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

[Knopflerfan]

With regard to the MK 'Clone' strat, I was always under the impression Mark based his Sig Strat on his (and mine) fave guitarist - Hank Marvin as incidentally Hank's first Strat had a rosewood neck too!!
'All I wanted was a red guitar like Hank's' - well you've got one now Mark!

[Fletch]

By the way: To all of you who uses your MK Strat, was the setup playable and "perfect" for you when you got it? I showed mine to a luthier (a guitar builder) the other day, and he identified several issues with the guitar that he recommended me to do something with in order the optimize the instrument:

1. First of all I had to adjust the neck's position a little by loosening the four screws that connects the neck to the body and adjust the neck into position. It has probably shifted a bit during transport across the globe. The lightest E-string was actually nearly outside of the fretboard on the side of the neck closest to the...

Issue 1 here is common with a Strat that has NOT been "set-up" - a loosening of the neck (without tension on the strings) then you physically push that neck within its pocket to a better angle whilst trying to tighten back the screws!! I had to do it to a MIM I imported from he USA. Now it's fine

Issues 2 & 3 seem very odd to me, any item at that price should be able to be sent anywhere in the world and packed appropriately so climatic conditions do not affect it. Of course, if you instantly drop it in the snow I'd imagine there's not much a seller can do about that. But you do not want a shrunken or bent neck !!!

Issue 4 is common too and is usually solved by the set-up, but depending on how much your neck is bent, may prove a battle.

Sorry to hear this jarle, you really shouldn't have to face these issues on a Sig Strat. I know it's difficult (I live in a far away land too) but it really is best to buy in your local shop, try it, any probs down the line and the warranty is easily looked after.
The mark up on Fender retail is massive, I laugh when I see shops have their regular 30% off Fender days, because (here anyway) they will give you that discount if you insist on it. You just say "I want this, but I need a better price." If they don't fall to at least 30% off start walking out, saying "that's a shame" and watch them run after you!
You'd probably have been better off just buying a AVRI, or a custom shop with the Texas special pups.
Hope it all works out for you.

[JF]

I am going to try to elaborate, but as I have difficulties with english language (only learned at school, and gone to england only 3 weeks when I was a teen) it's tricky for me to argue in a discussion with english native speakers (although I like it because it's a good training)

so feel free to correct me if I use wrong words, wrong conjugations, wrong vocabulary, etc... 


I am sure that the MK sig strat is a great guitar, well manufactured, great sounding, with a beautiful neck, body, etc...and I understand very well that you enjoy playing it, but to me that's not the point.

what I am trying to say is that making a signature guitar model makes sense only if the guitar in question has something "special", something uncommon that you don't find on a standard model.

If the guitarist plays on a "standard" guitar with nothing much special compared to a standard model, I don't see the point to produce a "signature" model.


to me, a signature model would have to make you think immediately to the artist.
I gave the example of Clapton, but as Foma said, there are many others : the tremolo arm on the SRV, the hollow frets on the malmsteen, the damaged look on the galagher, etc..
But I can't see anything on the MK model that makes me immediately think : "ah yes, of course it's the model played by Mark Knopfler"

this red strat could be played by anyone else, it wouldn't look "strange"


other examples with other guitars :

imho, making a LP signature Peter Green makes sense because it has something special (the PU wiring), but making a LP signature jimmmy Page doesn't make sense : Page played on a standrad 59 LP, like Mark's one, or EC's one, so nothing "singular"

making a SG signature Robbie krieger would'nt have any interrest imho, while making a SG signature Louis bertignac, that would be a real gem


imagine Car industry making cars signature models with car racers names....I bet you would expect some custom car, not a "standard" one

I have the same analyse for signature guitar models



maybe I theorise too much...
after all, the most important is that you all enjoy playing on this model

so keep cherish it, and play it, and I m' glad for you if you like it 

[JF]

With regard to the MK 'Clone' strat, I was always under the impression Mark based his Sig Strat on his (and mine) fave guitarist - Hank Marvin as incidentally Hank's first Strat had a rosewood neck too!!
'All I wanted was a red guitar like Hank's' - well you've got one now Mark!

Mark said in an itw (on a french mag I have from the shangri-la era): "I wanted Fender cloning my 61 strat, but you can't paint Moan-Lisa again. We tried to be the closest as possible"

So I guess he thought to his #68354 rosewood strat. the one we all know :
http://www.mk-guitar.com/mark-knopfler-gear-database/fender-stratocaster-1961/

about Hank, you are right, but of course he became the iconic maple strat player in rock history (both lookwise and soundwise)

[Knopflerfan]

JF,

You do well with your English - well done.

Oh yes I love my MK's - make no mistake. There is so much difference in playing wise it's untrue. I plugged both my Classic Player and MK SE00860 into the amps together and continuously changed between the two and there is just no competition!
At the end of the day the MK Strat to me is NOT a 'Standard' Strat by any stretch of the imagination either by look, sound or feel and on the subject of sound it's awesome!!

Incidentally I'm wondering have you played a MK Sig Strat per chance?

Each to their own I suppose but when you play the MK Strat as often as I do (3-4 times a week) I will not have anything bad said against them as at the end of the day I'm very happy personally with what Mark and Fender put together  - a very effective & ultimately a very good Stratocaster that IMHO takes some beating!

[Knopflerfan]

A couple of early Shadows photo's complete with Hank and his early 'Rosewood' necked Strat of which I'm convinced Mark wanted to copy for his Signature model....

That piccie of Hank's 1961 Strat sends 'goosebumps' down my neck..... Woooohoooo!!

[vgonis]

I mean no disrespect when I say that even them looked back to the archetypical Strato player, Buddy Holly.

[JF]

I mean no disrespect when I say that even them looked back to the archetypical Strato player, Buddy Holly.

yes agree. the very first well known strato player, but of course not on a red one, but a 2-tone sunburst one

so after Hank, Marks managed to look like another of his heroes : the jurassic strat + glasses...

[JF]

knofplerfan,

no I never had the chance to play on MK sig strat, so you are right, my statement could be biased.

I only saw and heard it. I am sure it's a beautiful guitar with a great sound.


my thinking was more a "general consideration" about signature models, and the "logic" behind them so to say.

But as I said before, maybe is that I want to theorise too much, while you're talking with your heart about your guitars, and I could'nt more agree with you about this attitude.

you are right, sometimes (or always ?) you have to listen to your heart more than your mind...

a famous french quote : "heart has his reasons that the raison ignore..."

well it's a thread about guitar, let's not going into philosophy 

[Fletch]

I mean no disrespect when I say that even them looked back to the archetypical Strato player, Buddy Holly.

Buddy's Strat performance on the Ed Sullivan show was as musically significant as when Elvis & The Beatles performed on it.
I'm not sure but I think most people watched it in B&W but that didn't stop the surprise of seeing such a new, 'modern' and s*xy guitar being seen by the all American viewer.

[vgonis]

Spot on Fletch. Which by the way, is a good reason for him to win this!

[Justme]

That piccie of Hank's 1961 Strat sends 'goosebumps' down my neck..... Woooohoooo!!

So true! 

[Fretbol]

My new MK strat can be added to the list as well 

SE03762

[foma]

Oh you're a lucky devil!

[BrianT]

Looks good

Welcome to the club

Brian