K&K Mini vs PUTW I/O: Which Is Which?

[guitaniac]

http://web.tusco.net/hall/IO_Mini.mp3

I put a PUTW I/O UST in my spruce/mahogany Samick OM this morning. Since the guitar was already equipped with a K&K Pure Western Mini SBT, I thought it would be fun to experiment with simultaneously recording off both pickups.

I have three sections of playing here: 1) pattern picking with fingerpicks, 2)barefingered picking and 3) strumming and flatpicking with a flatpick. See if you can tell which pickup sample comes first and which sample is second, for each section of playing. (That should be easy enough for mini-Pure users who claim to hate the UST sound.) I also welcome opinions as to which samples sound the best or worst (as the case may be).

The signal chains were these:

Passive I/O UST> Fishman Platinum Pro EQ preamp> Zoom H4 recorder, Input #1

Passive Mini SBT> Boss GE7> Zoom H4 recorder, Zoom H4 recorder, Input #2


The EQ applied to the I/O was approximately a 5db cut at 1.5KHz and a 3db bass boost.

The EQ applied to the Mini was a 5db cut at 1.6KHz.

I chose the GE7 (as opposed to a second Platinum preamp) to preamp the Mini because its 1Mohm input impedance is the recommended (by K&K) input impedance for the Mini.

I should also mention that I have two jacks in this guitar, as opposed to wiring both pickups to a stereo jack. This avoids any possibility of "crosstalk" (where the signal from one pickup bleeds over to the other pickup's channel).

Have fun,
Gary

[sksmith66]

the first one sounds a heck of a lot better. I'll guess the K&K is the first one.

[guitaniac]

I'm afraid I didn't make myself clear, sksmith66. There are three separate playing style sections. The order of the samples is not the same in every section.

Gary

[sksmith66]

I was speaking about the first section.

[Herb Hunter]

I'd be more interested in hearing a comparison with the equalization controls set flat but I'll give the posted recordings a listen when I have a chance to use my headphones instead of the laptop's speakers.

[dberch]

OK, I'll give it a try.

Section 1: K&K 1st
Section 2: K&K 1st
Section 3: K&K 2nd

[guitaniac]

You're correct on all sections, David.

Here are samples of both pickups (same order as before) with a flat EQ, for Herb's benefit.
http://web.tusco.net/hall/IO_Mi2.mp3

Gary