Boy Toys

Yes, the Cedar Parker Nylon Fly arrived yesterday...



That's the Nylon Fly in the center with my Godin Multiac Grand Concert SA on the viewer's left (Stage right), and my customized Godin Glissentar eleven-string with an Ed Reynolds fretted neck (The stock Glissentar is a fretless instrument) on the viewer's right (Stage left). You can see that the Nylon Fly is small, and that it has a twenty-four fret neck, but what you can't see is how impossibly light it is: Just four pounds! I nearly threw it through the ceiling the first time I took it out of the case.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of issues with the Parker, but fortunately they are relatively simple, but expensive, to rectify. First of all, the nut is made from a plastic synthetic that is OK for steel string guitars, but it deadens nylon strings because it is too soft. So, I'm going to have my buddy Mark cut me both a bone nut and a graphite nut for it - think a couple of Franklins worth of work - so I can see which one works better. The graphite is black, and the nut is the only white thing on the guitar, so I'm hoping that works out, because it will certainly look better with a black nut.

The other problem is that the bridge requires three shims to get the action to the height I want, and they are a very soft plastic material. Again, this deadens the sound - especially on the treble end of the spectrum - so Mark is going to make me some sheet metal shims: Hardwood would be ideal, but he's an electric guitar tech and not a woodworker. I'm sure it will be an improvement regardless.

Sheesh, all three of those guitars have cedar tops: A trio of redheads!



I'm going to have to post a lot of blonds "blondes" to make up for this.