the Fly Clone Project

Hello

My friend will be bringing my Parker Fly from abroad in approximately a month. I want to be guitar to be carried in the cabin like a carry on bag and not given as a checked baggage, in order to avoid any possible damage.

Considering the latest COVID restrictions, I reckon a hard case may be problematic because of the weight. I was wondering if you guys can recommend a soft case into which a Parker Fly can fit. Currently, I am not able to find a Parker Fly soft case online so I am looking for cheap alternative solutions.

Many thanks!

Kindest,
Canberk

Hi Canberk!

The original Fly shipped in a Levey’s gig bag that had very little padding, then a Levey’s gig bag with more padding (the black one you commonly see), and then the hardshell cases were introduced. There’s nothing special about the original gig bag’s per se except that they fit the Fly like a glove.

For travel in a plane, I used the original gig bag one time and immediately regretted it when I was forced to put my Fly in an overhead bin; there’s just not much protection when a flight attendant is squishing it with a plastic Hello Kitty suitcase.

I have the Mono dual guitar gig bag, and, although it’s expensive, that or the single is the way to go. It’s a $10,000 instrument no longer being made that we all bought for a fraction of that, so a couple hundred dollars on a gig bag is a worthwhile investment in my opinion.

If it helps normalize the cost of buying a better gig bag, the airlines charge you more in fees for a trip than it will cost you to buy a Mono, and we never think twice about that sort of thing! So from one Fly owner to another: don’t risk it; bite the bullet and buy a great gig bag for your Fly as opposed to a cheap solution.

Hi @vjmanzo

Many thanks for your reply!

I see that there are also SKB universal cases similar to Mono that can perhaps offer a good protection. I agree with what you say about the price though, I guess I ll just find something without thinking too much

I already have an Ibanez hard case which was given to me together with the guitar by the previous owner. However, I thought that a soft case would be easier for my friend to carry in this situation.

Anyway, thanks again for your input, much appreciated!

Kindest,
Canberk

Happy to help, @Symbolic3001!

Yes, I've heard that the SKB universal cases do fit the Flys! I've never owned one myself, so if you end up getting one, please let us know what you think!

FWIW those Hiscox cases are the most streamlined of all the "official" Parker Guitars cases, but they're not so easy to come by in the states though Elderly Instruments can order one into the U.S. for about $250 when all is said and done. I hope to pick an extra up the next time I'm in London!

Soft case???!!!??? I have a road runner case for my deluxe, much better protection. Around $70....

The SCFS6 fits my Maxxfly pretty well. I like it a lot. Not sure how differently it'll fit your upper horn, but you can always compress the foam at that point.

I swear by Reunion Blues RBX bags.