On 20th April 2008, Mark Knopfler played in Oslo during the Kill to get Crimson tour. Řivin Fjeld presented Mark Knopfler with two short-scale G-Sharp guitars – one with a rosewood neck (see guitar below) and one with a maple neck. A third G-Sharp was presented to keyboardist Guy Fletcher.
On the official G-Sharp site, this can be read: In Guy Fletchers words: “I'm back at home from an evening with MK. He had a good play with the G# and thought it was excellent, especially the resonance and overall feel and build quality of the instrument.“
Knopfler told: 'Sometimes you’d be on tour
and the maker would bring guitars to the venue at soundcheck time in the
afternoon. I always try to see them, always try to play ‘em, and always give
‘em a fair shake because, you know, you realise what a thing you’ve taken on
if you want to build something, and build something well.'
Mark made several suggestions to improve the guitar. G-Sharp says: "It is
quite overwhelming having suggestions from a guitarist of his caliber on how
to improve my design (thank you very much, Mark Knopfler). The future will
show if customers are willing to pay a bit more to have these improvements.
I would, however, be more than pleased to make a Mark Knopfler signature
model including these features, should that be possible !!"
Click
here for some more pictures.
This guitar was auctioned at Christie's in London on 31st January 2024. It was sold for 11.970 Pounds.
