Pensa Custom
Pensa, Flamed Koa
This guitar was designed in 1993 to recreate the sound of an early Fender Stratocaters.* It features a flamed koa top, a mahogany back, 24.6" scale and Lindy Fralin '54 disigned pickups also made for Mark Knopfler.
The guitar was used during Golden Heart tour (1996) on Father & Son, Golden Heart, Last Exit To Brooklyn.
* Illustrated Directory of Guitars - Ray Bonds, 2003
Pensa, Amber
This guitar (serial number MK052096*) with new design was made by Rudy Pensa for Mark in 1996**. It features a mahagony back, a quilted 5А maple top, Gibson scale and three single-coil pick-ups Seymour Duncan (previoulsy Lindy Fralin '54). There is the some information that later Mark put Fender Texas Specials pick-ups***. This guitar was a basis for Pensa MK2 model announced in 2002.
The guitars was used in the Chet Atkins Musician Days in Nashville in 1998, Sailing to Philadelphia tour 2001 (Sultans Of Swing, Romeo & Juliet, Telegraph Road), Mark Knopfler & Friends concerts 2002, All Roadrunning tour 2006 and Kill To Get Crimson tour 2007.
* Pensa Guitars
- Jeroen van Tol, 2011 ** Mark Knopfler interview
- 20th Century Guitar, 1996
*** Looking Ahead
- Vintage Magazine, 2001
Pensa MK80, Daphne Blue
The guitar was custom built for Mark Knopfler on January 29, 2004*. The guitar's order number was 0188 but it was especially numbered 0001 and is the only MK80 with a triple zero serial number.**
The guitar was used by Richard Bennett on Whoop De Doo on Shangri-La album.
* Pensa MK80 - Pensa
Guitars, 2004
** Mark's Pensa MK80 -
Mark Knopfler News, 2004
Pensa MK2 Plus, Amber Burst
It is latest Mark's Pensa based on MK2 model. The guitar is dated 3rd June, 2005, and has the serial number 0260. The guitar was presented to Mark in Milan by Rudy Pensa*.
The guitar features a 5A wild figured maple top with amber slight burst satin finish, a 1-piece mahogany body and mahogany neck with heritage cherry satin finish, East Indian rosewood fingerboard, 24.6" scale, binding on the neck and body, Lindy Fralin Custom pick-ups, 5-way selector with push/pull on the bridge pickup tone knob, 1 11/16" bone nut, 22 Dunlop 6150 frets, Hipshot Hardtail bridge, Gotoh 510 tuners and gold hardware**.
The guitar was used during the Shangri-La tour in 2005, but it looks like that Mark prefers his oldest 1996 Pensa.
* Mark's new Pensa MK2 - Mark Knopfler News, 2005** On Tour with Mark Knopfler in Italy - Pensa Guitars, 2005
MK studio diary 2011 by Guy Fletcher
Mark and Guy are back in the studio working on a new record
www.guyfletcher.co.uk