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  1. Guitars

Buy their sound: Mark Knopfler

News
By Jonathan Horsley ( Total Guitar ) published 13 April 2015

The guitars, the amps, the headbands...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

When Mark Knopfler was growing up, every kid wanted an electric guitar. Few owned one. The older kids at his school tried building their own in woodwork classes, and they all aspired to one design: the Fender Stratocaster.

Knopfler also wanted one, and he wanted a Fiesta Red Strat like The Shadows’ Hank Marvin had. His first electric was a 1962 Hofner Super Solid - in red. By 1978, Dire Straits were ready to record their debut LP and Knopfler finally owned a ’61 Strat. More importantly, he had a style all of his own.

There is a quiet magic to Mark Knopfler. His playing is approachable and accessible, familiar but somehow out of reach. You can hear The Shadows, JJ Cale, BB King and Chet Atkins in his playing, yet Knopfler’s sound and style is unmistakably his own. He is truly an auteur of tone. Few guitarists make better note choices, few phrase a lick better.

Eschewing a pick, Knopfler pinches at his strings, rolling back and forth on his volume pedal, and is in full control of his instrument’s range. He has used a Gretsch Chet Atkins, Gibson Les Pauls, Teles and his Pensa MKs, but he’s most definitely a Strat man. Old habits die hard.

Here we've put together two guitar/rig collections - as always, one budget and one blowout - that should get you close to nailing Knopf's tones...

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster

Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster

BUDGET: This Squier blows a lot of your budget but it’s well worth it for that vintage Strat tone.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Fender Champion 40 Combo

Fender Champion 40 Combo

BUDGET: With onboard effects and stacks of features, the Champion is an all-access pass to the Knopf’s mellow twang.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Boss FV-500H Volume Pedal

Boss FV-500H Volume Pedal

BUDGET: Volume and expression for less than £80. What’s not to like?

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Hoter Sportline Headband

Hoter Sportline Headband

BUDGET: Yeah, Knopfler sounds laid back, but he sweats like a demon. Buy in red or black, it’s your choice.

Total spend on budget rig: £535 / $672 (approx. based on web prices)

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Fender Classic Series '50s Stratocaster

Fender Classic Series '50s Stratocaster

BLOWOUT: Knopfler’s signature Strat is impossible to find, but this one gets you close to early Straits tones.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Fender Vibrolux Reverb

Fender Vibrolux Reverb

BLOWOUT: In the early Straits days, Knopfler used a brown Tolex-covered Vibrolux. This is a beautiful all-valve modern update on the classic.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Ernie Ball EB6180 Junior Volume Pedal

Ernie Ball EB6180 Junior Volume Pedal

BLOWOUT: A volume pedal is a vital part of Mark’s rig.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
MXR Carbon Copy Analogue Delay

MXR Carbon Copy Analogue Delay

BLOWOUT: Pound for pound, the Carbon Copy is one of the best delays on the market.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Deerskin Driving Gloves

Deerskin Driving Gloves

BLOWOUT: To play like The Knopf’, you need to drive like The Knopf’ (he’s finished in the Top 10 at Le Mans).

Total spend on blowout rig: £1,948 / $2,254 (approx. based on web prices)

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Jonathan Horsley
Jonathan Horsley

Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.

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Mark Speer of Khruangbin sits with his natural finish Fender Strat while Laura Lee holds her new signature Jazz Bass.
Fender unveils DiMarzio-loaded Strat and Jazz Bass for Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straights performs onstage in 1985 with his red Fender Stratocaster. He wears a dark suit and a burgundy shirt with an open collar.
How Mark Knopfler grew up wanting to be Jimi Hendrix until he ditched the pick and went fingerstyle
Kane Hibberd, the photographer behind the Scale exhibition in London, poses in front of his photographs – guitars features will include Kerry King of Slayer's BC Rich and Tom Morello's Arm The Homeless S-style.
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"I did everything wrong, but I think they’re perfect notes”: Mark Knopfler's favourite guitar solo
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A bare-chested Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin performs at Earl's Court, London, in 1975. Guitarist Jimmy Page plays his Gibson Les Paul Standard in the background.
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