John Surh on dropping his name in "Guitar Stories" documentary

[border_reiver]

I've also heard a lot good things about Suhr as a person, how he runs his business and how he gets along with his customers - and many negative remarks about Pensa's shop in New York where you have to be a star to be treated nicely - at least these are the rumours.

Definately untrue.

I was there in 2006 myself and spoke with Rudy. Fantastic man. I only bought a leather guitar strap (which he signed) and a lap steel tone bar. But from my point of view he treated everyone in the shop as equals.

I even got to play a -37 Style O in the shop.

[ds1984]

Mk is Rudy's friend for long time ago. John probably was for MK one of Rudy's worker, so he will stand with Rudy always.

Right. I don't know the exact date when things started but Mark was already a Rudy's Music Stop "customer" in the early 80's.
And this is were Jack Sonni was working at the time before being involved in BIA recording.

" Jack Sonni was one of the fans who squeezed into the Bottom Lineto see Dire Straits' first New York show in '79. Jack worked at Rudy's Music Shop, a guitar store on 48th Street, and was delighted when David and then Mark Knopfler began patronizing the store and chewing the fat. David even invited Jack to come visit him in London. When Jack got there he commented on how wild it was that David had no bars on his windows. Jack Sonni is a true New Yorker.

Jack had bars on HIS windows. He lived in a tiny, seedy ground floor in Hell's Kitchen. The toilet didn't even flush. When Mark Knopfler would come by to play on Jack's spare guitar it was a perfect study in how differently fortune can treat two talented musicians. Jack and Knopfler would sit with the window open, playing guitars in the little room. Then Mark would go off to Europe or the Carribean and Jack would go back to the little guitar shop.

Just before Christmas in 1984 Knopfler approached Jack with a problem. Hal Lindes, the guitarist who replaced David, had been fired and the group had a world tour coming up. Could Jack possibly see leaving the guitar store to join Dire Straits? Legend has it that Jack Sonni's head made a sizable indentation in Rudy's ceiling. And Rudy's has a high ceiling.

Knopfler said to his manager, "It's nice to play father Christmas."

"Jack was in a real bad way for a real long time," Knopfler explains. "Frustration, just working at his guitar. I said to him, 'Just one condition. Whatever I do, man, try your damnedest not to let it affect our friendship."

Source : MUSICIAN Sept. 1985. It is written by Bill Flanagan. - DIRE STRAITS' MARK KNOPFLER - "An Inside Look at the Outside Man"

[quizzaciously]

Just before Christmas in 1984 Knopfler approached Jack with a problem. Hal Lindes, the guitarist who replaced David, had been fired and the group had a world tour coming up. Could Jack possibly see leaving the guitar store to join Dire Straits? Legend has it that Jack Sonni's head made a sizable indentation in Rudy's ceiling. And Rudy's has a high ceiling.

It's always fun to read things like that as if Mark had absolutely nothing to do with Hal Lindes being fired. I'm a huge fan of an old saying "there's no smoke without fire", so as much as I love Mark, I'm not on his side in this situation. Besides, if I were Rudy, and if he really doesn't build guitars himself, why on Earth he put his name on the guitar? It doesn't make any sense, like, if somebody gave Michelangelo the money to do The Pietà, that automatically means he can put his signature on it? I can understand Paul Reed Smith, because he's a master luthier. But Rudy?

I hope John would register on this forum to clear as much of confusion as possible.

[Crusty]

Just before Christmas in 1984 Knopfler approached Jack with a problem. Hal Lindes, the guitarist who replaced David, had been fired and the group had a world tour coming up. Could Jack possibly see leaving the guitar store to join Dire Straits? Legend has it that Jack Sonni's head made a sizable indentation in Rudy's ceiling. And Rudy's has a high ceiling.

It's always fun to read things like that as if Mark had absolutely nothing to do with Hal Lindes being fired. I'm a huge fan of an old saying "there's no smoke without fire", so as much as I love Mark, I'm not on his side in this situation. Besides, if I were Rudy, and if he really doesn't build guitars himself, why on Earth he put his name on the guitar? It doesn't make any sense, like, if somebody gave Michelangelo the money to do The Pietà, that automatically means he can put his signature on it? I can understand Paul Reed Smith, because he's a master luthier. But Rudy?

I hope John would register on this forum to clear as much of confusion as possible.

Rudy is businessmen. Leo Fender too was buisnesmen - he devloped guitars, but did not make one. His name is on the guitar anyway. Paul Red SMith do not build guitars today personally (if I know correctly), Tom Anderson too. David Schecter also long time ago.

[Pottel]

Very sad story indeed... as a kid the Pensa-Suhr always fascinated me, much more than the Strat or Les Paul, sad to read the disputes.

This guitar was only built by me. I was told it needed to be ready for the Mandela concert so I had to rush the paint. I remember it all very clearly. Sour grapes I'm afraid when I left.

Yes correct, I think I had less than a week to paint and build it. I was scared it would stick to the case it was so new.

This is the part I find hard to believe. At such a massive gig, why would Mark take the risk to play a guitar that has just been finished and hasn't been batlle-tested at all. An enormous risk if you ask me considering he had enough guitars to choose from even then.

it was battle tested in the two warm-up shows.

[Pottel]

Mk is Rudy's friend for long time ago. John probably was for MK one of Rudy's worker, so he will stand with Rudy always.

most plausible explanation i think.

[quizzaciously]

I just realised there's only Mark in the "players" section on Pensa's website LOL: http://www.pensaguitars.com/players-1/
And to be die honest I never seen anybody playing his guitars except maybe of MK/DS tribute bands and guitar collectors.

Whereas Suhr guitars are pretty popular, and even Mark's favourite teacher on YouTube plays on one of those (JustinGuitar).

[Jules]

I just realised there's only Mark in the "players" section on Pensa's website LOL: http://www.pensaguitars.com/players-1/
And to be die honest I never seen anybody playing his guitars except maybe of MK/DS tribute bands and guitar collectors.

Whereas Suhr guitars are pretty popular, and even Mark's favourite teacher on YouTube plays on one of those (JustinGuitar).

Actually most of the tribute bands players I know have a Suhr version of the MK guitar, and not the one that Pensa makes nowadays.

[quizzaciously]

I just realised there's only Mark in the "players" section on Pensa's website LOL: http://www.pensaguitars.com/players-1/
And to be die honest I never seen anybody playing his guitars except maybe of MK/DS tribute bands and guitar collectors.

Whereas Suhr guitars are pretty popular, and even Mark's favourite teacher on YouTube plays on one of those (JustinGuitar).

Actually most of the tribute bands players I know have a Suhr version of the MK guitar, and not the one that Pensa makes nowadays.

Really? Nevertheless it's even more funny

[Eddie Fox]

I just realised there's only Mark in the "players" section on Pensa's website LOL: http://www.pensaguitars.com/players-1/
And to be die honest I never seen anybody playing his guitars except maybe of MK/DS tribute bands and guitar collectors.

Whereas Suhr guitars are pretty popular, and even Mark's favourite teacher on YouTube plays on one of those (JustinGuitar).

Mark's favourite teacher?  Does Mark know him?? I do, he's awesome, but I didn't know Mark did too. That's funny.

[quizzaciously]

I just realised there's only Mark in the "players" section on Pensa's website LOL: http://www.pensaguitars.com/players-1/
And to be die honest I never seen anybody playing his guitars except maybe of MK/DS tribute bands and guitar collectors.

Whereas Suhr guitars are pretty popular, and even Mark's favourite teacher on YouTube plays on one of those (JustinGuitar).

Mark's favourite teacher?  Does Mark know him?? I do, he's awesome, but I didn't know Mark did too. That's funny.

Not only that! What if I told you, that Mark's official website gets the most clicks from where? From Justin's website, because of this:



There's also quotes from Richard Bennett and Tommy Emmanuel to name a few. Also, Mark recommended him a couple of times through the Guy's forum. Justin is a cool guy, from all the free YouTube guitar teachers he certainly is ?1, I use his lessons as one of inspirations for my own lessons.

[Eddie Fox]

I just realised there's only Mark in the "players" section on Pensa's website LOL: http://www.pensaguitars.com/players-1/
And to be die honest I never seen anybody playing his guitars except maybe of MK/DS tribute bands and guitar collectors.

Whereas Suhr guitars are pretty popular, and even Mark's favourite teacher on YouTube plays on one of those (JustinGuitar).

Mark's favourite teacher?  Does Mark know him?? I do, he's awesome, but I didn't know Mark did too. That's funny.

Not only that! What if I told you, that Mark's official website gets the most clicks from where? From Justin's website, because of this:



There's also quotes from Richard Bennett and Tommy Emmanuel to name a few. Also, Mark recommended him a couple of times through the Guy's forum. Justin is a cool guy, from all the free YouTube guitar teachers he certainly is ?1, I use his lessons as one of inspirations for my own lessons.

That's so cool! Justin is one heck of a teacher and a great guitar player as well. Thanks for the info, I didn't know that.

[quizzaciously]

That's so cool! Justin is one heck of a teacher and a great guitar player as well. Thanks for the info, I didn't know that.

That's cool indeed, although the love seems a bit one-sided, because from over 1000 videos Justin have just a few videos on Mark's music, namely WOL, BIA, SOS, R&J and Lady Writer, and I've seen him complaining about small amount of views regarding Lady Writer's solos breakdown.

I kinda don't like solos breakdowns, too, it just doesn't make sense to me, if only it's an epic legendary solo like Sultans.

[Eddie Fox]

That's so cool! Justin is one heck of a teacher and a great guitar player as well. Thanks for the info, I didn't know that.

That's cool indeed, although the love seems a bit one-sided, because from over 1000 videos Justin have just a few videos on Mark's music, namely WOL, BIA, SOS, R&J and Lady Writer, and I've seen him complaining about small amount of views regarding Lady Writer's solos breakdown.

I kinda don't like solos breakdowns, too, it just doesn't make sense to me, if only it's an epic legendary solo like Sultans.

I think it's a fair number of songs. I saw his Sultans of Swing lesson and he seemed to be a true fan of Mark's. I remember not being able to count how many times he said beautiful referring to Mark's licks, bends and vibratos during the videos 

[Suhr]

Very sad story indeed... as a kid the Pensa-Suhr always fascinated me, much more than the Strat or Les Paul, sad to read the disputes.

This guitar was only built by me. I was told it needed to be ready for the Mandela concert so I had to rush the paint. I remember it all very clearly. Sour grapes I'm afraid when I left.

Yes correct, I think I had less than a week to paint and build it. I was scared it would stick to the case it was so new.

This is the part I find hard to believe. At such a massive gig, why would Mark take the risk to play a guitar that has just been finished and hasn't been batlle-tested at all. An enormous risk if you ask me considering he had enough guitars to choose from even then.

It was battle tested on the Princess Trust 5 days earlier, if he didn't like it he could have picked up any one of an arsenal of guitars. Not much risk. Plus I'm pretty well known for making battle ready guitars. ;-)