What may be less known is that Mark is also considered a fantastic acoustic guitar player. In fact, Martin has issued two signature limited edition Mark Knopfler acoustic guitars!
The Martin HD-40MK is a dreadnaught-sized guitar with solid Italian Alpine Spruce top and solid East Indian Rosewood back and sides. Only 251 of these numbered and signed guitars were made in the summer of 2001 with a current Blue Book value in excellent condition of $2,250-2,750. A whimsical feature of the guitar is the etched reproduction on the inside heelblock above the model number of a dinosaur Masiakasaurus Knopfleri, named after Knopfler by the paleontologists who were listening to Dire Straights when they discovered this previously unknown species in Madagascar.
The Martin 000-40S Mark Knofler "Ragpicker's Dream" signature model was similarly a limited-edition run of only 155 guitars in the summer of 2006. This Grand Concert 12-fret 000-style guitar has the same combination of woods, but features a slotted headstock and a pyramid style bridge evocative of Martin's pre-war parlor-size guitars. Blue Book value on this guitar is at $3,250-3,750.
Among Knofler's personal collection of fine vintage instruments, his 1938 Gibson Advanced Jumbo has often been featured on his albums. Here he is demonstrating some basic picking techniques on the guitar, including his own distinctive take on clawhammer style. It's the next best thing to an in-person lesson from a guitar legend (with the bonus that you can study it over and over again). Brilliant!
And here's a more recent Knofler guitar-playing primer (2017), showing off so more of his vintage guitars.
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