Hardtail setting on refined fly mojo

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Ondoid
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Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2022 1:48 am

Hardtail setting on refined fly mojo

Post by Ondoid »

The manual seems to be a little vague and I’m a little nervous just messing with the bridge adjustment. I searched the forums and I might have done something wrong but I can’t find a definitive way to set my bridge in a fixed position. I’ve figured out down and up/down, and I suspect the last setting of the T shape on the back of the guitar is for a fixed bridge, but the bolt doesn’t move super way into that position unless I didn’t push it hard enough. Before I try to really push it I’d rather be sure. Thank you for any input! -Chris

That last part of your response :lol: :lol: :lol:
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mmmguitar
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Re: Hardtail setting on refined fly mojo

Post by mmmguitar »

@Ondoid, you’re in good company; and far from the first to be confused by this: “Hardtail” is a misleading misnomer on the part of the manual. The step-stop is a plastic block which swivels to one of only two sides: one of them out of the way of the trem, and another in the way in order to block the trem from pulling up. From blocked mode, you can tighten the spring via the tension wheel in order to make the trem action stiff enough that strings won’t go flat when you bend adjacent ones. It’s essentially a facsimile of hardtail functionality achieved through cranking the trem against a plastic block. The “T” cutout in the cavity cover plate isn’t like a gear shifter in a car - The reason you can’t move the step-stop into what appears to be a third position is because it isn’t designed to - There is no third position. So the mechanics of the thing means you can't actually quickly switch from floating trem to hardtail - But you can switch from floating to down-only. And if you want to add something so you can use a finger to quickly switch between the two modes (as one can on the earlier, Ken-era Flys) VJ has a thread detailing a simple mod.

Here are some photos of my refined Supreme with the rear cover off; so you can see what I'm describing:
Floating (unblocked):
IMG_E2880.JPG
Down-only (blocked):
IMG_E2881.JPG
VJ's 3D model of the part:
stop.png
BTW, I hope I'm not terribly out of line in sharing that Adrian Belew was under the impression that there was an "up-only" mode on the step-stop that he couldn't figure out. He may still be. 8-)
Summary of the Parker Guitars speculator market from 2020 onward: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_fool_theory
Ondoid
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Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2022 1:48 am

Re: Hardtail setting on refined fly mojo

Post by Ondoid »

Thank you so much. I looked at that manual like 3 times this morning and was like “uhh am I reading something wrong?” This clears up a LOT. I appreciate it. I almost bought a Hardtail just out of fear of one day not having a replacement spring if mine breaks. (I’d figure the spare one that came with mine was a 9 or 10…it’s an 11. Just found that interesting) plus I worry about the damage it can do if one breaks so I do whatever I can to put minimal wear on it.

I throw caution to the wind when it comes to myself. But im like an over protective parent with my Parker’s. Haha
Gregsaab
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Re: Hardtail setting on refined fly mojo

Post by Gregsaab »

Is it fair to assume that tightening the spring to accomplish the pseudo-hardtail mode will shorten the spring’s lifespan?
1998 Deluxe in Dusty Black
1999 Deluxe in Emerald Green
2011 Mojo in Transparent Red [sold]
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