Playing the Parsons Street model...

[FredZepp]

As many already know, I picked up a 1988 Parsons Street III model from Dave at PSP VI. It's an iconic model that most of us have only seen in the prototype room, with that "Gumby" headstock catching your attention at first glance. The one that I picked up from Dave had been changed from the Floyd Rose to a Kahler.. but I was aware that to get the action just right on it, it would need to be switched back to the Floyd ( which was provided with it). This is an unfamiliar area for me as I don't really use a vibrato much and haven't done much with the couple of Kahlers that I already own. So I took on the project and it went fairly smoothly.

Immediately the action was super low and the Parsons Street was ready to rock.

 

At first glance, a Parsons Street seems to have some similarities to a Strat ( or Super-Strat ) , but there is nothing about the instrument that will sound or feel remotely like a strat.

It is a set neck that is really fat and chunky, it feels a lot like some of the fat necks that we've seen on guitars that Marv has done . In any case, it has that chunky vintage Gibson/ Heritage feel with those jumbo frets like you'd perhaps expect on a vintage solidbody from K-zoo or something like that. ( although it is a 25 1/2 scale )

 

You can get an idea of what it's like to play the guitar by looking at the back contours and then imaging that thick neck and you'd be pretty close.

The body contours are fantastic... they got it right. That deep belly cut and that long upper horn make for a really comfortable feel. It's really loud acoustically and light, as the body is made of poplar.

 

The pickups are the unexpected part. The single coils don't sound at all like any other single coil. Their output is pretty much the same as the humbucker and they are ... creamy. Very creamy. It's a usable tone but with none of the treble bite that you'd expect. It can be nice and warm and the 2 and 4 positions yield some nice tones. But don't expect anything resembling a strat very much .. The humbucker is a Schaller and it just rocks this guitar, great tone for some Zep tunes. The coil split switch seems pretty ineffective and only alters the tone a bit , but who cares , it rocks.

 

I enjoy the heck out of this guitar, it's so comfortable and the fat neck with really low action is a joy. Thanks for this one Dave, it's worked out fine.

 

These are just phone pics, but you get the idea...

 

 

 

[DetroitBlues]

Very nice Fred. Great job getting her back together. Usually isn't the nut a locking nut with that kind of tremolo?

[Billgelder]

Very nice Fred

[Billgelder]

Very nice Fred. Great job getting her back together. Usually isn't the nut a locking nut with that kind of tremolo?

I concur.

[schundog]

Rock it hard, Fred. Nice score.

[FredZepp]

Very nice Fred. Great job getting her back together. Usually isn't the nut a locking nut with that kind of tremolo?

You would think so with a Floyd.. but not on these.

 

 

Dave related this story about them...

 

According to Marv and Jim, back in the day Lane Zastrow insisted that Heritage have different models named after streets in the area surrounding the factory. This gave birth to The Academy, The Prospect and the much lesser known Parsons Street. Marv told me Lane was "Dammed bound and determined to have a model named The Parsons Street, so we did one"

 

When I asked Marv and Jim how many were made they said "a couple,..... maybe a few".

 

 

I have seen one with the regular Heritage headstock also...

[Billgelder]

When I asked Marv and Jim how many were made they said "a couple,..... maybe a few".

They are always so explicit

[SouthpawGuy]

Nice one. It looks very sinister in black, in a very cool way

[Keith7940236]

Very cool looking guitar, congratulations

[brentrocks]

I thought about picking that up myself....very cool guitar!

[DavesNotHere]

I'm glad you're enjoying it Fred!

But, now you have me wondering why I sold it! Dibbs!

 

Here is a shot I took at PSP V

 

[Steiner]

Nice snatch FredZepp! A very Formal black with the cool headstock and a bagrain deal; what's not to love???

[bolero]

that is a funky guitar, I like it!!

 

and I like the fact that it doesn't have one of those annoying locking nuts

[Tijl]

You would think so with a Floyd.. but not on these.

 

 

Dave related this story about them...

 

According to Marv and Jim, back in the day Lane Zastrow insisted that Heritage have different models named after streets in the area surrounding the factory. This gave birth to The Academy, The Prospect and the much lesser known Parsons Street. Marv told me Lane was "Dammed bound and determined to have a model named The Parsons Street, so we did one"

 

When I asked Marv and Jim how many were made they said "a couple,..... maybe a few".

 

 

I have seen one with the regular Heritage headstock also...

 

That would be mine! My favourite guitar by far!

 

 

 

[SouthpawGuy]

 

That would be mine! My favourite guitar by far!

 

 

 

 

Great shots

[Tijl]

Txs! Looking concentrated though..

[koula901]

Really nice looking axe, Fred. Way to go. Maybe call it Black Gumby! ; )

[bolero]

Txs! Looking concentrated though..

 

with a dream theater shirt on, I'd bet you were concentrating!! what tunes were you playing?

[Tijl]

 

with a dream theater shirt on, I'd bet you were concentrating!! what tunes were you playing?

Indeed! DT is way out of my league, though i would like to tackle The Count of Tuscany one day...

This is me playing with my band HeartAttack: Dio, Foreigner, AC/DC, Queen, Purple, ..

I play in another band called Fixxxer: Disturbed, Metallica, System of a Down, ...

[fxdx99]

Congrats, Fred. Another very unique Heritage in your stable. That headstock/trussrod cover is nice - like those lines. Sounds like a nice playing/sounding guitar.