RENEWING THE FORM
RENEWING THE FORM
Adam Miller, June 2024
Thanks to Adam for recording these lovely performances and giving us permission to share them on our site. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Steve Lacey and Sean McGowan at Woodstock Invitational, October 2023
Joni Mitchell - Gorge Amphitheater - June 10, 2023
Ken Parker was in attendance at the Gorge Amphitheater in Seattle, WA on June 10th, as Joni Mitchell headlined a wonderful show, surrounded by her great friends and performers. For the encore, Joni played the Cedar Fly that Ken built for her in the early 90s. After the show, Ken and Joni got to be reunited after many years.
Here’s a link to The Seattle Times review: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/joni-mitchell-makes-music-history-with-brandi-carlile-in-gorge-triumph/
Michael Chapdelaine Plays Ken’s Lucky
Bill Frisell Takes Sidekick Through a Set
Above are two videos of this performance, one shot by Dale Martin from the audience, one provided by the Newport Folk Festival.
From the New York Times. Click for a link to the story (note, subscription MAY be required to read.)
Ken Parker: “She's playing a Western Red Cedar Fly guitar. I personally built this unique guitar for Joan in 1996, trying to help with a light, small instrument that was easy for her to hold and play, and also to provide a reliable vehicle for a Roland GK2 synth pickup, driving the brand new VG-8, a signal processor potent enough to change the pitch of the string electronically, and thus end her struggles with the 50+ tunings she plays in. She used this guitar exclusively from 1996 - 2002, when she stopped playing guitar in public. What a thrill to hear her play her magic wand after all her trials and triumphs! My Hero.”
Ken Parker Archtops: Renewing the Form
Michael Bashkin interviews Ken on his Luthier on Luthier podcast. Click the photo above to listen.
The Guitars
The Guitars
Cool & Unique Stuff About a Ken Parker Archtop
Individual Guitar Galleries
Click below on the name of the guitar to open a gallery featuring that guitar
Brownie • Bubbles • Butterscotch • Crane • Egret • Fig • Grace • Green Beam • Inner Peace • Larry • Lucky • Merlin • Mira • Mrs Natural • Olive Branch • Penguin • Semeur • Spot • Stella • Verdi • Yo Yo
About the Guitars
Each guitar is different, given a unique name and built to take advantage of the materials being used.
Woods and materials used include:
Neck Core: Douglas Fir
Tailpiece, Soundhole Span, Tuner Covers: Mokume Gane, Bronze, Aluminum
Tuners: Gotoh Stealth gears embedded in the headstock
Specs:
16.3" across the lower bout on cutaway guitars
15.9" across the lower bout on non-cutaway guitars
2.5" thick at the end block, 2.25" thick at the neck block
25.5" scale
Ken on Mokume Gane:
"These parts are all made by me, that is, I developed the unique patterns in the multilayered material, by cutting and forging. No two pieces could ever be the same."
Tops: Alpine Spruce, Red Spruce, Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides, Neck Veneer: Highly Figured Koa, Big Leaf Maple, Figured Aspen, Scottish Sycamore, Blistered Poplar, Curly Mama mahogany, Bosnian curly maple, Sugar Maple from New York State, Tulip Magnolia cut in the 1860s in Kentucky, salvaged from the first RJ Reynolds tobacco drying barn, Mahogany from "The Tree”, Butternut
Fingerboard, Pickguard, Bridge and Other Bits: Ebony, Pernambuco, Snakewood
THE PLAYERS
THE PLAYERS
Recording the Players
Audio and video clips from players across the spectrum illustrating the versatility of the Ken Parker Archtop guitar.