The Parker Fly could not have been made without such modern materials as carbon fiber and epoxies, but Ken Parker felt that a wood-body was an integral part of a solidbody guitar’s sound.

The Sitka spruce body of the Fly Artist model gave it the same tone-wood base as an acoustic guitar. An array of controls provided traditional volume and tone controls for the two humbuckers and the piezo. There was even a roller knob (below the bridge) for players to dial in their preferred tension on the vibrato unit.

The Fly shape debuted in 1992 and soon expanded to over three dozen models featuring every conceivable combination of pickups, woods, set or bolt-on neck, vibrato, or hardtail, etc.

Although few guitarists embraced the Fly as their primary instrument, artists in virtually every style of music made good use of the Fly.