The 1989 Custom Stratocaster by Pensa-Suhr

The Pensa-Suhr 1989 Custom Stratocaster is a rare handmade boutique guitar created during the famous collaboration between Rudy Pensa and John Suhr in New York. Built in the late 1980s, these guitars combined the feel of a vintage Stratocaster with modern high-performance features favored by professional touring musicians. The model became especially well known through Mark Knopfler, who used Pensa-Suhr guitars extensively on stage and in the studio. Most 1989 custom versions featured premium tonewoods, highly figured maple tops, advanced electronics, and precision craftsmanship aimed at blending Fender-style clarity with Gibson-style warmth. Because every instrument was custom ordered, specifications could vary slightly from guitar to guitar, making each example unique and highly collectible today.

Specs:

• Handmade custom-built electric guitar from New York, USA
• Built by Rudy Pensa and John Suhr during the original Pensa-Suhr era
• Strat-style double cutaway body design
• Often featured a carved quilted or flamed maple top
• Mahogany or alder body construction depending on custom order
• Maple neck with rosewood or ebony fingerboard
• 21 or 22 frets
• Floyd Rose locking tremolo system on many models
• Locking nut and premium Gotoh or Sperzel tuners
• EMG active pickup configuration commonly HSS or SSS
• Master volume and tone controls with optional mid-boost/SPC circuit
• Gold or black hardware depending on finish package
• High-gloss transparent finishes such as Honey Burst or Caramel Burst
• Designed for versatile tones combining Stratocaster sparkle and Les Paul sustain
• Extremely limited production and highly collectible today