Let the introductions begin: contest winner, this is your guitar; guitar, this is the contest winner. We review one of the two products in the prize going to the finalist of the 5th ISP Music Guitar Solo Contest. As you know, the second half of the reward is the Palmer DREI tube head. I'm green with envy, buddy. Let's get down to business. Parker: something new in the guitar world
Ken Parker, the creator of this instrument, is someone fascinated by the world of the guitar and virtuoso musicians. About 25 years ago, Parker began repairing and building guitars, working with thousands of musicians. His curiosity led him to wonder which features were best in the various instruments musicians used. He also paid attention to comments about the flaws or things that most bothered each guitarist. This period served as research that led to the design of the FLY series and all the models that followed. Many of us think Parker has managed to innovate in design, image, comfort, necks and the creation of its own quality sounds.

Unboxing
The future winner of the 5th ISP Music Guitar Solo Contest's guitar arrived in a perfect rectangular case, with an interior designed so the instrument doesn't move a hair. The guitar sits snugly, cradled by the soft lining of its carrying "case" (included in the price, by the way).

Visually, it is a very Parker instrument, thanks to the definition of its shapes. As we have discussed before, this brand has a completely personal, bold and innovative look. The Southern Nitefly conveys simplicity and a vintage vibe from the very first glance, with a fixed bridge and retro-looking single-coil pickups.

Perhaps, looking at the photos, before hearing it, you'll think the same thing I did: doesn't this smell like a cross between a Parker® and a Telecaster®? How intriguing, for heaven's sake.

Body and construction materials
If you read the spec sheet, the words maple and ash will pass before your eyes. With these two brushstrokes you can already get an idea of the quality of this "beast's" materials. High-end, of course.

As for the body, the same as has been said in other ISP Parker test benches. It's not just about having a distinctive design; the guitar adapts smoothly to the musician's body. Every last detail is taken care of for a perfect symbiosis between guitarist and instrument. It is an easy, comfortable guitar to play.

When it comes to Parker necks, almost all of us seem to agree: a truly comforting feel that makes fingering easier and is easy to love. In this case, bolt-on and made of maple.

Electronics and sound
There is no doubt that this is a large part of the Southern's sonic essence: two vintage Seymour Duncan pickups and a Fishman piezo. On the one hand, the flexibility across the range of sounds is worth highlighting. Being able to combine the piezo with the bridge and neck pickups lets us cover a wide palette of colors.

Overall the guitar has a bright character with lots of attack. A retro vibe, sharp and very cutting sounds, completely removed from humbucker territory. It doesn't approach the thick textures or creaminess of heavy double coils.

Even with a clear vintage, crystalline orientation, it is a relatively versatile instrument, thanks to the piezo and the excellent options for changing darkness or texture with the controls: a three-way selector, a piezo selector and its three knobs. As with other Parker guitars, you can output the sound in stereo, sending the piezo through one channel and the pickups through the other.

It's hard to talk about the electronics without mentioning the sound. I began the text by recalling the world-famous Telecaster®. Given its bright, vintage, cutting concept, it's natural that it comes to mind. Although, obviously, the Parker concept (in my view) brings some interesting new features compared to that model: the ergonomics of its body, the comfort of its neck and the sonic innovations of combining pickups and piezo.

Stability and tuning
Because of shipping and high temperatures, I spent a while fiddling until I got the tuning perfect. I think, like most guitarists, I'm a complete stickler about this. With a fixed bridge and sturdy hardware on both the bridge and the headstock, tuning is stable.

It has perfect intonation, which can be measured precisely by asking the Southern for harmonics. It gives them away with extreme ease along the entire length of its neck, and they sound perfectly "square" in tune.

Conclusions
A high-end guitar, with body and a great sound. It fits best with retro, bright-sounding intentions, but it is versatile. If you're not after a thick, gritty double-coil vibe (which Parker can offer you on other models), you like the Tele vibe and you want something technologically advanced, paying this €1,600 will bring you many rewards. It's a great guitar. Another option is to nail a killer solo for ISP and walk away with it for free. It's about time talent got rewarded, right?