Experience the Heartbreaker Magic with This Iconic Tele
Mike Campbell’s distinctive rhythms and fiery leads were the heartbeat of the Heartbreakers, delivering instantly recognizable chord progressions and unforgettable hooks for many of Tom Petty’s most beloved hits. The Fender Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster honors one of Mike’s most cherished instruments — his heavily modified 1972 Telecaster. This solidbody electric guitar boasts a substantial alder body, which is given an Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer Red Dog Red finish. Old-school Tele enthusiasts will savor every note, thanks to the guitar’s hand-cradling ’70s C-shaped maple neck, topped with a silky-smooth 7.25-inch-radius fingerboard with 21 vintage-style frets. Outfitted with a custom Mike Campbell Red Dog pickup set, this Telecaster includes two vintage-style humbuckers and a brawny single-coil bridge pickup, enhanced by an onboard Destruct boost circuit. In terms of hardware, the Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster features an expressive Bigsby B5F vibrato and vintage-style F-stamped tuning machines. No matter how many modded Teles you’ve played, it’s a safe bet you’ve never experienced anything quite like the Fender Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster. Like its legendary owner, this guitar is truly in a league of its own.
Related Videos: Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster Electric Guitar - Red Dog Red
A legendary guitar with a storied past
Mike Campbell has played countless guitars throughout his decades-long career, but few are as distinguished as his 1972 Telecaster, affectionately known as Red Dog. According to lore, Mike acquired this guitar from a former student in Florida, complete with a Bigsby and a built-in boost circuit. This was the guitar used to record the iconic solo on Tom Petty’s hit song, “Refugee,” and it was prominently featured in the song’s music video. The Fender Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster pays homage to this unique instrument, featuring an Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer Red Dog Red finish for an authentic look, a period-correct neck carve for genuine playability, and a custom Mike Campbell Red Dog pickup set for that signature tone. A Bigsby B5F vibrato completes this dazzling guitar.
Unique electronics inspired by the original
The Fender Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster boasts some of the most idiosyncratic electronics we’ve ever seen on a Tele here at Sweetwater. For starters, it features a custom Mike Campbell Red Dog pickup set, including two vintage-style humbuckers and a muscular single-coil bridge pickup. According to Mike, the humbuckers in the original guitar were sourced from a Kalamazoo-built instrument, while the bridge pickup was a stock Tele single-coil. Additionally, the Mike Campbell Red Dog Tele is equipped with an onboard boost modeled after the original instrument’s Destruct circuit, which Mike used to add extra grind to the “Refugee” solo.
Vintage playability at its finest
Players with a passion for vintage playability will find it hard to put down the Fender Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster. Its ’70s C-shaped maple neck gives you plenty to wrap your hand around, while the 21-fret, 7.25-inch-radius fingerboard provides a silky-smooth feel that’s downright irresistible. Additionally, retro-minded pitch purveyors are treated to a Bigsby B5F vibrato. To complete the vintage aesthetic, the Mike Campbell Red Dog Tele features an Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer finish, ensuring an authentic playing experience from top to bottom.
Fender Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster Features:
- Pays tribute to Mike Campbell’s heavily modded 1972 Red Dog Telecaster
- Substantial alder body with an Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer Red Dog Red finish
- Hand-cradling ’70s C-shaped maple neck
- Silky-smooth fingerboard with 7.25-in. radius and 21 vintage-style frets
- Custom Mike Campbell Red Dog pickup set with 2 vintage-style humbuckers and 1 brawny single-coil bridge pickup
- Onboard Destruct boost circuit replicates the tone Mike used on the iconic solo on Tom Petty’s hit song “Refugee”
- Expressive Bigsby B5F vibrato and vintage-style F-stamped tuning machines
- Includes a custom case, neck plate, and case candy
