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  #16  
Old 03-31-2023, 02:47 PM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is offline
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The Ultratonic is supposed to be improvement over the K&K.

http://jamesmayengineering.com/how-it-works/
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  #17  
Old 03-31-2023, 04:44 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ceciltguitar View Post
The Ultratonic is supposed to be improvement over the K&K.

http://jamesmayengineering.com/how-it-works/
It should sound better. It uses an additional "feedback" transducer, additional components and circuitry, and additional trial and error time to set switch positions.

It's up to the user to decide if its worth it as an upgrade over the simplicity and lower cost of the K&K Pure Mini. Many go with the equivalent JJB knock off of the K&K Pure Mini at half the cost.

Last edited by Rudy4; 03-31-2023 at 04:50 PM.
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  #18  
Old 03-31-2023, 06:22 PM
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Doug Young Doug Young is offline
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SBTs can be hit or miss, and vary widely with guitars, which I think may be why there's such a range of opinions on them. I recently put a K&K in my Hamblin SJ, which previously had a Trance. The Trance was fine, but I had a hunch the K&K might work better in that guitar. I was wrong :-) It fed back at a level softer than me talking, basically as soon as you could actually hear that anything was coming out of the amp. I've had, and still have a number of K&Ks and have never experience anything like this. Totally crazy. I ended up going with an UltraTonic, with the idea that maybe the guitar needed that help in the feedback department. I haven't gigged with it yet, but it seems to sound very good, and the feedback issue is gone.
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  #19  
Old 03-31-2023, 09:41 PM
tadol tadol is offline
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It may take just a little more time to install and “program” the UltraTonic, but it is just the cleanest, simplest, and problem-free pickup I have tried. It’s the only one I’d consider installing in a new guitar, and I’m wishing I’d be willing to start removing a number of other pickups that came pre-installed in some other guitars - at least the K&K is a very simple upgrade -
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  #20  
Old 04-01-2023, 09:33 AM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tadol View Post
It may take just a little more time to install and “program” the UltraTonic, but it is just the cleanest, simplest, and problem-free pickup I have tried. It’s the only one I’d consider installing in a new guitar, and I’m wishing I’d be willing to start removing a number of other pickups that came pre-installed in some other guitars - at least the K&K is a very simple upgrade -
I do like the newest version that has the single piezo strip under the saddle position.

As Doug noted, the suitability of the K&K PM probably has a lot to do with the characteristics of the particular instrument.

The addition of the Ultratonic conversion kit for the normal K&K PM system looks like an ideal upgrade for those who have problems with tone or feedback when a guitar is fitted with the K&K PM.
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  #21  
Old 04-01-2023, 09:50 AM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
I do like the newest version that has the single piezo strip under the saddle position.

As Doug noted, the suitability of the K&K PM probably has a lot to do with the characteristics of the particular instrument.

The addition of the Ultratonic conversion kit for the normal K&K PM system looks like an ideal upgrade for those who have problems with tone or feedback when a guitar is fitted with the K&K PM.

Yes, the new 3.2 version is the one I’m using in my Martin SuperD. I think K&K might have been a feedback problem in that guitar, so I went with the UT. Excellent pickup when you dial it in for your preferences. My other guitars have K&K and don’t present an issue for me. If I needed to upgrade one to UT to play louder venues, I would have no qualms.
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  #22  
Old 04-01-2023, 10:34 AM
FingahPickah FingahPickah is offline
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I have a K & K in my 12-fret slope-shoulder dread.

I use a sound hole feedback suppressor regularly to avoid feedback that I have experienced at moderate to loud volume in a pub gig setting. Some I attribute to the deep body.

My son has a K & K in his Larrivee OM-03 that he gigs with regularly and has never experienced much if any feedback issue.

I'm considering a K & K for my Eastman mandolin.
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  #23  
Old 04-01-2023, 12:45 PM
rokdog49 rokdog49 is offline
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leeW3 has a K & K in his Mando.
He might post something on here.
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  #24  
Old 04-02-2023, 06:49 AM
leew3 leew3 is offline
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I have a K & K in my mandolin as well as my CEO-7. I don't really need a preamp in either if I'm running them directly into a Bose S1. Some would argue that the Tonematch on the S1 functions as a preamp for tone shaping. (But this is the AGF, some would argue about virtually anything). I use a Mogami mixer pedal or Voiceprint DI to enable me to run both of these instruments on one channel. I generally dial the bass down a bit for the CEO-7 but that's all. I really like the lack of 'battery anxiety' and the no maintenance nature of this pickup. Bear in mind I ran Barcus Berry hot dots in my Alvarez Yairi 40+ years ago and liked them as well (yes, I'm aware that they came with a preamp).
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  #25  
Old 04-02-2023, 07:37 AM
Petty1818 Petty1818 is offline
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I have the K&K in my Kentucky mandolin and love it. No feedback issues at all. The benefit too is that you don’t use superglue for the installation, just tape.
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  #26  
Old 04-03-2023, 11:19 AM
varmonter varmonter is offline
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Just to add. Piezo pickups in my experience are
exponential in their response in that the harder you play the more the disc will flex(and the more acoustelectric response).also in loud situations
the top of your guitar vibrates right along with the bass,the drums,the PA, the lead singer and the audience...it does not just pick up your strings it picks up the vibration your strings make at your bridge plate.
Plus all the other vibrations your top may pick up in a loud bar.
This is why I find it less than ideal in louder situations..
This is just the pure physics of the design. We spend alot of money trying to remove all of these unwanted sounds..But in the end its the design of the piezo that is the issue...
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  #27  
Old 04-03-2023, 11:31 AM
varmonter varmonter is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Petty1818 View Post
I have the K&K twin in my Kentucky mandolin and love it. No feedback issues at all. The benefit too is that you don’t use superglue for the installation, just tape.
Mandolins are much less susceptible to feedback then the large cavity of a guitar..I have a kk in my Ellis a5..I regularly play mandolin in large Loud bands with
No issues..They will howl if they are turned up and facing the speaker. But that threshold is much higher than a guitar..

Last edited by varmonter; 04-03-2023 at 11:37 AM.
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  #28  
Old 04-03-2023, 12:08 PM
Petty1818 Petty1818 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by varmonter View Post
Mandolins are much less susceptible to feedback then the large cavity of a guitar..I have a kk in my Ellis a5..I regularly play mandolin in large Loud bands with
No issues..They will howl if they are turned up and facing the speaker. But that threshold is much higher than a guitar..
Definitely. I was just trying to add a bit of a review for those interested in the mandolin version.
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  #29  
Old 04-03-2023, 01:01 PM
mondoslug mondoslug is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Petty1818 View Post
I have the K&K in my Kentucky mandolin and love it. No feedback issues at all. The benefit too is that you don’t use superglue for the installation, just tape.
Interested, I have a friend with a beautiful Northwood Archtop Octave mando...we have a Radius on there right now, less than ideal, interested in the K&K...no glue? Does your mando using the K&K with tape have an oval or have F Holes?

Thanks.
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