AN ELECTRIC LAP STEEL GUITAR, THE G-SHARP, OF-1

Before the show in Oslo on 20 April 2008 during the Kill To Get Crimson Tour, Øivin Fjeld presented Mark Knopfler with two short-scale G-Sharp guitars – one with a rosewood and one with a maple neck. A third G-Sharp was presented to keyboardist Guy Fletcher. According to Guy, Mark thought the G-Sharp was 'excellent, especially the resonance and overall feel and build quality of the instrument.'

Knopfler told us: 'Sometimes you’d be on tour and the maker would bring guitars to the venue at soundcheck time in the afternoon. I always try to see them, always try to play ‘em, and always give ‘em a fair shake because, you know, you realise what a thing you’ve taken on if you want to build something, and build something well.'

ØIVIN FJELD - THE G-SHARP
The travel-sized G-sharp or G# guitar was invented by the Norwegian luthier Øivin Fjeld in 1997. In the standard model, such as the present lot, it is fitted with a single-coil pickup over a design simulating a soundhole. As is indicated by the name, the guitar is tuned to G-sharp due to the short scale length and the 'lack' of the first four frets.

Whilst Fjeld did not intend to commercialise his invention, he did put a small number of guitars into production and the model began to attract attention and orders via word of mouth. The OF-1 was put into production in 2005. Fjeld took his guitar to the NAMM show in Anaheim California in 2006 where it received a rapturous response and thousands of orders, as well as approaches from US distributors and Fender. Since 2014 the G-Sharp name has been owned by Frank Pedersen, a US-based Norwegian.