the Fly Clone Project

Posted: **Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:26 pm**

Patzag wrote: ↑Sun Jun 04, 2023 6:59 pm Does anyone know of a source for a Tocos Master pot?

The original Tocos pot is linked as the “alt” option in the main post, but it’s been discontinued.

Are you looking for something to fit the footprint of your flex PCB?

Posted: **Sun Jun 04, 2023 10:07 pm**

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:26 pm
Are you looking for something to fit the footprint of your flex PCB?

Yes.
I do have one spare from an old Hardtail that I mangled to make the chrome boy. So I'm not "dying" but it would have been nice to replace the original pot with an identical model.

Posted: **Sat Jul 15, 2023 7:37 pm**

Hi,
looking at the Parts list.. I see for Bridge bearing post and post bushing both longer AND shorter versions are listed.
Can you help me clarify the difference and where each is used? different models of the Fly? or maybe I just don't understand how they work exactly.. (I was not able to remove the c-rings and let the bushings out.. so I have no idea how long they are)
In case which of the parts below should I buy as replacements in a Deluxe Pre-refined?

-Bridge Bearing Posts (longer version) — modeled
-Bridge Bearing Posts (shorter version) — modeled
-Bridge Post Bushing (longer version) — modeled
-Bridge Post Bushings (shorter version) — forthcoming

thanks in advance,
Andrea

Posted: **Sat Jul 15, 2023 7:50 pm**

Hi @nuovonormale—yes, happy to help clarify: the bass side of the vibrato bridge Fly has a shorter bridge post and post bushing as shown in the image in the original post above.

Regarding that c ring, you need c ring pliers like this in order to get them out.

That being said, you can raise the posts by turning a hex wrench under the bushings (back of your Fly) without the need to remove the c rings if you’re simply trying to remove the bridge.

Posted: **Sat Jul 15, 2023 8:02 pm**

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 7:50 pm you can raise the posts by turning a hex wrench under the bushings (back of your Fly) without the need to remove the c rings if you’re simply trying to remove the bridge.

I plan to just cover those C rings with tape when I paint my Flys

Posted: **Sun Jul 16, 2023 10:55 am**

hi @vjmanzo thanks as always for your help.
I had looked at that photo more couple of times but didn't notice the different lenghts of the two "sides".
I finally tried to glue my partially lifted fret today (I'll expand on that on the original thread) and to avoid removing the (new) strings, removed the bridge instead .. so I had a chance to measure the posts length..
the bass side is around 3.0 cm while the treble is more like 3.3-3.4 cm, as you said.
so I realized that a couple of spare posts I have is not matched correctly (both being of the longer type)!!
cheers
andrea

Posted: **Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:06 pm**

Hello everyone! I have a Parker Fly Deluxe with a broken master volume pot. So does anyone know where I could find a 10k stereo pot with the same length of coil?

Rauno
Finland

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:01 am**

Hello Fly lovers.

My story of interest in these fine instruments was seeing a Fly advertisement in Guitar Player in 1994 and was intrigued. So I soon ordered an all white 1994 Fly Deluxe which is in mint condition and I am still very happy to own.

What an incredible guitar. I am a hobbyist/collector and am fortunate to own a 1953/'57 Les Paul conversion bought in 1977, a '67 Tele and an early Custom Shop relic Strat from '97 among others. Each are absolutely incredible instruments to play. But every time I play my Fly, I rediscover just how awesome the Parker Fly is. The tremolo is butter smooth, and the balance and tone you get between the mag and piezo pups is outstanding and so musically inspiring. And those stainless frets play and bend effortlessly like you're on ice skates.

But the one question I do have is about function of the magnetic pickup selector switch when in the middle position. When in the middle on mine, instead of what I would expect to be a good balance of both mag pups together, I get a sort of shrill half volume tone that is not very useful. I wasn't sure whether it was supposed to function as I would expect and activate both neck and bridge mag pickups. And it does this independent of whether I include the piezo or not with the other selector switch. And it means I never use that middle position.

I wondered if anyone else experienced this or had some perspective to share.
Much appreciated.
-sd

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:39 am**

White94FlyDeluxe wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:01 am Hello Fly lovers.

My story of interest in these fine instruments was seeing a Fly advertisement in Guitar Player in 1994 and was intrigued. So I soon ordered an all white 1994 Fly Deluxe which is in mint condition and I am still very happy to own. What an incredible guitar. I am a hobbyist/collector and am fortunate to own a 1953/'57 Les Paul conversion bought in 1977, a '67 Tele and an early Custom Shop relic Strat from '97 among others. Each are absolutely incredible instruments to play. But every time I play my Fly, I rediscover just how awesome the Parker Fly is. The tremolo is butter smooth, and the balance and tone you get between the mag and piezo pups is outstanding and so musically inspiring. And those stainless frets play and bend effortlessly like you're on ice skates.

But the one question I do have is about function of the magnetic pickup selector switch when in the middle position. When in the middle on mine, instead of what I would expect to be a good balance of both mag pups together, I get a sort of shrill half volume tone that is not very useful. I wasn't sure whether it was supposed to function as I would expect and activate both neck and bridge mag pickups. And it does this independent of whether I include the piezo or not with the other selector switch. And it means I never use that middle position.

I wondered if anyone else experienced this or had some perspective to share.
Much appreciated.
-sd

Hi!
The middle position is supposed to emulate the position 2 or 4 of a strat by splitting the pickups. I also did not like the tone so I tied the 2 wires that split the coil so that middle position is now both humbuckers together. I find this a much better solution for me.

Posted: **Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:57 pm**

That's very helpful, thanks Patzak.

Posted: **Mon Jan 08, 2024 6:47 pm**

Follow-up on the middle mag pickup selector switch mod to remove the split coil function and make it a normal join of both neck and bridge pickups. Is that mod easy and straight for a novice with a soldering iron or tricky or risky and you'd advise to take it in to a luthier?

Posted: **Mon Jan 08, 2024 7:24 pm**

White94FlyDeluxe wrote: ↑Mon Jan 08, 2024 6:47 pm Follow-up on the middle mag pickup selector switch mod to remove the split coil function and make it a normal join of both neck and bridge pickups. Is that mod easy and straight for a novice with a soldering iron or tricky or risky and you'd advise to take it in to a luthier?

Extraordinarily easy.
1. Open up the cavity cover - 7 or 9 screws (Can't remember)
2. Locate the 3-way switch
3. Warm up your iron
4. Remove the Neck Red and Green from the switch - Make sure they're still tied together and put a bit of electrical tape on the "live" end to prevent a short.
5. Do the same with the Black/white from the bridge pickup.
6. Close it up and play!

See diagram below ...

Posted: **Tue Jan 09, 2024 3:48 am**

Awesome! Thanks so much, I can't wait to try that!

Posted: **Wed Jan 10, 2024 1:32 am**

Success! I managed with my large hands to detach the mag wire sets from the switch and it works great. The middle position is usable for the first time since 1995! It gives a nice glassy tone, but I notice I do need to roll off the tone to 2-3 for a nice balanced tone.
Thanks again!
I also took some pics of it and will post them on the Show Your Fly site.

Posted: **Wed Jan 10, 2024 7:40 pm**

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking to buy 16 neck mounting bolts (screws?) and 16 neck mounting ferrules (inserts?) that go with them for the Parker Nitefly. Can anyone help me?

Thanks.

Posted: **Wed Apr 24, 2024 2:25 am**

Hi all, first post here... what a beautiful project! I read the post of Ken Parker about stainless steel frets and his preference (in that moment in time, at least) for Jescar EVO wire, but I wonder which kind of standard frets (with tangs) should I buy and are sold in Europe, possibly, to have the same exact fret width and height of my 1995 fly deluxe, and hopefully be of similar quality?

Thanks!

Posted: **Wed Apr 24, 2024 2:41 am**

Welcome!

Until someone else chimes in, @Rbmusica, I'll point out that the tangless Fly fret wire was supposedly the hardest formulation that the factory could extrude; with tanged formulations necessarily being softer due to the malleability requirement. So Jescar stainless, EVO gold, etc. are not going to be nearly as tough as the Fly fretwire - But are still plenty resilient for most players' needs.

According to the below quoted post from VJ, the closest common fretwire profile spec to what was on '90s Flys is 6105 "tall/narrow." You should be able to find wire with that profile in nickel/silver and stainless steel alloys.

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Tue Dec 01, 2020 7:01 pm the pre-refined Fly frets are most likely similar in size to 6105 fret wire, which is standardized to .047" height and 095" width.

Posted: **Wed Apr 24, 2024 4:54 pm**

Thanks, really useful info!

the Fly Clone Project

the Anatomy of a Fly

Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

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Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

Mag PUP Selector Switch in Middle Position

Re: Mag PUP Selector Switch in Middle Position

Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

Re: the Anatomy of a Fly

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Re: the Anatomy of a Fly