Transducer lead connectors

[Gottaplay]

Pretty soon it'll be time for me to transfer my K&K Trinity system from one guitar to another. The under saddle transducer that I chose 15 odd years ago were the larger 20mm 3 head set up marketed for 12 strings that at the time I was convinced were the right choice for my Norman dreadnought.

Well now I`m playing a slope shoulder Larrivee L-03 mahagony that suits me just fine so it's getting that dual source system provided I can test it as is then A/B it with the centre green transducer lead cut so as to convert it to a two head system. I`ve read that on some guitars with balanced midrange as is the case with my L-03 converting to two transducers can yield more balanced response. Currently it's a bit on the bassy/muddy side to my limited estimation but otherwise I`m satisfied with the sound.

So I`m wondering about connectors for whatever the gauge of lead that's used for K&K transducers. Having the ability to remove and reconnect as opposed to soldering or a permanent crimp connection is what I`m after. Shielding..what about shielding? What do I need to know here gang?

[Doug Young]

So you just want to disconnect the middle transducer? I wouldnt mess with the connection to the disc myself - maybe you have more experience with delicate soldering, tho. The k&ks have a plastic cover that youd be removing as well, just seems like asking for trouble. Why not simply unsolder the wires at the jack, and resolder, leaving off the middle one? You can tape the extra lead so it doesnt lay loose, and you can easily put it back if you want. Or maybe im not understanding the goal.

Id expect a string balance issue with only two, but Ive never tried it.

[Gottaplay]

Hi Doug,
Yes i`d like to experiment with taking the middle transducer out of the signal to see how that effects the sound both before removal from the first guitar as well after the complete system is transplanted into my current guitar. So if the removal is successful and the three transducers reglued into the second guitar then with some sorta reusable connector placed roughly midway I`d be able to A/B the difference between having 2 or 3 of the big *** 20mm sensors soaking up the sound energy. I`d never consider monkeying with the transducer itself nor do a like the idea of going into the guts of the internal preamp. Cutting the lead between provided a suitable reusable connector is readily available would be my preference. Being able to disconnect and reconnect at will seems to me be a lot easier than risking the soldering route. My skills in that department are fair but certainly not at the level of the K&K build.

I`ll go back and find that thread that got me headed down this path in the first place as I would greatly appreciate your feedback as well as every other AGF member. It's funny for hear from you today as I haven't really been active on this site since joining but now that all these pickup and rig selection questions are popping up for me I`ve been chewing through a heap of related information here. Last week I'd never heard of Doug Young. Two days ago a stumbled onto a couple of your Youtube videos that stood out in getting the message across in a meaningful way. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, skills and expertise I`m certain you will figure prominently in my search to improve musically.

[Gottaplay]

OK here's the thread that got me thinking about the possibility of going from three K&K SBT's down to the outer 2. It was posted by maxtheaxe on 10-11-2019 and entitled "K&K fans-another possibility".

Check it out and tell us what you think. I`ve PM'ed Max and hope he can respond especially since he happens to own three Larrivees and one is the same model as mine.

[Gottaplay]

this is the pasted in first posting from that thread about the K&K transducer experiment.

Default K&K fans-another possibility
I have K&Ks in four of my acoustics...love them, and I use them with a K&K Pure XLR Mach2 preamp...perfect setup in my book. The one pickup-equipped guitar that didn't have them is a Larrivee DV-10K made in 2000 that still had the old original Fishman Matrix active UST in it. I never cared for the gritchy. trebly sound; finally got around to switching it out.

I was pretty certain that I wanted a SBT type pickup and decided to try the JJB Prestige 220; this setup has a pair of 20mm pads (as opposed to the three 15mm pads on the PWM or the 22mm pads on the PW/PW-12-string) and based on my experience removing the center pad on K&K setups when I had overly midrangy or boomy levels, I gambled that this would be the best option.

I was right...the larger pads and wider proximity between them was just the thing for this particular guitar. The Koa back & sides give this guitar a a bit of natural midrange bump and I figured it didn't need any more help in that department.

Comparison between the K&K and JJB? As to the tone, so little difference between them as to matter not at all. The JJBs were a bit rougher quality in terms of manufacturing standards; they showed some scratches, handling wear...understandable since they're totally hand made...but nothing that would affect their utility as pickups. The JJB package also lacks the installation items that K&K includes...the putty, golf tees, plastic mounting template, instructions etc. I used the mounting template and left-over putty from an earlier K&K installation to mount these and it worked nicely.

I also installed a new bone saddle from Bob Colosi; as usual, a bit of careful sanding on the base to get the action right, and carefully radiused ends was all it needed. The original saddle that came out of this guitar was strange; apart from being set to accomodate the UST, the base of it was crenelated like the top of a castle wall...(???) No wonder the guitar didn't sound as full as it should.

This guitar is much MUCH better now, both acoustically and through my system. I'm going to go ahead and make a Tusq saddle for comparison and will decide which I like better. Apart from that, this guitar sounds better now than it ever has.

The upshot of all this is to say that, IMHO the JJB pickups are a viable, less expensive alternative to K&Ks, with the caveats that they do not include mounting instructions or materials and their finished quality (due to being completely hand made) is or can be somewhat rough/indifferent compared to the K&Ks.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it...

[Rudy4]

Unless you want to spend a lot of time and some money on attempting to do this it really sounds like what you should be putting in is a K&K Twin Spot, two 1/2" transducers, or it's JJB equivalent if offered.

Your existing 3/4" transducers are not generally recommended for 6 string acoustic guitar and if they are properly mounted with CA gel as recommended by K&K then you take a good chance of damaging them when they are removed.

Just a thought...

[Gottaplay]

yup.

But wouldn't it be interesting to disconnect that middle transducer to do a comparison and see how it effects the sound? If there is a suitable connector yada yada.Who knows maybe it just might make it better..as per the forum member maxtheaxes thread pasted in above? Curious minds got ta know. Risk vs reward...I got this.

Anyone know if the transducer lead contains one or two wires and primary or solid wire type and gauge?

Doug Y was probably right in suggesting altering the connection at the preamp contact. Simple is good albeit not so simply. There might just be enough slack in the leads to do this with the strings off and the transducer supported flush to the neck like maybe resting on an installed feedback buster. If there's no improvement in sound in the first guitar then yes I`d leave those three 20mm transducers in place but yank the remainder of the Trinity and use it with three standard size transducers in the Larrivee.