the Fly Clone Project

Posted: **Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:26 pm**

Ahhh--I've had that issue. Bummer, but not a hopeless case--you can deburr the saddles if you're able to determine where they're catching...or just swap 'em

Posted: **Sun Oct 10, 2021 10:39 pm**

jester700 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 28, 2021 10:33 am
Noodler wrote: ↑Tue Aug 31, 2021 8:57 pm Although the Graph Tech saddles worked physically better than the USM saddles, they didn't pair well with anything but the newer Graph Tech preamp. I think they may have had some kind of mismatch with the Fishman preamp (learned that the hard way).

The USM saddles require some "clean-up" over time as the strings will create a rough deeper groove over the saddle which can cause binding (tuning issues) and intonation problems (especially the saddles with the chrome plating).
I've had tuning issues with my USM saddles (thought it was the nut for quite a while) so I got some Graph Techs. I don't use the piezo often, so tuning stability is the priority, but it would be nice to have piezo ability just in case. I'd rather not replace the pre, so did you find any tricks that improved the Graph Tech / Fishman pairing at all? Is it an EQ thing I could partially compensate for?

Thanks!

If I remember correctly it was a levels mismatch. The Fishman preamp expects a stronger piezo signal to be generated (or maybe it was the other way around, can't exactly recall many years later). I just remember dealing with weird distortion being created and tried so many things before I realized that mixing and matching between the old and the new was the cause for my misery.

Posted: **Mon Oct 11, 2021 1:06 pm**

Noodler wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 10:39 pm
If I remember correctly it was a levels mismatch. The Fishman preamp expects a stronger piezo signal to be generated (or maybe it was the other way around, can't exactly recall many years later). I just remember dealing with weird distortion being created and tried so many things before I realized that mixing and matching between the old and the new was the cause for my misery.

Thanks!

Posted: **Sun May 29, 2022 11:31 pm**

Hi Fellow FlyCloners,
New to Parker Flys this week; just picked up a 1998 MIDIFly and having some problems with the stainless steel dogbone bridge: when dive bombing with the tremolo the high E and B strings come out of the dogbones and then go back in when released. The alignment of E and B dogbones is off and causing this. There doesn’t seem to be any side to side adjustments on the string saddles to move them closer to the treble side of fretboard. Does anyone have any fixes or ideas for this problem?

Thanks,
Alien Freak Out

Posted: **Mon May 30, 2022 12:59 am**

Hi @alienfreakout and welcome!

Hmmm—that’s a tricky one; maybe this post might give some insights? What string brand and gauge are you using?

Please keep us posted.

Posted: **Mon May 30, 2022 2:37 am**

Is it high e and B, or the low E and B? A simple experiment would be wedging some sort of thin shim between saddles while the string tension is off of them (such as while divebombing), to see if they can be nudged toward an alignment that alleviates this issue.

Strings falling off saddles with trem use is a pet peeve of mine; and I’m saddened to read that this is occurring with a Parker trem (No Fly I’ve owned has done this). Would you be willing to post photos, @alienfreakout? I don’t currently own a Fly with dog bone saddles - But I’d be happy to post photos of any of my four Parker trems, for reference.

Posted: **Mon May 30, 2022 11:48 pm**

9 - 42 Boomers, high E and high B strings are slipping off towards the center of the bridge. The strings pictured are the old strings that are larger gauge than 9 - 42.

Thanks,
AFO

Posted: **Tue May 31, 2022 12:31 am**

@alienfreakout, were the heavier set of strings coming out, as well? Could we get an angle more from in front of the saddles, to see if the e and B strings look like they could easily roll out of the groove between bearings? Most importantly, did you intonate the saddles for the new string gauges? It looks as though the anchor points for the ball ends are sufficiently far from the high strings’ saddles that the strings are slackening enough to roll right up and out of the channel between the saddle bearings. A quick test to narrow down the cause would be to loosen each string by a turn or two, loosen the intonation screw, move the saddle as far back as possible, fasten it in place with the screw, then tune back up and see if the issue is still occurring with that extra length behind the saddle minimized.

Posted: **Wed Jun 01, 2022 12:07 pm**

I'd like to point out that, while the OP mentions approximate dates saddles were used, that I have pre-refined instruments as late as 2002 using the original screw saddle. (Fly Deluxe S2 dating from July 3rd, 2002 - 20th birthday coming up soon!) Of the 7 Flys I've owned, none have had anything other than the screw saddle.

Posted: **Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:25 pm**

mmmguitar wrote: ↑Tue May 31, 2022 12:31 am @alienfreakout, were the heavier set of strings coming out, as well? Could we get an angle more from in front of the saddles, to see if the e and B strings look like they could easily roll out of the groove between bearings? Most importantly, did you intonate the saddles for the new string gauges? It looks as though the anchor points for the ball ends are sufficiently far from the high strings’ saddles that the strings are slackening enough to roll right up and out of the channel between the saddle bearings. A quick test to narrow down the cause would be to loosen each string by a turn or two, loosen the intonation screw, move the saddle as far back as possible, fasten it in place with the screw, then tune back up and see if the issue is still occurring with that extra length behind the saddle minimized.

Yes, old strings coming out also, no, I did not check intonation after string change, I did not have the correct Allen wrench (what size is needed?). I will try your advice. New photo attached:

Posted: **Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:32 pm**

alienfreakout wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:25 pm I did not have the correct Allen wrench (what size is needed?).

It’s a 3/32" Hex Allen wrench (linked on the parts page).

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