TV Jones
TV Jones is a U.S. guitar pickup manufacturer in Poulsbo, Washington. Best known for manufacturing vintage-style Filter’tron pickups. TV Jones pickups attempt to recreate the sound of vintage Gretsch guitars by using American-made materials and a manufacturing process similar to what was used in the late ‘50’s and 1960’s by Gretsch. The company was founded in 1993 by guitarist and luthier Thomas V. Jones in Whittier, California.
History
Prior to the focus on guitar pickups TV Jones was mainly in the business of guitar repairs and custom guitar making. Jones had a long list of famous clients, from working several years at a well-known repair shop in Long Beach, CA called the World of Strings. Clients included Brian Setzer, Michael Anthony (Van Halen) and others. After his stint at World of Strings, Jones opened his own shop and launched the TV Jones company in Whittier, CA where he continued to attract star clients like Joe Walsh and John Fogerty simply through word-of-mouth.
In the early 90’s interest turned to electronics and Jones began to examine pickups and the magnets used in various vintage models. Around this time he was asked to repair a number of guitars for Stray Cats / BSO guitarist Brian Setzer, whose guitar sound relied heavily on vintage Gretsch guitars. When the Gretsch Guitar Company was in the process of creating a Brian Setzer signature model, Brian conducted a “blind sound test” of various pickup models that were to be considered for use in these guitars. Tom's Hotrod pickup design was chosen because of its sound being the most faithful to the original. (At this point the pickups Gretsch was using in their guitars were made of overseas parts and ceramic magnets).
Notoriety
Word soon spread that TV Jones was making “true-to-the-original” Filter’tron pickups and many famous players demanded their guitars be outfitted with TV Jones pickups. The guitar playing public (especially Gretsch aficionados) became aware of TV Jones pickups and the popularity grew as the company expanded its product line into the Magna’Tron, Power’Tron, Super’Tron and Thunder’Tron models. As of 2010 TV Jones has 8 different pickup models and is sold around the world.
Users
- Jim "The Rev" Heath (TV Classics)
- Brian Setzer (TV Classics)
- Billy F. Gibbons (Power’Tron Plus)
- Billy Duffy - The Cult (TV Classic Plus)
- G. Love & Special Sauce (Power'tron)
- John Mayer (TV Classics in Fender La Cabronita Telecaster)
- Chris Cheney (TV Classic Plus, Power'tron)
- Johan Frandsen (TV Classics/TV Classic Plus/Powertron)
- Noel Gallagher (TV Classics)
- David Gilmour (TV Classics)
- Sean Christopher - Villains Of Yesterday (TV Power'Tron Plus)
Guitar Models
In 2008 TV Jones released the Spectra Sonic Supreme Guitar (which is an upgrade of the Spectra Sonic designed by TV Jones and manufactured & distributed by Gretsch in 2001-2007) and the smaller, lighter, solid-body Model 10. Both designed by TV Jones and manufactured in Japan at the Terada factory where most professional line Gretsch guitars are made.