the Fly Clone Project

Gregsaab wrote: ↑Mon Apr 22, 2024 6:15 pm Pretty good price on Deluxe in Excellent condition, but with a few minor mods ($2195) https://reverb.com/item/81667888-parker ... t=81667888

Extra info: That's a Ken-era Trans Cherry Classic which has been rewired "point-to-point", with what looks to be a coil split switch added after the master volume pot was forfeited. The unnecessary retrofitting of a Tele-style cup jack plate is indicative of the Fishman 9 pin switching stereo jack being used, in lieu of a more common 4 lug stereo barrel jack which would have replaced the original without the mounting hole needing to be enlarged.

Hopefully Lovies doesn't actually use those included lemon and coconut oil microabrasive cloths on any of the Flys they sell on consignment - That stuff's just going to sit on the surface of the board and build up along the frets, rather than being absorbed. I don't know that accidentally using one of those wipes will necessarily be any more harmful than if you used it on a finished maple fretboard - You just don't want to use anything liable to affect the CA bonding the frets to the board.

Update: The rewired Trans Cherry Classic Gregsaab linked to appears to have sold for the $2195 asking price. Unfortunately, the serial is illegible in the listing photos. However, the Tele-style cup jack will make it obvious if and when the guitar is relisted.

4/24/24 post:

Two beater Ken-era Deluxes have popped up on Reverb: A black '97 (189067BP) listed for $2,295 and having turned down seven offers, and a Plum '96 (173066BP) asking $2,542 and which has had five offers rejected. I'm highlighting these because, though we've recently seen Flys in better condition sell for less, there are no others currently listed in the sub-$2.5k on eBay or Guitar Center.

Here's a new one on Reverb. It claims Factory Refinish but I've never seen the headstock redone in factory. Could be?
Otherwise, not a bad price for a hard tail in good condition. And we know the spring will not need to be replaced

https://reverb.com/item/81752817-1995-p ... re-refined

Patzag wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 12:19 pm It claims Factory Refinish but I've never seen the headstock redone in factory.

That the front and rear logos were painted over makes me doubt that it was a factory job. Though the fret markers seem to be there, I see only a bit of lighting glare where the serial should be. My suspicion is that only the headstock was refinished, and was for the sake of covering a break repair visible on the face. Lastly: If an uncoordinated oaf such as myself can replace the logos in a refinish, why couldn't the factory?