The rebirth of Parker Guitars?

[Notes_Norton]

I'm so excited
and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control and I think I like it....

I don't care where they are made, as long as they do a good job. I am proud of my two USA made Parkers, but I understand we are a global economy.

I just hate to see the brand die. I know they are the best guitars for me, heck, I don't even have GAS anymore. But if my custom Parker ever breaks, I'd like a new one as close to "just like it" as I can get, even if it is made on the moon.

It's simply the best tool for the job I need it to do.

Insights and incites by Notes

[Mr303]

My guitars will most likely never wear out, so I'm not too worried about replacement, but the design and features of Parkers should be kept alive.
 I'm just leary if a different body design is made it will be less Parker and more "standard" weight/design to make sales viable.  But it's all speculation until 2017 though eh?

[TinMachine]

Just a tidbit of info I have learned,  don't know if it means anything,  but one of my contacts was approached to send USM 20 whammy bars. Seems strange,  but maybe this means something??  Just sharing what I know. I hope to find out more about what that request could mean. 

[TinMachine]

***update *** this just in,  those 20 whammy bars are indeed for possible USA Parker guitars.  I was told they will make a limited run and limited colors.  It's still just a possibility at this time.  Call them up to place an order.  Maybe if they get enough requests it will happen. 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Sounds nice... but I take it with a grain of salt. I want to believe they are talking about usa made parkers but my gut says more import models....and that would just be a disappointment

Surely, They (whoever "They" are) realize as well as we all do that the imported Parkers were the nail in the brand's coffin. I pray they aren't planning more of those abominations.
The first two generations of those were ok at their price point, but this brand was never about building "ok" guitars, was it?

[Mr303]

Sounds nice... but I take it with a grain of salt. I want to believe they are talking about usa made parkers but my gut says more import models....and that would just be a disappointment

Surely, They (whoever "They" are) realize as well as we all do that the imported Parkers were the nail in the brand's coffin. I pray they aren't planning more of those abominations.
The first two generations of those were ok at their price point, but this brand was never about building "ok" guitars, was it?

I have to say my PDF 105 model is a good guitar and better than those "major brand other guys" but its still not quite the adequate example of Parker originality or playability compared with the pre's and DF's I've played since first buying the 105.
So yeah I think an offshore Parker would have to be stellar to catch on or gain much attention especially here on the forum.
 That being said though, my Korean PM20 Pro is a stellar guitar so making a great one offshore is......possible?
Cheers!

[billy]

Sounds nice... but I take it with a grain of salt. I want to believe they are talking about usa made parkers but my gut says more import models....and that would just be a disappointment

Surely, They (whoever "They" are) realize as well as we all do that the imported Parkers were the nail in the brand's coffin. I pray they aren't planning more of those abominations.
The first two generations of those were ok at their price point, but this brand was never about building "ok" guitars, was it?

I disagree. The imports were most certainly not the same as the high end models, but they were still well above competitive brands' products in the same price ranges. I was pleasantly surprised when I finally was able to play a pdf60.

The problem for almost all the usm brands was crappy marketing combined with the inability of potential customers to try a high end version in a store. The imports should have been a gateway to higher end models but there was little or no marketing and sales support.

There are fantastic guitars coming from overseas these days, hopefully the lower labor costs will allow for nicer materials and new designs.

[TinMachine]

I'll second that Billy. I was very pleased with the cheaper pdf 60 guitars. At least the ones from Indonesia.  I can't say about the models made in China. There are many skilled craftsman in Indonesia.  Heck,  rosewood (or sonnokeling as they call it) grows right there!  I almost wonder if it was losing that original stand out Fly shape. That's what comes to mind for probably anyone you talk to about these.

[Notes_Norton]

Although I bought two USA Parker DF guitars, I have nothing against overseas construction.

I prefer to buy a made in USA product, and I expect to pay more for that.

The business is competitive, and Fender, Gibson, and others are building them overseas to sell them at a low price point. People look for bargains.

I understand the Epiphones made in China are excellent guitars - (I cruise the Gibson / Epiphone board now and then because I own an ES-330 and a Casino).

Most modern guitar factories seem to cut the wood with jigs, so really all that is needed is assembly and setup. There are enough people who can be taught to do a fine job in any country if the company cares to hire them.

I understand Mexican Fenders hold up well to their north of the border cousins too.

I would rather people buy USA guitars just as I would rather they hire local bands and that musicians would shop in their local home-owned music store instead of the big box or internet retailer. But that isn't going to happen.

I do think the Parker design is under-appreciated by the general public. They see Gibson, Fender and perhaps Ibanez as the top tier with Gretch, PRS, and Rics as second tier alternatives, the budget Gibson/Fender brands as wanna be guitars and everything else lumped into the "just too unpopular" category.

They don't know that the USA Parker is in every way as good or better as the comparable USA Gibsons and Fenders. Perhaps because Gibson and Fender have huge advertising budgets and with that kind of money they can put their guitar in the hands of the guitar idols when they are on stage or in a video.

I'd love to see Parker become at least as mainstream as Ibanez or even PRS. But I don't see that kind of promotion happening.

That said, I expect my two USA DF guitars to last for decades (barring an accident). Every guitar player that I let play them are amazed by them, but most of them still want to be seen with the Gibson or Fender headstock.

I'm glad I got mine when I did, the original and the custom job. They are a joy to play.

Insights and incites by Notes

[Bry Guy]

I'm hopeful we will see US models, but I wouldn't be shocked if we didn't. But who knows?

Personally it's hard to call something a Parker if there isn't at least one CF based model in the line.

That being said, my PDF70FR was an incredible guitar. I only sold it to help pay for my Vernon Reid. In fact I was keeping it while I saved up for a VR, but a deal came along that I couldn't pass up. Otherwise I would have played that guitar for years. It was really that good.

[PDF105#]

I owned a PDF105 as my first Parker. It was made in Indonesia and the fit and finish and playability was excellent. I gave it to my grandson as a high school graduation gift and promptly went out and bought a used Fly Mojo. Great guitars. I hope the reincarnation of US made Parkers becomes a reality. I love them.

PDF105#

[Notes_Norton]

My wife has a Korean PM10. The build, fit, and finish is flawless. It's the reason I bought my first DF sight unseen. And it did not disappoint.

I would love to see the brand stay alive, and renew the parts department.

It's a shame people are so brand conscious that they can't see something better because it doesn't say the right name on the headstock.

Time will tell.

And like most of us, I'm hoping for the phoenix to rise from the flames.

Notes

[TinMachine]

Aren't they all made on the same cnc machine with a computer program?

[Mr303]

Aren't they all made on the same cnc machine with a computer program?

CNC machines merely rough out blank stock, then either a machine or human sanders go to work.
Wood density varies and the milling process removes or leaves wood in slightly different amounts depending upon factors like wood density, grain pattern, and cutter sharpness.

Manufacturing videos show final body profiling and sanding is by hand and each tech sands a bit more or less than the others.

Looking to buy a US made one, I handled four Gibson SGJ's at GC a few years ago, each had entirely different neck profiles, they varied by being radius flatter versus slightly more rounded etc. The finishes were consistently the same color, patina, stain pattern. I could tell a different person had finished each one though.

 I was always unimpressed with the poor sanding at the interior radius of the horns where the end grain showed on the one I eventually bought. Neither perfect nor flawed simply poor (rushed) QC in my opinion.
 I've heard Gibby makes about 300 of each model during a daily production run so techs work fast.

That said, my Korean PM20 is a stellar off-shore guitar.
  Even as a used instrument there are no finish flaws.

[billy]

Mostly agree but the amount of hand finishing can vary quite a bit based on manufacturing efficiency goals.

The sweet spot can move to more finishing in the machine or by hand based on factors like tool changes, set ups, skill of operator, programmer, etc.

When I visited in 2011 there was only a little hand finishing where the joints were and to remove some light tooling marks. On a Parker there's a little more hand sanding that happens after the carbon fiber sheet was added post trim to clean up the edges.

There are some great overseas shops these days, so I'd be thrilled if they did this in the US but still happy to see the brand carry on.