Well, well, finally got a K&K Pure Mini and

[Bobboy]

The K&K has been around for a long time now and is still the best pickup for me.

[Hogie_GT]

I have the K&K mini in my Eastman E20D and like it so much, I have ordered another for one of my other guitars. I have a LR Baggs Para DI pre-amp I can use that works good with it. But if you need no EQ'ing, it is great as a passive pickup.

[martingitdave]

I've decided to start using K&K pickups again. I got one for my new workhorse 12 string. I'm considering one for my prized custom shop Martin. Having also used the best (highest fidelity) pickups available, there are benefits to the dumb simple K&K design. All the better sounding options (Trance, Aura, ES2) are fairly fussy to install and maintain. K&K gets you about 80% of the way there with no batteries or controls and can be further improved with outboard gear, if you so wish. That's probably good enough for most people and why so many AGFers like them.

[gruuv]

I may be in the minority here, but I run my OM with the Pure Mini straight into my SR Jam 150, no preamp. With the Jam's EQ flat it sounds phenomenal. At a large church I played in back in March I ran direct into the board and received compliments on the tone later. I can see that running a pre could make it sound more natural, but I just don't think you can go wrong with it either way.

[6L6]

All of my acoustics are so equipped!

[Tracy Perry]

Originally Posted by gruuv

I may be in the minority here, but I run my OM with the Pure Mini straight into my SR Jam 150, no preamp. With the Jam's EQ flat it sounds phenomenal. At a large church I played in back in March I ran direct into the board and received compliments on the tone later. I can see that running a pre could make it sound more natural, but I just don't think you can go wrong with it either way.

Had called the nearest Martin service center to get prices from them on doing some action work on the OM-28 I just got since it's high. While talking with them was asking about the K&K Pure Mini's and the person on the phone told me that was by far the most popular passive pickup that they installed - in fact it was one that they normally recommended... He also said they had good luck with it without the pre-amp but also had good results using the L.R. Baggs Para DI if I remember correctly.
Now I've got to get mine in and then it's a 3.5 hour round trip to run down there and let them do the few things I need to the OM-28 (including mounting the K&K) and also the 00-27SE (action to high on it also). Their prices were also very reasonable and they said they could have the guitars back to me in a couple of hours so I could go enjoy the Nacogdoches scenery.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by gruuv

I may be in the minority here, but I run my OM with the Pure Mini straight into my SR Jam 150, no preamp. With the Jam's EQ flat it sounds phenomenal. At a large church I played in back in March I ran direct into the board and received compliments on the tone later. I can see that running a pre could make it sound more natural, but I just don't think you can go wrong with it either way.

I can (and often do) run my K&K equipped Santa Cruz 1929 00 straight into my Carvin AG200 but I can't run it flat on the EQ mostly because I play fingerstyle (fingertips, no nails) so I need to boost the trebles and dial back the bass and mids a tad. But if I played with a pick I might get away with flat EQ.

I'll also sometimes run it through my Red-Eye and boost the treble with that and that just sounds great. I have three pre-amps I use depending on the venue/equipment/sound guy: Red-Eye, Para DI, or K&K belt clip pre-amp.

There is one venue with one sound guy that get's me good tone straight into his PA but most are so zoned into strummers with soundhole pickups and just can't, don't or won't care enough to tweak my admittedly muted signal if I don't use a pre-amp. I'm talking mostly open mic gigs here.

[gruuv]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

I can (and often do) run my K&K equipped Santa Cruz 1929 00 straight into my Carvin AG200 but I can't run it flat on the EQ mostly because I play fingerstyle (fingertips, no nails) so I need to boost the trebles and dial back the bass and mids a tad. But if I played with a pick I might get away with flat EQ.

I'll also sometimes run it through my Red-Eye and boost the treble with that and that just sounds great. I have three pre-amps I use depending on the venue/equipment/sound guy: Red-Eye, Para DI, or K&K belt clip pre-amp.

There is one venue with one sound guy that get's me good tone straight into his PA but most are so zoned into strummers with soundhole pickups and just can't, don't or won't care enough to tweak my admittedly muted signal if I don't use a pre-amp. I'm talking mostly open mic gigs here.

The bolded is an excellent point. I most often play that way (fingers, sans nails), and strum that way as well... I don't use a pick often at all when plugged in. My E20OM is a fairly bright instrument with the Adirondack top, but at times I do end up cutting lows and mids/boosting treble as well, depending upon the space.

The K&K Pure Mini run direct is never lacking for bass response, in my experience. As a bassist (first instrument), that makes me tremendously happy , but I have had the same experience as Methos.

[Raggamuffin]

Same here. I installed a K&K Trinity last weekend and then had to wait another week for a TRS cable to arrive from Sweetwater. Plugged it in (via a Solstice preamp) this past Saturday and was blown away by the very natural & gorgeous sound of this pickup. Even when I dial the internal mic back to zero the regular mini pickups sound fantastic all by themselves. I was kind of nervous about gluing these things in my guitar but don't regret it one bit.

[cotten]

I have the K&K Pure Mini in my McKnight, and as Methos1979 said, playing fingerstyle I dial back a little on the lower frequencies. Depending on where I am, I do this either on the mixer or via my Pure SLR Preamp. It does what I need it to, every time. (I do like having the volume control dial hidden just inside the soundhole.)

cotten

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by Raggamuffin

Same here. I installed a K&K Trinity last weekend and then had to wait another week for a TRS cable to arrive from Sweetwater. Plugged it in (via a Solstice preamp) this past Saturday and was blown away by the very natural & gorgeous sound of this pickup. Even when I dial the internal mic back to zero the regular mini pickups sound fantastic all by themselves. I was kind of nervous about gluing these things in my guitar but don't regret it one bit.

I thought there was an issue when using the Trinity with the Solstice pre-amp?? Check this thread:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=466924

[Mbroady]

The K&K mini sounds really good. Blend in the mic and you have acoustic guitar nirvana.

I once had a Blue ridge BR-183 that had the K&K 3 source system (mini/mic/UST combo)
Never should have sold it. I convinced my self that I did not want an on board Pre-amp and UST in my guitars. For band gigs it was the best set up I ever heard.

[Raggamuffin]

Originally Posted by AndyC

I thought there was an issue when using the Trinity with the Solstice pre-amp?? Check this thread:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=466924

Wow. That's pretty interesting. I'll add my $0.02 on the other thread to avoid getting this one off track.