Dire Straits star Mark Knopfler to auction Brothers In Arms guitars - BBC NEWS

[dustyvalentino]

Well, they’ve seen him live many times, know the ‘stuff’, obviously have some money to spend.
Above all, they are different from either ‘pure’ investors who sat there or had their people buying for them.

The majority of the ‘classic’ investors communicated via representatives- either by phone or in person. For example, the Schecters went to the same buyer - who had his 2 persons in the front row.

Empty expensive homes are something I always associated rich people with. They have so many homes but can live only in one, and all the rest are empty.

If a guy made enough money to buy a £0.5M guitar, he needs to be a musician of Mark Knopfler's level or a complete amateur, there's nothing in between.

So I doubt we'll see any videos, and these guitars being played at all. And you don't need me to know you don't need MK-1 to dabble in MK's music a bit.

Why would we want to see a video of it being played by some random? If we want to see the guitar in action there are plenty of videos of MK playing it.

[quizzaciously]

Well, they’ve seen him live many times, know the ‘stuff’, obviously have some money to spend.
Above all, they are different from either ‘pure’ investors who sat there or had their people buying for them.

The majority of the ‘classic’ investors communicated via representatives- either by phone or in person. For example, the Schecters went to the same buyer - who had his 2 persons in the front row.

Empty expensive homes are something I always associated rich people with. They have so many homes but can live only in one, and all the rest are empty.

If a guy made enough money to buy a £0.5M guitar, he needs to be a musician of Mark Knopfler's level or a complete amateur, there's nothing in between.

So I doubt we'll see any videos, and these guitars being played at all. And you don't need me to know you don't need MK-1 to dabble in MK's music a bit.

Why would we want to see a video of it being played by some random? If we want to see the guitar in action there are plenty of videos of MK playing it.

I also don't get it to be honest. I guess people just generally follow the same logic Mark is following when he says he wants these guitars to be played and enjoyed, preferably with some new music being made with them, at the same time we all know it probably won't happen for a number of reasons. So it's like a little prayer for something that won't happen, though we can dream at least. The truth is most of these guitars have already accomplished their purpose and were blown in this supernova explosion of an auction like a dying star, ending their life as a gimmicky overly priced instrument for a weird collector.

Nobody on this planet buys his instruments at auctions to create, they use regular tools and make history with it.

[hunter v2.0]

Why would we want to see a video of it being played by some random? If we want to see the guitar in action there are plenty of videos of MK playing it.

Because when we hear Mark play those instruments, it's almost always in a professional and "processed" setting. You don't get to hear what the instruments really sound like. Plus Mark has such a unique way of playing that it can almost mask how the instruments sound. What does the MK1 sound like played with a pick into a Fender Deluxe Reverb for example?

[3Strats]

I had a "copy" of the MK1 made in the late 90's with the correct woods & EMG pickups, and it sounds exactly like the real thing. What you hear Mark playing on it is pretty close to the raw sound after you add the effects he was using.  You can get quite warm single coil sounds from it played clean, but the bridge humbucker always has a growl to it.

[dustyvalentino]

Very nice. Makes my wonder how much influence the body has and how close you would get putting those pickups into a regular strat.

[Peter1981]

Well, funny you asked; I did just that. Just for fun, because I grew up on listen to On The Night in my teen years. I put the exact pickups in a random squier body, with an aftermarket Strat neck. Sound exactly (!) like On The Night with just any drive on, really! I'd say those pickups really make up 90% of that sound, and a rosewood neck will get you even 6% closer!
I don't use it too often, but nice to have around for recording a thing once in a while. Feels better to have a € 500 guitar collectecting dust than one of half a million, I'd say !



Though I'd swap it for the real thing in a heartbeat, nevertheless ;-)

Very nice. Makes my wonder how much influence the body has and how close you would get putting those pickups into a regular strat.

[Peter1981]

whoops, that turned into one dinosaur of a picture, sorry!

[Rolo]

My Pensa version have hardtail bridge.
The tone knob is a EMG SPC.
This lady has been used almost every day since 2013.
This guitar is a beast.

[dustyvalentino]

Some nice guitars guys!

Interesting Peter. Do you have the SPC? Did you have to dig out space for a battery?

[3Strats]

Very nice. Makes my wonder how much influence the body has and how close you would get putting those pickups into a regular strat.

I thought it was mostly in the pickups, but the chap who built it says categorically that the wood does make a difference. I think Mahogany, with or without a Maple cap gives a warmer tone than Alder or Ash. 

I had Gretsch Filtertron pickups put in a mahogany body thinline type guitar, and although it makes the guitar sound more Grestchey ( is that a word?) it still doesn't sound quite like a duo Jet or a Gretsch hollowbody, so it must be a combination of all the factors.

(I'll just put a link to this one, as I think we've hijacked the thread   )
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtvaviationimages/51925835924/in/album-72157627669196085/

My "Pensa" has the EMG SPC mid-boost rather than a normal tone control, As they are all active pickups, the battery lives in the control cavity at the back.

[koobaa]

Check this out. This guy made a cool test.

[hunter v2.0]

I've played an MK1 at Rudy's long time ago. Lovely guitar, but not the type of guitar I care for today. It had EMGs and the whole package. I've never liked regular Strats with EMGs, and I think it has to do with them being mounted to the pickguard. Strats like that sound thin and needs different EQ settings on the amp. On an MK1 they are mounted to the body, and I am convinced that adds thickness to the guitar tone. The mahogany doesn't hurt either for fatter tones.

[Peter1981]

Erm, what is SPC? ;-)
I didn't need to dig out space, it was a SSH body with enough room underneath the pickguard.

Some nice guitars guys!

Interesting Peter. Do you have the SPC? Did you have to dig out space for a battery?

[hunter v2.0]

Erm, what is SPC? ;-)
I didn't need to dig out space, it was a SSH body with enough room underneath the pickguard.

Some nice guitars guys!

Interesting Peter. Do you have the SPC? Did you have to dig out space for a battery?

Google is your friend: https://www.emgpickups.com/spc.html

[Peter1981]

Always better to ask the source ;-) 
Anway, yes, there as well. It's supposed to be the exact same complete set MK uses.

Erm, what is SPC? ;-)
I didn't need to dig out space, it was a SSH body with enough room underneath the pickguard.

Some nice guitars guys!

Interesting Peter. Do you have the SPC? Did you have to dig out space for a battery?

Google is your friend: https://www.emgpickups.com/spc.html