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Post subject: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler?
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:29 am
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Hello, and thanks for looking.

I purchased a second hand Fender Stratocaster in 2003/4 which has the exact same specifications as the Mark Knopfler model, but no signature on the headstock.

The guitar was purchased (I believe) from a NAMM show a few years earlier. The red colour, tinted pickguard, Texas Special pickups are identical to the subsequent production Knopfler model. It even has a paint defect, where the finished has 'wormed' which apparently happened on early production models.

Could it be an early prototype model?

Frustratingly, there is no serial number on either the neck plate or headstock, so I would be hugely appreciative if anyone could help narrow down my guitar's origins!

http://s1148.photobucket.com/user/benjo-banjo/library/

It was sold in a tan case, with a custom shop sticker inside.


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:37 am
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Welcome to the Forums. I'm not able to access your photos. However, without any external identification the next step is to take the neck and pickguard off and check the neck end, neck pocket, and body routing for ID. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:15 am
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Hard to say with absolute certainty but the guitar does seem to have the proper appointments to be a MK signature model......

Image

Is the body alder or ash?

It's pretty obvious that whomever did this guitar's last re-string doesn't have a clue as to how vintage-spec split-post tuners work.

Image

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:19 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
It's pretty obvious that whomever did this guitar's last re-string doesn't have a clue as to how vintage-spec split-post tuners work.
Image

:mrgreen: Arjay

Wonder what the prior owner's guitar background was. I remember this being a 'thing' with folk players who acoustics used to be strung like as such. BTW: nice stable of Fender guitars on that wall. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:46 am
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That's how you get that Twang..... :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:28 am
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53magnatone wrote:
That's how you get that Twang..... :wink:

"The twang was the thang"....once...long ago, in a galaxy, far, far away.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:35 am
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Hi benjo-banjo: hm, interesting.

Retroverbial wrote:
Is the body alder or ash?


Yes, that's a good question. The MK had an ash body, I recall.

It also had a mint green pickguard with aged white knobs and covers. benjo, in your pics at least, the plastics look white to my eye, so that doesn't seem to fit. But of course photos can be notoriously deceptive.

Simplest thing would be to send the serial number to Rob Schwarz at Customer Services and ask him for the official sheet on your guitar. That's the nearest you'll get to a definitive answer, I'd have thought. consumerrelations@fender.com

Meantime, for our listening pleasure, here's Greg Koch working out on the MK Sig:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PYrfJhEUBw

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:48 am
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Ceri wrote:
Simplest thing would be to send the serial number to Rob Schwarz at Customer Services and ask him for the official sheet on your guitar.

OK Ceri.....Come down from the Guinness for a bit and re-read the post. There's NO ID. He thinks its may be one of those NAMM prototypes. Ya know....the clutch of guitars they build for the show. I've suggested he pull the neck and scratchplate [for Brits] and see if there's anything on the neck end or body routing he can refer to.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:58 am
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ZZDoc wrote:
Ceri wrote:
Simplest thing would be to send the serial number to Rob Schwarz at Customer Services and ask him for the official sheet on your guitar.

OK Ceri.....Come down from the Guinness for a bit and re-read the post. There's NO ID. He thinks its may be one of those NAMM prototypes. Ya know....the clutch of guitars they build for the show. I've suggested he pull the neck and scratchplate [for Brits] and see if there's anything on the neck end or body routing he can refer to.

Well, no Guinness has been taken, but you're right, I missed the line about the SN.

Even so, benjo should still ask Rob about it. At the very least he might have something interesting to contribute to this thread.

By the way, I cannot remember the last time I heard anyone calling it a scratchplate! :) Some people did used to, but I think that one is long gone...

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:11 pm
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Ceri wrote:
Well, no Guinness has been taken, but you're right, I missed the line about the SN.Even so, benjo should still ask Rob about it. At the very least he might have something interesting to contribute to this thread.By the way, I cannot remember the last time I heard anyone calling it a scratchplate! :) Some people did used to, but I think that one is long gone...Cheers - C


Maybe Rob will pick up on this. On the nomenclature issue I appreciate the update. Thought there was a definite difference in usage on your side of the pond. As for the Guinness...have a pint on me and send me the check. Either that or find your way over here and I'll do the honors.8) 8)

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:32 pm
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ZZDoc wrote:
Ceri wrote:
Simplest thing would be to send the serial number to Rob Schwarz at Customer Services and ask him for the official sheet on your guitar.

OK Ceri.....Come down from the Guinness for a bit and re-read the post. There's NO ID. He thinks its may be one of those NAMM prototypes. Ya know....the clutch of guitars they build for the show. I've suggested he pull the neck and scratchplate [for Brits] and see if there's anything on the neck end or body routing he can refer to.


+1

By pulling the neck and examining the unfinished pocket it should be possible to determine the fibrous composition of the body (alder or ash).

But even lacking any definitive, visible ID markings or serial number, Rob may still be able to shed some light on the guitar's pedigree.

Arja

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:43 pm
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All wonderfully helpful! I'll take the scratchplate/pickguard/plectrum plate off and take a few more snaps.

The plectrum plate is made up.

Thanks for your help so far!


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:03 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
By pulling the neck and examining the unfinished pocket it should be possible to determine the fibrous composition of the body (alder or ash). But even lacking any definitive, visible ID markings or serial number, Rob may still be able to shed some light on the guitar's pedigree.Arjay

One can only hope. The folks at Fender haven't been all too pleased at the preserved content of their archived info. :twisted:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:44 pm
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Here we go; the neck is marked FEB 28 2002 and there are a few stamp markings on the neck pocket though they're hard to see.

The pots are true and of the correct age, as is the wiring, and there's an interesting 'COL' stamp in the middle pickup position...

http://s1148.photobucket.com/user/benjo ... ratocaster

I'm looking to sell it (sadly) and just want to verify everything before I do.

A photo I didn't take was of rear of the neck where lacquer cracks have started to appear - it's nitro for sure!

Thoughts welcome, and would love to hear from Rob!


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Sleuth required... Is this an early Mark Knopfler
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:22 pm
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Never seen a Fender with a neck pocket like that before.

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