PARKER
MaxxFly PB12
BY STEVE COOK
Since the introduction of its revolution- ary Fly guitar in the ’90s, Parker Guitars
has proven its desire to deliver instruments
that are both practical and forward thinking. By using composite materials, lighter
woods, and components that yield a lot of
sonic versatility, Parker has gone from having a cult following in their early days to
a more mainstream presence today, with
scores of big-name guitarists using their
instruments. They’re mostly known for
their 6-string offerings, but they do also
offer a bass line. Here we take a look at the
new MaxxFly PB12 4-string.
Totally Fly Looks
Visually, the PB12’s striking features and
smooth lines are reminiscent of a luxury
automobile—it’s clearly well designed,
sleek, and expensive. When I picked it up
for the first time, I was shocked: Weighing
in at an incredibly light 6. 5 pounds, it
made my shoulder very happy. The swamp
ash body and poplar neck are triple-
reinforced with a carbon-glass-epoxy wrap,
which, according to Parker, makes the bass
impervious to temperature changes and
maintains neck consistency.
to hear audio clips of the bass at
premierguitar.com/jul2012
CLICKHere…
headstock—keeps one hand in the conventional pool, but not in a way that panders
to the old guard. For the more adventurous, dusty black and candy lemon yellow
finishes are also available.
Of course, the heart of the MaxxFly
is how it sounds and plays. Loaded with
an active EMG P pickup in the neck and
an EMGMM in the bridge, the bass also
features a Graph Tech Ghost piezo saddle
pickups housed in the Parker-designed
Hipshot tailpiece—and these have a dedicated volume control, too.
Graph Tech ghost piezo saddles
24-fret neck also
available fretless
EMG active pickups
