Help me decide ...

[jimk]

You can always buy a Parker ,.. they don't make 1975 430's anymore. my 2 cents

Haven't read the whole thread yet, but this seems like sound advice to me.
JimK

[kiramdear]

You can always buy a Parker ,.. they don't make 1975 430's anymore. my 2 cents

Haven't read the whole thread yet, but this seems like sound advice to me.
JimK

Yes it is, Jim, and I give Louis the prize for getting to the bottom of the question for me.

[whojamfan]

I can't see the fly being much lighter than your Melody Maker, mine's so light the gigbag almost weighs more. If it's simply a matter of weight, there are less expensive options, as well as ones you might not be regretting later.

Given your situation, if you are unable to play your 430 physically, than it really doesn't do you much good, except look cool and remind you of your condition. If this is the case, perhaps offering it here to a forum member for a fair price can get you a guitar that you can play that has no issues concerning pickups. I wouldn't give up my prize piece for something that didn't fit 100% of the bill, and flat sounding pickups are not going to be putting a smile on your face. So, we go down replacement road and play the hit or miss game with aftermarket pickups trying to find a sound you never will because it's not the instrument you hear in your head. I've got a drawer full of pickups and a couple bottles of snake oil I've bought over the years trying to make apples sound like both apples and oranges, and usually go back to a similar configuration as the stock one.

Aftermarket pickups can really make a good guitar great, depending on the instrument and the pickups. A well made Strat or Les Paul can really go to the "next level" with the right pickups. A guitar that doesn't already have something spectacular going on acoustically, isn't going to improve much no matter how much you dump into it in aftermarket parts.

Having said that, I don't know enough about the Fly to comment on its ability to be upgraded by aftermarket pickups. I know that people who play and own them are very happy with them, which really doesn't differ from folks who like other brands, so it really just boils down to you. The biggest problem people have with these guitars are their unconventional looks, which I can totally understand. Looks to me, instrument wise, are very important.I like my gear to look its best, play it's best, and sound it's best. For me, if opening the case doesn't excite or inspire me, why open it?

[electrofaro]

The 430 is not my go-to and it weighs a lot, but it plays fine and has great tone.

The weight's a reason to get rid of it... as long as the 430 goes to someone who'll love it like a baby (unfortunately it won't be me, I'm broke for the rest of the month ).

[jingle_jangle]

Say it ain't so, Joe! (Kira!)

[wayang]

Kira...your 'rig' is more important than which guitar you play. As we get older, (and I mean all of us, not just the ones who are 'getting old'), we find things that once were easy begin to exact a toll on the body. It's not easy to face up to these things, but it's all a part of 'growing old gracefully'. When I sold my 4080, the fact that I'm not the kind of person who can justify owning a very expensive 'collectible' was secondary to the reality that standing through a ten minute tune holding that thing was becoming more than the fifty-year-old back could take. And ever since lifting the Balinese gong by myself gave me a hernia, I've learned to be gracious about stepping aside and letting one of the younger players wrestle with it...

Even now, as I write this, I'm feeling some considerably negative effects from last night's impromptu 'Boba Fett and The Americans' appearance up and down Santa Fe Drive. It was a great time, don't get me wrong, but: ow... I played bass drum, and we covered about five blocks up one side and down the other. When I was eighteen, I could carry the bass drum five miles in 105 degrees and beat it hard every step of the way...but that was then, and this is now. BFaTA's bass drum is a huge concert model, not made for marching...I gotta get them to come up with a smaller one or something, because otherwise I'm going to hurt myself in a way that won't pass with a good night's sleep.

So my advice is: get a guitar you can play without hurting yourself. My Harley-riding friends occasionally give me grief about my Motoguzzi, but two wheels are two wheels, and if you're riding you're in the club. I feel the same way about six-stringers: get one you can stand back up by yourself if the kickstand gives way...

[kiramdear]

Wow, thanks for the flood of helpful replies.

I've decided not to rush into any changes concerning the 430, for all the good reasons you've touched on.

The aftermarket replacement pickup situation with the Fly is not promising, judging from the Parker forums I visited. The pickups are specially designed for it and there are few ways to go that don't involve body work, and I definitely wouldn't want to have to make irreversible changes to it. So that's one big stopping point for me. Mike is right on to point out the pitfalls of that game. Then there's the Parker styling, too, which is not a big plus for me although by itself is not a deal killer, but combined with the sonic issues it does put me off the trail. So if and when I get a Fly I think it should be the Bronze Fly model which has no mag pickups at all.

The 430, as I said, already has the tone I love and a neck which is very agreeable to my hand. Those two things far outweigh the weight consideration which is something I can "work around" (sit on a stool, trade off for short spells with other guitars, get a better strap, or even carry the weight on my hips as I once did with my old Ripper bass). Where there's a will there's a way. I'm not completely gimpy yet.

Those are the important things to me at this point. A little optimism will tell me that someday I will be able to have my cake and eat it too, in other words with some patience I will afford to have a Parker without losing one of my good Ricks. There is absolutely no urgency to get a replacement at this point. The only reason I considered the trade was because it was a possibility to do so, and that's finally not compelling enough of a reason.

Last night I played my 430 for a long time and finally just decided, "no way". It is such a cool guitar, somewhat rare, too, and very different from my other Ricks.

So that's where it stands and that's my final decision for the indefinite future. Thanks a million to all who participated; it's been a very interesting and stimulating conversation.

[eatswodo]

Not to throw the cat amongst the pigeons here, Kira, but have you come across this yet?

http://www.compositeelectrics.com/

It only weighs six pounds and if it plays half as well as the CA acoustics I've been fortunate enough to try, it should be a honey. Not to mention virtually indestructible.

Some clips here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZL3i74scLM

There are other clips around which you can find with a bit of youtube and google spelunking - here, for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNp0EN9d6H8&

Please, no "it's not a real guitar unless it's made out of wood" nonsense

[johneek]

Then again, if light is important, you could always get a Casino....

[jdogric12]

Have you thought of a 380L PZ? If you can find one of those, it would satisfy the acoustic requirement, look really cool, and appreciate in value over the long run.

[kiramdear]

Thanks, all, for the many suggestions.

I've never played a composite acoustic that I liked the sound of, and I tried a lot when I was shopping last year. I finally had to bite the bullet and go well over a grand to get my Martin D-16 and I'm sooooo glad I did. A composite electric doesn't bother me in principal - I even used to play a Dan Armstrong lucite (boy, talk about a boat anchor). If a good deal came along on a non-wood lightweight electric that suited me, I wouldn't reject it.

A Casino or any guitar of that ES style would also be most welcome as well. I negotiated for an ES 335 last year that didn't work out finally because it was in need of too much repair. But that would have been swell.

But neither one of those had the Parker's appeal of a lightweight alternative for an acoustic guitar. I plan to pick up a Bronze Fly model (plain face, no mag pickups at all) when the opportunity is present. And I don't plan to say goodbye to any Ricks in the process.

Finally, as to JDog's suggestion, I did indeed check out the 380L PZ and though I don't believe it's particularly lightweight I find it very appealing as a substitute for an acoustic. I'd also like it for the notion of adding an oil-finish Rick to my stable.

Ah, someday maybe I'll get to the bottom of my wish list. For now I'll keep going happily with what I have.

Thanks again for all the posts.

[johnallg]

Door #4.... Monty never showed anyone Door #4.