A Mark In Time

Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: Rkd on September 05, 2013, 06:49:17 PM

Title: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Rkd on September 05, 2013, 06:49:17 PM
Since it is a bit quieter on this blog at the moment, I thought it might be a good time to ask a question that I have wondered about for awhile. Does anyone here know the ownership chronology of Mark's Hofner Super Solid guitar? At one point in an interview, David said he had it in his possession. I vaguely remember seeing that David was going to sell it online with a letter from him describing what the guitar had meant to Mark. However, on John Illsley's Guitar Stories, Mark hauls out the Hofner as if he has it in his own collection. Does MK now own it or did he borrow it from someone for the program? Did he buy back his own guitar from David? Anyone have any info on this?
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Banjo99uk on September 05, 2013, 07:43:49 PM
My guess is he bought it back as I'm sure the sale ended pretty quickly when it was all over the Internet that David was selling it.
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: nababo on September 05, 2013, 08:22:05 PM
Does anyone have any other information about Dave auctioning this guitar? When was it? Couldn't find anything onthe web.

Thanks
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Banjo99uk on September 05, 2013, 08:59:13 PM
Here's a couple of news items about it.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/money-for-something-knopfler-s-first-guitar-set-to-sell-for-pound-3000-at-auction-1.856441

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sultan+of+strings.-a0162171841


Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Rkd on September 05, 2013, 10:25:19 PM
Thanks, Banjo. I guess if Mark ended up having to buy back his own guitar, it speaks volumes about the Knopfler brothers relationship!
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Jules on September 05, 2013, 10:28:40 PM
Do we know for sure that it was MK who bought it? I mean, maybe MK bought another guitar like his first one, and used it for the Ktgc promo and for the Guitar Stories documental...

I find so strange that he had to buy his own first guitar from his own brother that way...
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: nababo on September 05, 2013, 10:57:13 PM
Thanks, Banjo!
Wow, 3k pounds isn't very expensive for such an item, is it? It's too much for me, but for MK is something he can easily find in the plies of his pockets... As for David, wouldn't change his life, would it?
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Banjo99uk on September 05, 2013, 11:04:55 PM
Im pretty sure the auction never went ahead, which makes me think he did buy it back.
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: nababo on September 06, 2013, 12:31:43 AM
Im pretty sure the auction never went ahead, which makes me think he did buy it back.

I'm with you. Just wondering how much he had to pay for it to his own brother
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: JF on September 06, 2013, 11:46:56 AM
Do we know for sure that it was MK who bought it? I mean, maybe MK bought another guitar like his first one, and used it for the Ktgc promo and for the Guitar Stories documental...

I find so strange that he had to buy his own first guitar from his own brother that way...

the guitar on ktgc pics promo is NOT the same as in the guitar stories doc
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Jules on September 06, 2013, 02:07:55 PM
NO?

Its looks pretty much like it...

(http://www.laguiago.com/upload/fotos/noticias/200909/nefli_med.jpg)
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: dmg on September 06, 2013, 02:12:46 PM
NO?

Its looks pretty much like it...

(http://www.laguiago.com/upload/fotos/noticias/200909/nefli_med.jpg)

Hmm...  If it's not then I'm trying to work out which one it is. :think
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Jules on September 06, 2013, 02:34:08 PM
NO?

Its looks pretty much like it...

(http://www.laguiago.com/upload/fotos/noticias/200909/nefli_med.jpg)

http://youtu.be/27OT_FSWrIE?t=4m40s
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: JF on September 06, 2013, 06:55:04 PM
I can't find the pic(s) now, but I was referring to the KTGC promo pics where Mark is sitting in a room with many objects from  the 60ies.
I thought it was not the same guitar, but maybe my memory failed...
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Jules on September 06, 2013, 07:53:31 PM
I recall that the guitar was between that objects or that Mk was holding the guitar himself.
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: superval99 on September 06, 2013, 08:34:33 PM
I recall that the guitar was between that objects or that Mk was holding the guitar himself.

This?
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: superval99 on September 06, 2013, 08:57:57 PM
Or this?
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Jules on September 06, 2013, 09:39:02 PM
Superval, we love you!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: JF on September 06, 2013, 10:44:57 PM
ah yes, it seems you were all right, I was wrong

I confused with the bass  : in the booklet behind some lyrics, and on the 2nd pic


But on both pics there's another guitar on the armchair which looks like the same model (neck with "nacre" frets, and PU switch at the bottom horn), so the 2 guitars could be some borrowed models, and not exactly the firts Mark's guitar.

I can't recall exactly, but I remember reading something like that at the time KTGC was released.

I believe there are more pics, not featuring on the booklet, there was some on Utas's ite I think, but it doesn't work anymore
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Rkd on September 07, 2013, 12:30:12 AM
So despite the encyclopedic knowledge many AMITers possess about our hero, nobody knows for sure if Mark owns his first guitar?
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Jules on September 07, 2013, 02:28:54 AM
Yes, he owns his first guitar, its in the pictures with it, and in the Guitar Stories documentary as well.
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: xxFordiexx on September 07, 2013, 07:16:22 PM
He still owns it for sure and he probably just had to pay over the odds for it to his brother... who knows....maybe David as having cash flow problems ;),  either way, it's at its rightful home :)
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Rkd on September 07, 2013, 08:05:11 PM
either way, it's at its rightful home :)

And that's a good thing. But it makes me wonder about brother David. In interviews he always casts himself in a sympathetic light and Mark as rather ruthless (I'd love to have a relationship with Mark, but he will have none of it). However, when David thought selling Mark's guitar was more appropriate than just giving it back to him, it makes me wonder who the ruthless one really is!
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: nababo on September 07, 2013, 09:59:38 PM
either way, it's at its rightful home :)

And that's a good thing. But it makes me wonder about brother David. In interviews he always casts himself in a sympathetic light and Mark as rather ruthless (I'd love to have a relationship with Mark, but he will have none of it). However, when David thought selling Mark's guitar was more appropriate than just giving it back to him, it makes me wonder who the ruthless one really is!

Yep, and that's why i wonder how much did it cost and how hard it's David's financial situation being these days...
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Pottel on September 07, 2013, 10:58:23 PM
In the end we Realy know nothing, right?
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Hoops McCann on September 08, 2013, 03:25:45 AM
I was surprised to learn recently that Mark's Schecter sunburst strat from the early 80s is actually in the hands of fans. It was auctioned at the Crossroads guitar auction. Perhaps the Hofner was actually auctioned in 2007 and the person that ended up with it gave it back to MK. Who knows- I can't find a list of what was auctioned in 2007 anywhere.
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Jules on September 08, 2013, 03:34:41 AM
I was surprised to learn recently that Mark's Schecter sunburst strat from the early 80s is actually in the hands of fans. It was auctioned at the Crossroads guitar auction. Perhaps the Hofner was actually auctioned in 2007 and the person that ended up with it gave it back to MK. Who knows- I can't find a list of what was auctioned in 2007 anywhere.

I think its Ingo who has it, or someone he knows or got to know, i recall some videos of him playing it
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Hoops McCann on September 08, 2013, 03:42:31 AM
I was surprised to learn recently that Mark's Schecter sunburst strat from the early 80s is actually in the hands of fans. It was auctioned at the Crossroads guitar auction. Perhaps the Hofner was actually auctioned in 2007 and the person that ended up with it gave it back to MK. Who knows- I can't find a list of what was auctioned in 2007 anywhere.

I think its Ingo who has it, or someone he knows or got to know, i recall some videos of him playing it

Yes, you can find the videos on YouTube. The Schecters from the 80s sounded so awesome. I wished he stilled played them actually.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij-6RSLJwBE
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Rkd on September 08, 2013, 05:32:15 AM
Perhaps the Hofner was actually auctioned in 2007 and the person that ended up with it gave it back to MK. Who knows- I can't find a list of what was auctioned in 2007 anywhere.

I did find this. The auction listing is by Mark & David Knopfler so maybe the two of them together decided to put the guitar up for sale, which somehow makes me feel a lot better!

http://www.popsike.com/Christies-Auction-Catalogue-BEATLES-TRex-WHO-Marc-Bolan/370156584654.html
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: JF on September 08, 2013, 11:54:09 AM
here are full atricles on Ingo's blog :

http://www.mk-guitar.com/2012/06/05/a-trip-to-mark-knopflers-sunburst-schecter-strat/ (http://www.mk-guitar.com/2012/06/05/a-trip-to-mark-knopflers-sunburst-schecter-strat/)

http://www.mk-guitar.com/2012/08/03/videos-from-a-trip-to-mark-knopflers-sunburst-schecter-strat/ (http://www.mk-guitar.com/2012/08/03/videos-from-a-trip-to-mark-knopflers-sunburst-schecter-strat/)

Ingo doesn't own the guitar, but he was lucky to play it
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Hoops McCann on September 08, 2013, 01:37:10 PM
Perhaps the Hofner was actually auctioned in 2007 and the person that ended up with it gave it back to MK. Who knows- I can't find a list of what was auctioned in 2007 anywhere.

I did find this. The auction listing is by Mark & David Knopfler so maybe the two of them together decided to put the guitar up for sale, which somehow makes me feel a lot better!

http://www.popsike.com/Christies-Auction-Catalogue-BEATLES-TRex-WHO-Marc-Bolan/370156584654.html

Thanks for that, but I guess that just adds to the mystery behind this one.  :)
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: nababo on September 08, 2013, 05:13:25 PM
Perhaps the Hofner was actually auctioned in 2007 and the person that ended up with it gave it back to MK. Who knows- I can't find a list of what was auctioned in 2007 anywhere.

I did find this. The auction listing is by Mark & David Knopfler so maybe the two of them together decided to put the guitar up for sale, which somehow makes me feel a lot better!

http://www.popsike.com/Christies-Auction-Catalogue-BEATLES-TRex-WHO-Marc-Bolan/370156584654.html

Or maybe it's just an indication that both of them had already played the guitar sometime in the past. But oh how I'd like to think the whole thing was set up in a more friendly way...


Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: foma on September 08, 2013, 09:01:45 PM
So Freddie Mercury and The Beatles also decided to participate the auction then? :D
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: Pottel on September 08, 2013, 10:33:56 PM
looooollll foma.
Title: Re: MK's First Guitar
Post by: allen on September 09, 2013, 01:28:04 AM
Source from http://www.oneverybootleg.nl

I recall that the guitar was between that objects or that Mk was holding the guitar himself.

This?