The Raspberry Ripple Stratocaster Set

Big Dipper – Scooped – Ice Cream – Raspberry Ripple

Get it?

The Raspberry Ripple Stratocaster set is Monty’s tribute to the other JM Strat set, the Big Dippers, perhaps the set he’s best known for.

The Big Dippers were derived from the pickups in JM’s old SRV signature Strat, a set of underwound Texas Specials. This set is well known for its scooped, glassy tone, which became a bit of a trademark for JM.

The Raspberry Ripples deliver that tone, instantly familiar yet elevated. We took the essence of the Big Dippers’ foundation and Montyfied it, just adding that special Monty’s touch, refining the clarity, enhancing the dynamics, and making them more musical across the board. Perfect for all the clean freaks out there who love a sparkling, glassy tone that responds with nuanced detail and an expressive voice that never feels harsh or shrill.

These pickups deliver a clear, sweet tone, think chimey highs, thick lows, and just the right amount of midrange to give you the signature scoop without disappearing into the mix.

They bring out the best in your amp, preserving the natural warmth and depth of your guitar while adding a crispness that cuts through the band mix effortlessly. You get that perfect balance of vintage mojo and modern clarity, making these pickups equally at home on blues, rock, indie, or even country sessions.

Plug these pickups into a clean blackface style amp and you’ll get it immediately; the Mayer snap is right there under your fingers. The air between the notes gives the feeling of the ghost of SRV massaging your shoulders with his spectral sovereign ring-adorned fingers while whispering bluesy encouragement into your ears.

Okay, maybe not, but it’s not easy to come up with endless sonic analogies, and the idea of being haunted by a phantom blues-rock legend, turned relentlessly positive motivational coach, makes me smile a little.

We spun 42-gauge plain enamel wire around alnico 5 magnets set in a ’62 stagger pattern, potted them in our pre-CBS wax mix and have made the middle position RWRP for noiseless operation and a wonderfully pleasing quacky position 2 and 4. 

Enjoy!