Pickups most like DGT pickups?

[ruger9]

Does anyone have any experience with pickups that are very similar to DGTs (any maker)? Asking because I LOVE the DGT pickups- especially the bridge- and I'd like to be able to put them in a different guitar (not PRS), but they can't be purchased after-market (unless you get lucky finding a set of used ones.)

Any ideas? I've read people on TGP say the Seymour Duncan Saturday Night Specials and Whole Lotta Humbuckers are close... but IDK if they are just trying to go from DCR specs or if they've actually A/Bed them...

 

[madmarcus1960]

I've had SNS's in another guitar and they are wonderful in that Southern Rock kind of way. WLH's are very Zeppy as well. I own an SE DGT and I am conflicted about replacing the stock PuPs. With the right amp(using an AXE3), they sound great.

 

[Rider1260]

DGT pickups are based on McCarty's , to my ear very close

 

[JasonE]

DGT pickups are based on McCarty's , to my ear very close

I think the McCarty pickups are where they started to build the DGT pickups. I have never tried to verify it but I heard many years ago that the DGT pickups are unevenly wound. That is how they achieve the closer to real single coil tones when split. One pickup that I know that does this is the Fralin Unbucker. I put a set of those in my SAS years ago and they did have better split tones. It has been so long ago that I don't really remember how close the sounded to the DGT pickups.

 

[FatFingerBlues]

Okay I will ask
is there an after Market pickup that would come close to the DGT

I know @JasonE mentioned the Fralin Unbucker
any others?

 

[ruger9]

Okay I will ask
is there an after Market pickup that would come close to the DGT

I know @JasonE mentioned the Fralin Unbucker
any others?

YOU will ask? Isn't that what I asked in the OP?

 

[Bogner]

Hey, Since This Thread Is About DGT Pickups, Does Anybody Know If There Is An Aftermarket Pickup That Is Incredibly Similar To the DGT?

 

[ruger9]

IDK man, but I sure would like to know if there are any aftermarket pickups that are very close to the DGTs.

 

[FatFingerBlues]

YOU will ask? Isn't that what I asked in the OP?

Yes but I do it so much better!

Okay I will admit I possibly, maybe, could have, potentially, perhaps, unintentionally, read the OP a little too quickly

 

[Bogner]

IDK man, but I sure would like to know if there are any aftermarket pickups that are very close to the DGTs.

That Is A Great Question...You Should Ask About It On The PRS Forum.

 

[JasonE]

I have a set of DGT pickups that are not in a guitar at the moment. I don't know if there is anything I can measure on them to help figure this out but I am willing to check them out if that would help at all. I am not going to remove the covers or anything drastic though.

 

[Greywolf]

7.3K neck 9K bridge (2009 spec) McCarty's are 8K neck 9K bridge

 

[JasonE]

Here are the resistance measurements of the pickups in my DGT and the extra set I have.
7.44k, 9.39k
7.85k, 9.46k

As a note, my DGT is old enough that it has different value resistors in it than what they put in them now. That will change the reading on them when tapped. I didn't measure that due to knowing this.

 

[Black Dog]

I have a 2024 SE DGT. This is the resistance:

Humbucker Mode
Neck-7.16K
Middle-3.87K
Bridge-8.44K


Coil Split Mode
Neck-4.44K
Middle-2.49K
Bridge-5.66K

 

[ruger9]

PSA there's an overpriced set on Reverb now:

Paul Reed Smith DGT Pickups (Pair) 2020 - Brushed Nickle | Reverb

This is a pair of DGT pickups that were installed in my ME I by the PTC at PRS.. They have been moderately used and are in excellent plus condition. Comes with full leads (not cut but unsoldered from switch). These covers.have brushed covers to match the ME I’s finish, normally they come with the...

reverb.com

 

[markd21]

I couldn't say because I disliked the pickups. I like the import DGT pickups better. Go figure. But, I can comment on the Duncan SNS pickups. I have used them in a couple PRS guitars over the years. I really dig them for gritty/driven blues and rootsy rock sounds when clean.

 

[JasonE]

PSA there's an overpriced set on Reverb now:

Paul Reed Smith DGT Pickups (Pair) 2020 - Brushed Nickle | Reverb

This is a pair of DGT pickups that were installed in my ME I by the PTC at PRS.. They have been moderately used and are in excellent plus condition. Comes with full leads (not cut but unsoldered from switch). These covers.have brushed covers to match the ME I’s finish, normally they come with the...

reverb.com

That looks to be one of the really early sets. The treble looks like it may be a little older than the bass, or, these are from the period where they were in the process of switching over to the black and gold stickers. I am not sure when they stopped putting the number stickers on them. Mine is a 2011 and it doesn't have them.

 

[ruger9]

That looks to be one of the really early sets. The treble looks like it may be a little older than the bass, or, these are from the period where they were in the process of switching over to the black and gold stickers. I am not sure when they stopped putting the number stickers on them. Mine is a 2011 and it doesn't have them.

The listing says from 2020, installed by the PTC

 

[JasonE]

The listing says from 2020, installed by the PTC

They may have had the PTC install them in 2020. I believe those pickups are older. The white sticker stating it is a Grissom Treble is one indicator. They changed to the black and gold stickers like on the Grissom Bass pickup in that set. They also only put the white stickers with the numbers on them in the early days. They were not putting those on anymore by the time my 2011 was built.