Paul's TCI "S" pickups vs DGT "S" pickups

[sumitagarwal]

I've been feeling not 100% satisfied with the #7 "S" pickups in my S2 Singlecut and have been eyeing PRS's latest stabs at versatile full-size humbuckers.

Seems like the Paul's and the DGT are the newest "S" pickup designs, and both have relatively similar goals: vintage-voiced pickups with a palette of tones on tap (pun intended).

For folks familiar with both, what do you think? My impression from afar is that the Paul's is meant to be a noiseless P90 that can tap to a true Strat sound, while the DGT is meant to be an articulate PAF that can tap to something in between a traditional single coil and PAF?

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Just buy core pickups and push the S’ aside.

Plus you’ll be hard pressed to get DGT pickups of any variant without buying the guitar.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Just buy core pickups and push the S’ aside.

Plus you’ll be hard pressed to get DGT pickups of any variant without buying the guitar.

So then you're saying to go DGT, not Paul's. Since the Core Paul's won't fit.

Can you say any more about your opinion of DGT's vs Paul's?

I have to mention I have a very slight bias towards covered pickups since I hate noise, but I know it's not a huge difference.

 

[SinSir]

Nothing alike between the two, DGT or TCI and the TCI-S or TCI core. I agree push aside the S. If you want a p90 sound there's plenty of humbucker sized P90 out there. When I was on that kick. The Fralin noiseless were my fav, but several other good ones and discussions on this forum and many others.

The price people are asking for DGT-S, isn't worth it. Higher grade PAF out there for less money. The core DGT come up occasionally or rarely, in waves.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Nothing alike between the two, DGT or TCI and the TCI-S or TCI core. I agree push aside the S. If you want a p90 sound there's plenty of humbucker sized P90 out there. When I was on that kick. The Fralin noiseless were my fav, but several other good ones and discussions on this forum and many others.

The price people are asking for DGT-S, isn't worth it. Higher grade PAF out there for less money. The core DGT come up occasionally or rarely, in waves.

So what I'm hearing is that the DGT's are basically just good quality PAF style humbuckers that happen to have a coil tap available, is that right?

And so the Paul's are the more unusual offering that is less replicated by manufacturers outside of PRS?

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

So then you're saying to go DGT, not Paul's. Since the Core Paul's won't fit.

Can you say any more about your opinion of DGT's vs Paul's?

I have to mention I have a very slight bias towards covered pickups since I hate noise, but I know it's not a huge difference.

No…I said to get something else that’s readily available.

1: I remember buying actual Paul’s Guitar pickups back in like 2018, they haven’t been on the used market in years. And they won’t fit in normal HB spaces without modification.

2: DGTs come up, but sometimes are as much as your S2 guitar as a whole.

Just buy some 57/08’s, 59/09’s or a combo of both.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Well, I found exactly the kind of comparison and feedback I was looking for here:

Based on this I'm inclined towards the Paul's TCI "S" pickups...

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

You’re going down in the quality spectrum vs up, but it’s your money and mental gymnastics.

 

[sumitagarwal]

You’re going down in the quality spectrum vs up, but it’s your money and mental gymnastics.

You're saying the quality of the TCI "S" pickups will be worse than my #7 "S"?

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

You’re looking at SE vs S2, and I suggested going up to 57/08 or 59/09.

You tell me the answer.

 

[sumitagarwal]

You’re looking at SE vs S2, and I suggested going up to 57/08 or 59/09.

You tell me the answer.

I thought that S2 electronics were SE electronics, and the S2 was an upgrade over the SE in terms of wood and build not in terms of pickups.

I was leaning towards the Paul's "S" largely due to the high output but without being muddy. I could see myself typically using the bridge full hot and the neck in tapped mode. My assumption is that the 57/08 or 59/09 would be lower output.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

They are PAF designed and inspired (hence the names and being wound on old Gibson pickup winders). The clarity alone over the SE pickups is immense.

SE pickups are lower quality than S2, more especially with the move to Indonesia.

With all of this, I hope you’re going to upgrade the pots and other wiring as well.

 

[sumitagarwal]

They are PAF designed and inspired (hence the names and being wound on old Gibson pickup winders). The clarity alone over the SE pickups is immense.

SE pickups are lower quality than S2, more especially with the move to Indonesia.

With all of this, I hope you’re going to upgrade the pots and other wiring as well.

I get that. Yea, I have a ton of PAF types around, including some Duncan 59's in search of a home.

My main comparison guitar right now is a Navigator (ESP custom shop) with a pair of custom PAF replicas. A hot bridge with an unoriented A5 and low wind neck with an A3.

These pickups are simultaneously fuller, more detailed, and hotter than the #7's .

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

As I said, do as you wish. You asked, I responded.

 

[Broseph]

I doubt the Paul’s would sound good in a single cut. They were designed for a double cut. Also the wiring on the splits wouldn’t be the same on the single cut. There would be a volume drop when going into single coil. The wiring of the pauls/24-08/408 are very different than custom 24 or 2V/2T.

At that point I agree you’re better off going the route of different pickup makers or core PRS.

 

[SamIV]

Just put your Duncan’s in. Just bought a LP style guitar with them because I don’t care for the thick neck profile PRS offers in their single-cut thicker bodied guitars. They sound nice. Will be a major improvement over the #7s pickups.

I have and S2 that came with the #7s, and replaced them with a set of TV Jones pickups. My playing style is probably different than yours and mine is the single-cut semi-hollow, but I quite like them. I find the #7’s quite anemic at best. Split, even worse.