Looking for a Mark Knopfler Stratocaster

[Knopflerfan]

A lot of people have a "fetish".

Guitars
Records
Cars
Handbags
Shoes
Comic books

To most other people it makes no sense to spend so much on these items but it makes the buyers happy. Who are we to say that a comic book isn't worth £10k? Live and let live.

Each to their own I say.....

[quizzaciously]

To me, MK Strat is no more, MK Strat has ceased to be. For crazy resale prices, it's just doesn't worth it, as it was discussed many times already, so if you were lucky to get it back when it was available, good for you. Now, look somewhere else!

If somebody wants to buy MK Strat for the prices they are going for nowadays, please, buy a regular strat and give the change to me. It's a better use of money than paying for an overpriced guitar.

People can do whatever they want with their money, why should anyone else care?

You always make this argument in the discussions of MK Strat, though it doesn't change the fact that this guitar doesn't worth 3, 4, 5 grand people are asking for it, it just doesn't worth it, and I think this is not subjective. I think even Mark himself would agree it doesn't worth it. So yes, to want MK Strat now you really, really, really want this printed decal on your guitar and some case candy. Case candy that costs like $1,500 extra...

Of course it's subjective. You don't think it's worth it but clearly some people do, otherwise they wouldn't be paying these prices.

And with respect my friend, neither you or I have any idea what MK thinks about this issue.

I said, "I think Mark would agree". I never said, "Mark will agree". Seems like people here doesn't know how to have a decent conversation lol? I'm not PensaGhost!

We're talking about different things. You can buy overpriced Louis Vuitton bags, I don't care. This guitar is not even vintage, it's from the 21st century, it was sold for around $1,500 in mint condition. Why on Earth I would want to pay double that? No way!

It's like when they stop making a particular car model, older cars don't just shoot twice at the price! It's ridiculous, and people selling MK Strats for 4 grand are crazy, and they probably know it.

So it's definitely a fetish. It has transformed from a great value guitar and decently priced fan item into a collector's item.

[Jules]

Well, it's a fetish. There are better Fender Stratocasters for sure, even cheaper, but this is the MK signature, and that's the thing about it, just that.

I think that is terrible that the paint was so bad.

A fetish? I'd say no more of a fetish than people buying bootlegs on Vinyl/CD that are totally downloadable!!!

Anyway, its not just the signature although that is a nice touch I can assure you, it's the whole package - Guitar, Accessories, Paperwork & Candy that make the MK Strat desirable for MK fans....

Exactly, everyone has his fetishs

A friend of mine told me once that he owns some signature strats just to have them hanging on his wall. They are decorative things. When he wants to play guitar, he plays other models.

[Tomcaster]

Each to their own, of course. A pity Fender cannot work out anything with Mark, with affordable signature Strats as well as high quality custom shop models. I have mine and in spite of being a factory model it does sound special because of the wood combo. Playing it next to my Masterbuilds you hear that it could even more if the wood was better. Keeps me obsessed with the idea to go to a Fender Master Builder and let him build me a proper one, like they probably did for Mark.

[dustyvalentino]

To me, MK Strat is no more, MK Strat has ceased to be. For crazy resale prices, it's just doesn't worth it, as it was discussed many times already, so if you were lucky to get it back when it was available, good for you. Now, look somewhere else!

If somebody wants to buy MK Strat for the prices they are going for nowadays, please, buy a regular strat and give the change to me. It's a better use of money than paying for an overpriced guitar.

People can do whatever they want with their money, why should anyone else care?

You always make this argument in the discussions of MK Strat, though it doesn't change the fact that this guitar doesn't worth 3, 4, 5 grand people are asking for it, it just doesn't worth it, and I think this is not subjective. I think even Mark himself would agree it doesn't worth it. So yes, to want MK Strat now you really, really, really want this printed decal on your guitar and some case candy. Case candy that costs like $1,500 extra...

Of course it's subjective. You don't think it's worth it but clearly some people do, otherwise they wouldn't be paying these prices.

And with respect my friend, neither you or I have any idea what MK thinks about this issue.

I said, "I think Mark would agree". I never said, "Mark will agree". Seems like people here doesn't know how to have a decent conversation lol? I'm not PensaGhost!

We're talking about different things. You can buy overpriced Louis Vuitton bags, I don't care. This guitar is not even vintage, it's from the 21st century, it was sold for around $1,500 in mint condition. Why on Earth I would want to pay double that? No way!

It's like when they stop making a particular car model, older cars don't just shoot twice at the price! It's ridiculous, and people selling MK Strats for 4 grand are crazy, and they probably know it.

So it's definitely a fetish. It has transformed from a great value guitar and decently priced fan item into a collector's item.

We are having a decent conversation, don't take any offence. I just thought it was an odd thing to speculate on, as I'm not aware that MK has ever said anything about this.

[Tomcaster]

You know guys, perhaps it's politically not correct but let us put the question to the table. Why do so many other artists continue to have signature models, but Mark doesn't? Look at Eric Johnson. He has an alder body Strat in multiple colors, two fingerboard options. He has a sassafras body Strat with a Dimarzio in the bridge and hand selected pots. He has a thin line model. Let's face it: from a global perspective Eric Johnson is a niche player compared to Mark. What does Eric Johnson do that Mark can't? Or look at Clapton: he has had a signature model since OVER 40 YEARS and no problem. He has a factory model, a custom shop model and a master built model

Not the fans are to blame. Why can't MK cut a deal with Fender just like the other artists? Sorry. I do understand dustyvalentinos reasoning that, being a huge fan, you have the urge to have such a guitar. For many of us, Mark is the world. Personally I have a more pragmatic attitude like Pavel, so in spite of being a nice guitar, my MK Sig is being benchmarked against my masterbuilts and if I see that I don't play her because of inherent limitations of a factory model, she goes on. No matter how much I love Mark. Because Mark does most probably not play an off the shelf factory guitar. He plays an artist prototype which means somebody put chosen wood into a machine, not off the shelf green wood. Somebody gave it better fret work, looked more at the neck angle etc.

I suggest going to the guitar store and checking out Claptons - factory against Team Built against Master Built. Therefore we MK owners probably have a guitar with his sig on it, but it's not the stuff that he plays.

[quizzaciously]

To me, MK Strat is no more, MK Strat has ceased to be. For crazy resale prices, it's just doesn't worth it, as it was discussed many times already, so if you were lucky to get it back when it was available, good for you. Now, look somewhere else!

If somebody wants to buy MK Strat for the prices they are going for nowadays, please, buy a regular strat and give the change to me. It's a better use of money than paying for an overpriced guitar.

People can do whatever they want with their money, why should anyone else care?

You always make this argument in the discussions of MK Strat, though it doesn't change the fact that this guitar doesn't worth 3, 4, 5 grand people are asking for it, it just doesn't worth it, and I think this is not subjective. I think even Mark himself would agree it doesn't worth it. So yes, to want MK Strat now you really, really, really want this printed decal on your guitar and some case candy. Case candy that costs like $1,500 extra...

Of course it's subjective. You don't think it's worth it but clearly some people do, otherwise they wouldn't be paying these prices.

And with respect my friend, neither you or I have any idea what MK thinks about this issue.

I said, "I think Mark would agree". I never said, "Mark will agree". Seems like people here doesn't know how to have a decent conversation lol? I'm not PensaGhost!

We're talking about different things. You can buy overpriced Louis Vuitton bags, I don't care. This guitar is not even vintage, it's from the 21st century, it was sold for around $1,500 in mint condition. Why on Earth I would want to pay double that? No way!

It's like when they stop making a particular car model, older cars don't just shoot twice at the price! It's ridiculous, and people selling MK Strats for 4 grand are crazy, and they probably know it.

So it's definitely a fetish. It has transformed from a great value guitar and decently priced fan item into a collector's item.

We are having a decent conversation, don't take any offence. I just thought it was an odd thing to speculate on, as I'm not aware that MK has ever said anything about this.

That's something I would want to ask Mark if I ever get a chance (which will probably never come). Like do you know your Signature Strats are going for twice the original price or more? Do you know your Martins are selling for a price of a decent appartment in the capital city of some countries? Do you know your signature Gibson Les Pauls costs like a brand new car? I think the latter two won't surprise him much, but he knows his Sig strat were made in spades. Not like 150 guitars and that's it.

But while Martins and Gibsons were created to be collector's items from the get-go, MK Strat became a collector's item after they stopped producing it. I can't wait for the moment they would reissue it and end this collector's war once and for all. This guitar deserves to be reissued! But it doesn't deserve the price tag, that's my point.

[Knopflerfan]

You know guys, perhaps it's politically not correct but let us put the question to the table. Why do so many other artists continue to have signature models, but Mark doesn't? Look at Eric Johnson. He has an alder body Strat in multiple colors, two fingerboard options. He has a sassafras body Strat with a Dimarzio in the bridge and hand selected pots. He has a thin line model. Let's face it: from a global perspective Eric Johnson is a niche player compared to Mark. What does Eric Johnson do that Mark can't? Or look at Clapton: he has had a signature model since OVER 40 YEARS and no problem. He has a factory model, a custom shop model and a master built model

Not the fans are to blame. Why can't MK cut a deal with Fender just like the other artists? Sorry. I do understand dustyvalentinos reasoning that, being a huge fan, you have the urge to have such a guitar. For many of us, Mark is the world. Personally I have a more pragmatic attitude like Pavel, so in spite of being a nice guitar, my MK Sig is being benchmarked against my masterbuilts and if I see that I don't play her because of inherent limitations of a factory model, she goes on. No matter how much I love Mark. Because Mark does most probably not play an off the shelf factory guitar. He plays an artist prototype which means somebody put chosen wood into a machine, not off the shelf green wood. Somebody gave it better fret work, looked more at the neck angle etc.

I suggest going to the guitar store and checking out Claptons - factory against Team Built against Master Built. Therefore we MK owners probably have a guitar with his sig on it, but it's not the stuff that he plays.

I'm not sure on the quote you made with regards the MK Sig strat that MK plays Live as he is known to use a few, including one which belongs to Glenn Wharf. I take it that they haven't been heavily modified either...

[quizzaciously]

You know guys, perhaps it's politically not correct but let us put the question to the table. Why do so many other artists continue to have signature models, but Mark doesn't? Look at Eric Johnson. He has an alder body Strat in multiple colors, two fingerboard options. He has a sassafras body Strat with a Dimarzio in the bridge and hand selected pots. He has a thin line model. Let's face it: from a global perspective Eric Johnson is a niche player compared to Mark. What does Eric Johnson do that Mark can't? Or look at Clapton: he has had a signature model since OVER 40 YEARS and no problem. He has a factory model, a custom shop model and a master built model

Not the fans are to blame. Why can't MK cut a deal with Fender just like the other artists? Sorry. I do understand dustyvalentinos reasoning that, being a huge fan, you have the urge to have such a guitar. For many of us, Mark is the world. Personally I have a more pragmatic attitude like Pavel, so in spite of being a nice guitar, my MK Sig is being benchmarked against my masterbuilts and if I see that I don't play her because of inherent limitations of a factory model, she goes on. No matter how much I love Mark. Because Mark does most probably not play an off the shelf factory guitar. He plays an artist prototype which means somebody put chosen wood into a machine, not off the shelf green wood. Somebody gave it better fret work, looked more at the neck angle etc.

I suggest going to the guitar store and checking out Claptons - factory against Team Built against Master Built. Therefore we MK owners probably have a guitar with his sig on it, but it's not the stuff that he plays.

Good point. I always bring up Gibson Chet Atkins Classical Electric, which they stopped making in 2001, the year Chet died, and it never came back. It makes some sense to stop producing a guitar because the artis died, though in Mark's case nothing makes any sense. It's got to be a some stupid legal case or money case. It's always something stupid like that. Or, the worst case scenario, the guitar just sold badly, and it's hard to believe judging by a huge demand and ridiculous pricing. Or he can't have a deal because he signed with Gibson recently? It's always something stupid, I can guarantee you. Probably money.

[quizzaciously]

I'm not sure on the quote you made with regards the MK Sig strat that MK plays Live as he is known to use a few, including one which belongs to Glenn Wharf. I take it that they haven't been heavily modified either...

In the recent auctions Mark gave away 2 or 3 Signature Strats which he used on stage himself, but that were 100% stock guitars with high serial numbers and all, and he used it only for one song or something, I think one he never used at all, so not a big deal if you think about it. But his early guitars has to be special, and not only becasue of serial numbers. I can't imagine an artist of his calibre playing a regular guitar off the shelf, it has to be modified in some shape or form.

It's like you may think that Tommy Emmanuel plays a regular Maton 808. But yes, he plays a regular Maton 808, only that Maton was made all by hand and costs nearly 10 grand!

[dustyvalentino]

Ultimately something is worth what someone will pay for for it.

Quizzy you say it isn't worth the current selling prices. What the real situation is, is that it isn't worth these prices to you. Others are content to pay these prices.

[quizzaciously]

Ultimately something is worth what someone will pay for for it.

Quizzy you say it isn't worth the current selling prices. What the real situation is, is that it isn't worth these prices to you. Others are content to pay these prices.

Yes, I can't afford it because I'm a brokeass, and I envy everybody who can afford it, I hope you're happy now

But seriously, I still think it's not fair to go personal in this discussion. Just becasue I can't afford it doesn't mean I can't judge it, and that the guitar suddenly worth it because some people are buying it. There are a lot of overpriced things in this world, like I think extra 8Gb of RAM doesn't worth $200 that Apple asks for it. Do people still buy it? Oh, you bet! People buy everything, so it's not the point at all. Especially in the world of... Fetish, like was mentioned above.

I'm not trying to end a discussion here, but earlier I recognized that I'm a brokeass. And some people need to agree that MK Strat is a fetish item, nothing wrong with it either.

[dustyvalentino]

Ultimately something is worth what someone will pay for for it.

Quizzy you say it isn't worth the current selling prices. What the real situation is, is that it isn't worth these prices to you. Others are content to pay these prices.

Yes, I can't afford it because I'm a brokeass, and I envy everybody who can afford it, I hope you're happy now

But seriously, I still think it's not fair to go personal in this discussion. Just becasue I can't afford it doesn't mean I can't judge it, and that the guitar suddenly worth it because some people are buying it. There are a lot of overpriced things in this world, like I think extra 8Gb of RAM doesn't worth $200 that Apple asks for it. Do people still buy it? Oh, you bet! People buy everything, so it's not the point at all. Especially in the world of... Fetish, like was mentioned above.

I'm not trying to end a discussion here, but earlier I recognized that I'm a brokeass. And some people need to agree that MK Strat is a fetish item, nothing wrong with it either.

I didn't intend to make this about your finances and I don't think I did. It seems to me that even if you had millions you wouldn't buy an MK strat for £3k and that's a fair position to take. But it is your position and other people take a different view.

[quizzaciously]

Ultimately something is worth what someone will pay for for it.

Quizzy you say it isn't worth the current selling prices. What the real situation is, is that it isn't worth these prices to you. Others are content to pay these prices.

Yes, I can't afford it because I'm a brokeass, and I envy everybody who can afford it, I hope you're happy now

But seriously, I still think it's not fair to go personal in this discussion. Just becasue I can't afford it doesn't mean I can't judge it, and that the guitar suddenly worth it because some people are buying it. There are a lot of overpriced things in this world, like I think extra 8Gb of RAM doesn't worth $200 that Apple asks for it. Do people still buy it? Oh, you bet! People buy everything, so it's not the point at all. Especially in the world of... Fetish, like was mentioned above.

I'm not trying to end a discussion here, but earlier I recognized that I'm a brokeass. And some people need to agree that MK Strat is a fetish item, nothing wrong with it either.

I didn't intend to make this about your finances and I don't think I did. It seems to me that even if you had millions you wouldn't buy an MK strat for £3k and that's a fair position to take. But it is your position and other people take a different view.

Exactly! Even if I had the money, I won't buy it. I'm glad we came to a sensible conclusion after all

[Tomcaster]

You know guys, perhaps it's politically not correct but let us put the question to the table. Why do so many other artists continue to have signature models, but Mark doesn't? Look at Eric Johnson. He has an alder body Strat in multiple colors, two fingerboard options. He has a sassafras body Strat with a Dimarzio in the bridge and hand selected pots. He has a thin line model. Let's face it: from a global perspective Eric Johnson is a niche player compared to Mark. What does Eric Johnson do that Mark can't? Or look at Clapton: he has had a signature model since OVER 40 YEARS and no problem. He has a factory model, a custom shop model and a master built model

Not the fans are to blame. Why can't MK cut a deal with Fender just like the other artists? Sorry. I do understand dustyvalentinos reasoning that, being a huge fan, you have the urge to have such a guitar. For many of us, Mark is the world. Personally I have a more pragmatic attitude like Pavel, so in spite of being a nice guitar, my MK Sig is being benchmarked against my masterbuilts and if I see that I don't play her because of inherent limitations of a factory model, she goes on. No matter how much I love Mark. Because Mark does most probably not play an off the shelf factory guitar. He plays an artist prototype which means somebody put chosen wood into a machine, not off the shelf green wood. Somebody gave it better fret work, looked more at the neck angle etc.

I suggest going to the guitar store and checking out Claptons - factory against Team Built against Master Built. Therefore we MK owners probably have a guitar with his sig on it, but it's not the stuff that he plays.

I'm not sure on the quote you made with regards the MK Sig strat that MK plays Live as he is known to use a few, including one which belongs to Glenn Wharf. I take it that they haven't been heavily modified either...

nobody can prove anything and perhaps they are bone stock, perhaps not. He varies them for a reason, I guess! It is clear that Fender builds prototypes for Artist and these are certainly not accidental instruments.

All in all (and to this I have not seen any responses) I see no reason why Mark would not, for the sake of his fans, agree with Fender to keep that model permanent and give it a Custom Shop version, like so many artists before him. This way collectors and players would be happy. Nobody gets hurt.