of my open-position chords and high-position notes are in tune than normal. Maybe it just got a good setup, who knows.

After 2 years of live performance use by the previous owner, plus my own home studio playing, the front, back and neck finish all seem to be holding up very well. Just the typical micro-scratches that come with handling and playing, but it has so far resisted the minor bumps that might scratch or chip a finish, and still polishes up nicely.

The black finish on the bridge and tailstop still look like new which is nice, considering that I palm mute a fair bit, and I believe the original owner did also.

Given the claimed durability of the composite fretboard and stainless frets, I'm expecting to keep playing this guitar for a long while yet before any real maintenance is required on those parts. I do know this: at 3 years of age the frets still have a polished, shiny look with zero dents and the fretboard show no finger imprints or other wear.

Since I'm looking closely to give an accurate review, I do find a bit of light surface rust starting to form on the top side of the Sperzel tuners, on the hex nuts only. It looks like a little swipe with some fine steel wool should resolve it. Might be something to watch for at maintenance intervals though.

I know everyone prefers good strap locks, myself included, but I do have to say that the factory buttons are extra large and solid, like the PRS ones, and require removal to install the strap - or at least I couldn't manage to slip the strap on without removal. So theoretically, I think it'd be unlikely the strap would accidentally come off over the buttons unless you're doing windmills or something silly. The factory hardware is fine for my use, but if you like to move your strap from guitar to guitar, strap locks are an obvious upgrade.

I have not opened up the control cavity so I can't report on how well soldered/shielded it is. However, the fact that I've never had to open it up because there's never been an issue with undue noise, or pickup switching probably says a little something anyway.

All of the volume, tone, pickup selecter controls work quietly and smoothly, and the tuners feel like new.

I don't play out anymore, but as per usual, I wouldn't recommend anyone going without a spare. However, based on my experience with it, I don't think the Parker is ever going to spontaneously break down or not rebound from a minor drop off of the stand. It feels very solid and tight, I just don't make a habit of giving my guitars the "durability test" on purpose to generate real-world data ;)

No dealings with Parker, and I'm not the original owner so warranty doesn't apply.

Playing as a serious hobbyist and home studio use for 23 years. I buy a couple of guitars a year and try some new things. The ones that stand out from the crowd I keep indefinitely, the others I send on to the next loving home. This Parker is unquestionaly a keeper for me.

High marks as a versatile rock or fusion guitar. It equals or betters my other guitars for build quality, top-notch parts and use of technology. It lacks a bit on some of the vintage tones, particularly for singlecoils, but has the ability to reasonably mimic humbucker tones or produce a lot of other good tones of its own. Other guitars used for comparison include:

EBMM Axis
EBMM Axis Super Sport (P90's)
EBMM Silhouette
PRS Mira
PRS Singlecut
Fender American Std Tele
Fender American Deluxe Strat

Of the above, it competes most directly with the PRS Mira, which is a fine and flexible guitar in its own right. If I were buying only one of those two all over again, I'd get the Parker over the PRS because of the superior playability (and that's saying something).

For the money, the value of this guitar is quite good. I'd buy it again new if it were lost/stolen/damaged.

As previously reviewed, I also wish the pickups in this guitar were direct-mounted, and find the pickup selector location is a bit odd to get used to. I think these are common nits reiterated by owners, maybe Parker will read this forum and take them into consideration for the next design iteration.

Same as the guys listed below. My favourite features include the locking TonePros and the high quility tone and volume pots. they are super smooth to use.

The guitar covers all my sounds from Dillinger Escape Plan to Miles Davis. I am using a Mesa Mark I and an Analogman SD-1/808/Silver. This guitar is shielded great and super quiet compared to my Gibsons. The sound is very even and balanced, and nothing really sticks out too obviously. Great mids and lows, with cutting highs. Whatever you want but completely balanced tonally. I had tried the Jazz pickup in my LP and hated it, but LOVE LOVE LOVE this pickup in the guitar. The JB is bright and cutting, super nice for leads and heavy rhythms. Well, one word comes to mind when listening to this guitar; BALANCED.

The setup was good. strait out of the box it was intonated well, and played good. the action is low and smooth like you should expect from a Parker. the only thing is that the g string has a lite buzz to it. It doesn't come through the amp, but acoustically you can hear it. All the other strings are not buzzing, just a little from the g string.

Guitar is solid, harware is name brand top of the line, the finish is 100% spot on NO flaws, i put strap locks on it, and it's all around a very durable guitar in my book. I have a friend that has had a fly deluxe since the mid 90s and he's still rocking out with to this day.

not sure about the company, but the musicloft in greensboro was awesome to work with and the guys were very helpfully.

I've been playing 11 years and owned LPs, US and MIM strats, Ibanez, ESP, Peavey etc... the parker plays leagues above the rest. hands down the best playing guitar I have ever owned. if stolen I'd buy another for sure.

2006 Parker Fly Mojo Single Cutaway.Made in USA. 22 Hardened stainless steel frets. Mahogany body & neck. AAA Flame maple top in green burst. Two volume, one tone & 3 way switch. Two Duncan humbuckers, coil splittable. Stop tailpiece, Sperzel locking tuners, Hard shell case and moose wallmount hanger.

I have no use for a tremolo or piezo pu's. I play in a trio with fretless bass legend Percy Jones and this guitar fits my style of music (Jazz/Rock Fusion) like a glove. The sound is pristine within the myriad of variables the two volume/one tone pot configuration allows. This guitar has incredible range in terms of tonal spectrum. It can sound like a shredding machine, everything in between, and with the bass pu isolated and the tone pot rolled back...it sounds like an archtop jazz guitar. With the treble pu isolated the exact opposite. The SD pu's are very powerful, yet very quiet. This instrument is well-grounded/shielded.

This guitar came set-up with a beautifully low action. Not one flaw that I can detect. When I play the high D on the last fret...it sustains even unplugged. This guitar came to me in impeccable shape.

This instrument is extrememly well-built. When I plug in the cord the input jack has a nice solid click and it takes a little bit of force to pull it out. Highly dependable!

I am an endorser, so I must admit Parker takes great care of their Artists. I would like to think they treat their customers the same way.

I'm happy with this guitar. It's light as a feather and is a joy to play.

2005 "Natural" Mahogany. James W?s review gives a good detail on the specs of the guitar. The only noteworthy shortcoming would be the same as the other review:

- 22 frets instead of the usual 24 of the other Parker Flys.
- Pickups are not direct-mounted like the other Parker Flys.
- Etc.

But these are generally minor issues ? though I love the 24 frets on my other Parker Fly!

The sound is great and versatile! I prefer the Seymour Duncan pickups on the Mojo to the Dimarzios on my 97 Parker Fly Deluxe. The single-coil tap adds additional versatility to the already great pickups. I can get anything from a warm jazz sound to have heavy metal searing lead to a strat or tele twang.

This is my greatest point of contention. The basic setup of the guitar was good on first observation, but once I went to change the strings I started to realize various details that were missed.

As James mentioned, the TonePros bridge was not setup properly per the instructions on the TonePros website. It required some tightening and tweaking, but no big deal.

Also, the saddles on the TonePros bridge were are all the way forward on most strings, which had me worried, thinking, ?what if I need to adjust the intonation ? there?s nowhere to go!? ? and the other saddles were pretty close to being pegged forward! But after doing some fine-tuning on the intonation, it cleared up that problem for the most part and it left me a little breathing room. Still, even when I called TonePros tech support they said it sounded like the bridge was mounted an 8th-16th inch from where it should be.

Another thing both James and I found was that the Sperzel tuners were ?faded? and had a worn look on the edges where the metal was showing through, much different that my ?98 Parker. But to give Parker credit, they said they are willing to replace the tuners.

My biggest gripe, though minor it is also comical, is they are using ?? knobs on the 6mm pots. Parker acknowledged this in their forum, and even when someone asked, ?If you put a 6mm knob on a 6mm pot it goes on right every time. If you put a ?? knob on a 6mm pot it goes on right only if you work to put it on correctly. Which would you rather your employees do the first scenario or the second?? someone from Parker answered, ?The second?. They actually prefer using the wrong size part! Ask any luthier and they?ll tell you there are two size pots/knobs, just as there are Metric and AES wrenches.

So what?s the big deal with using the wrong size knobs? Well, my knobs sit about 15-20 degrees off-angle and when you spin them you get a ?tilt-a-whirl? effect. If you put them flush, they scratch the body so you have to mount them up a few millimeters. If you replace them with 6mm knobs, everything is honky-dory ? they sit straight and no scratches on the body.

Also, the pots weren?t tightened so as I turned the knobs, the pots turned too ? but this was a simple fix.

One final note: the guitar didn?t come with a hard-shell case or manual as advertised, though Parker has said they will send out hard-shell cases when they become available.

Overall, this isn?t the level of quality I expect in a $2K guitar, and it?s not the quality of my other Parker. But Parker employees are stating this is the norm.

I couldn?t comment since I?ve only had it a week. But my older ?98 Parker Fly Deluxe has held up very well.

This is my second point of contention. I haven?t been able to contact support for a week and their voicemail said they were on vacation. The operator insisted the same thing. In the Parker forum, an employee said the operator must be drunk, they just hadn?t changed their voicemail, they were not on vacation, and gave me a separate extension to try, but still not luck. Maybe I?m just being impatient and I?ll try them again next week.

At the moment, in the forums Parker has committed to replace the tuners and send out hard-shell cases when they become available. Next week, I?ll see if their standard support gives the same answer.

I've been playing for nearly 20 years, have owned various guitars, and have 6 guitars at the moment. Out of all the guitars I've bought, this once has given me the most grief (even compared to the Fender Squier I bought my nephew this Christmas). Maybe I've just been lucky, but I haven't had problems with any other guitars, and after spending $2K, I didn't expect all these petty issues.

If it were lost/stolen, I'd have to think carefully if I would replace it. I love the sound, and I love the feel of Parkers. Maybe this guitar is still "immature" since this is the first year. Maybe I would go with a normal Parker Fly Mojo and not the Single Cut. I still haven't even decided yet if I'm going to keep it - I'll base my decision on Parker's response next week. I?ll post a follow-up with some final feedback.

2005 model year. Made in USA. 22 Hardened stainless steel frets. Mahogany body & neck. Flame maple veneer top in cherry burst. Two volume, one tone & 3 way switch. Two Duncan humbuckers, coil splittable - Jazz neck & JB Bridge. Body is Parkers version of a Les Paul but I think its about 7/8 size. Tone pros locking tune-o-matic bridge. Sperzel locking tuners. Its a Les Paul type guitar, but has a 25 1/2" scale. Supposed to come with custom fitted hard case, but mine came with Parker gig bag.

And if anyone is interested, this guitar weighs in between 6-7 lbs, not 5 lbs as stated in Parkers literature.

I would give a 10, but heres my list of missing features Id like to see on this fine instrument...

Direct mounted pickups - Parker states the advantages of direct mounting in thier own literature. The cheaper PM series has it, so should this guitar. Im thinking this was a move to keep it traditional looking to attract buyers who are on the fringe. Want to get a Les Paul, but want something of better quality. I can see that...but I cant condone it.

Dual coil split switches - I love the fact that Parker has a coil split on this guitar, but why stop at one? Ive just had my sound options limited because I cant combine single with a humbucker.

Strap locks - doesnt have em. Why should someone after plunking down this kind of cash have to pay $20.00 extra to install strap locks? They should come standard - either Schaller or Dunlap.

Pick up switching - Im kinda in the middle on this one. I like the way it looks having the switch grouped with the knobs, but Ive already found that it would be easier to switch on the fly if mounted on the upper bout like a Les Paul or even cooler, maybe on the lower horn like a Washburn Nuno model.

I mainly live back in the 80s, at least in my head & heart! I love hard rock from 60s,70s & 80s mostly. Anything that at least rocks a little. Parker couldnt go wrong using the Duncans, & they sound great. This guitar sounds very dark, but still has a good high end.

The pickups even in split mode are pretty quiet, although some 60 cycle hum sneaks through, thats just the nature of the beast with single coils.

I will say that this guitar sounds different than any other guitar Ive ever owned with a JB pickup in the bridge. Ive owned over 30 guitars since 86, and the better part of them have had JBs installed. Its my favorite pickup. Now, dont take me saying different as bad, it not. In fact, it sounds awesome. The notes are more well defined than most guitars Ive played. It must have something to do with the weight of the body, or possibly the way its wired or the electronics...who knows. This guitar does weigh about a pound or so less than most of my other guitars.

Lets talk sustain...Plenty of it from the set neck thru body type thing they have going on. Looks like & feels like a neck thru, but is actually a set neck. More on the sustain & sound in the action, fit & finish section.

On a side note, because Im thinking of it right now, Dont let anyone tell you that stainless frets kill your tone. And by anyone I mean the one and only, self lusting, Ed Roman. He says that s/s frets are way too bright, cause listening fatigue, etc, etc...Bull. Parker & Tom Anderson(another great luthier) both use them exclusively. At least Parker does on USA models. They sound great, look great, feel amazing to bend on - no resistance at all - its like oiling your frets! And no harshness or tinnyness in the sound. In fact, I think because they are so much harder than nickel frets they acutually transmit more sound directly to the guitar than soft nickel which may soak up some tone along with vibrations. Anyone interested in knowing more about stainless frets should visit Tom Andersons chat forum & do a search on stainless frets (lots of good info). He made the switch in 02 & has never looked back.

Oh and if youre looking for a les paul tone, Hmmm, well, this is closer to an SG in my mind. But Im sure it can pull it off just fine! This guitar can get many tones. Very versatile with the coil splits too.

I bought the guitar by mail from an authorized dealer clearing his Parker stock. He had the guitar there for at least a few months (remember these were just introduced in early 05) so Im not sure if they ever messed with anything on the guitar. Im assuming it arrived with the set up that Parker gave it. Thats what Im going with for this review.

The neck is just incredible. Narrower than a regular fly, but thicker, just the way I like it. Kind of like Les Paul or baretta neck shape. Its also only 22 frets, which I prefer for feel & neck pickup sound & harmonics. Frets are bigger than a regular fly too.

Factory set up seemed good overall. The action was a bit high for me & the strings were a different gauge than I normally use. I think Parker ships this guitar with 10s. I use custom lights 9-46. During my re-stringing I noticed a few things...

First off, whenever I acquire any guitar, whether new or used it gets completely taken apart & re-setup. Bridges, all hardware everything comes off & cleaned & put back on after body is polished. Its just what I do.

The Tone Pros bridge & palm rest(string retainer?) were both loose. As in, the locking screws werent tightened. Also the two large bolts that the palm rest slides onto werent screwed down tightly either. Thats when I noticed the upper bolt wont turn in or out it just spins & makes clicking noises. Im not sure whats happening there - is the female end mounted (glued) in the body loose & turning??? I didnt take too much time looking at it to figure it out. Some other day. I did notice a definate difference in tone & sustain after swapping string gauges & tightening all the hardware. I personally attribute most of this change to the tightening of all the loose bridge hardware. I had to do some minor pickup adjustments, but that & action is all personal taste. How can any manufacturer anticipate what someone is going to want?

I really like the veneered top on this guitar. I think mine is called black cherry burst. I call it red. Its easier. The flame is kind of subtle & not bookmatched. Its a one piece top & I like that! It looks more natural to me than a bookmatched top with a center. One thing I will say about most of the Parker tops Ive seen is I dont think they get the choicest cuts out there. Ive seen so many other makers out there with these amazing 3D flame & quilt tops rated as AAA. I think the parkers fall a little short on ultimate beauty of maple figuring.

No flaws in the wood of any kind, but I did notice a significant flaw in the paint at the 17th fret low E side where the body meets the neck. Kind of a dip in the paint in that corner. Looks like an air gap about 1/4" long. No biggie, but its there. Otherwise the paint looks great. Nice luster & I love how you can see the composite texture on the back of the guitar through the paint!

Even with the little paint flaw, Ill go 10 in this cat. The loose hardware is no big deal, but should have been addressed at the factory during set up. It sure made a big difference in sound. So a 10 after I set it up to my liking.

This guitar is built tough! I doesnt have Piezos, so it wont have any of those problems Ive heard so much about. Although I do own a nitefly & havent had any Piezo probs yet - aside from a wierd buzz coming from my low E string in Piezo mode only. Cured that by cleaning the balls & saddle with rubbing alcohol.

I think this guitar is built to last. The Carbon composite covering the neck & back of body is supposed to keep everything nice & straight even through changing seasons & adds much strength to the neck for unfortunate misshaps that may occur. Some people think that the Parkers must be fragile because they are so light. I think just the opposite (just think of the "bigger they are, harder they fall" theory. Plus that composite material is supposed to be 10 times stonger than the wood it surrounds. I feel confident.

I have dealt with Parker in the past. Just recently in fact. They seem very customer oriented & I really feel they want me to be happy. Long story, short: I had a bad customer service experienc with a retailer that I bought a Nitefly Mojo Flame from in vegas (not Eds). After I called Parker about my experience, they upgraded my order for free! I still havent gotten the guitar yet (it was ordered in July) but Im sure when I get it, it will be great!

I started playing in 85 in high school. Stopped in 90 & started back again in 2000. Ive owned plenty of gear... a few mesa boogies, too many Kramers to mention (still have a nightswan & proaxe though), shadow guitars, many old 80s classics BC Rich gunslingers & such. Peavey XXX is my main amp for hard rock right now. I use old out of production genz benz split 2x12 verticle cabs. I know what I like. I like the Parker guitars. I think they are the sweet spot for price & quality. I have spent years collecting all the guitars I couldnt afford when I was a kid - Barettas, Pacers, gunslingers, RGs, most any guitar. They all pale in comparison to either of my Parkers. Talk about your classic strats & the like...Its all reminiscing. Guitars are built better today. PERIOD. Parker is tops in class.

They arent the cheapest guitars around, but you could definately spend more for a lesser guitar. I got mine for such an awesome deal, I still cant believe it. These retail for around $3000.00 & sell at all the online retailers for $2150.00 At that price, you are square in Les Paul territory. A Gibson couldnt touch this guitar. Gibsons quality control is out the window.

I really love this single cut. Ive only had it a day now, but I can say that & know I mean it. Its not perfect (what guitar really is, theres always gonna be some feature missing. Cant please all the people all the time) but as far a playability goes, I cant see anything else touching it. I love that neck. If youve played a high end Fly before, this is nothing like it. The neck is totally different - more like an 80s Kramer or BC Rich shape. Perfect for classic rock.

This will be my third Parker. My next will be a fly of some sort. If Parker made the changes Ive mentioned here, I may even buy another single cut from them.

If it seems like Ive had some negative things to say, its just because Im being honest. No guitar, no product is perfect. There is always room for improvement. Im totally impressed with this guitar & what it can do. Ive been wanting a premium single cut fixed bridge guitar for quite some time & this guitar is here to stay.