The Official Fender Mark Knopfler Stratocaster Owners' Club Thread

[Knopflerfan]

I have had the Strat 'serviced' and they report that it is a fine guitar and that I have a bargain!! I have to say that this beats anything I have ever played before and therefore I am chuffed to bits with it.

Here is a link to photo's of my latest aquisition :

http://markknopflerimages.fotopic.net/c1942195.html

[vgonis]

Sorry to step in, i am the proud enough owner of a squire strato, but i always wanted an MK fender. Could you please tell me how much am i expected to pay for one? Is it still in production, or do i have to look in shops around the ...internet? And if it's not how can you tell that a used one is OK from the other side of the planet? And why should anybody sell his own? Too many questions, so little...money.

[Jackal]

Sorry to step in, i am the proud enough owner of a squire strato, but i always wanted an MK fender. Could you please tell me how much am i expected to pay for one? Is it still in production, or do i have to look in shops around the ...internet? And if it's not how can you tell that a used one is OK from the other side of the planet? And why should anybody sell his own? Too many questions, so little...money.

Some Squires are really awful and have cheap hardware, cheap electronics and are not nice to play. However, some Squires are really nice guitars, so if yours plays well (the neck feels good, etc.), you can save a lot of money if you change to higher-quality parts and pickups (better tuners, better pots and 5-way switch, etc. and Texas Special pickups if you want the same as in the MK model - many good bargains on the Internet). You will not get the psychological stimulation of having the MK model, but you will have a great guitar for a lot less money.

Can you post a couple pictures of your Squire?

[dustyvalentino]

The Custom Vibe Squires are superb instruments.

The MK Strats are very nice but probably overpriced. You can get a good deal secondhand though.

[vgonis]

Hey Jackal and Dusty, thank you. I do like my Squier, it was made in India with three singe coil Duncan designed pickups (brown sunburst body with rosewood fret and black pick guard-the aesthetic side!). It is a nice instrument for novice players as i am, but when i tested some Fenders - US made, or even Mexican models, with maple frets, it was a revelation, that i could not afford. I still find more pleasure in my classical guitar, but since i usually play after hours, i can only use the Squire through headphones in order to not wake the family. I will see what i can do in order to improve it, my biggest problem being the high prices these babies fetch in Greece. I got my Squier at a price that a guy in US would probably get the most economic fender stratocaster. It is a kill... No matter, I will carry on with what i have,  and who knows, i might be able to get the real deal with my first royalties check (just kidding)

[Jackal]

The MK model has rosewood fretboard, though ...

One difference between US made Fenders and those made in Mexico and Korea, etc. is the "last touch". Fenders from Asia are produced in bigger numbers (I'd guess), so they feel a little rougher. Having said that, the difference between US made and other Fenders is getting smaller. And I've tried expensive Fenders (and even John Suhr guitars!) that I didn't like the feel of and cheaper Fenders that were great. You really get a lot for your money these days, even though you don't get the "Made in USA" stamp on it. And as Dusty said, the MK (and other artits) model is probably overpriced ...

I have no idea how your guitar feels, but taking it to a good guitar workshop and having it setup properly can make a world of difference. I just installed a Graph-Tech nut on my Strat, and it sounds and tunes better. Not to mention upgrading pickups, electronics, and hardware.

One thing you shouldn't forget is the amplifier. You can have a 3000 dollar guitar, but it will sound like 50 dollar guitar with a cheap amp. A 50 dollar guitar will still play like a 50 dollar (...), but can sound like a fantastic guitar with a good amp. These days you get fine tube amps (Vox, Laney, Jet City (by Soldano), Bogner Alchemist, etc.) that are made in Asia and are really great for the money. I just got a Vox AC15C1. Paid about 500 euros for it new, and it is just soooo sweet. And LOUD! (I was using computer-based amp modeling for a long time (Line6). It is really good, lots of options, but compared with a tube amp ... No chance. I also tried a transistor amp the other day. Just can't compare.)

My point is, unless you HAVE to have the MK signature on the headstock, you could proably upgrade your guitar and buy a decent amp for the price of the MK model ...

[vgonis]

Hey Jackal thanks for the extended post with all these useful info and the aspirin(i mean the effort to down grade the value of other guitars). It is true what you say, both for the guitar workshops and for the amps. It is something i asked from the workshop, to fix my guitar in order to play with butter fingers, (I mean putting on "soft-lighter" strings  and to be lower on the fret) and i saw some improvement. As for the amp matter, i was between an old fashion fender and a brand new Marshall, and i have to say that what guided my choice was the extra jack - out, that the Marshall has. As i told you i can only play late at night and that would be pretty disturbing for my daughter, and i guess the neighborhood. So i needed the jack out for headphones, but it comes pretty handy for recording straight to the Mac, as well. Now i have to look for some extra time to learn a program in order to create a backing group. (Finding people to play with me would take a miracle, since things go from bad to worse everyday, so no time or mood for such things)

[Jackal]

I work as a freelance translator, so sometimes when I don't have work or I just leave the office early, I go home and crank up the Vox. I live in a block of flats, so if the neighbors were sleeping, they'd definitely wake up 

One tip though - light strings make it easier to bend and play faster, but you lose tone. I changed to 010s some years ago and noticed a big improvement. Two years ago I moved on to 011s. Oh yes, it's harder on your fingers, but you get used to it. And the sound is just so meaty and full. Also make sure your pickups are the right height. Too close to the strings they prevent the strings from vibrating and you get less sustain. Too far away you lose output. Better too far away than too close though.

[Knopflerfan]

Sorry to step in, i am the proud enough owner of a squire strato, but i always wanted an MK fender. Could you please tell me how much am i expected to pay for one? Is it still in production, or do i have to look in shops around the ...internet? And if it's not how can you tell that a used one is OK from the other side of the planet? And why should anybody sell his own? Too many questions, so little...money.

Hello there, You sound like me a few years ago, just happily playing along with a 'squier' strat as happy as larry but I had the chance of purchasing a 'second' hand - good condition MK Strat and I am ever so pleased with it and I mean what I say that I have not ever played anything so good as this! It's nice to have a guitar that actually stays in tune!! And boy what a sound!! I think they are worth their money besides the fact because it is NOT a run of the mill strat and actually a 'signature' model it in theory will hold it's value as long as the owner looks after it of course. Expect to pay

[Jackal]

Expect to pay

[dustyvalentino]

I'm not saying it's not a good guitar, but you pay a lot for the name.

I think this is fair comment, although to be fair it does have th nitro finish which is a lot more costly to apply than poly...

[Jackal]

But is it worth

[vgonis]

So very sorry i have stepped in this discussion, uninvited and raised spirits. Please carry on about the real topic (MK model owners), which i will certainly watch but not participate. And thank you very much for the advice Jackal, Dusty and Knopflerfan. . And please, show us all at the forum, what you can do with the guitar. I know about Dusty, eventhough at the videos he had posted uses a different guitar, but it still counts for me. And all the songs were fabulous! 

[dustyvalentino]

But is it worth

[dustyvalentino]

So very sorry i have stepped in this discussion, uninvited and raised spirits. Please carry on about the real topic (MK model owners), which i will certainly watch but not participate. And thank you very much for the advice Jackal, Dusty and Knopflerfan. . And please, show us all at the forum, what you can do with the guitar. I know about Dusty, eventhough at the videos he had posted uses a different guitar, but it still counts for me. And all the songs were fabulous! 

Don't be daft, feel free to participate!

PS I was playing the MK strat in thos videos, through my Crate VC5212, as played by MK in the Golden Heart era.