does mark knopfler tour anymore

Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 : Unforgettable Musical Journey Ahead

Mark Knopfler’s 2024 tour will feature a mix of his classic hits and new releases. Fans can expect a memorable experience with his talented band and iconic guitar skills.

Known for his captivating stage presence, Knopfler’s tour is sure to delight audiences worldwide. Mark Knopfler, the legendary musician and former lead guitarist of Dire Straits, has announced his highly anticipated 2024 tour. With a vast catalog of hits from his solo career and time with Dire Straits, the tour promises to be a treat for music enthusiasts.

Knopfler’s soulful voice and masterful guitar playing have made him a household name in the music industry. As he prepares to take the stage once again, fans can look forward to an unforgettable performance filled with timeless classics and new favorites. Stay tuned for ticket information and tour dates to catch Mark Knopfler live in 2024.

Credit: ultimateclassicrock.com

Mark Knopfler Tour 2024: Unforgettable Musical Journey Ahead

Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 promises an unforgettable musical journey for fans across the globe. The initial announcement and release of dates have created immense excitement among music enthusiasts. The tour will cover notable cities and venues, offering enthusiasts a chance to experience Knopfler’s iconic music live. Fans can look forward to special editions and unique experiences crafted exclusively for them, adding a touch of exclusivity to the tour. The tour aims to create a memorable and engaging experience for all attendees, providing an opportunity to immerse themselves in the essence of Knopfler’s music.

Anticipating Knopfler’s Setlist Magic

Mark Knopfler’s highly anticipated 2024 tour promises to deliver a mesmerizing blend of classics and new tracks, creating an electrifying experience for fans. With the potential for captivating collaborations and guest musicians, enthusiasts can expect an unforgettable performance. For devoted followers, the live setting holds immense significance , offering a unique connection to the music that transcends the studio recordings. Knopfler’s masterful setlist curation and the energy of the live audience are certain to ignite an unforgettable concert experience.

Behind The Scenes: Tour Preparations

Mark Knopfler’s upcoming tour in 2024 is being meticulously prepared behind the scenes. Rigorous rehearsals and stage design insights play a crucial role in ensuring a seamless and captivating performance. The technical crew’s contribution is invaluable, as they work diligently to create perfection in every aspect of the show. Additionally, Mark Knopfler’s personal preparation rituals offer a glimpse into the dedication and commitment required to deliver an unforgettable experience to his fans.

Tour Highlights And Must-sees

Mark Knopfler’s 2024 tour promises a lineup of electrifying performances that are not to be missed. Fans can look forward to unique tour merchandise that will make for unforgettable mementos. Additionally, there will be opportunities for meet-and-greets with Knopfler, granting an intimate experience with the legendary musician.

Embracing Local Cultures On Tour

Mark Knopfler’s 2024 tour is set to embrace local cultures, integrating local music influences into performances. This will be complemented by special charity initiatives and local partnerships, showcasing a commitment to engaging with fans across different cultures.

Frequently Asked Questions For Mark Knopfler Tour 2024

When will the mark knopfler tour 2024 tickets go on sale.

The Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 tickets will go on sale starting next month. Keep an eye out for the official announcement on the ticket sales date to secure your seats for this highly anticipated tour.

What Can Fans Expect From The Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 Concert?

Fans can expect an exhilarating musical journey as Mark Knopfler showcases his iconic guitar skills and performs timeless hits along with new material. The concert promises to deliver a memorable experience filled with superb musicianship and captivating melodies.

Where Will The Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 Be Held?

The Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 will traverse various cities and venues across the country, providing fans with ample opportunities to catch this legendary artist live. Stay tuned for the tour schedule to find out if Mark Knopfler will be performing in a city near you.

What Is The Significance Of The Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 For Music Enthusiasts?

The Mark Knopfler Tour 2024 is a rare chance for music enthusiasts to witness the brilliance of a living legend live on stage. This tour marks a momentous occasion for fans to immerse themselves in the timeless melodies and masterful performances by Mark Knopfler.

As Mark Knopfler’s 2024 tour comes to a close, fans can look back on a series of unforgettable performances. With his captivating guitar skills and soul-stirring vocals, Knopfler proved once again why he’s a music legend. The tour was a celebration of timeless music that left a lasting impression on all who attended.

Related Posts

Bad bunny concert tour 2022 live stream, date and locations, warped tour 2022 | live stream, date and tickets.

Mark Knopfler Verified

Similar artists on tour, mark knopfler merch.

Live Photos of Mark Knopfler

concerts and tour dates

Fan reviews.

About Mark Knopfler

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Deutsch Português
• Popular artists

Mark Knopfler  

• On tour: no
• Upcoming 2024 concerts: none

239,966 fans get concert alerts for this artist.

Join Songkick to track Mark Knopfler and get concert alerts when they play near you.

Find your next concert

Join 239,966 fans getting concert alerts for this artist

Similar artists with upcoming concerts

Tours most with, past concerts.

Madison Square Garden

Greek Theatre

Arizona Federal Theatre

View all past concerts

Mark Freuder Knopfler was born on August 12th 1949, in Glasgow, Scotland (UK). He is a rock and blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter.

Mark is well recognized for his role in band Dire Straits, who formed in 1977, where he was the lead guitarist and vocalist. The band broke up in 1995 where Mark decided to embark on various other projects. This includes being in other bands including, the ‘Notting Hillbillies’.

However, after the break up of Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler propelled straightforward into a solo career. In 1996 e released his debut album, titled, ‘Golden Heart’. Following the success of his debut album, Mark had a breakthrough in the year 2000 once he released his second album, named, ‘Sailing to Philadelphia’.

The Scottish artist impressively also collaborated with the likes of highly regarded singers, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Chet Atkins. Furthermore, the talented Mark also went on to produce various albums for singers comprising of, Tina Turner, Randy Newman, and Bob Dylan. In addition, he has scored the music to several films, including Local Hero, The Princess Bride, Comfort and Joy, Cal, Last Exit to Brooklyn and Wag the Dog.

The Glaswegian picked up great success and released further albums including, ‘The Ragpicker’s Dream’ in 2002 and ‘Shangri-La’ in 2004. A tour was to follow, however, unfortunately a motorcycle accident resulted in the tour being postponed for a whole year.

Mark Knopfler was positioned 27th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

Live reviews

Casa cheia no Estádio Municipal de Oeiras para o regresso de Mark Knopfler a Portugal em mais uma etapa do Festival EDPCoolJazz. Apesar de trazer um disco novo, o concerto foi bem distribuído pelos discos mais recentes a solo, ficando a segunda metade reservada para passagens gloriosas por alguns dos maiores hinos dos Dire Straits.

Depois de ter passado por Alvalade e Faro com os Dire Straits, Knopfler já visitou o Porto, Cascais, duas vezes o Pavilhão Atlântico e duas vezes o Campo Pequeno. O regresso foi em Oeiras onde deu o seu concerto em nome próprio com alinhamento mais equilibrado e bem conseguido. Visivelmente bem disposto, muito comunicativo e seguro que as escolhas musicais para esta digressão não desiludem nem fãs nem nostálgicos ocasionais.

Apesar de ter editado um novo disco recentemente, Mark já assinou mais discos a solo do que com os Dire Straits, o concerto não é focado em temas novos. A primeira metade da noite é dedicada a três canções de cada um dos seus dois últimos álbuns.

«Broken Bones» de «Tracker» abre da melhor maneira o alinhamento que segue com três músicas do penúltimo disco, o duplo «Privateering». «Corned Beef City», «Privateering» e «Hill Farmer's Blues». Uma sequência que mostra a excelência dos músicos que acompanham Mark, uma viagem por sons tão próximos do blues, folk e country como dos ambientes celtas pontuados por flautas ou gaitas de foles e violinos. Depois, volta a «Tracker» para tocar «Skydiver», onde mostrou empenho em ter a plateia a cantar consigo. Nunca tínhamos visto Knopfler tão orgulhoso de uma composição nova como esta noite. «Laughs and Jokes and Drinks and Smokes» fechou a viagem pelos dois registos mais recentes. Pelo meio não passou despercebida uma visita ao baú, uma maravilhosa recuperação instrumental de «Father and Son» recuperada da banda sonora de Cal de 1984.

Tempo para deliciar os fãs com arranque imediato para «Romeo and Juliet» e a sua guitarra prateada a luzir. Sem pausas e já com a guitarra vermelha e branca a terminar esta primeira passagem pelos Dire Straits, ataque ao hino «Sultans of Swing». Telemóveis ao alto, cabeças em baixo e algum air guitar para acompanhar o tema que deve ser um dos grandes responsáveis por Knopfler continuar a encher estádios em 2015.

O acompanhamento vocal do público às notas de saxofone em «Your Latest Trick» comprova o acerto da escolha do tema do célebre disco «Brothers in Arms».

Com o público conquistado, Mark Knopfler partia para as últimas três canções antes do encore. Promoveu duas músicas de discos a solo mais antigos que há muito pediam para figurar entre os grandes clássicos do guitarrista. «Postcards From Paraguay», do disco «Shangri-La», tem como introdução lenta a apresentação individual da banda. Em crescendo arranca para uma festa tropical instrumental própria de uma noite de verão.

Segue-se «Speedway at Nazareth», de «Sailing to Philadelfia», uma cavalgada instrumental poderosa que fica mesmo a pedir a entrada do épico «Telegraph Road», digno de fechar o alinhamento em grande estilo.

O encore foi mais um rebuçado para o nostálgicos, «So Far Away» em versão monocórdica e um final instrumental com o grandioso «Going Home: Theme From Local Hero».

Não houve «Brothers in Arms», nem «What it Is», presenças habituais em alinhamentos anteriores mas ficámos a ganhar com a interpretação de «Your Latest Trick» e «Telegraph Road» a soarem melhor que nunca. O mesmo já não podemos dizer de «Sultans of Swing» ou «So Far Away», por exemplo, a perderem pedalada com o passar do tempo, embora sempre dignas.

A caminho dos 66 anos, MarkKnopfler está impecável em palco e atingiu quase a perfeição na escolha equilibrada de um alinhamento onde se percebe que tem tantos clássicos a solo como aqueles que deixou nosDireStraits. Isto é proeza só ao alcance de alguns.

Report as inappropriate

Still a bit gobsmacked with how good Mark Knopfler and band were last night. It’s all a product of Mark’s brilliant songwriting, arrangement, playing, production, and most of all his imagination. Mark is a storyteller in the truest sense and he inhabits his characters to a depth not unlike Kate Bush or Tom Waits. I often feel like he understands American and world history better than most of the natives.

His band are monsters on their respective instruments, and in most cases that’s three or more instruments each. The tour lineup includes Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Glenn Worf (bass), Jim Cox (piano, organ, accordion), Ian Thomas (drums), John McCusker (violin, cittern), and Michael McGoldrick (whistles, uilleann pipes). Nigel Hitchcock (saxophone).

This band can cover any genre and create any dynamic. Majestic is a great old venue (I’m deliberately not talking about the seats), and the sound was excellent. High marks for the Dallas audience as they all seemed to be real Knopfler fans and not just the socialites that sometimes inundate these shows (not looking at you, ATT PAC).

Another really cool feature of this and the last few tours is that Mark offers the board recordings on little guitar shaped USB sticks a few months after the show. As this was a great performance (even according to Richard Bennett on his blog), this live recording should be a keeper.

There is something so wonderful about Mark Knopflers style of guitar playing. His style along with the tone of his guitar makes his music instantly recognisable.

A ‘Music Makers’ evening with Mark Knopfler was an amazing example of his talents. A tiny stage housed Mark and 5 other musicians. This was’t a conventional performance, it was laid back and personal. Very different to the stadium performances he used to do with Dire Straits. They started off with a simple instrumental before playing ‘Sailing To Philadelphia'. Then the story telling started, he told the audience about how he came to be a musician and how his musical talents evolved. Stories of his childhood made the audience smile and laugh and the performance of each song brought about a hearty applause.

He performed a range of songs and described what inspired them, he even gave the audience a little guitar lesson, showing how he created the riffs and gave an insight into the songwriting process.

He played big hits such as ‘Sultans of Swing,' Juliet’ and ‘Brothers In Arms’, as well as a number of folk tracks that he said were a big inspiration to him as he began as a musician. All in all it was a wonderful evening! The stories he told were Interesting, funny, and insightful and the performances of his songs were flawless.

It's always great expectations for a Mark Knopfler concert. He's been generating amazing music for a long time - it's hard to believe that it's been 37 years since "Sultans of Swing" and those fancy, memorable licks - and gone in more than a few interesting musical directions, from Dire Straits rock to Scottish country folk.

The show in Milwaukee on Wednesday night gave his fans a sample of his (and his band's) incredible versatility and four-decades long catalog.

(The set list is posted here: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/mark-knopfler/2015/riverside-theater-milwaukee-wi-3f43543.html).

His band has expanded to 8 members now. His introduction of bass player Glenn Worf (who grew up in Madison and attended UW-Eau Claire) drew a loud applause.

Mr. Knopfler's banter was funny and informative. In reference to Milwaukee being the home of Harley Davidson and his fondness for motorcycles, he announced he was "still growing up."

As expected, it was an evening of outstanding music, the eclectic mix chosen from an amazing career of innovation and creativity. It's not a stretch to say he remains one of the finest living guitarists.

Four time Grammy award winner Mark Knopfler OBE is one of Britain's most critically acclaimed artists having been awarded the Edison Award, the Steiger Award and the Ivor Novello Award. At the age of 65, he continues to tour globally to his loyal fan base.

Mark has enjoyed a successful solo career since the release of his debut album 'Golden Heart' in 1996 following the demise of Dire Straits. His set lists now accumulate his extensive solo work, a variety of Dire Strait's greatest hits and covers by his many collaborators such as Emmylou Harris and Chet Atkins.

The audience is delighted with a performance of 'I Dug Up a Diamond', Mark's track with Emmylou.

Part of the appeal of seeing Knopfler live is to witness his incredible guitar playing abilities, his fingers move at lightening pace during a Dire Straits cover 'Romeo and Juliet'. By a blistering finale of 'Our Shangri-La' the audience have been well and truly schooled as to why the artist has been awarded by so many esteemed organisations.

Since I am a gigantic Dire Straits fan, I really wanted to go to Mark Knopfler's concert, even though his new music isn't like his songs back from the Dire Straits time. I have to admit that some of his new songs weren't for me at all, but a few of them were cleverly made and give his bandmembers (and Mark himself of course) a wonderful chance to showcase their talents. Some of his bandmembers played up to 5 different instruments during the show!

I was also glad that he performed a few Dire Straits songs, including his legendary 'Sultans of Swing' with his infamous guitarsolo at the end.

All and all it was a fantastic show and I enjoyed very much, even though my cousin and I were pretty much the youngest fans out there with our fifteen years of age!

Mark Knopfler is obviously still really good at what he does and he found himself a band with members equally as talented as him!

This is the second time I've seen Mark Knopfler and both times he has been fantastic!

An evening with Mark makes a large venue feel like a pub gig due to his warm vibes and friendly banter. Over the course of his career, Mark has gained a reputation as one of the finest guitar players of all time and this shines alongside his world class band.

Together Mark and the band execute the latest songs with energy and precision, whilst his golden-oldies such as 'Sultans of Swing', 'Local Hero', 'So Far Away' and 'Telegraph Road' have been given a new, but fantastic lease of life due to the addition of folk instruments from the likes of John McCusker and Mike McGoldrick.

I can't recommend a Mark Knopfler gig enough to both old die-hard fans and new music lovers a like.

Mark Knopfler show was incredible. He is simply "in my opinion" the best guitarist, loved to see his hand gliding on the cords. He also as a great band and it was super that he let them have their own moment of glory during the show, so cool! I was very happy with his list of songs for the show, I know he said we could ask for a song but they will not give a damn and frankly it was not necessary as he made a great range of popular songs from Dire Strait time to now and all of My best songs were there Wouhou! Place des Arts Salle Wilfrid Pelletier is the best as it is not too big and everyone is close enough to see the band, and the sound was going strait to the heart, what a feeling. Great show to remember for a long time. Many Many thanks to Mark Knopfler and is band.

Mark Knopfler - Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 10/13/15

From the moment Mark and the band took the stage, musicianship stood center stage. Mark flowed through the setlist effortlessly covering new and old and even dipping into the far past with a couple of Dire Straits selection. His guitar prowess was front and center but the talents of the band members were highlighted throughout. Each musician played multiple instruments and flowed from jazz to rock to Celtic influences. The acoustic instrumentation was clear even at subdued volumes. If you were a Mark Knopfler fan you went away satisfied as Mark came out for two encores.

Great concert.

It's not Dire Straits but it's not meant to be. However he does indulge the audience with Romeo and Juliette, Sultans of Swing and a belter of a version of Telegraph Road. Some of the best and most effortless guitar play I have had the privilege to witness. The band are all extremely talented and provide great support to a great artist. If you want Dire Straits you are many years too late, if you want an outstanding guitarist having a good time and sharing it with a relatively small audience then you will have a great evening.

Posters (2)

Find out more about Mark Knopfler tour dates & tickets 2024-2025

Want to see Mark Knopfler in concert? Find information on all of Mark Knopfler’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

Unfortunately there are no concert dates for Mark Knopfler scheduled in 2024.

Songkick is the first to know of new tour announcements and concert information, so if your favorite artists are not currently on tour, join Songkick to track Mark Knopfler and get concert alerts when they play near you, like 239966 other Mark Knopfler fans.

Last concert:

Last concert near you:

Popularity ranking:

• Mark Knopfler (1702)
• Nathaniel Rateli... (1703)

Concerts played in 2024:

Touring history

Most played:

• London (52)
• Los Angeles (LA) (16)
• SF Bay Area (13)
• Seattle (12)
• New York (NYC) (12)

Appears most with:

• Bob Dylan (69)
• Pieta Brown (16)
• Emmylou Harris (13)
• Ruth Moody (9)
• Kate Walsh (8)

Distance travelled:

Similar artists

• Most popular charts
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.

• But we really hope you love us.

• Celebs News
• Latest Movie Reviews
• New Movie Trailers
• Film Photos and Posters
• Best Of Lists
• Movie Interviews
• TV Show Recaps
• TV Show Clips
• TV Interviews
• Music Photos
• Music Videos
• Music Artists – Album Details, Biographies and News
• Celeb Photos
• Celeb Videos
• Celebrity Interviews – Actors, Writers and Directors
• Celebrity Charities, Biographies, and Info
• Upcoming Book Releases and Book Reviews
• Sign in / Join

• Breaking News
• Music Artists - Album Details, Biographies and News

Mark Knopfler Announces North American Tour Dates

Mark Knopfler will be hitting the road this year for a 36 city North American tour in support of his new album, Tracker , coming out on March 17th. The tour will be kicking off on September 10th in Vancouver, hitting cities including LA, Dallas, and Chicago before finishing up in Fort Lauderdale on October 31st.

“Part of the fun is thinking what you might have a go at, for a new tour. For me, that’s part of the joy of it, getting that little crew together again, and setting sail once again. It’s a real adventure,” said Knopfler.

Tracker , Knopfler’s eighth solo album, was recorded at British Grove Studios in West London and features 11 new songs.

MARK KNOPFLER TOUR DATES

September 10 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre September 11-12 Woodinville, WA Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery September 13 Portland, OR Keller Auditorium September 16 Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace September 18 Berkeley, CA The Greek Theatre September 19 Los Angeles, CA The Dolby Theatre September 20 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl September 21 San Diego, CA Humphrey’s Concerts By the Bay September 23 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheater September 25 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater September 26 Dallas, TX The Majestic Theatre September 28 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland September 29 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre September 30 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater October 2 Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre October 3 Indianapolis, IN Old National Centre—Murat Theatre October 4 Ann Arbor, MI Michigan Theater October 6 Toronto, ON Massey Hall October 7 Montreal, QC Place Des Arts—Wilfrid Pelletier Theatre October 9 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre October 10 Mashantucket, CT Foxwoods Resort Casino—Grand Theater October 11 Albany, NY Palace Theater October 13 Pittsburgh, PA Heinz Hall October 14 Niagara Falls, ON Fallsview Casino Resort October 16 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre October 17 Philadelphia, PA Academy of Music October 18 Washington, DC Warner Theatre October 20 New York, NY Beacon Theatre October 22 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center October 24 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheater* October 25 North Charleston, SC North Charleston Performing Arts Center October 27 St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre October 28 Melbourne, FL King Center for the Performing Arts October 30 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall October 31 Fort Lauderdale, FL Broward Center for the Performing Arts

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

‘challengers’ review: zendaya, mike faist and josh o’connor sizzle, reba mcentire returns to host the 2024 acm awards, ‘the equalizer’ starring queen latifah renewed for season 5, ‘hundreds of beavers’ review: pure comedic gold, ‘swat’ season 7 episode 10 preview: photos, “snafu” promo and cast, lisa vanderpump takes on gordon ramsay in ‘food stars’.

Keep up to date with the Big Issue

The leading voice on life, politics, culture and social activism direct to your inbox.

Mark Knopfler: 'I've been tested, but the desire to make music has remained'

Sultan of swing Mark Knopfler talks the power of music, playing with his childhood icons and why he had to step back from Dire Straits in a Letter To My Younger Self

I remember at 16 sitting up all night trying to play the guitar, driving my poor parents nuts. They were begging me to go to bed, to stop banging my foot on the floor. In my head I had already left school, and I was playing guitar on stage. I was an optimistic kind of boy, I was always a glass half-full kind of person. I think I’d already started to think I could make a living out of the guitar. It’s what I always wanted to do. I was learning how to finger pick, I was playing at folk clubs, I was very excited by it all.   But I remember being frustrated as well, ’cos I couldn’t afford an amplifier. I didn’t have the nerve to ask my dad for one ’cos he’d already forked out for a guitar.

I was reasonably close with both of my parents, but I wanted to get the hell out of the house and get started . I wanted to get a band together, start touring. In the end it actually took quite a long time. The thing is, I didn’t see myself as a songwriter, just a guitarist. So it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I slowly started to write songs. It’s quite a realisation, that you could be a songwriter – it marks you out from other musicians in a way. As far as being a singer – oh god, I still can’t stand the sound of my own voice! I think I’ve just started to live with it. Mind you, it’s improved from the mid-Nineties, when I was still smoking. I sounded like a dying animal then.

I’ve got to such a decrepit state that playing anything fast just worries me now. As I’ve got older I’ve listened to a lot of different stuff, people like Chet Baker and all the rest of them. And that does influence you. So I’ve done a lot of slower songs on my new album. I think they’re more fitting for a man of my advancing years.

When you play with people like Bob Dylan or Randy Newman you connect with your childhood

There’s a song on the album, Matchstick Man, which describes me looking down on a vision of my young self setting off on his adventure. It’s a real memory – it was Christmas Day, it was snowing, and I was trying to get home. And I still had a long way to go. It was a moment when I was saying to myself, well, this is what you’ve chosen to do. You take the good and the bad. There are times when I’ve been tested but the desire has remained. The love for the guitars, and for the music.

In 1965 the year Mark turns 16…

• The Beatles play Shea Stadium
• Edward Heath becomes Tory leader
• Tom and Jerry make their TV debut

I really have managed to make a few dreams come true. And I mean childhood dreams, childish dreams. Like playing with people like Bob Dylan or Randy Newman. When you do that you connect with your childhood. I remember being very excited to see Van Morrison in Newcastle when I was 18 and thinking maybe I was getting good enough to play with a band like that. And I decided to give it a real shot. Then one day later I found myself in a band with the Everly Brothers. And they were playing a song I’d written. When I was a kid I idolised the Everly Brothers. I thought, wow, my goodness me, who would have thought? Or to be at Bob Dylan’s house in Santa Monica, in his office, running down songs for an album, then going to record with him. I was still officially living in my council flat in Deptford when I did that. It’s been phenomenal.

With Dire Straits, the scale of it all got too much and I had to step back. [After the worldwide success 1985 album Brothers In Arms and the subsequent world tour the group initially disbanded in 1988; they reunited before splitting for good in 1992 following the shows which followed their final album On Every Street ]. I needed to get things back in proportion, and get my sanity back. All I really cared about was writing better songs. Don’t get me wrong, success was what I wanted and I tried to get it. But then it got so big that I didn’t recognise half the crew. They were putting all these extra stages up at these vast gigs and I just didn’t connect to it any more. If I was going on the road now, I wouldn’t take more than about 11 people. When you do these big long tours an element of ritual kicks in as well. You’re going through the motions. I want it to mean something every single time I play it. But I love playing the old songs, don’t get me wrong. They mean a lot to people. For some people there’s one song that made them buy the ticket.

I love Local Hero . [Knopfler wrote the score for the 1983 Bill Forsyth film]. It makes me emotional. I’ve written new songs for the stage play [which premieres at the Edinburgh Lyceum next March] but the music from the film is still there too. The play is going to start quite low key in Edinburgh then work its way up to a bigger opening, where it will appear, like a Scottish fairy godmother, on a grand stage. Whenever I’ve been at a read through and when the actors get to the end I get emotional. Does it end with the sound of a phone ringing out across the theatre? I’m not telling you.

If I could go back to relive any moment, it would about 20 years ago, after a gig, walking down a corridor. This guy was coming the other way and he stopped me. He said, “I want to tell you – I was suicidal tonight. But my mates came round and dragged me out to this concert. I just want you to know, I’m going to go on.” I thanked him, and I walked on and I felt fantastic. I felt I’d done some good in the world. That’s the power of music.

Mark Knopfler’s new album  Down The Road Wherever  is out now.

Image: Joby Sessions/Guitarist Magazine

• Letter To My Younger Self

Support the Big Issue

Recommended for you

'I've done awful things – but I try to be better': Nadine Shah on addiction, getting it wrong and forgiveness

Olly Murs on mental health and losing Caroline Flack: 'She visits me in my dreams – it's lovely'

Labi Siffre: 'I've had far more difficulties in my life due to being a homosexual than being Black'

'When I was mentally ill, I could only listen to hard techno': Why is music so important to us?

Most popular.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know

Get our free pet archive magazine special.

Former Dire Straits Members Unite as ‘Dire Straits Legacy’ for U.S. Tour

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

As Mark Knopfler proved this year by not even showing up  when his band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Dire Straits are never, ever getting back together. However, that’s not stopping past members, including keyboardist Alan Clark, percussionist Danny Cummings, saxophonist Mel Collins and guitarist Phil Palmer, from hitting the road in late September for a tour under the banner DSL Dire Straits Legacy. The group will be joined by Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone and the Buggles’ Trevor Horn on bass along with Marco Caviglia on vocals and Primiano DiBiase on keyboards.

“The DSL Dire Straits Legacy project was born from our love and respect for the music of Dire Straits, and to bring the music to fans who have been starved of hearing it played live by the musicians who made it, for far too long,” Clark and Collins said in a statement. “Now, after many requests, we’re coming to the US! Along with all the Dire Straits hits, we’ll also be playing one or two songs from our new album 3 Chord Trick , and a couple of other tunes we’ve been involved with. See you there!”

Former members of Dire Straits have toured together in recent years under various names, including the Straits, but this is the first time they’ve come to North America. Their South American tour earlier in the year was packed with Dire Straits classics like “Walk of Life,” “Money For Nothing” and “Romeo & Juliet.”

Editor’s picks

The 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history, every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term.

None of this has sat well with bassist John Illsley, the only member of Dire Straits besides Knopfler to endure through every incarnation of the group.   “I said to them, ‘If you’re going to do it, will you please call it something else,'” he told Rolling Stone last year , referring to their incarnation as the Straits. “‘It would be like some people coming together and calling themselves the Stones or the Floyd. You can’t really do that. You were members of the band for a while, but you don’t own the name. You have no ownership. Can you please it call it something else? Call it what it is, which is basically a tribute act.’ There’s a lot of tribute acts. That’s what happens when there’s a vacuum. You just have to accept that, but I found it very difficult. It didn’t last very long.”

Billie Eilish Would Like to Reintroduce Herself

Kanye west announces 'yeezy porn' amid reports of adult film company, meet the girthmaster, the onlyfans creator who makes up to $80,000 per month, neil young stuns at 2024 tour launch, unveils lost 'cortez the killer' verse.

It’s unclear if Illsley is satisfied now that they are called DSL Dire Straits Legacy, but the addition of Horn to the lineup does pose some intriguing questions regarding the setlist, especially since they pledged to play “a couple of other tunes we’ve been involved with.” As the frontman of the Buggles, Horn was the lead vocalist on their classic “Video Killed The Radio Star.” He also fronted Yes for their 1980 LP Drama . And with Ferrone in the lineup, there could potentially be a show that features Tom Petty’s “You Wreck Me,” Yes’ “Machine Messiah” and “Video Killed The Radio Star” in addition to all the Dire Straits tunes. As weird as that sounds, we now live in a world where Vince Gill is in the Eagles and Neil Finn is touring with Fleetwood Mac .

As Knopfler and Illsley would be the first to point out, many members of DSL Dire Straits Legacy had very brief tenures in Dire Straits: Mel Collins, best known for his work in King Crimson, didn’t play on any studio albums and was only around for the 1982/83 Love Over Gold tour. Danny Cummings and Phil Palmer only contributed to 1991’s On Every Street and its supporting tour. Alan Clark had, by far, the longest stint in the Dire Straits, playing with them from 1980 until the final show in 1992.

DSL Dire Straits Legacy Tour Dates

September 26 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern September 28 – Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center September 29 – St. Charles, MO @ Family Arena October 2 – St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre October 4 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse October 5 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Mahaffey Theater October 6 – Westbury, NY @ NYCB Theater At Westbury

Normani Unleashes First ‘Dopamine’ Single ‘1:59’ Featuring Gunna

• By Charisma Madarang

Elle King Cuts Loose on Her 'Baby Daddy's Weekend' in New Song

• 'Raise a Cup'
• By Kory Grow

Belinda Continues Her Bélica Rebrand With Natanael Cano Collab

• Corrido Coqueto
• By Tomás Mier

Santa Fe Klan Introduces Rich the Kid to His 'Música de Barrio' on New Collab 'Plomo'

After more than two decades in reggaeton, wisin is feeling more adventurous than ever.

• LLEGÓ EL FRONTÚ
• By Juan J. Arroyo

Most Popular

Anne hathaway says 'gross' chemistry test in the 2000s required her to make out with 10 guys: that's the 'worst way to do it' and 'now we know better', 'the lord of the rings' trilogy returning to theaters, remastered and extended, sources claim hugh jackman’s worrying behavior may have something to do with his breakup, first queen elizabeth ii memorial statue unveiled, with a smile and three corgis, in england, you might also like, kid cudi breaks foot after attempting to jump off coachella stage, dua lipa delivers coquette glamour in custom chanel lace dress at time 100 gala 2024, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, andrew ahn to direct ‘reimagining’ of ‘the wedding banquet’ starring lily gladstone and bowen yang, ncaa names nil registry partner after five-year process.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

By Signing up you are agreeing with our Terms and Privacy Policy .

Don't have an account?   Sign up

Sign in/Register

Forgot your password?

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Feedback is welcome

• Mark Knopfler announces retirement in Barcelona

Related Topics

• Entertainment

You may also be interested in ...

• Property for sale in Barcelona
• Property for rent in Barcelona
• Businesses & Services in Barcelona

More News & Information

IF YOU'RE in the Comunidad Valenciana any time between now and the early hours of March 20, you may notice an awful lot of noise and colour on the streets. It's the season for the region's biggest festival,...

SIGOURNEY Weaver and survivors of a South American plane crash took centre stage at Spain's answer to the Oscars this week, the Goya Awards – and one film netted 12 prizes out of its 13 nominations.

BRUCE'The Boss' Springsteen and The E-Street Band are heading to Spain next spring, and tickets have gone on sale today (Tuesday).

A HOLLYWOOD legend joining folk-dancers from Asturias and showing off her fancy footwork in the street is not a scene your average Oviedo resident witnesses during his or her weekly shop. Even though their northern...

• Barcelona province
• Costa Maresme
• Barcelona city

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Credit card rates
• Balance transfer credit cards
• Business credit cards
• Cash back credit cards
• Rewards credit cards
• Travel credit cards
• Checking accounts
• Online checking accounts
• High-yield savings accounts
• Money market accounts
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Car insurance
• Home buying
• Options pit
• Investment ideas
• Research reports
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Mark Knopfler's latest album is all guitars, stories and warmth

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Mark Knopfler usually keeps a low profile in public. Yet, the former Dire Straits frontman never fails to cause a buzz when a live gig or event is on the cards. The same was true in February, when 120 of his guitars were auctioned at Christie’s in London and fetched more than $10 million.

Naturally, Knopfler did not part with all of his precious guitars as many still feature on his brand-new album "One Deep River" and some new guitars as well.

His last album "Down The Road Wherever" was released in 2018, and his last concert was four and a half years ago. Although Knopfler, 74, has been yearning to perform again, he’s in no hurry.

"I'm in a privileged position with the studio and when you own a studio they can't really throw you out," he told dpa in an interview in his British Grove studio in West London.

Knopfler has no shortage of ideas for songs. On the contrary: “I have too many songs, and I had way too many songs. I can't remember how many songs. I can't remember how many songs we recorded. Maybe 25 or 30. I don't know. I really can't remember. But it was certainly too many." About a dozen of those bright ideas turned songs now feature on his tenth album “One Deep River”. And more songs will be released later on an EP.

Knopfler co-produced the LP with Guy Fletcher , his former Dire Straits bandmate and long-time collaborator and friend. "Guy and I can slip in and work and I don't need to have the band sessions. But I have to say the band sessions when I have them...they really are the high point for everybody."

Talking about his studio sessions, the otherwise soft-spoken Knopfler brightens up and his eyes shine: "You do really feel privileged. And you've got the room, you’ve got a man in every corner and it's phenomenal."

Then he stands up all of a sudden and shows off his beloved studio and some of the historic equipment, including an EMI Redd mixing desk like the Beatles once used. He points to the original console that Paul McCartney and Wings once used to record their album "Band On The Run". The tour lasts 10 minutes and Knopfler's passion for music and recording technology is palpable.

Born in Glasgow, Knopfler grew up in Blyth near Newcastle-upon-Tyne which has brought forth music greats like Hank Marvin , Eric Burdon, Sting und AC/DC singer Brian Johnson. The cover of "One Deep River" features the famous arched bridge over the Tyne river.

"I think the feeling of crossing the Tyne has become symbolic to me. I think that the whole idea of leaving provincial England and going to live in London or New York or both, that’s stepping out," says Knopfler, whose childhood as a Geordie - the name for people from Tyneside - has left its mark.

Yet staying was not an option for Knopfler, who now lives in London. "Last night, I saw a couple of friends from Newcastle," he says. "They know every inch of it and every pothole and they’ll never leave. They’re homeboys. And that’s not me."

After such a long time, Knopfler's new music sounds pleasantly familiar. His distinctive guitar playing and warm, gentle baritone voice characteristic of hits like "Sultans Of Swing" or "Brothers In Arms" still resonate. The new songs are light-hearted, almost dulcet and full of melancholy, nostalgia and wanderlust. In "Before My Train Comes" he sings: "That’s my train coming, I can hear the whistle blow'," accompanied by a gentle slide guitar.

In other songs like "Two Pairs Of Hands" and "Ahead Of The Game", Knopfler sings of playing in a band, working in a scrapyard in "Scavenger's Yard" and the 1923 Oregon railway robbery in "Tunnel 13". Knopfler's signature mix of blues, folk, country and rock 'n' roll and a strong Americana influence is audible. The highlights include the ballad "Sweeter Than The Rain" and is reminiscent of the great Johnny Cash.

Knopfler's childhood passion for guitars, sparked by Hank Marvin and his band "The Shadows", is as vibrant as ever. His new album also features brand new instruments. "I found one little guitar in that (Christie’s) lot that ended up being on four or five songs on the new album." Even though he has parted with a considerable part of his huge collection, he will continue collecting guitars.

"The same thing starts happening. It never stops."

Recommended Stories

Nba playoffs: joel embiid, reportedly with a mild case of bell's palsy, scores 50 to lead 76ers past knicks in game 3.

Joel Embiid dropped 50 points on Thursday night, but he easily could have drawn an ejection for this play early.

NFL Draft: Packers fan upset with team's 1st pick, and Lions fans hilariously rubbed it in

Not everyone was thrilled with their team's draft on Thursday night.

NFL Draft: 'All-in' Cowboys trade down with Lions, select Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton

The Cowboys will now select No. 29 in the first round instead of 24th.

NFL Draft fashion: Caleb Williams, Malik Nabers dressed to impress, but Marvin Harrison Jr.'s medallion stole the show

Every player was dressed to impress at the 2024 NFL Draft.

Defense startup True Anomaly lays off around 25%, cancels summer internship

Space and defense startup True Anomaly has laid off around 25% of its workforce and canceled its summer internship program, TechCrunch has learned. While TechCrunch could not confirm the total headcount prior to these layoffs, True Anomaly had over 100 employees as of December 2023, it told the Denver Business Journal. Nearly 30 people were cut from the workforce, according to a post on LinkedIn from one of the people let go. At least some interns were abruptly told the summer internship program was canceled last Friday, on April 19, as well.

Eagles, wide receiver A.J. Brown agree to 3-year, $96 million contract extension

A.J. Brown is set to make $32 million per season, which will make him the highest paid wide receiver in NFL history.

Reggie Bush celebrates return of Heisman Trophy, calls out NCAA with defamation suit still pending: 'I never once cheated'

Reggie Bush took a victory lap at the Los Angeles Coliseum Thursday while delivering a message to the NCAA.

This 2-in-1 air filter and aromatherapy diffuser is my secret weapon against pet odors, and it's $30 (that's 50% off)

Over 5,500 Amazon shoppers agree: This purifying gadget can turn the tide on wet dog smell.

NFL Draft 2024 first round recap: Caleb Williams leads six QBs picked in record offensive first round

Round 1 is here in Detroit. Stay updated with Yahoo Sports.

Boeing's Starliner set to fly astronauts for the first time on May 6

Boeing’s Starliner is a go for launch. Leaders from NASA and Boeing told reporters that the first crewed Starliner mission, which will see the capsule carry two astronauts to the International Space Station, is moving ahead toward its historic May 6 launch date. NASA and Boeing concluded that the capsule is ready for launch after completing a critical flight test review on Thursday.

Accessibility Links

Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler: ‘Our hits didn’t all come out the way I wanted’

The musician talks about giving up touring, his ‘patient wife’ and the time he got bored listening to his own song.

‘T here’s music,” Mark Knopfler says, “and there’s the music business. They’re two separate things. You have to realise that and come to terms with it. But you can’t get too precious about it.”

That’s quite an admission from the guitarist, who always put his music first and for decades enjoyed a showbiz profile like that of the average hermit — he split up Dire Straits in the mid-1990s essentially because they had become so big he no longer knew the band’s roadies by name.

Yet, at 74, Knopfler has been flirting with the spotlight again. First, there was the January auction of more than 120 of his guitars, which raised £8.8 million at Christie’s. Last month there was an all-star version of his Local Hero

Related articles

Home » Guitarists » Mark Knopfler Guitars and Gear List (2024 Update)

Mark Knopfler Guitars and Gear List (2024 Update)

As a guitarist, Mark Knopfler is truly a virtuoso of the instrument. But also as a singer-songwriter, his unique take on country and folk sparked the stratospheric rise of Dire Straits. A four-time Grammy winner, he maintained the band’s success even when his music taste shifted. His music transcends both new wave and pub rock, and will forever remain timeless.

Mark has sold more than 120 million records worldwide as a solo artist and with Dire Straits. Rolling Stone even ranked him as the 27th greatest guitarist ever, and he was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a craftsman, he is unrivaled, able to tap into rock’s historical ancestry and mold it into often bizarre shapes. Publications such as Classic Rock Magazine and Skin Magazine have described Mark as a virtuoso and the most lyrical rock guitarist out there.

What Kind of Guitar Does Mark Knopfler Play?

Mark Knopfler is most known for playing Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul Standard guitars. He has also used many other guitars throughout different stages of his career, and he is known to have a large collection of vintage and rare guitars from various manufacturers.

See the full list of Mark Knopfler guitars and gear below.

Fender Stratocaster Mark Knopfler Signature

The Mark Knopfler Signature Strat is built around a Fender Comfort Contoured ’57 guitar body. He had the model made to his specifications, with an ash body and an Indian rosewood fingerboard hoping to improve the sustain from his previously owned Stratocasters

Fender released the Mark Knopfler Signature Stratocaster in 2003. It was officially only available in one color: Hot Rod Red. However, the original production run was in a different color and did not resemble Mark Knopfler’s famed red 1961 Strat but was much deeper. The Hot Rod Red edition eventually superseded the darker version.

Three Texas Special single-coil pickups and a five-way switch give the Fender Mark Knopfler Stratocaster its distinct tone. This scorching beauty also comes with Fender/Gotoh vintage tuners and an American vintage tremolo system. He primarily plays this guitar when he is on the road, and is often his main go-to along with his vintage Les Paul catalog, according to the man himself, each serves an entirely different purpose.

1983 Gibson Les Paul Standard Reissue ’59

Mark’s Les Paul Standard model has a one-piece mahogany body with an excellent two-piece flamed maple top in cherry sunburst and two Gibson ‘Shaw’ humbuckers, most likely. In 1984, Mark purchased this 1983 Gibson Les Paul Standard from Rudy Pensa.

According to one of Mark’s interviews, he couldn’t afford to buy one from the “classic years” at the time, so he waited until the 1970s to get a reprint. Mark recorded songs like ‘Brothers In Arms’ and ‘Money for Nothing’ like the other Gibson SG models used in this Gibson standard. He also flaunted this majestic ax quite a bit like the other Gibson SG models while on tour.

It seems like it is still not confirmed whether or not this guitar is the 1970s or 1980s Les Paul. Its serial number appears to be #90006, indicating that it was part of the first batch of ’59 Les Paul Flametop reissues produced in 1983. Since most signs lead to the 1980s, Mark was most likely misquoted or made a blunder when he said he acquired the guitar in the 1970s.

1961 Fender Stratocaster

Mark purchased the Stratocaster before the debut of Dire Straits’ first album in 1978. It was Mark’s first Fender Stratocaster, and it was most likely used on the demo tape and possibly the album version of ‘Sultans of Swing’.

Mark had the original paint taken off the guitar when he bought it, so he had it repainted in red to look like Hank Marvin’s red Strat, which is one of his dream guitars. This Strat previously boasted DiMarzio FS-1 pickups which were later replaced with original Strat pickups in the ’90s.

Mark played this guitar for the album’s recording and as a backup for his maple-necked Strat. He began to use this instrument more frequently than the maple Strat in 1979, but by the mid-1980s, he had determined that it was best to keep the guitar safe at his home for obvious sentimental reasons.

1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard

The 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard is Mark’s first vintage Les Paul which he purchased in the mid-’90s, and it swiftly supplanted his 1980s reissue, which he used on the Brothers in Arms album. This version of Les Paul has an almost entirely faded cherry-red sunburst finish on a slightly figured maple top. It was manufactured during what is commonly referred to as Gibson’s golden era.

It is one of the first models to have a sunburst finish, which replaced the standard gold-top finish released in July 1958. It also has the original 1958 Gibson PAF pickups in both the neck and bridge positions.

Mark loves to play this guitar live a lot, even more than his other 1959 Les Paul. This Les Paul has often been considered Mark’s most desirable Les Paul model . He initially used it on tour to support his solo album Golden Heart, published in 1996. Other albums where you can hear this guitar include ‘Sailing to Philadelphia’, ‘Shangri La’, ‘Kill to Get Crimson’, ‘Get lucky’, and ‘Privateering’.

1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard

The 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard is Mark’s second vintage, Les Paul. It’s unclear when he purchased this instrument, but it appears to have been about the same time as his other Les Paul, in the mid to late 1990s.

It’s easy to confuse this 1959 Les Paul with his 1958 Les Paul because they both have the same cherry red sunburst finish, but this one has a much less soft finish, making it easier to tell them apart.

Like its predecessor (the 1958’s Les Paul), this model features a mahogany body with a maple top and a rosewood fretboard. It is also scarce and expensive. As a bonus, it has the original 1959 Gibson PAF pickups stored inside as well.

This Les Paul is usually used by Marl on tours as a backup guitar for his ’58 Les Paul. While performing ‘Song for Sonny Liston’ and ‘Why aye man, he played it live.

1954 Fender Stratocaster

Mark received the 1954 Fender Stratocaster as a gift from English singer-songwriter Paul Kennerly in the 1990s. This is the 59th Stratocaster ever built, according to the manufacturer The original 1954 Fender Strat pickups are housed in this Fender Stratocaster, with an ash body and a one-piece maple neck. Heavier strings have always been Mark’s preference for this Strat. This gem always has 012 gauge wound strings, and, astonishingly, he plays it with a pick.

Mark utilized it to record songs such as ‘I’m The Fool’ from the 1996 album ‘Golden Heart’, “The Fish and the Bird” from ‘Kill to Get Crimson, and ‘I Used to Could’ from ‘Privateering’.

1962 Hofner Super Solid V2

Mark’s father purchased this guitar for him for just 50 pounds when he was 15 years old in 1964. It was his first guitar, and he couldn’t afford an amplifier at the moment, so he tried to play it through a family radio instead, which blew up.

The Hofner super solid V2 is a 1962 model with a stunning and slightly shiny crimson finish. It comes with two type-510 ‘Diamond Logo’ pickups and celluloid strip fretboard inlays. Even though the instrument was neither particularly unusual nor expensive, it assisted Mark in his early days as a guitarist.

Even though Mark has had this instrument for more than 50 years, he still owns it and takes great care of it. He definitely has a special attachment to it.

1960s Gibson SG Custom

The Gibson SG Custom from the 1960s is one of the finest models in the Gibson SG line. It has three Gibson humbuckers that are all gold-plated. It boasts a mahogany body and a split-diamond headstock inlay, giving it a very regal appearance.

This SG Custom model, too, has two volume and tone controls and a three-way switch like the other Gibson SG models. Each of the three humbucking pickups is the same as the one found in the SG Standard.

During the ‘Love over Gold’ tour in 1982-1983, Mark Knopfler used this guitar for ‘Two Young Lovers’. According to a Facebook post, this was indeed Hal Lindes’ guitar, which Hal confirmed.

1959 Gibson ES-335TDN

The ’59 Gibson ES 335 was featured on the album’s booklet in 2000, “Sailing to Philadelphia.” Mark used this guitar on the album’s song ‘Baloney again.’ It was also captured on camera at Mark Knopfler’s studio.

Mark’s Gibson ES 335 boasts a lovely blonde finish and an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge, which was unusual at the time. It came with the standard Gibson PAF pickups. This guitar, according to Mark, has a good, fat neck that he enjoys and is at ease with.

Mark also used this guitar on some of the album ‘Kill to Get Crimson’ songs.

1953 Gibson Custom Super 400 CES

Rare and pricey, the 1953 Gibson Custom Super 400 CES had just a handful of owners all over the world. This magnificent guitar features a blonde finish, an archtop shape, and two Alnico V pickups of the highest quality.

When opposed to prior models, Mark’s Custom Super 400 has a thicker top to prevent feedback. and was built in 1953. During the 1990 UK tour of ‘The Notting Hillbillies,’ the guitar was used by Mark for the first time while performing ‘Run me down’.

Mark used this to record the song ‘Fade to Black’ on the album ‘On Every Street’ and perform ‘Your latest trick’ during the ‘On Every Street’ world tour. The beauty reappeared again for the last time in 2004 when Mark utilized it to perform ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’ and ‘Baby Let’s Play House’ at an Elvis Presley tribute performance.

1962 Fender Stratocaster

Mark bought his second Fender Stratocaster somewhere in the mid to late 1970s. The guitar was built in the early 1960s, and it was a Japanese copy with a maple neck, which was unique at the time.

The 1962 Fender Stratocaster has a 2-piece select alder body that delivers a great tone and a classic look. The hand-wound single-coil Strat pickups provide a classic Strat tone that fits Mark’s style perfectly. In 1982, John Suhr dismantled Mark’s maple Strat, noticing all the imperfections, and replaced the original neck with a Schecter one-piece maple neck.

Mark quit playing his Strat soon after, possibly because he discovered it wasn’t real, and switched to Schecters and other guitars. However, it was purportedly sold at an auction for a good cause.

1969 Fender Telecaster Thinline

The 1969 Fender Telecaster Thinline originally belonged to David Knopfler, but Mark used it as a slide guitar in the early days for ‘Water of Love’. The instrument started as a Telecaster Thinline with body cavities, which Mark’s friend Steve Phillips later changed by filling in the f-holes and painting the whole thing black.

This guitar was built to resemble Mark’s Thinline black telecaster in tone and feel. It has a mahogany body with a maple neck, two regular Telecaster single-coil pickups, and a mahogany body. This instrument is incredibly resonant because of its small weight, making it suitable for the slide guitar methods that Mark wanted to try.

On all early Dire Straits live recordings, you can hear this guitar. Mark played it on the song ‘Water of Love,’ and David Knopfler, who still owns it, played it on songs like ‘Wild West End’ and ‘Les Boys.’

1980 Schecter Dream Machine Stratocaster Red

This guitar, along with a couple of other Schecters, was acquired by Mark in the early 1980s from Rudy Music Stop in New York. At the time, Mark was searching for a guitar to replace his 1962 Stratocaster. Coincidentally, a Schecter guitar that his girlfriend owned attracted him.

This Schecter was initially equipped with three black Schecter F500T pickups, but after a few months, they appear to have been changed with Seymour Duncans. It features a premium mahogany body with a birds-eye one-piece maple neck. The metallic red finish offers a striking presence that stands out.

Mark used this guitar from 1980 to 1987, when he converted to Pensa-Suhr guitars. However, he did play it on occasion in the 1990s. It was also seen at two of Dire Straits’ most memorable concerts, Alchemy Live in 1983 and Live Aid in 1985.

1980 Schecter Dream Machine Stratocaster

During the 1980s, this was Mark’s second-most-used Schecter out of two almost similar sunburst Schecters, one of which was stolen in the early 1980s and replaced by the other.

The Schecter had a sunburst finish and three Schecter F500T pickups, and a brass pickguard. It features a one-piece ash body with a birds-eye one-piece maple neck. The original Schecter that was stolen had dot inlays on the neck and the jack socket on the front of the body. However, the second had no inlays and the jack plate on the side.

Mark used the first Schecter for the album “Making Movies” in 1980, but it was stolen, and he used the second one alongside his red Schecter main until roughly 1986, solely for the song “Tunnel of Love.” He eventually sold the instrument at an auction in 2004 and donated the proceeds to Eric Clapton’s Antigua Crossroads Centre.

1984 Schecter Telecaster

The vermillion red finish on Mark’s Schecter Telecaster is accented by a white pickguard along the body’s top edge. The body is built of fine alder, with a maple neck and rosewood fretboard, which provides a premium feel.

The Schecter F500T pickups are featured in it, and they are so responsive and expressive that they are at the top of the shelf when it comes to pickups from that era.

Mark bought the 1984 Schecter Tele in the 1980s and used it for the first time on the 1984 soundtrack album ‘Cal’. He then utilized it in the video for ‘Walk of Life’. He is still the proud owner of this magnificent instrument, and he uses it to perform the songs he recorded with it.

1985 Schecter Stratocaster

The 1985 Schecter Stratocaster was acquired by Mark sometime during the 80’s era. It has been put together by John Suhr, who worked at Rudy’s Music Stop in New York City at the time, primarily handling guitar repairs.

The guitar has a white finish on a Schecter Stratocaster-style body and a Schecter neck fashioned after a 1961 Fender Stratocaster neck. Suhr later added a tortoiseshell pickguard, three Seymour Duncan Alnico pickups, and a vintage-style Fender tremolo bridge to the guitar. These custom features gave it a unique feel, making it a deserving guitar to be played by Mark.

The Schecter Strat’s headstock has also been adorned with a Fender decal, leading many people to believe that it was an original Fender. On the ‘BiA’ tour in 1985/86, Mark used this guitar frequently, and he continued to use it during the ‘On Every Street’ tour in the 1990s. It has also been featured on a handful of his recent solo tours.

Steinberger GL2 Standard

In the years 1983 to 2001, Steinberger produced the GL2 type guitar. The neck and body are reinforced carbon fiber composite, keeping with the iconic headless Steinberger design. The single, ultra-rigid unit with a unique blend of reinforced composite materials provides acoustic qualities not found in wooden instruments. It boasted of being able to produce a wider variety of tones than anything else.

The GL2’s one-piece composite body and neck are adorned with a black finish. It contains an EMG 60 humbucker in the bridge and an EMG 81 in the neck. The Trans-Trem vibrato mechanism and its ability to bend the pitch of entire chords without affecting their tuning was a big deal back in the day. Understandably, Mark would have one of these lying around. During the latter stages of the Brothers in Arms tour in 1986, Mark used this guitar sparingly on the song “Money For Nothing”.

1988 Pensa-Suhr Custom

Mark Knopfler’s Pensa Suhr custom has a fascinating backstory. According to reports, a tiny New York coffee shop named “Prince’s” is where Mark and Rudy Pensa met. They talked about making a guitar that’s a hybrid between a Stratocaster and a Les Paul, possibly. Upon reaching an agreement, they drew rough sketches of the instrument on napkins they had lying around the table.

The guitar was completed in 1988 by none other than John Suhr. The body of the Pensa Suhr is made of mahogany, and the top is made perform of one piece carved maple with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard inlaid into the top. An EMG 81 bridge pickup and two EMG SAs in the middle and neck positions, together with an EMG SPC push/pull knob, provide the guitar’s sonics with a boost.

This guitar was one of Mark’s go-to instruments during the’ On Every Street’ tour, but it is arguably most known for its debut at Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday event in June 1988, which marked its premiere.

1960s Danelectro Silvertone 1452

In 1966, Danelectro introduced the Silvertone 1452 model. According to one of Mark’s interviews, he became interested in these guitars due to his connection with Mike Henderson.

With two single-coil pickups and a tremolo bridge, the Silvertone 1452 has a red sunburst finish. The original plan was to sell the guitar with a case that included an amp, providing an all-in-one solution.

Mark played this guitar heavily in the studio and on tour for his 2004 album’ Shangri-La.’ It’s also featured in songs like ‘Boom Like That,’ ‘Stand Up Guy,’ and ‘Don’t Crash the Ambulance,’ among others.

National Duolian Resonator

Mark purchased this instrument from Steve Phillips in 1978, after meeting him in 1969 while working as a journalist for ‘The Yorkshire Evening Post’. Eventually, the two became friends and began performing together in local taverns as “The Duolian String Pickers.”

The National Duolian is a single cone resonator guitar with a metal body. The body is steel and has two f-holes. The neck is made of mahogany or maple, while the fretboard is made of ebonized wood. The Duolian is known for its traditional blues-tone, which is why it has a well-deserved position in Mark’s guitar collection.

Nearly every Dire Straits album and solo Mark Knopfler release features the Nationa Tricone. It’s also been used on numerous tours. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and “Telegraph Road” were two of the most well-known songs that feature this instrument. ‘Done with Bonaparte’ and ‘Haul away’ both also featured this guitar.

1938 Gibson Advanced Jumbo

The guitar Mark plays is one of only 300 hundred Advanced Jumbos ever made. Later they were superseded by the now well-known Gibson J-200 Super Jumbo. The Advanced Jumbo was only produced from 1935 to 1940 (but was revived in 1990).

The guitar’s body is made of Brazilian rosewood and has a Brazilian spruce top with a sunburst finish. That time, the Jumbo series was the pinnacle of Gibson’s acoustic guitar line.

The neck has a more slender profile compared to other Gibson models, which is appealing. Because of this, Knopfler favors it for picking out licks and other improvisational stuff and the 1953 model for strumming.

In addition to “Speedway at Nazareth” and “Wanderlust” from the album “Sailing to Philadelphia,” Mark also used this guitar on “Before Gas And TV” and “Remembrance Day” from the album “Get Lucky”.

Pensa-Suhr Prototype

Interestingly, Mark used this guitar before using the Pensa-Suhr previously stated during the studio session for the song “Let it be” with the Ferry Aid ensemble group in 1987.

The orange Pensa Suhr custom guitar has a lot in common with this instrument. Thus it’s very likely that this model was used as a construction block. The most considerable distinction between the two is that this guitar has a flat top and a front-mounted humbucker, while hers does not.

The black Pensa-Suhr only has one knob. Therefore, the EMG SPC gain increase is absent from it. Mark first played this instrument on Eric Clapton’s 1987 tour as a guest guitarist and then on Vic and Ray’s 1996 and 1999 ‘Notting Hillbillies’ tours.

Timetable Showing the Guitar Marks Knopfler Played at Each Point of His Career

Mark knopfler amplifiers overview, fender vibrolux.

Years Used: 1977 to Present

As soon as Mark Knopfler bought his first Strat, he hooked it up to a Fender Vibrolux amp that had most likely belonged to Dire Straits bassist John Illsley, but which is still in Knopfler’s hands today.

The Fender Vibrolux is a throwback to the brown-Tolex era of the early 1960s. The brown Vibrolux is a fantastic amp that uses two 6L6 tubes to produce 30 watts of power. Tremolo effects and an Oxford 12L6/M6 speaker are included in this beautiful amp too.

On a couple of occasions in 1977 and 1978, Mark used this amp live. The original version of “Sultans of Swing” was composed in open tuning on a national steel guitar, but when Knopfler bought his Strat and put it through the Vibrolux, the song took on a whole new meaning.

With The Notting Hillbillies, the Vibrolux made a comeback, and it’s still utilized extensively in Mark Knopfler’s British Grove Studio today.

Soldano SLO 100

Years Used: 1987 to Present

With the Soldano Super Lead Overdrive (SLO) 100, you get much more than just another high-gain tube amplifier head. For anything from electric blues to blazing jazz fusion to teeth-rattling metal, this jaw-dropping fire-cascading-gain breather’s preamp offers a thick, meaty sizzle.

Its extreme adaptability is precisely why Mark loves his Soldano SLO 100. Many other legendary guitarists, like Eric Clapton , Gary Moore , Joe Satriani , and Steve Vai, have used this beast over the years.

Music Man HD130

Years Used: 1978 to 1988

The HD-130’s strengths are precisely what Leo Fender wanted them to have: solid and clean tones with plenty of body and clarity that cut through anything you throw at it. When distorted lightly, this is one of the few vintage master-volume tube amps that sound great.

Aside from that, it has a distinctive tremolo, and the reverb is more of an effect than a Fender or Gibson-style reverb. If you get the settings just perfect, it will give you the impression that your head is turned backward, which might be helpful when making ambient guitar sounds.

For numerous years in the late ’70s, Mark Knopfler used the HD 130 as his primary touring amp with Dire Straits. Eric Clapton has been one of the HD 130 endorsers too.

Mesa Boogie Mark II

Years Used: Unspecified

Mesa Engineering, also known as ‘Mesa Boogie’, produces the Mesa Boogie Mark Series of guitar amplifiers. The product series was initially known as “Boogies,” but as newer revisions were built, it was renamed “Mark Series.”

The Mark II is by far one of the most well-known and versatile amplifiers made by the company. Inspired by the classic Fender Bassman amp model, this amp was created. This, along with the Marshall JTM45, was one of Mark’s choices for the “Brothers in Arms” record. He also used it while on tour and in the studio for the ‘Love Over Gold’ album and subsequent releases.

Jim Kelley FACS heads

Years Used: 1985 to 1986

Jim Kelley amps had only three knobs and were designed with a straightforward signal route and no superfluous components to provide a clear and natural sound, unlike Mesa Boogie amps.

With this amp, you get the power amp’s more natural-sounding distortion. Power attenuators were frequently used in conjunction with the amplifiers to mitigate the excessive loudness generated by distortion.

For the whole ‘Brothers in Arms’, Mark used the Jim Kelly FACS. According to John Suhr, the amp was also utilized in the ‘Money for Nothing’ intro, who introduced Mark to Jim Kelley amps.

Mark Knopfler Pedals and Effects Overview

Dan armstrong orange squeezer.

Years Used: 1978-Not specified

Dan Armstrong’s Orange Squeezer compressor is a near-legendary guitar effect pedal that compresses the dynamics of music or individual notes without changing the attack of the note or adding any significant noise or distortion to the output.

It is frequently mentioned as an ingredient in the early Mark Knopfler / Dire Straits sound, which accounts for a significant chunk of its reputation. This compressor is said to have been used on Mark’s first album, “Sultans of Swing.”

Morley Volume Pedal

Years Used: 1977 to 1981

Once Mark’s most preferred volume pedal, the pedal responsible for creating the distinctive violin type sound is none but the Morley Volume pedal. He used this volume pedal until the ‘Making Movies’ tour in 1981. When ‘Brothers in Arms’ is played live by Mark, this pedal can be heard all over the fillers.

The Morleys are unique in that they do not utilize a pot, instead opting for a photo-resistor. The advantage is that the photo-resistor will not be affected by dusty or smoky stages, humidity, or other factors, no matter how much you use or even misuse it.

Crowther Audio Hotcake

Paul Crowther, the inventor of the Hotcake, created the first one in 1976. It is designed to preserve the guitar’s undistorted sound while adding an excellent fat distortion sound without relying on a treble cut circuit, which would ruin the guitar’s tone.

Mark most likely had the Hotcake pedal for two reasons: the sound and the best-in-class quality. What’s impressive about the Hotcake is that it doesn’t change the tone of the clean sound, unlike other overdrive units that do, even with minimal (or no) distortion.

Accessories

D’addario exl 120 9-42.

The EXL120 is a highly light gauge set with a biting tone and maximum versatility. These nickel-wound electric guitar strings are appropriate for a variety of musical styles. Almost all of Mark’s electric guitars have these strings.

Dean Markley Helix HD Phosphor Custom Light 12-53

The Dean Markley Helix strings, which are skillfully twisted for better sustain, tone, and endurance, are said to breathe fresh life into one’s music with a smoother feel and a more resonant tone that is unrivaled by conventional strings. Except for his National guitars, these strings adorn all of Mark’s acoustics.

D’Addario EJ15/3D 10-47

The EJ15 is an extra light gauge Phosphor Bronze string set that provides a lower tension ideal for vintage instruments and playability, which is precisely what Mark needs for his vintage National guitars. Hence, all his National acoustic guitars feature this particular string set.

As a teen in the 1960s, Mark played in school bands and was inspired by legendary guitarists like Chet Atkins , Scotty Moore, B.B. King , and Django Reinhardt.

With his unique style, Mark Knopfler became the face of Dire Straits, while his lyricism and approach helped the band become world-famous. However, Mark says he has never been comfortable being in the spotlight. Nostalgia is not his strength. The victorious British band’s frontman finds looking back as unpleasant as life in the limelight.

Knopfler became interested in music when he was a child. His parents gave him his first guitar after his uncle’s piano playing inspired his interest in music. The naked economy of Knopfler’s lyrics, as well as his dizzying guitar fills, were a breath of fresh air among ponderous rock dinosaurs and the one-dimensional punk scene of the late 1970s in the UK and America.

Besides four Grammy Awards, Knopfler has also received the Edison Award, the Steiger Award, the Ivor Novello Award, and three honorary doctorate degrees in music from UK institutions. Mark Knopfler is a modern maestro with an ear for blending the past with a futuristic outlook. With no room for doubt, Mark is one of the best guitarists of his generation – if not all time – and a singer with a palpable emotional depth. The man’s discography is nothing short of legendary and enthralling. Let us know if you have any questions below about any of Mark Knopfler’s guitars or gear in the comments below.

My name is Chris and I’ve had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. I started this website with some of my friends who are musicians, music teachers, gear heads, and music enthusiasts so we could provide high-quality guitar and music-related content.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 years old and am an avid collector. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all.

I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University. With my engineering experience, I’ve developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. A true passion of mine, I’ve designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community.

2 thoughts on “Mark Knopfler Guitars and Gear List (2024 Update)”

The red strat was definitely Marks’s most iconic tone in my opinion. I remember seeing him come on stage with that flame top Suhr for the first time, which was my first time seeing him play anything other than a strat or les paul, and most of us in the audience had no idea what it was.

My main strat is Red with white guard and rosewood board. You wouldn’t believe how many people see it for the first time and the first thing they say is “Mark Knopfler!” It’s certainly one of the guitars I think most people associate him with, so you’re not wrong!

Leave a Comment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.