Red Pickups – The TPS Telecaster Set

What can be said about this instantly recognisable and much-loved instrument that hasn’t already? Among the community of tone-obsessed guitar fiends, its name is whispered in hushed tones, its legend growing with each weekly TPS episode. 

The time came when Dan and Mick 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.

These pickups offer a window into Dan’s sound, but they’re also a reminder that the true magic of tone comes from the player. Just as Red has inspired Dan for over two decades, we hope these pickups will inspire you to find your own voice and set you on your own musical journey.

We've been asked sooooo many times about Red's pickups. Dan had never really dug into it, keen not to disturb this magic guitar any more than he did over 20 years ago.

Curiosity eventually got the better of him and what you see here is the result of almost two years of intricate and detailed analysis of the pickups, electronics and playing setup of that unique Telecaster. EVERYTHING from wire and magnet type, to polepiece bevel and stagger, bobbin material, wind style and all the rest of it… They're even meticulously and individually hand aged so they look the part too! 

The pickups ONLY come as a set of two: bridge and neck. 

Every set comes with full wiring instructions and an extra information sheet detailing Dan's setup including action height, neck relief, string gauge and, of course, pickup heights! 

And as if THAT wasn't enough, Matt and the team at Monty's even went to the trouble of recreating the little cherries sticker on Dan's pickguard. This detail is close to Dan's heart: his daughter, aged just three at the time, stuck them on and they've never been off since!

The set comes with the bridge and neck pickups, cherries sticker, info sheet and setup guide.