Up for sale, a 2018 Pensa Custom Guitars MK-D Custom in near-mint, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. Perhaps best known for their extensive usage by Mark Knopfler, Pensa has been building custom instruments at Rudy’s Music in New York City for roughly 40 years, founded by Rudy Pensa and John Suhr (prior to the creation of the Suhr brand). This particular MK-D was built by current Pensa Master Builders Makoto Noguchi and Joe Wilga, with premium features throughout, outfitted with a trio of custom-wound Lindy Fralin single coil pickups.

Featherweight at 6lbs 14oz, tonewoods include a chambered alder body, a carved and contoured hard maple top, maple neck, and a heavily figured 22 fret slab birdseye maple fingerboard. The custom-wound Lindy Fralin single coils deliver classic Strat-style sparkle and spank, with a slightly hotter wind in the bridge position and an aluminum baseplate on the bridge pickup for a Tele-esque kick. This MK-D yields smoother, mellower tones when toggling towards the neck, all with great note clarity and a touch-sensitive responsiveness. Bridge + Neck tones can be accessed in position two on the five-way pickup selector, and there is a Knopfler-inspired push/pull “Presence” Mid-boost at the Tone knob. This control engages a second capacitor for extra oomph, particularly potent with the Tone knob rolled back for an entirely unique boosted, punchy quack. This Pensa MK-D Custom has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Soft V, measuring .860” 1st fret, .975” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Birdseye maple, 22-fret, 12” radius, rolled edges
-Frets: Jumbo, no wear
-Scale Length: 25 1/2”
-Nut: 1 5/8”, bone
-Tuners: Hipshot (gold-plated)
-Serialization: Engraved on neck plate, dated 1-29-18

Body Specs:

-Wood: Maple (top), Alder (chambered)
-Pickups: Lindy Fralin single coil x3
-Controls: Volume, Tone (push/pull “Presence Control” Mid-Boost), Five-way pickup selector
-Harness: CTS pot, copper shielding in cavity and on cavity cover engraved with Makoto Noguchi and Joe Wilga signatures, dated Jan 28, 2018
-Hardware: Hipshot hardtail bridge, knurled knobs with abalone inserts (gold-plated)

The gloss finish pairs an Ice Blue Metallic top (exposing the figured maple “binding” edge) with a Burgundy Mist back, and this instrument is a true case queen, sparingly played since new.

The original Cedar Creek hardshell case with form-fit blue plush interior and leather endcaps is included.