Innovative Luthier Ken Parker Dies at 73
Just days after announcing his illness, influential luthier Ken Parker has died from a rare form of cancer. He was 73 years old.
He shared his illness in a GoFundMe campaign, which will now be used to help support his family as they face debt from medical operations.
“Hi, I’m Ken Parker, and I’ve been building guitars for as long as I can remember. Throughout my life, I’ve done something that I love and am proud of—making guitars that advance the art, science and craft of building far beyond traditional methods. Most importantly, it has been a true joy and especially gratifying experience to see my guitars in the hands of all of you gifted and aspiring players, and I thank you for that opportunity,” he wrote on the campaign page. “In early 2023, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that has slowly been debilitating me. It hasn’t been easy living with this nasty disease, having chemo treatments that zapped my energy and slowly took away my ability to earn a living. Now, I’m on a breathing machine 24/7 and I’ve started to lose the use of my left arm. I humbly ask for your support to reduce the medical and personal debt that I’ve incurred and to help with my family’s expenses. I know times are tough for all of us and I sincerely thank you for any support that you can offer.”
Parker grew up on Long Island, New York, and began building guitars at the age of 13. After working in a grandfather clock factory, he began working with instruments in the 1970s. His first shop specialized in repairing violins, cellos, and Renaissance lutes. He founded Parker Guitars in the early ’90s and gained notoriety for his Fly Guitar design. The layout, which was eventually adapted into a bass format, incorporated fiberglass and polymer elements alongside more traditional wooden elements.
The first production run of the Parker Fly bass was introduced in 2002, available in both four- and five-string versions. The innovative builder sold Parker Guitars in 2004 and started designing archtop guitars. Parker Guitars discontinued the Fly Bass in 2008, instead launching the MaxxFly bass some years later.
Learn more about Parker in this great mini-doc by D’Addario.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Ken Parker.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
