#16
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Love JJB and love K&K. I do have JJB installs that are hotter than K&K with a fuller sound and vise-versa. I've installed probably a dozen of these. I really like them both. It really depends on the responsiveness of the bridge plate of a particular guitar. After hearing this video, it confirms my belief in this technology. A $50 pickup in a several $K guitar...seems that money is no object to great sound.
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YouTube Soundcloud Hoffman L-00 w JJB Kronbauer TDK w K&K Martin OM-35 w K&K Gibsons: J-150 w Fishman, CL-35 w JJB, Hummingbird w JJB, Les Paul Custom Crafter TM-035 w JJB Recording King ROS-647 w JJB Voyage-Air OM-04, Washburn Red Rocker Amps: Crate 2x12, Peaveys, LoudBox Artist Pickups: JJB & K&K Mini Callaway Big Bertha Clubs |
#17
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Under $150 for a decent sound hole pickup, that would be the Dimarzio Angel. Installed one on a friends guitar and I was impressed. Quote:
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#18
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The thing about the K&K is that a lot of people feel they need a preamp for it, so it's really not quite as cheap as it looks at first glance.
Whereas something like the Lyric or the M80 needs a preamp much less. Now, a lot of people just flat-out like the K&K sound, so I'm not knocking that. But if we're talking price, I wouldn't budget for a K&K without also budgeting for a preamp. |
#19
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I get very good sound with JJB's also.
One guitar, my J-40 puts out a stronger signal than my other two, which I happened to buy on the same order. Those two are as strong or stronger than a couple of sound hole pickups I have. So they are fine. I used to use them with out a preamp but I picked up one up (an Ashdown) a few months ago and I love it. So I agree about factoring in a preamp. I can get a very good sound through virtually anything. Over two years now never a problem. Great service too. I found the installation to be important for good string balance. Learned that lesson with the first install and that's how I can tell you their service is excellent.
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#20
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I didn't even know what she was using until I asked her. She told me she had installed the K&K's I'd recommended to her. So you don't have to use a preamp...although I do and I think they tend to sound even better with it. But clearly a preamp is not a must have.
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Taylor 512...Taylor 710B...Blueridge BR163...Blueridge BR183a...all with K&K's & used w/RedEye preamps Seagull CW w/Baggs M1 pickup...National Vintage Steel Tricone...SWR California Blonde Amp |
#21
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'59 Gibson J-45 "Spot" '21 Gibson LG-2 - 50's Reissue '94 Taylor 710 '18 Martin 000-17E "Willie" ‘23 Taylor AD12e-SB '22 Taylor GTe Blacktop '15 Martin 000X1AE https://pandora.app.link/ysqc6ey22hb |
#22
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While I've never tried the K&K I've not felt the need to try it or anything else for that matter. I'm real happy at the moment.
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#23
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So who are the winners at this point in the poll?
Looks like the K&K's and the JJB's although according to Larry (ljguitar} the output of the JJB's is about 60% of that of the K&K's and when the JJB's are boosted to the same volume as the K&K's, Larry says the JJB's get a little harsh and muddy. So I've gotta give the #1 spot to the K&K's...even though I thought the JJB's sounded great in the Youtube video I posted earlier in the thread. I'd love to compare them side by side. How about magnetic soundhole pickups? IMO, the winner in the $150 or under price range is the Baggs M1. The Baggs M80 might sound a little "better" to some ears but at $248. it's $100 more than the Baggs M1 which is priced at $149. The Seymour Duncan Woody XL sounded very good too! Full and warm and at $70 or less, it's less than half of the $149 price tag of the Baggs M1. It's one where the cord dangles out of the soundhole though. Kind of a turn off for a lot of people. The Baggs M1 comes with a prewired endpin jack so you don't have a cord dangling out of your soundhole...unless you want that, because it comes with that kind of cord too, so you have your choice. The thread's still open. Any other recommendations?
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Taylor 512...Taylor 710B...Blueridge BR163...Blueridge BR183a...all with K&K's & used w/RedEye preamps Seagull CW w/Baggs M1 pickup...National Vintage Steel Tricone...SWR California Blonde Amp Last edited by Gypsyblue; 05-26-2015 at 08:04 PM. |
#24
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For my JJB set-up, I installed a JJB Prestige-330 (15mm) and I installed it myself. It was installed in a Grand Auditorium, Solid cedar top and solid mahogany back & sides. I thought it sounded awesome. Very natural and loud. Not weak and not muddy/harsh. I was very happy with it for the money I spent on it. In fact, I'm contemplating adding a pickup to the S&P in my signature. If I decide to do so, I already know I'm putting in a JJB. Just figured I would add my few cents to the discussion.
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"Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish."Quintilian |
#25
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Also the premise of the question was pickups under $150 which limits things quite a bit and also gives the asumption that it's going into a modest priced guitar. Well a M1 Active is out because they run @ $170. I suspect that takes the passive M1 out of the equation because of the need of a preamp. It probably also kills the K&K because while the pickup is only $99 I did have to drop another $99 on a K&K Pure XLR Preamp to go with mine. Over the $150 mark again. The JJB is still looking good because it pairs nicely with the $99 K&K Pure XLR preamp and comes in at $40 as long as you do the install yourself. So far that's the only one that's ready to play for less than $150. Between $150 - $200 things open up a lot though. I don't know much about the less expensive sound hole pickups with the chord dangling out the front, but some are supposed to be fairly respectable.
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'59 Gibson J-45 "Spot" '21 Gibson LG-2 - 50's Reissue '94 Taylor 710 '18 Martin 000-17E "Willie" ‘23 Taylor AD12e-SB '22 Taylor GTe Blacktop '15 Martin 000X1AE https://pandora.app.link/ysqc6ey22hb Last edited by Goat Mick; 05-26-2015 at 05:57 PM. |
#26
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The K&K's work well straight into a PA. I prefer running them through my Red Eye and then into the PA but they sound fine without it. I do see your point, although if you already have a good preamp there's no need to buy another one. I use K&K's myself but I really liked the sound of the JJB's in the Youtube video. For $60 they appear to be a great deal even if they do have about 60% of the output of the K&K's. At least according to ljguitar. I respect Larry's opinions, as do many others on this forum. But the JJB's did sound excellent to me in that Youtube video. I was very impressed and would love to try a set for myself. K&K's are in all but one of my acoustic guitars, and I do have them in my '95 Taylor 710B Brazilian. That is a valuable guitar so I don't think of a $100 pickup as being for modest guitars...not by a long shot! I didn't start this thread to push my own preferences though. Hearing the JJB pickups was something new for me and for just $60 a set, I'd like to try a set myself. I'm interested in learning about other really good pickups in that $150 and under price range, so if there's more of them out there, let's hear about them.
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Taylor 512...Taylor 710B...Blueridge BR163...Blueridge BR183a...all with K&K's & used w/RedEye preamps Seagull CW w/Baggs M1 pickup...National Vintage Steel Tricone...SWR California Blonde Amp Last edited by Gypsyblue; 05-26-2015 at 09:33 PM. |
#27
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You haven't looked at the LSM pickup yet? It's a dual source and it's under $150.
http://www.lsmsound.com/en/product_view.aspx?id=408 |
#28
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http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acous...id^53736456387
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1974 Martin D-28 (A gift for my 20th birthday from Mom and Dad) "Frankenstein" 1948 Gibson J-50 Body/1938 L-00 Neck 2008 Martin 000-18 Norman Blake 2006 Jubal Jumbo 2016 New Era Crooked Star Prairie State Jumbo 2016 New Era Crooked Star Senorita 2020 Iris Smeck 1972 Guild Killdeer F112-6 Part Deux |
#29
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'59 Gibson J-45 "Spot" '21 Gibson LG-2 - 50's Reissue '94 Taylor 710 '18 Martin 000-17E "Willie" ‘23 Taylor AD12e-SB '22 Taylor GTe Blacktop '15 Martin 000X1AE https://pandora.app.link/ysqc6ey22hb |
#30
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I searched for online reviews and went to YouTube as well. One demo was so amateurish and out of tune that I could not get into it at all. Do you have an LSM dual source in a guitar? What are your thoughts about it because I didn't hear or read anything that made me want to run out and buy one. The JJB YouTube demo, on the other hand, was quite impressive.
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Taylor 512...Taylor 710B...Blueridge BR163...Blueridge BR183a...all with K&K's & used w/RedEye preamps Seagull CW w/Baggs M1 pickup...National Vintage Steel Tricone...SWR California Blonde Amp |