**SOLD** '97 Trans Blue Classic MIDI

[mmmguitar]

This is a bit of an experiment: I have the guitar listed for a one week auction on eBay to better gauge demand; and will update the "What is This Worth?" thread to reflect my findings. Should the guitar not sell on eBay for whatever reason, I'll be updating this post to list it here for a reduced price (due to not having to compensate for listing fees). It's currently on the auction block for a starting bid of $1,500, with a Buy it Now price of $2,500.

Board regulars will know I have a thread posting about the guitar in detail.

Here's the listing body for the eBay auction:

Selling to replenish gear budget. This is a '97 Fly Classic in "Fair" condition; with cosmetic flakes, chips, and buckle rash resulting from being a gigging guitar being the only issues. I've tried to photograph it all, including the finish crack at the neck joint that is unfortunately typical of older Flys. There are zero symptoms of fingerboard delamination or any of the other Fly-specific structural issues some become afflicted with. Feel free to contact me for all info pertinent to the condition of the guitar.

I've replaced the internal electronics with a Graph Tech Acousti-Phonic/Hexpander 13 pin setup, in addition to the stereo jack. This is because the previous owner had modified the original electronics to bypass an issue; and so I donated the parts to another Fly owner's restoration project.

Though the new switching configuration makes this Fly more versatile than nearly any guitar Parker produced, the Graph Tech Acousti-Phonic preamp design is a bit noisy whenever you're not playing. Because I have the guitar wired to bypass the preamp in one switch position, this noise is only present in the piezo sound processed by the Acousti-Phonic board - The magnetic pickup signal path and Hexpander board routed through a 13 pin device and processed for acoustic sounds are noise-free alternatives. The guitar has the original Dimarzio "Gen 1" pickups and a six position FreeWay selector switch in which the lower track is the humbuckers separate and combined as in a Les Paul, and the upper track being split coils separate and combined as in a Tele.

The guitar is currently strung with a 10-46 string set and "10" flatspring. It ships in a Parker Guitars gigbag, and includes a "9"-rated spring, trem bar, T27 torx wrench for adjusting the truss rod, and a mini screwdriver for adjusting the trim pots on the mag volume pot's Toneshapers treble bleed and the Acousti-Phonic preamp gain, if desired.

Free shipping in the contiguous US. International buyers will be invoiced a quote. Again: Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions you may have.

Edit: I forgot to add that the reason for the asking price is because that's approximately what I've put in to the guitar - I'll itemize it in my subsequent post.

[Patzag]

Good luck with the sale!

[mmmguitar]

Good luck with the sale!

Thanks. I’m hoping that, with the prices I’ve set, I’ll either confirm depreciation/decreased market demand by losing money, confirm that “upgrades” are equity through breaking even, or profit as a consequence of underestimating demand. Should I get zero bids, I’ll still have something to laugh at.

Update: Now that bids have been placed, it seems as though we’ll be gauging whether demand for non-case queen Flys is low enough to constitute depreciation, or if the “MIDI” misnomer will draw at least two 13 pin enthusiasts out to compete.

[jb63]

Good Luck!
Taxtime is approaching, so its either one way or the other.

[mmmguitar]

Good Luck!
Taxtime is approaching, so its either one way or the other.

Perhaps I should have waited until after everyone got their refunds. Being as the current top bidder is apparently a collector with 22+ Parkers, I suppose it will come down to whether he's into 13 pin stuff.