Replace DGT pickups?

[Erik.PRS]

Thniking of replacing my DGT pickups. The neck sounds muffled and the bridge imo is too hot. played with pickup heights all night last night and just cant seem to hit that sweet spot im looking for? thinking 57/08s? Lollar imperials?

 

[swede71]

What kind of amp or gear?Too much distortion with lots of mids will make every neck humbucker sound muffled in my opinion.Try to lower volume for neck pickup a little bit.I usually set my volume for neck on 5-6.Bridge pickup is a tad hotter for a vintage type humbucker but too me that's a big plus when it comes to distorted sounds.I always have my bridge pickup on 10 when it comes to distorted sounds.For clean(er) sounds I rather use middle or neck position only and lower bridge volume til I find the sound I want.Bridge pickup on 10 split sounds awesome to me with a fendery plus tubesceamer type of sound .

 

[John Beef]

I love the DGT bridge pickup. It's about 9K so it is on the hot side. if you go with less resistance, you should get a less hot tone. I have been told it's Alnico 2, so a pickup around 8K and alnico 2 might do you well. Alnico 4 or 5 will yield a brighter tone.

The neck pickup is muddy, I agree. I swapped mine out for a Dragon 2 neck pickup. That's even a bit with the DGT bridge, so I would think you'd want something more well suited to whatever bridge pickup you end up with. Probably 57/08s, Lollars, Fralins, DiMarzio 36th Anny, etc. etc.

 

[László]

Grissom has said several times in videos that he usually runs his guitar volume around 5-6 to get a nice crunch tone. Then he can control the gain of the amp from the guitar, and get a lot more gain if needed, or clean things up by rolling down the volume.

He also blends the pickups a lot, hence the two volume controls.

Don't know if you've tried this, but no doubt the pickups are designed to work best for Grissom's techniques and tones, since he picked 'em.

I actually do the same thing when setting up my amps, so I understand why it's done this way, and why the pickups are the way they are, though I don't have a Grissom model - yet.

I'm always curious why folks buy a guitar with pickups they don't care for - with respect, not arguing with you, what was it about the DGT that made you pull the trigger?

 

[Erik.PRS]

What kind of amp or gear?Too much distortion with lots of mids will make every neck humbucker sound muffled in my opinion.Try to lower volume for neck pickup a little bit.I usually set my volume for neck on 5-6.Bridge pickup is a tad hotter for a vintage type humbucker but too me that's a big plus when it comes to distorted sounds.I always have my bridge pickup on 10 when it comes to distorted sounds.For clean(er) sounds I rather use middle or neck position only and lower bridge volume til I find the sound I want.Bridge pickup on 10 split sounds awesome to me with a fendery plus tubesceamer type of sound .

Gonna fiddle with it more tonight. I'm running through a super reverb. gonna try your suggestions. Thanks

 

[Erik.PRS]

Grissom has said several times in videos that he usually runs his guitar volume around 5-6 to get a nice crunch tone. Then he can control the gain of the amp from the guitar, and get a lot more gain if needed, or clean things up by rolling down the volume.

He also blends the pickups a lot, hence the two volume controls.

Don't know if you've tried this, but no doubt the pickups are designed to work best for Grissom's techniques and tones, since he picked 'em.

I actually do the same thing when setting up my amps, so I understand why it's done this way, and why the pickups are the way they are, though I don't have a Grissom model - yet.

I'm always curious why folks buy a guitar with pickups they don't care for - with respect, not arguing with you, what was it about the DGT that made you pull the trigger?

I've actually had a couple of DGTs before I got this one. The first one was a nitro goldtop and I loved it!! This one is the reason I wanted another with nitro finish.Ended up trading it which after a week i beat myself up for it. Second one I had was a 2013 and actually was too heavy for me and only kept for a few days before trading for a Custom Shop Les Paul. Didn't even plug in to my amp. So far out of all the PRS guitar I've had (at least 50) the DGT is my favorite.

 

[Screamingdaisy]

Try rolling the tone off slightly.

It'll take some edge off the bridge if it seems a touch hot, and while it may sound counter-intuitive, it can make the neck sound clearer via a more focused midrange.

 

[Mike Duncan]

57/08s have been in my '08 since '09....

 

[tonaholic]

Suhr Thornbuckers are a new paf flavor that I imagine would work well in a PRS.

 

[RonnieD]

I've actually had a couple of DGTs before I got this one. The first one was a nitro goldtop and I loved it!! This one is the reason I wanted another with nitro finish.Ended up trading it which after a week i beat myself up for it. Second one I had was a 2013 and actually was too heavy for me and only kept for a few days before trading for a Custom Shop Les Paul. Didn't even plug in to my amp. So far out of all the PRS guitar I've had (at least 50) the DGT is my favorite.

The DGT is my fav PRS as well!

 

[sleary]

57/08's would be my first choice ..

I'm actually running m pickups in my dgt. ...

 

[RonnieD]

I have etched 57/08's in my PS DC 245, and I really like the neck pick up, probably a bit more than my DGT neck pick up. The 57/08 sounds so good, even when it's split as well. The Bridge DGT pick up though is my fav as far as bridge pick ups go...
RonnieD

 

[vchizzle]

5708, 5909 are my favorite neck pickups. I don't have a DGT to compare to but I don't like muddy neck pickups. The Duncan Jazz is a nice neck pickup with good clarity. Cheap too. Closest I have to DGT is my PS which is DGT stoptail w/SC thick body. I have a 5708 squabbin neck in that.

 

[Boogie]

I run the tone on mine at about 3 and jockey the volume(s) constantly. Personally, the DGT is about the total package and wouldn't dream of changing the pups. I'd change guitars before doing that.

 

[rugerpc]

I run the tone on mine at about 3 and jockey the volume(s) constantly. Personally, the DGT is about the total package and wouldn't dream of changing the pups. I'd change guitars before doing that.

^^^ this

More than most, the DGT is intended to be a complete package. Everything about it was tweaked and reworked to get to the tone David heard in his head.

The pups were wound and re-wound and rewound multiple times in particular to get where they are.

If it is not working for you Erik, it really would make more sense to just get a McCarty and experiment with that and different pups until you were happy.

Of course there is the whole money thing, and the making it your own thing, so make it yours.

I guess Boogie and I just lament throwing away Grissom's efforts...

 

[vchizzle]

^^^ this

More than most, the DGT is intended to be a complete package. Everything about it was tweaked and reworked to get to the tone David heard in his head.

The pups were wound and re-wound and rewound multiple times in particular to get where they are.

If it is not working for you Erik, it really would make more sense to just get a McCarty and experiment with that and different pups until you were happy.

Of course there is the whole money thing, and the making it your own thing, so make it yours.

I guess Boogie and I just lament throwing away Grissom's efforts...

I run the tone on mine at about 3 and jockey the volume(s) constantly. Personally, the DGT is about the total package and wouldn't dream of changing the pups. I'd change guitars before doing that.

You know I love you guys, but I disagree entirely. While there's a great deal of effort that went into David's guitar, to discard because of the pickups isn't the answer. If I had my way, the DG controls would be on every double cut PRS. You can't get that on any other guitar. Not to mention the trem. Maybe not so much now, but it used to be hard to find a McCarty trem. So if you want that body thickness + trem, it's THE way to go. I understand the respect for DG and everything that went into the guitar, but if he loves everything else about the guitar, no reason not to try to work something out with different pickups.

 

[rugerpc]

Good points, Vaughn.

I'm still concentrating 99% on just playing well and getting better. Tweaking my personal tone just isn't a huge part of my equation yet. That's why I look at signature guitars, especially one like the DGT where the development was quite long and interactive, as platforms that beg to be played as is. My comments reflect my feelings about my own DGT.

This is also a primary reason I should not be specing a PS yet. How foolish would it be yo have a PS built when I haven't settled on the pups yet?

But I did allow that Erik is free to and should make it his own. If that means changing the pups, then he should go for it.

 

[vchizzle]

Good points, Vaughn.

I'm still concentrating 99% on just playing well and getting better. Tweaking my personal tone just isn't a huge part of my equation yet. That's why I look at signature guitars, especially one like the DGT where the development was quite long and interactive, as platforms that beg to be played as is. My comments reflect my feelings about my own DGT.

This is also a primary reason I should not be specing a PS yet. How foolish would it be yo have a PS built when I haven't settled on the pups yet?

But I did allow that Erik is free to and should make it his own. If that means changing the pups, then he should go for it.

No, I totally understand. I did see the "make it his" part, I get wordy enough sometimes that just skip the disclaimers cause I feel like I've babbled to much.
Well, yeah, pickups are the least to worry about really in the PS process, EXCEPT to get the body routed right. I mean you wouldn't want 408's in there and later decided you don't like 408's. I have no doubt that at some point I'll try different pickups in my PS. It'll change the whole look when I put brushed nickel 5708's with white or natural wood rings! It'll be a whole NGD all over again!

 

[rugerpc]

I'm a neck pup kinda guy.

I haven't spent enough good time on a 408, so that is still an open question for me 408 cavity vs HB cavity.

And, just to add tomy confusion, I keep wondering what a wide 408 would sound like in the neck position. As far as I know, no one has done that. I'm not sure I can risk a carve dedicated to that shape before really evaluating it.

It's looking like I'm going to have to send an SE to PTC for some madness experimentation...

 

[vchizzle]

I'm a neck pup kinda guy.

I haven't spent enough good time on a 408, so that is still an open question for me 408 cavity vs HB cavity.

And, just to add tomy confusion, I keep wondering what a wide 408 would sound like in the neck position. As far as I know, no one has done that. I'm not sure I can risk a carve dedicated to that shape before really evaluating it.

It's looking like I'm going to have to send an SE to PTC for some madness experimentation...

Sounds like fun!