Just Ebayed a Guitar with a K&K mini installed

Doubleneck · #1 10-24-2014, 09:20 AM

Finally get to see what you guys keep talking about. Should be a fasinating comparison finally. Professionally installed so it should be right.

Doubleneck · #2 10-30-2014, 05:27 AM

Well plugged it in last night directly to my acoustic amp which has pretty good EQ with sweepable mids. Seemed fine but I was a little underwhelmed, seemed almost identical to my "new to me" guitar with the I-Beam. I-Beam probably a little better I assume because it's has a endpin preamp. EQ setting were indentical, probably not surprise since they are both SBT. Will try with a preamp next. Probably like most pickups, it's getting used to what it takes to bring out the best in them, and I am new to the K&K. The Dtar Solstice is my mainstay, will be interested to try it with the Zoom A3, worked well with the I-Beam.

joeguam · #3 10-31-2014, 12:52 PM

Double, are you comparing the passive K&K to an active ibeam? That might be like compatible oranges to tangerines. In addition, your price point differs about $40-50 cheaper with the pure mini.

You also have to account for the different guitars, or are they the same brand/model?

The K&K pure mini isn't the "end-all" of pickups, it's just a great, inexpensive system that gives you the opportunity to dial-in pretty much any tone you want by removing unwanted frequencies (as opposed to having to boost lacking frequencies).

Keep playing with it, you'll find your tone.

jseth · #4 10-31-2014, 01:56 PM

Not really a fair comparison, Doubleneck... and, for what it's worth, I don't believe that the I-beam is a soundboard transducer, as it hangs off the bridgeplate, where the K&K is actually affixed TO the bridgeplate...

When I first put the K&K into my Goodall, I was really struggling to get a good sound out of "just" the pickup... until I got a hold of a K&K PURE XLR preamp, that is... the K&K really shines with that preamp, and you can find them for reasonable prices; I got mine NEW from Shoreline for $80!

Curiously, without the preamp, I had to jack tone controls all over the place to even come close to a decent tone from the K&K... and with the K&K preamp, I hardly have to use the EQ on it! I know there are many folks who will say that impedance issues don't show up or hinder a pickup, but my ears tell me something entirely different... so I'll go with MY ears, thanks!

By the way, the two systems through which I ran the K&K (unsatisfactorily until the preamp) are 1) Bose L1 Model I Classic with T1 "tonematch" mixer and 2) AER Compact 60/2... both units are superb amplifying systems, but I could not get anything close to the tone I get when I use that K&K preamp...

Petty1818 · #5 10-31-2014, 02:32 PM

It took me some time to really bond with the K&K pure mini. I was so accustomed to using UST pickups that I was thrown off by the warm and natural tone of the K&K pickup. It really is a fantastic pickup though.

However, the one thing that I will add is that it's not for everybody. A lot of players use the pure mini and love it but I find it's too warm for a full band setting, even a full acoustic band.

AVTaylor83 · #6 10-31-2014, 02:40 PM

I have a K&K in one of my Taylors, and it's not bad. I've found that I prefer other options though. It doesn't give me the shimmer that I'm looking for, particularly with a band.

At the end of the day, no pick-up or mic is going to give you the natural sound of your guitar. It comes down to personal preference, EQ, and finding a pleasing plugged in sound that works for YOUR ears.

I've found that an EQ pedal is very helpful to take down the heavy mids of the K&K.

RustyZombie · #7 10-31-2014, 02:48 PM

Lol he says that so far he doesn't like it better than other pickups but that he isn't done tinkering with it yet, and people jump on him for not being fair. Heaven forbid someone else doesn't love your favorite pickup right off the bat.

StevenL · #8 10-31-2014, 03:43 PM

Personally I don't get the love for the K&K. I listened to yet another video the other day that was almost universally oohed and ahhed but it still just sounded like another magnetic pickup to me. There've been several others that people have presented as an example of its wonderful, natural sound and I just think "...you've got to be kidding." I've tried to like it but just can't. So maybe you just don't like it either. I'm sure that's ok. Different ears hear the same things differently. And, the power of suggestion is quite strong.

kydave · #9 10-31-2014, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevenL

Personally I don't get the love for the K&K. I listened to yet another video the other day that was almost universally oohed and ahhed but it still just sounded like another magnetic pickup to me. There've been several others that people have presented as an example of its wonderful, natural sound and I just think "...you've got to be kidding." I've tried to like it but just can't. So maybe you just don't like it either. I'm sure that's ok. Different ears hear the same things differently. And, the power of suggestion is quite strong.

Have you listened to it other than in a recording?

THAT is certainly no means by which to base the quality - good, bad or indifferent - of a guitar pickup.

I've NEVER heard anyone compare the K&K to "another magnetic pickup" (which is an ENTIRELY different critter) either.

Doubleneck · #10 10-31-2014, 04:24 PM

So true just had one hour with it. It wasn't bad at all with no preamp, I just think my expectations were ramped up by all the love here for it. This weekend I will go through my preamps with it. Like I was saying it took me quite a while to dial in my other pickups. I'm probably not going to buy a K&K preamp just for one guitar? Well never say never. i do like the more natural sound of a SBT.

joeguam · #11 10-31-2014, 04:52 PM

I know of a couple of AGF'ers that have had great success dialing in tone with their Dtar Solstice like the one you have.

swsman · #12 11-01-2014, 03:11 AM

I have used MXR M108 10band graphic EQ with JJB pickups in a few guitars I used to own. Managed to get good tone without a lot of effort.
Still have that MXR unit, just not using it at the moment. I have also used Dtar Solstice and BBE Sonic Maximizer with great results as well.
My Blueridge came to me with Dazzo passive already installed, to me it feels a notch above K&K/JJB. Easier to dial in too, no preamp I just go straight into my Trace Elliott (really transparent amp, I like it a lot more compared to Marshall AS50d I used to own). When I plug into Mustang amp on studio preamp setting works good, albeit amp colors the guitars sound.

Mbroady · #13 11-01-2014, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doubleneck

So true just had one hour with it. It wasn't bad at all with no preamp, I just think my expectations were ramped up by all the love here for it. This weekend I will go through my preamps with it. Like I was saying it took me quite a while to dial in my other pickups. I'm probably not going to buy a K&K preamp just for one guitar? Well never say never. i do like the more natural sound of a SBT.

Hey Doubleneck:

As others have stated the pre makes a difference. IMO if you get a chance to plug it into a PA (along with a compatible pre), as compared to an acoustic amp you will get the full experience.

Doubleneck · #14 11-01-2014, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mbroady

Hey Doubleneck:

As others have stated the pre makes a difference. IMO if you get a chance to plug it into a PA (along with a compatible pre), as compared to an acoustic amp you will get the full experience.

That will happen at praise band, my Dtar Solstice just stays there and goes to the PA. off this week but we will see soon.

StevenL · #15 11-01-2014, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kydave

Have you listened to it other than in a recording?

THAT is certainly no means by which to base the quality - good, bad or indifferent - of a guitar pickup.

I've NEVER heard anyone compare the K&K to "another magnetic pickup" (which is an ENTIRELY different critter) either.

Nah, I don't get out much. And I doubt anyone around here actually has one of them. I've said before I might change my mind if I heard one live. However, the recordings these days are pretty dang good. Even cheap systems are almost-pro sounding. And the K&K has the EXACT same sound in all the recordings I've heard, and they sound "electric" (maybe 'magnetic' was a bad choice of word), slightly whangy with a WOOFY attack on the bottom end. Now for those who like that sound, I'm sure the K&K is as good as it gets these days. But since I don't like the recorded sound of the pickup, I would not buy one CURRENTLY, since I doubt that many recordings are distorting the sound in the same way, consistently. But I may be wrong.

For now, I'm sticking with the Lyric for my limited needs. It doesn't sound "electric" and the bottom end isn't "woofy". But I also have no need for huge volume. At My volume levels, the Lyric sounds Like an Acoustic Guitar. But I'm not defending or justifying or fan-boying for the Lyric. I don't have a dog in the hunt....don't care what anyone uses or what anybody else hears for that matter.

If my needs were to change, I may be induced to explore the K&K more thoroughly since I'm sure it's OK live and as good a compromise as currently obtainable.