Mark Knopfler and his guitars

In 1984, Rudy Pensa started a cooperation with his new employee John Suhr who was working on his own guitars. Rudy and John started making guitars under Pensa-Suhr name. According to the book "The official guitar styles of Mark Knopfler - Volume 1", this is a 'prototype' Pensa-Suhr and the first guitar John Suhr built under the Pensa-Suhr name.

John Suhr contacted me in July 2011, mentioning that the guitar was made from Structural Foam, not wood on the body. It was an experiment and Mark liked it. And John corrected that it was not the first guitar that was built under the Pensa-Suhr name like the book mentions. It actually is a "R" Custom, see here a picture of the headstock. See here for a picture of it's original case.

Rudy Pensa sent this red custom prototype to Mark as a Christmas present, to AIR Studios Montserrat in December 1984, where Dire Straits were recording Brothers in arms. Along with his Pensa-Suhr MK-1, Knopfler used this guitar to record the song Heavy fuel. Knopfler used it on Two young lovers during the On every street world tour 1991-1992. Click here for a nice one from Australia 1991 and here for a nice one from Rotterdam 1992.

This guitar was auctioned at Christie's in London on 31st January 2024. It was sold for 113.400 Pounds.

	Brand	"R" Custom
	Type	Rudy Pensa by John Suhr
	Year	1984
	Serial number	A0909
	Additional info	John Suhr contacted me in July 2011, mentioning: "The "R" Custom" was built before we used Pensa-Suhr, it was never a "Pensa Guitar". I built and painted that one myself and did all the Synclaviar electronics." See here a picture of the headstock. This is probably the first guitar built for Mark by John Suhr. The guitar was used (it controlled a Synclaviar) on So far away on the Brothers in arms album. Also Mark used this guitar during the Brothers in arms 1985-1986 tour on Ride across the river and Why worry. Click here to see it's shipping case. Click here for a nice magazine cover featuring Mark with this guitar. And click here and here for some rare pictures of Mark with this guitar, on stage together with Bob Dylan, Melbourne, 19th February 1986. This guitar was auctioned at Christie's in London on 31st January 2024. It was sold for 277.200 Pounds.

	Brand	"R" Custom
	Type	Rudy Pensa by John Suhr - Prototype
	Year	1984
	Serial number	001
	Additional info	In 1984, Rudy Pensa started a cooperation with his new employee John Suhr who was working on his own guitars. Rudy and John started making guitars under Pensa-Suhr name. According to the book "The official guitar styles of Mark Knopfler - Volume 1", this is a 'prototype' Pensa-Suhr and the first guitar John Suhr built under the Pensa-Suhr name. John Suhr contacted me in July 2011, mentioning that the guitar was made from Structural Foam, not wood on the body. It was an experiment and Mark liked it. And John corrected that it was not the first guitar that was built under the Pensa-Suhr name like the book mentions. It actually is a "R" Custom, see here a picture of the headstock. See here for a picture of it's original case. Rudy Pensa sent this red custom prototype to Mark as a Christmas present, to AIR Studios Montserrat in December 1984, where Dire Straits were recording Brothers in arms. Along with his Pensa-Suhr MK-1, Knopfler used this guitar to record the song Heavy fuel. Knopfler used it on Two young lovers during the On every street world tour 1991-1992. Click here for a nice one from Australia 1991 and here for a nice one from Rotterdam 1992. This guitar was auctioned at Christie's in London on 31st January 2024. It was sold for 113.400 Pounds.