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

[quizzaciously]

I guess I’m just lucky, I’ve gigged mine regularly for 20 years and the only issue with t.he finish is a couple of tiny chips around the neck pocket when I took the neck off to see the date it was built.

Maybe not luck, or are you just accurate with it? I would certainly keep mine in mint condition over the years because I'm obsessed with keeping things in good condition. Like, to the level when you can legitimately think I'm a serial killer or something. I just sold my 3-year-old MacBook and the guy said "have you used it"? But in reality, I actually do use it every single day for multiple hours and in different conditions, including outdoors. I'm just terribly careful and tidy with my stuff.

This would lead to a funny situation sometimes, when say, I would borrow someone's guitar, and return it in better condition simply because I would clean it. For the first time in the guitar's lifetime...

[dustyvalentino]

Yes I’m careful with it but it doesn’t live in the case, I don’t see the point in having these things if you don’t take them out and play them.

That said there are certain gigs i wouldn’t take an expensive guitar, for example if we have a really small stage (ie the corner of a pub!) where there isn’t a lot of room and more chance they could get knocked over.

[3Strats]

I've only ever played mine at home or at my brothers house and I have been careful with it, but it still managed to pick up some " acccidental damage".  The first time I changed the strings I was sitting on a chair with 4 round metal legs, and the edge of the belly cut scraped against a leg (so lightly I didn't notice until I saw the back of the guitar) and  it scraped a couple of bits of lacquer off,  apart from that I've got 2 small chips on the front edge of the lower horn and one on the back edge of the body in the area behind the jack socket. I know one of them was caused by a screwdriver dropping on to the body when I was adjusting the pickups, but the others have just been light knocks resulting from playing in a small room. ( it lives in it's case now, partly to stop knocks against other guitars on my rack). 

[diremark86]

10399 is living its best life. Those close to me know the full story of the guitar. Not a single screw in the body has been touched since the guitar was originally set up. It left my house exactly twice. Once for my first paid gig, and once when Mark took it backstage. Those close to me know the full story of the guitar. It hasn't even been cleaned since he played it. Having played on more than a dozen MK sigs, and current owner of two, I can tell you the finish, as with any paint job, is unique to the guitar. Some have a more robust finish, some have a sneeze on me and I break finish. FWIW.

[BrianT]

10399 is living its best life. Those close to me know the full story of the guitar. Not a single screw in the body has been touched since the guitar was originally set up. It left my house exactly twice. Once for my first paid gig, and once when Mark took it backstage. Those close to me know the full story of the guitar. It hasn't even been cleaned since he played it. Having played on more than a dozen MK sigs, and current owner of two, I can tell you the finish, as with any paint job, is unique to the guitar. Some have a more robust finish, some have a sneeze on me and I break finish. FWIW.

Looks similar to mine, but mine has only left the wall once when I took it to Clearwater, FL where Mark signed it.

Brian

[dustyvalentino]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/gibson-custom-mark-knopfler-hand-aged-les-paul-01x-of-100.2457035/

[quizzaciously]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/gibson-custom-mark-knopfler-hand-aged-les-paul-01x-of-100.2457035/

According to multiple sources, MK Les Paul was the second fastest-selling signature Les Paul in history after Jimmy Page's. Why nobody's making signature MK guitars anymore (can we count toy guitars?) is beyond me, as the demand seems to be over the roof for these. Grab a guitar, slap Mark Knopfler's name on it, give it 2 grand premium over standard guitar for no reason and voila, you're legally printing money.

[dustyvalentino]

This looks like a decent substitute if you can't get your hands on an MK sig

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/230301401303008--fender-guitarguitar-uk-exclusive-made-in-japan-traditional-ii-6

[ds1984]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/gibson-custom-mark-knopfler-hand-aged-les-paul-01x-of-100.2457035/

According to multiple sources, MK Les Paul was the second fastest-selling signature Les Paul in history after Jimmy Page's. Why nobody's making signature MK guitars anymore (can we count toy guitars?) is beyond me, as the demand seems to be over the roof for these. Grab a guitar, slap Mark Knopfler's name on it, give it 2 grand premium over standard guitar for no reason and voila, you're legally printing money.

I repeat myself but how much of these are actually played?

The good point is that it showed that Mark Knopfler's popularity is still alive and well - at least amongs guitar collectors.

[quizzaciously]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/gibson-custom-mark-knopfler-hand-aged-les-paul-01x-of-100.2457035/

According to multiple sources, MK Les Paul was the second fastest-selling signature Les Paul in history after Jimmy Page's. Why nobody's making signature MK guitars anymore (can we count toy guitars?) is beyond me, as the demand seems to be over the roof for these. Grab a guitar, slap Mark Knopfler's name on it, give it 2 grand premium over standard guitar for no reason and voila, you're legally printing money.

I repeat myself but how much of these are actually played?

The good point is that it showed that Mark Knopfler's popularity is still alive and well - at least amongs guitar collectors.

From the owners of Signature MK Les Paul that I know, nobody plays 'em. It's more like an investment, a good one, I must admit. Same with Martins... In fact, the only man I know using MK Les Paul is actually Mark Knopfler himself. Signature Strat was relatively affordable, it was priced almost like a regular USA-made Strat at the time, so lots of people actually use it, including Dusty.

With all other guitars, it's usually either an investment, a dream you collected money for years to buy (like JF?), or part of the collection. These guitars go for more than even "professional" prices, and I always say, professionals will have their own professional (probably signature) guitars, they won't bother buying MK ones unless they are die-hards themselves (like Mike Oldfield?).

Nowadays, to get any MK signature guitar, prepare to spend 5,000 dollars or more. Signature Strat, Signature Les Paul, Martin Dreadnought, Martin 000, National, Pensa, Suhr... For any MK guitar, you will need to break the bank or sell your house. Thanks, Mark "I-love-cheap-guitars" Knopfler.

[dustyvalentino]

I assume Mike Oldfield bought his when they were still in production and normal prices.

I do indeed gig with my MK Strat. I buy guitars to play, not hang on a wall. I also gig with my custom shop Les Paul, signed by Les Paul. That cost little more than my MK Strat, 18 years ago.

[ds1984]

Yeah, the MK Strat was a great thing because affordable (but still not cheap) and not a limited run.

[quizzaciously]

Yeah, the MK Strat was a great thing because affordable (but still not cheap) and not a limited run.

I still think it's unfair and MK Sig Strat will come back at some point because it really belongs here: https://www.fender.com/en/electric-series/artist/guitars/

It's overall a great package, with amazing balanced specs, good wood quality, value preservation, etc., not to say it sells really well as well.

There are many Strat players out there, but Mark's absence from the Fender Artist series is a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

[JF]

With all other guitars, it's usually either an investment, a dream you collected money for years to buy (like JF?)

I indeed bought a National guitar last year at a price around 4400 €
It was indeed a dream I had since 1988 when I discovered DS with teh BIA album.
That dream became true last year, due to a change in my life that gave me the opportunity to spend such an amount of money.
I am aware that the price of a Style O has grown because of teh BIA album popularity

BUT it is not only a teen dream realised, it's not an investment, its also a guitar that I like to play. And I played it several times during acoustic jams in bars.
I agree with Dusty. To me, guitars are first music instruments, and they are done for playing, not for being on a wall imho.

I hope I could afford a Les Paul and SG in nnext years/ months. But standards ones, around 2500 € (LP) and 1600€ (SG)

I'm not really into signatures models.
The MK sig strat ? well... I don't see the point to have a "Mak Knopfler" stratocaster with... Texas Special pickups... not realy his signature sound imho

same with the SRV sig model. It's too much clean... I prefer seing #1 replica, like a friend of mine did.

[dustyvalentino]

I hope I could afford a Les Paul

I'm not really into signatures models.

Ahem.