Macrobiotic recipes for pickled cucumbers so not use vinegar (or sugar). Pack fresh Kirby cucumbers in a jar or crock, add fresh dill, garlic, and a brine (1 tsp salt per cup water, bring just to a boil). Cover, add a weight and leave 10 - 14 days, then refrigerate. I have recipes in The Book of Whole Meals (Annemarie Colbin) and Whole World Cookbook (East West Journal). Very straightforward.

Latoscano gives great advice here. You could also look into lacto fermentation where you use salt and pressure with no vinegar!

There are a couple of options. One is to brine the pickles, then soak in water to desalt them, and then immerse in a brine that includes sugar, along with less salt and vinegar. Other recipes start out with the sugar, along with the salt and vinegar. There are a number of spices you can add to create a less sharp and salty flavor, such as cloves and cinnamon. Check the Ball Blue Book or other canning book for specific directions, especially for the desalting steps.