New from NAMM: Parker Vernon Reid Signature Guitar
James Rushin
Posted 2009-07-22
Vernon Reid is the British-born, American guitarist, best known for his role in Living Colour, which he founded circa 1984. As a tremendous song writer, Reid helped Living Colour win two Grammy Awards, two MTV Music Video Awards, two International Rock Awards and numerous New York Music Awards. Besides playing a key role in Living Colour, Reid has created solo albums and worked with artists like guitarist Carlos Santana and African singer Salif Keita. He even made a splash in the jazz world with monster guitarist Bill Frisell on the record "Smash & Scatteration. His seemingly effortless fusion of multiple genres has inspired many over the years, including Doug Wimbish, bass player of Living Colour, who later released "Collideoscope," a record inspired by Reid's stylistic versatility on the guitar. Naturally, a guitarist like Reid is extremely demanding of his instruments, requiring impeccable playability and versatility in any genre from jazz to nu-metal and everything in between. Recently, after playing mainly Hamer axes for years, it was Parker Guitars the artist worked with to create what he dreamed up as "the perfect guitar," and they were more than happy to oblige.
Meet the Parker Guitars DF824VR Vernon Reid Signature Model - the brainchild of guitar wizards Vernon Reid and Ken Parker.
The DF824VR is skillfully constructed of a poplar body, top and neck with a Parker Finger Joint set neck, and carbon composite fretboard. The DF824VR has a Floyd Rose original bridge, Grover tuners, EMG SAX neck and middle pickup and an EMG 81X bridge pickup. It will be available with a violet pearl and black cherry finish with black hardware. No list or street price estimates are yet available at press time.
For more information on Parker Guitars and its products, go to parkerguitars.com, or call 800.877.6863.
James is a bassist, pianist, organist, composer and writer currently living and working in the Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV areas. He is currently writing tunes and holding down the low end for Morgantown-based jazz band No Room for Squares. You can reach him at james.rushin@musicgearreview.com.
