Where to buy the MK Strat?

[dustyvalentino]

Some in the states, here is an early one.

http://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-stratocaster-2003-red

[JF]

Hmm, interesting. Despite not playing guitar, I like a lot all this things about woods, strings, pickups etc

if you are interested in this kind of things, you should take a look regularly at Ingo's blog

there's a lot of informations about differents woods, different PUs combinations, wiring, differences for PU between years, decades, etc..

for example he made a test by removing the color finish, and found that it affected the sound :
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2009/01/02/guitar-refinishing-nitro-vs-poly-and-how-to-remove-a-polyester-finish/


or the different fender colors :
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2009/01/06/red-redder-the-reddest-fiesta-dakota-candy-apple-hot-rod-and-more-fender-colours/

or secrets of brazilian wood :
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2008/08/30/secrets-of-vintage-guitars-brazilian-rosewood/

or about "unburst" Les pauls :
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2008/11/27/sunburst-and-unburst-les-pauls-from-the-late-50ies/

or specs about 61 vintage strats
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2010/02/24/features-and-specsof-a-61-vintage-stratocaster/

or how identify a pre-CBS model
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2010/03/01/how-to-identify-an-original-pre-cbs-fender-stratocaster-body/

etc  etc
very informative !

[JF]

MK himself said when they came out that the weight can vary a lot (I think it was in the review in Guitarist magazine). Mine is a very early one (received Sept 03), had the wrong colour and is very light.

When they came out they said they were "swamp ash".

Another way to use three of them would be top have them set the same as MK.

1. Light strings, no tremolo arm, as used on Sultans, if we ever hear it again.
2. Heavy strings, tremors as used on Postcards.
3. Lipstick pickups, as used on Forever Young with Mr Bob.

yes exactly

and the one used on sultans is the same used on Romeo & Juliet outro ('9 strings)
the one used for postcards is the same used on SFA (some gigs of the GL tour) I believe, because SFA requires heavy string and tremolo too

http://www.mk-guitar.com/2010/07/17/the-different-mark-knopfler-signature-strats-used-on-the-get-lucky-tour/

http://www.mk-guitar.com/2012/03/08/they-all-look-the-same-how-to-tell-mark-knopflers-different-signature-strats-apart/

http://www.mk-guitar.com/mark-knopfler-gear-database/mark-knopfler-signature-strat-se-00000/

[foma]

Here it comes Jarle! MK Strat for sale, $1,599.99

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Mark-Knopfler-Stratocaster-Hot-Rod-Red-Rosewood-Electric-Guitar-/251367889990

UPD: Seems like he doesn't ship it outside of the US, what a nerd!

[Fletch]

Looks great at a nice price too! shame about shipping, but you can always ask the seller...

One thing I've realised, that has always gone unnoticed by me, is that due to the vintage specs there is NO 22nd fret as per many modern American Stratocaster models.
This is a real negative for me, simply because when playing live in certain keys, there's nothing like bending and holding the B string up a tone at the 22nd - it's a great crowd pleaser
My two American Strats have 22, my fiesta red MIM is a 50s model with 21 and I'm always a little reluctant to use it for loooong gigs.
Up until recently I thought all Strats had 22 frets, and that it was just a cutback on the Mexican models, but this isn't true - the true vintage designs are like the MIMs and MKs sig.

[Knopflerfan]

Oooh Black case?? mine only have brown... Wonder when they stopped issuing brown cases with the MK's?.....

[JF]

there's nothing like bending and holding the B string up a tone at the 22nd - it's a great crowd pleaser

there's something better : bending and holding the E string up a tone at the 22nd !
I like bending up to the high E. it gives this kind of aerian floyd flavour

I remember doing it on a 21 fret neck (my first strat copy), but a little bit tricky

I read in an itw that M. Oldifield loved bending to the high G !  Don't know how he could achieve it. with superlight strings ?


BTW, the 3rd solo on Money was played by Gimour on the Bill lewis guitar, for the bend up to high F#. he couldn't have done this on his strat (21 fret), and according to Bjorn from gilmourish.com, he never played this note in any live gig.
http://www.gilmourish.com/?page_id=89



and last but not least, the french guitarist Louis Bertignac (from the band "telephone") own the only one SG with a 27 fret neck !
http://www.bertiliste.com/bertignac/matos/g-sg1.html

[3Strats]

It's something I never really thought about. All 3 of my Strats ( & my Tele) have 21 frets and I tend to think that is "normal" with the 22nd fret on some models being added at the request of professional players. I have other guitars with 22 frets if needed & a PRS with 24.

[dustyvalentino]

I don't go up the dusty end. 

[Jarle]

Here it comes Jarle! MK Strat for sale, $1,599.99

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Mark-Knopfler-Stratocaster-Hot-Rod-Red-Rosewood-Electric-Guitar-/251367889990

UPD: Seems like he doesn't ship it outside of the US, what a nerd!

Thank you, Foma! Very interesting! Seems like the seller is a guitar store in the US, Willcut Guitars. Anyone heard about them?

Edit: I have sent them an e-mail asking if they ship to Norway... Fingers crossed

-Jarle

[holaknopfler]

I am looking for you here in The Netherlands, you will here from me as soon I've found something Jarle

[Fletch]

It's something I never really thought about. All 3 of my Strats ( & my Tele) have 21 frets and I tend to think that is "normal" with the 22nd fret on some models being added at the request of professional players. I have other guitars with 22 frets if needed & a PRS with 24.

There not added for professionals that's for sure!! The American standards (not the vintage reissues) and my Hwy 1 are basic models, they were my first two Strats, so I just thought it was normal. The vintage specs were a shock to me - even the wider spaced bridge is not to my taste, compared to the modern narrow spacing.

[Jarle]

It's done!

I bought the new one from Willcut Guitars in the US through Ebay. They were very helpfull and there was no problem with shipping to Norway. Thank you Foma for guiding me to this one, and to everybody for helping me and sharing their knowledge about this guitar. I'll let you know when the guitar arrives

-Jarle

[dmg]

That's great news Jarle!  I hope you'll be very happy with your purchase.

I know shipping to/from Norway can be difficult.  I once bought a lens from your country and had to pay around

[BrianT]

It's done!

I bought the new one from Willcut Guitars in the US through Ebay. They were very helpfull and there was no problem with shipping to Norway. Thank you Foma for guiding me to this one, and to everybody for helping me and sharing their knowledge about this guitar. I'll let you know when the guitar arrives

-Jarle

Jarle.

I'm glad you got it, if you had not taken it I would have.

I told myself that I would check the Ebay page on the 31st, giving you time to make the deal.
If it was still there I would pull the plug on it.

Brian