Mark Knopfler, one of the most creative and iconic guitarists and musicians of recent decades, gave birth to a fabulous signature model in collaboration with Rudy Pensa and John Suhr, the MK1, designed on a tablecloth by Rudy Pensa and built for Mark Knopfler by John Suhr just before the tribute concert for Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday (in fact, in the last picture on this website, it’s Mark guitar that I am holding in my hands. I was able to plug and play that holly Pensa Suhr MK1). In short, since 1988, the MK1 has been a reference and an instrument that is recognizable among all. John Suhr, by settling in California and developing his company there, therefore perpetuated the manufacture of these MK1, but without authorization to use the name of the fabulous artist and the name of the model, property of Rudy Pensa…

This guitar is a fantastic instrument, and it is rare to see them new as Suhr is so slow to produce them. Ordered at the end of 2021, I had simply completely forgotten that this instrument was going to show up and never offered it for sale during the building process, and in August 2024, it is finally available in stock at Leadmusic. The premium two-piece mahogany body and one-piece super figured maple top are absolutely stunning. Such a one-piece Quilt Maple top is only from time to time available thru Suhr, as most Standard Carve Top MK1 are two-pieces and the few others seen with a one-piece maple are often dull and offer little figures and veins. This one we just got is crazy, really, this top is crazy!!! The mahogany body is hollowed out, and this chambered body design gives lightness for the instrument  and dynamics to the sound, which makes this guitar open, with warm mids and a very defined register and open and precise harmonics. A comfortable and fast maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard with Even C profile and radius of 10” to 14” complete this truly exceptional guitar. The marriage of all these woods and specifications results in an instrument with an absolutely perfect acoustic balance. We have everything: singing and clear mids, hyper precise and defined bass and round and soft treble, nothing aggressive as the sound spectrum, everything is balanced.

This instrument has Gold hardware and the famous blocked Floyd Rose that made the MK1 famous. Indeed, the Floyd is, from the factory, not usable as a vibrato but allows to have fine tuning on the right hand and offers a very comfortable and spacious resting surface for the right hand. It also brings mass to the bridge of the instrument, and thus to obtain a unique sound. Ingenious and super effective to leave this Floyd like this. This guitar has many sound possibilities, the key word is versatility. Thanks to its electronics, the Suhr Standard Carve Top allows all styles from jazz to metal. The electronics are really interesting, thanks to the EMG-85 and SA pickups and the Push-Pull tone pot engaging the SPC electronics, called “Strat Presence Control” and serving as a Boost.

And what about the Trans Caramel finish. This finish perfectly reveals the patterns of the splendid maple top and this instrument is absolutely perfect in every aspect of quality and finishes.