RED - The TPS Telecaster Pickup Set
We've been working with Monty's Guitars for almost two years to capture EVERY detail of the pickups, wiring loom and setup of Dan's beloved Telecaster 'Red'.
These pickups match every specification of the original set: the wire, the wind, coil size, magnets, bevels, staggers and beyond. Even the ageing! They are a fundamental part of what makes Red such a unique and loved instrument.
And cherries on top? Of course – cherries sticker absolutely included.
DIAL IT IN
To help you get even closer to that beloved tone, we've gone over every aspect of Red's setup in meticulous detail so you can balance your own Telecaster the same way, should you want to.
There are full details of everything including nut height, action, truss rod relief and of course, pickup heights!
CHERISHED CHERRIES
When Dan's daughter was just three years old, she walked up to him while he was playing at home and stuck this sticker on the pickgaurd.
It has remained there ever since, becoming a heart-warming part of Red's history. Matt and the team at Monty's have recreated the special cherries sticker to go with every set!
HAND MADE & AGED
Monty's is a small, independent company with a dedicated team of craftspeople and artisans. Every pickup, bobbin, magnet, case, wire and wind is assembled by hand in the UK.
Matt and the team have even meticulously hand aged every pickup to match the look and patina of the original set in Dan's guitar.
We've been asked about Red's pickups so many times.
Dan Says...
I'd never really dug into it because I didn't want to disturb this magic guitar any more than I already had.
Curiosity eventually got the better of me and I asked Matt to investigate, initially just so that we'd know what was in there once and for all.
The more he examined Red, the more we all realised that the pickups and wiring are certainly not the norm. What Matt and George have now done in replicating them is just incredible – we had to share it!
Monty's Guitars
Meet the Makers
Based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Monty’s is a team of talented luthiers, musicians and coffee makers headed by long-standing friend of TPS, Matt Gleeson. Watchers of the show will have seen Matt in action when Mick's 1961 Fender Strat got a full refret in 2022.
With over 20 years experience, Monty’s pickups were conceived after a period of extensive measuring, thinking, re-measuring (and more thinking) by Matt. Monty’s is also a repair shop, and the team have been fortunate enough to have seen many (many!) vintage pickups over the years, making them the perfect people to unwind the mysteries of Dan's mythical Telecaster 'Red'.
We were honoured to accept the challenge
Matt Says...
Matt says: "The time came when Dan felt it was time to share the tone and reached out to us here at Monty’s to replicate Red’s pickups, and we were both honoured and excited to accept the challenge. We have worked tirelessly alongside Dan to capture the tone, character and feel of the original pickups. Every detail was considered, and every effort made to ensure these pickups are as close as possible to the real deal in Dan’s Custom Shop Telecaster. We matched every specification of the original set, from the wind to the coil size, the magnets and beyond, aiming to deliver the essence of what makes Red sound so special. We have been extremely lucky to have had full access to Red and we have spent time swapping the originals with our prototypes with Dan’s setup and strings until neither us nor Dan could tell the original from the clone. It has been a real pleasure working with someone who is so exacting in the pursuit of sonic excellence. Knowing that, when Dan is happy, we really have achieved something special!"