Careless Parker Obviously Performs Like A Wild Man
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Although Parker is a guitar player (and Anderson Artist) who works and even co-writes with some very noted Nashville artists, he may not have listened when it was suggested that he not play his brand-new and shiny Anderson Icon Classic while wearing a huge belt buckle, rough linen shirt, and those fashionable sandpaper pants.
And now look! Look at it as it blazes in Candy Apple Blue under the lights. We think we may have noticed a small scratch or two on his shiny new finish — or maybe more than two — like a lot, lot more. And could those be his teeth marks on the other side? I mean, really. Talk about careless gigging.
Oh, hold on just a second, Parker wants to remind me of something.
Yes, Parker?
What? You ordered your Candy Apple Blue Icon with an In-Distress color scheme? It’s supposed to look like that? In fact, it is a special In-Distress Level 3 Double Decker paint job in Candy Apple Blue over 3 Color Burst?
Really? Wait. I mean, I knew that. At least, I’m pretty sure I knew that? Yeah, I did…probably? Like almost for sure, was totally aware…perhaps…or not? Okay, let’s just say I did…or might…have known that…sort of…Whoa.
Well then, the joke is on me because I thought you were just crashing about with your guitar strapped on, bashing into an amp here and slamming into a microphone there. So, this Icon is In-Distress? Huh? And we painted it that way for you? Are you sure about that? What about your belt buckle? Okay, I get it, I do get it. In-Distress, right.
Editor’s note: Hide me. Wow, this is so embarrassing. And I called him careless. I really hope his mom doesn’t find out what I said. Don’t tell anyone. We can just keep this among ourselves. Let’s not mention what was written above and just proceed with Guitar Tales like nothing happened.
Hello and welcome to Guitar Tales. (Don’t read anything above this line.)
Striking (in more ways than one), this Icon Classic belongs to a wonderful guitar player, Parker DeBaryshe. Parker is a great guy who plays in Nashville — and beyond — with several artists, including Jake Dodds and Kikko Mai, with whom he also co-writes — really fun. Check them out.
Parker gave us the rundown to share with you, from his first foray into Anderson to this Icon Classic.
Now a Nashville resident, Parker, like so many artists, wanted to begin with a T-style guitar and walked into Guitar Center Nashville and right into the proverbial arms of Tony Higbee. Tony is the Platinum Room manager and guitar “Sherpa guide.” Parker had played his friend’s Andes and was more than intrigued. And if he could play blue, that would be even better too. But what are the chances of finding that just hanging around?
Tony, always thoughtfully stocked — as long as he can keep them in his store — pointed up at the wall and to a T Icon — a T-shaped iconic axe that pulls no punches. It is easily effortless and classically maximum T performance at all times. After all, it is an Ande, so of course.
He claims it was the best playing and best sounding guitar in the store, and a mere moment later, this became Parker’s first Anderson. And it was blue. His favorite color — the color of his childhood bedroom. Very important because that is where we all spend so much time honing our chops. The dye had been cast.
Parker played that T Icon at every gig and on every song possible — even when another style of guitar might have been better suited to a particular song, he played the T Icon anyway, just because he wanted to, because it was just so darn good. Another plus it does have is the V-Quiet system, so his beautiful vintage single-coil pickups run quieter and can fit into more spaces, both on stage and in the studio.
But then… there was the call. The call of the Raven. Standing as a perfect counterbalance — and this time in Candy Apple Red. It hung on the wall in Nashville and looked down upon him…calling again and again. It only took one week until he could resist no longer. Oh yes, and you know the rest. Parker’s second Ande, a Raven Classic to have and to hold and to gig.
Parker says, “Both guitars are so reliable and play so in tune. The perfect solution. Guitars I can take anywhere and always depend on.”
But you know how it goes, how it has to go once you play an Anderson. So you can easily guess what happened next — especially since in his heart of hearts, Parker has always been an S-style guitar player. And he also found himself needing (preferring) a humbucker at the bridge for those occasions when the music ramped up further into rock.
Time to order something new — even more specific — to fill that area of unrecognized artistry. Let’s see now…a Single/Single/Hum pickup layout with wonderful vintage tones, S body shape, impeccable playability. What to get?
One glance at the Icon Classic and the search for the ultimate S had reached its apex. And now he could spec it anyway he preferred. In Candy Apple Blue, but of course (remember, his favorite color). Laid out with two real Anderson vintage single-coil pickups — our new VA7- (pronounced: VA7 minus) in the neck and middle positions. These are 60’s vintage and not a bit more output, but wound just the right way so they are both beautifully chimey and still full of full-bodied vintage flavors.
And if that wasn’t already cool enough, the Anderson V-Quiet system chaperones 60-cycle hum, making their vintage majesty nicely applicable in more musical instances and environments.
In the bridge position, our musically centered PAF-level HC1+ humbucker bridges the gap between single and humbucking pickups in a nicely vintage-powered presentation that focuses and saturates its traditional tonal offerings. And yet, the HC1+ is very happy to step up further when blasted into more gain stages—all with the ultra dimension that comes from a pickup that is not overwound.
So…apparently Parker isn’t actually very careless, after all. He is a working musician that needs to play his guitars everywhere and under many varying conditions. I think I may have been the careless one, the one who carelessly called Parker careless. That was very careless of me not to realize that Parker was not careless, by carelessly bashing about his Icon here and there and everywhere. If I hadn’t been so careless in my research about carelessness, I would have known not to be so careless about assuming Parker had been careless with his Icon Classic.
I am certainly glad we got that cleared up so clearly as to be able to see beyond the blue of Parker’s new —old looking — Icon Classic — on purpose.
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