Parker

Parker

Also known as: Parker Guitars

Unclaimed
Founded 1993 Closed 2016

Parker Guitars was an American electric guitar manufacturer founded in 1993 by luthier Ken Parker, with critical contributions from acoustic pickup designer Larry Fishman. The company built its reputation on the Parker Fly, an electric guitar that paired a lightweight wooden core—typically spruce, poplar, or basswood—with a carbon fiber and fiberglass composite exoskeleton, producing an instrum...

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Parker Guitars was an American electric guitar manufacturer founded in 1993 by luthier Ken Parker, with critical contributions from acoustic pickup designer Larry Fishman. The company built its reputation on the Parker Fly, an electric guitar that paired a lightweight wooden core—typically spruce, poplar, or basswood—with a carbon fiber and fiberglass composite exoskeleton, producing an instrument that weighed roughly 4.5 lbs while offering exceptional rigidity and resonance. The Fly also integrated traditional magnetic pickups alongside a piezoelectric bridge pickup system co-designed with Fishman, enabling players to blend electric and acoustic-style tones from a single guitar. The design accumulated 11 patents and was collected by both the Smithsonian Institution and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The lineup expanded over the years into several variants: the NiteFly offered a more affordable bolt-on neck configuration; the Fly Mojo featured a solid mahogany body with Seymour Duncan pickups; and the MaxxFly, introduced in 2010, revised the original Fly with a more traditionally shaped upper horn, a modified headstock compatible with standard wall hangers, and 22 frets rather than 24. These instruments attracted a following among professional musicians including The Edge, Pete Townshend, Trent Reznor, and David Lynch, drawn to the guitars' combination of low weight, tonal versatility, and unconventional aesthetics.

Ken Parker sold the company to U.S. Music Corporation in 2003, which subsequently passed to Jam Industries. U.S. production operated out of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, until the facility closed in 2016. The brand retains a dedicated community of players and collectors, supported by independent forums and resources focused on the preservation and modification of surviving instruments.

Parker has 83 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Solid Body Electric Guitars, Acoustic-Electric Guitars, and Electric Basses. Their gear is featured by 58 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Metal, and Pop. Notable users include Gustavo Cerati, Greg Gonzalez, and Adam Dutkiewicz. Most Parker products sit firmly in the high-end, boutique range.

Artists Who Use Parker

Gustavo Cerati uses 3 Parker products

Gustavo Cerati

Singer, Guitarist · Soda Stereo

Greg Gonzalez uses 2 Parker products

Greg Gonzalez

Singer, Guitarist · Cigarettes After Sex

Adam Dutkiewicz uses 2 Parker products

Adam Dutkiewicz

Guitarist, Drummer · Killswitch Engage

Reeves Gabrels uses 2 Parker products

Reeves Gabrels

Guitarist · The Cure

Deron Miller uses 2 Parker products

Deron Miller

Guitarist · CKY

Vernon Reid uses 2 Parker products

Vernon Reid

Guitarist · Supergroup B

Ivan "Noize MC" Alekseev uses 2 Parker products

Ivan "Noize MC" Alekseev

Singer, Guitarist

Jakko Jakszyk uses 2 Parker products

Jakko Jakszyk

Singer, Guitarist · King Crimson

Maddie Rice uses 2 Parker products

Maddie Rice

Guitarist · The Late Show Band

Alex Cain uses 2 Parker products

Alex Cain

Guitarist, Composer

Robert Smith uses 1 Parker product

Robert Smith

Singer, Guitarist · The Cure

Eddie Van Halen uses 1 Parker product

Eddie Van Halen

Guitarist · Van Halen

Synyster Gates uses 1 Parker product

Synyster Gates

Singer, Guitarist · Avenged Sevenfold

Matthew Bellamy uses 1 Parker product

Matthew Bellamy

Singer, Guitarist · Muse

Jason Newsted uses 1 Parker product

Jason Newsted

Bassist · Metallica

Trent Reznor uses 1 Parker product

Trent Reznor

Singer, Guitarist · Nine Inch Nails

J Mascis uses 1 Parker product

J Mascis

Singer, Guitarist · Dinosaur Jr

Adrian Belew uses 1 Parker product

Adrian Belew

Composer, Guitarist · Nine Inch Nails

Dave Navarro uses 1 Parker product

Dave Navarro

Guitarist · Red Hot Chili Peppers

Robin Finck uses 1 Parker product

Robin Finck

Guitarist · Nine Inch Nails

Community setups featuring Parker

Show yours
jaume_monasterio

jaume_monasterio

Gear IQ 117

however

however

Gear IQ 151

versesaverted

versesaverted

Gear IQ 288

tattoofred

tattoofred

Gear IQ 132

vegard_skjervoy

vegard_skjervoy

Gear IQ 89

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