Fender 'Mark Knopfler' Signature Series Stratocaster (0117800-815) - Owners list

[Sultan of Swing]

Now seriously, as a guitar ignorant am I, if MK choose that pickups for his signature, and I buy it, I will stick to that pickups because, if I dont want them, why to buy that guitar? There are plenty of Fender guitars with other specifications, many artists have their signature models, and it is supposed that when you buy one of those, its because you want exactly that one, the one that your musical hero designed isnt it?

However, when you buy it, you are entitled to do whatever you want with it, even put it on fire, Lol.

By the way, wasnt a Mk signature the one that Mk put lipsticks pickups when playing with Dylan?

It was indeed. I actually quite like those pickups, but some might think they're a bit too "hot". Mark designed this guitar to look like his 1961 strat (rosewood fretboard, hot rod red, neck and body dimensions, pickguard), but he wanted it to sound different. I read somewhere that he went to Fender and tried all the pickups the were making at the time, and he chose these.

[vgonis]

I just wonder why (it is an actual question to the guitar players) use so many different pick ups, when you can use reliable ones to carry the signal and then take it through various "boxes" and effects and create the sound you want, without the risk of losing a note perfect playing played through the wrong pick ups. Of course this goes to the guitars used in the studio, because the lives are a whole different matter. What do you say?

[dustyvalentino]

Because they sound different.

[vgonis]

  I know that much! What I was really looking forward was an answer to the vein:"The talent and practice are the things that matter". So many great songs written in a simple acoustic guitar, sometimes out of tune, but with passion. Now we all look for the different sound at the presets, pick ups and processors. 

[JF]

A word of warning to anyone keeping their MK strat out of it's case (on a stand or in a rack). Mine has been kept on a rack for spells of a few weeks at a time and then spends the rest of the time in it's case if not in regular use, in order to protect it from  "dings" 
Due to the position of the rack, The only time the sun shines on it is late on a summer evening, (coming horizontally through the window) and even then it's shining through a net curtain and patterned glass.  I noticed when I got the guitar out of it's case recently that the scratch plate has "aged" from mint green to a more cream colour, and more annoyingly, there are lighter "shadows" above the knobs and pickup selector where they have shielded the scratch plate from the sun !
(the guitar sits in the rack with the lower edge  facing outwards).  None of my cheaper Strats with single ply pickguards or any of my other guitars are showing any evidence of this - it must be a characteristic of the mint green scratch plate.

I have an american standard strat built in 2005, and the pickguard beginns to change into "aged" white

the pickguard is 3-ply, and not greenish at all

I like it because it gives the guitar an aged look.
the same for PU caps and pots when they turn yellowish, I prefer that rather than brand new white. it looks too much "new" for my taste.

I like Mar'ks original 61 strat, with its aged look (both the body, the neck, pickguard and PU-pots)

[JF]

I just wonder why (it is an actual question to the guitar players) use so many different pick ups, when you can use reliable ones to carry the signal and then take it through various "boxes" and effects and create the sound you want, without the risk of losing a note perfect playing played through the wrong pick ups. Of course this goes to the guitars used in the studio, because the lives are a whole different matter. What do you say?

I know what you mean vgonis.

the "overall" sound of a guitar part that you hear on a record or live comes mostly from amp/effects and production.

the differences between guitar PU are subtle, and most of people don't hear any difference I believe.

Take  examples :

1)
on the OES tour, the sound on SOS and CE or YAYF are very different, but the difference doesn't come from the guitar (that is the same) but from amp/effect/boxes, etc...
the sound on Money that matters or freewayflyer or Going home (studio version) are very different from why worry, and it's the same guitar with same pickups, but of course not the same sound chain (stompboxes-amp-effects) and production (studio, desk, etc...)


2)
the 3rd solo on Money is played on the Bill Lewis guitar, while the 2 first are played on the black strat, but it's the same kind of sound (mostly the 1st and the 3rd), but it's not the same guitar. It's sounds the same because of amp/fuzz and Parsons engineering
the sound on SMU is not that different from other songs on the 1st DS album, but it's the thinline telecaster with different PU than the strat on other songs.
but it's likely the same amp, the same comp, and the of course the same Muff Winwood engineering/production
on the 2 first DS albums, the 2 red strats were used, with different neck and PU, but it's hard to tell which song is played on which strat, because the "global" sound is quite the same


I am not saying that different guitars/PU sound exactly the same with the same sound chain, of course they are differences and I can hear them, but what the lambda people hear at first is the overall sound coming from production/desk/sound chain (stompboxes-amp-effects)

You will hear more difference by changing an amp or/and effects with the same guitar, than changing the guitar with the same sound chain

[vgonis]

Very informative JF. Thank you! Especially the example of Money that matters/Going home/freeway flyer vs Why worry revealed the contrast! I would love to be in the position to tell the differences, even tiny form guitar to guitar, but i guess it takes lots of ears training and knowledge!

[JF]

The most tiny difference I herad is on Ingo

[vgonis]

A long way to become a producer! Thank you JF!     I've heard the story of "brick" and revolution. I guess what is fitting becomes obvious via trial and error, especially when the musician is also the producer. So in other words, you have the sound in your mind and try to make it real on tape. 

[JF]

Coincidentally, Bjorn has just posted an article about this subject :

http://www.gilmourish.com/?p=5279

[vgonis]

A fine article! Thanks JF!

[Fretbol]

Hi Knoflerfan,
You can count me in! I'm the proud owner of a MK Strat with serial number SE02762. Fender told me it was manufactured in March 2006. It's a real joy to play! Makes me kind of feel like MK, but without the great musical skills...

Best regards
Robin
Belgium

I'm in Belgium as well, and my MK strat has serial number SE3762, exactly 1.000 guitars between them 

Fretbol 

[foma]

You can count me in as 'Unorthodox owner', because it's all American Vintage Fiesta Red strat with MK Sig neck but without serial number

BTW, my namesake friend have a 'genuine' signature with serial SE09886 here in Russia. Which was made in 12.08.12! What a coincidence.

[Knopflerfan]

Hey Foma,

Nice Guitar! I will give you an honourable mention on bottom of list......

[Daan]

In a few years, I'd spend a capital to get one of these... :O