Schecter Mark Knopfler Signature Stratocaster 1983 Pearlescent Lemon

Guitar background

Built in California 1983, believed to be one of of a small batch of 8 guitars commissioned by Chandlers Music Store(London). This particular guitar was purchased by the then manager of the “Rod Argent Music Store” in Worcester UK at some point in the late 80s. The current owner purchased it from this store in 1986;  the shop was closed down in the mid- 1990s.

Guitar Details

-Serial No. CS8342 (C probably denotes Chandler involvement with the build specification)

-Neck Model/Serial No. F7010/ 5202

-Body Model/Serial No. F6190/ 6098

-Weight 8.6 lbs

-Finish Nitrocellulose “Pearlescent Lemon”

-Maple Neck (matching headstock colour)

-Alder body

-Jumbo frets

-Bone nut

-Chrome plated Brass pick guard and tremolo back plate

-Schecter USA Tremolo Bridge and machined Brass Sustain Block

-Kluson deluxe tuners (Nickel plated)

-3 x F500T pickups controlled by individual switches

-2x CTS potentiometers (Master volume and Tone)

-Master Volume treble bleed circuit fitted

-Mullard “Tropical Fish” Tone circuit Capacitor (0.01uF)

General condition

Extensive lacquer checking over body and neck some small dings. Fretwork recently dressed and polished and hence, the guitar is in excellent playable condition. All electric circuits function without issue.

F500T pickup background information

The solution that combines the best of both worlds is the tapped pick-up. David Schecter was probably not the person who invented these, or used them for the first time, but probably the one who made them popular in the late 70s. The idea of a tapped pick-up is to make a coil with the standard number of turns first. Next a second coil is added around the first one, wired in series with the first. Consequently a tapped pick-up has three cables: ground, normal coil output, and the output of both coils in series (which is equal to one coil with the double number of turns). The three mini toggle switches seen on the pick guard have three positions: up is the first coil for a standard Strat sound, in the middle position the pick-up is off, and in the down position you have the full coil. As you can combine the three pick-ups in any coil position, you will get 27 individual sounds this way.

Chandler Guitars background information

Started in 1979 by Paula and her then husband, Doug, the pair went on to build the “go-to” venue for professional and keen amateur guitarists from all over London.

News of the store’s great customer service and highly competent repair shop spread across the country and overseas, and the West London location became a regular stopping off point for top UK and US acts and their road crews at the start of UK tours. Regular customers got used to seeing stars as diverse as Pete Townshend, Sting and Mick Jagger dropping in, confident in the discreet professionalism and unbeatable product knowledge.

Chandlers have pioneered countless brands over the years which were unknown at the time, but which have gone on to become household names in our industry. PRS, Schecter, ESP, and Tom Anderson Guitars all appeared for the first time in the UK in the window of Chandler Guitar, as did Rivera and Soldano Amps, Seymour Duncan and EMG pickups, and countless other products.

Chandler Guitars, one of Britain’s most iconic guitar shops, closed its doors on 31st October after 37 years supplying some of the most significant guitarists of recent decades. The closure came about due the decision of the shop’s owner to retire.