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Mark Knopfler's Pickups?


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^^^ [confused] ^^^

 

Nope why does everyone think he only plays Fenders. Knopfler plays LP's a lot of the time especially now and on his album with Emmy Lou Harris, I read somewhere that he owns numerous original Les Pauls and reissues but the most talked about are a 58 and a 59 burst with the original PAF's

 

His 58 has been a major player since the 90's and was played on Darling Pretty, Imelda, The Bug, No Can Do, Rudiger, Je Suis Desole, Calling Elvis, Cannibals, Brothers In Arms, Money For Nothing, The Long Highway, Water Of Love, Are We In Trouble Now, Going Home.

 

among others.

 

and one of his most well-known songs "Money for Nothing" is a Les Paul...

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^^^ [confused] ^^^

 

His 58 has been a major player since the 90's and was played on Darling Pretty' date=' Imelda, The Bug, No Can Do, Rudiger, Je Suis Desole, Calling Elvis, Cannibals, Brothers In Arms, Money For Nothing, The Long Highway, Water Of Love, Are We In Trouble Now, Going Home.

 

among others.

 

and one of his most well-known songs "Money for Nothing" is a Les Paul...[/quote']

 

 

Did not know that. I guess I only listened to that stuff and never saw him perform anything, so I assumed he was always finger pickin' that strat. I looked on youtube and there are actually a significant amount of videos with him playing a burst.

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Did not know that. I guess I only listened to that stuff and never saw him perform anything' date=' so I assumed he was always finger pickin' that strat. I looked on youtube and there are actually a significant amount of videos with him playing a burst. [/quote']

 

Les Paul,fingers not pick,wah pedal used for that throaty sound. Nice...

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I've seen him use lace sensors in the past as well. He's been using Pensa guitars lately, even though he's got that Fender signature. but I think the Fender guitar is mostly a tribute to him. He's too big and important of an artist for Fender to demand/bully him into using the signature guitar.

 

I've seen his Pensa guitars with Lindy Fralin pickups. I'd choose Fralin's over the Texas Specials at any rate.

 

 

 

However, one of my most favorite guitarists, Steve Lukather, said once (paraphrasing): "It doesn't matter what brand of guitar I use, I'll still end up sounding like me anyway."

 

I believe it. I've used about a dozen tube amps, probably two dozen electric guitars in my time. I've recorded with most of them. No matter what I'm using, my guitar tone is always consistent, always the same.

 

Tone comes from your fingers.

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To answer the question: the pickups in his 58 and 59 are supposedly the original pickups - no mods. He told me himself at the Prince's Trust concert at Hurlingham.

 

Knopfler plays a lot of guitars. He made his name on strats, but he doesn't use them a whole lot these days. He uses the 58 and 59 a lot in his shows. Probably more than any of his other guitars.

 

The Pensas were used a lot mid-late 90s. They've basically been retired. Lot's of diversity in his arsenal. For example, here's the list of guitars/amps from his last album:

 

1. Border Reiver - '54 blonde Tele Vibrolux / Gibson Southener acoustic

2. Hard Shoulder - Gretch 6120 - Tone King / Gibson Southerner acoustic

3. You Can’t Beat The House - '58 Les Paul - Fender Bassman

4. Before Gas & TV - '58 Gibson Les Paul - Marshall JTM45 / Gibson Advanced Jumbo

5. Monteleone - Monteleone Isabella

6. Cleaning My Gun - '58 Les Paul - Reinhardt / Burns double 6 - Vox AC15 / Gibson Southerner

7. The Car Was The One - '54 Strat - Vibrolux / Gibson Southerner acoustic / Gibson Mandolin

8. Remembrance Day - '54 Fender Strat - Fender Vibrolux / Gibson Advanced Jumbo acoustic

9. Get Lucky - (Steve Phillips) NS14 acoustic

10. So Far From The Clyde - '58 Les Paul - Marshall JTM45 also '54 Tele - Vibrolux

11. Piper To The End - Grosh - Reinhardt / Gibson Dove acoustic

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^^^ [confused] ^^^

 

Nope why does everyone think he only plays Fenders. Knopfler plays LP's a lot of the time especially now and on his album with Emmy Lou Harris' date=' I read somewhere that he owns numerous original Les Pauls and reissues but the most talked about are a 58 and a 59 burst with the original PAF's

 

His 58 has been a major player since the 90's and was played on Darling Pretty, Imelda, The Bug, No Can Do, Rudiger, Je Suis Desole, Calling Elvis, Cannibals, Brothers In Arms, Money For Nothing, The Long Highway, Water Of Love, Are We In Trouble Now, Going Home.

 

among others.

 

and one of his most well-known songs "Money for Nothing" is a Les Paul...[/quote']

"Money for Nothing" and "Brothers in Arms" were definitely played with a Les Paul but its not his '58 burst. he used his '84 Pre-Historic RI on those. he doesn't even own a burst at that time. he bought both his '58 and '59 bursts sometime around the mid-'90s.

lp84.jpg

gibsonlespaul79.jpg

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"Money for Nothing" and "Brothers in Arms" were definitely played with a Les Paul but its not his '58 burst. he used his '84 Pre-Historic RI on those. he doesn't even own a burst at that time. he bought both his '58 and '59 bursts sometime around the mid-'90s.

 

Yup. And he only payed a little over 1k for each of the bursts (or so he claims).

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