DGT pickups in my DGT Standard. Replace?

[lifesonRules]

Hey everyone. I love this guitar. The neck, the weight, the feel. I am having trouble getting along with the pickups. I am looking for a brighter and tighter attack. I realize the all hog wood on this guitar is anti bright with tight attack, but I have traded numerous guitars. I am not trading this one. I have Pearly Gates Plus in the bridge of my strat, and I love it. I like the 498T in the bridge of my Les Paul. Any suggestions for pickup replacements? I still want to be able to split the coils. I don't want to completely neuter what a DGT does, but I am forced to dime the treble and sink the mids on my 6l6 Kustom Coupe, as well as dime the treble on my Visual Sound comp to get any sparkle out of this guitar. I play modern worship at church, and I like textural sounds ala the Edge and Lifeson. I like to bring the gain at times, and there are times when the DGT pickups nail that tone, then the next time I play them it is blanket over the amp city. I want a very present and bright sound, but not brittle. I also want a warm middle position when I need to cop those Hillsong type worship tunes.


Pearly Gates set?

 

[gush]

I haven't played a DGT but something doesn't add up to me. I realize it's an all hog guitar but dime the treble??? I would think with coils split you would get there....hmmmmm. Time for some DGT owners to jump in.

 

[blackthorn]

For Killsong type of sounds you should try a set of Starla pickups, for me they sound stellar.

 

[John Beef]

This is so strange, didn't this thread have a bunch more responses yesterday?

I can see how the warmth of the DGT pickups and the all mahogany body wouldn't gel for some folks. You might try something like Fralin un-buckers which have mismatched coils and are brighter than typical humbuckers. They also split well. You might even benefit from an un-bucker in the bridge and something like a P-92 in the neck.

Keep the windings/resistance down, and look for Alnico 4 or 5 and anything like that will probably do you well. From what I understand DGTs are alnico 2? That's just what I've read on forums. A2 is part of what gives the pickups their warmer tone.

 

[ClassA]

I just got mine so I cannot speak from too much experience, but I noticed more than anything a thickness to my DGT pickups. They are very warm and clean when needed. But I would not characterize them as needing that much treble. Maybe some of the electronics guys on this forum can talk about this. Can a component go bad in the electronics that could cause a clear lack of high end?

 

[lifesonRules]

I stupidly posted in two different areas of the site. Sorry guys. I think you are right. The FAT is the midrange. I suppose I have never had a guitar with this tonal attribute. Even my Les Paul is a mid 80's Studio, and used Alder instead of hog. It seems the DGT pickups are voiced after a semi hollow guitar DG loved. I want sparkle, and this guitar is not in the wheelhouse. I think tracking down Starla pickups would be an option, or a pickup with a more scooped and upper treble bite? I have a feeling these pickups would be very clear in a clear sounding guitar. I may need a more spiky pickup.

 

[lifesonRules]

Would higher value pots brighten this axe up as is?

 

[blackthorn]

I stupidly posted in two different areas of the site. Sorry guys. I think you are right. The FAT is the midrange. I suppose I have never had a guitar with this tonal attribute. Even my Les Paul is a mid 80's Studio, and used Alder instead of hog. It seems the DGT pickups are voiced after a semi hollow guitar DG loved. I want sparkle, and this guitar is not in the wheelhouse. I think tracking down Starla pickups would be an option, or a pickup with a more scooped and upper treble bite? I have a feeling these pickups would be very clear in a clear sounding guitar. I may need a more spiky pickup.

Other option than Starla in the same direction are DiMarzio Eric Johson set.