K & K or JJB?

[L20A]

Which one of these pickups do you use?
How do you like them?
Is there a difference in sound between these 2 pickups?

Which one do you recommend?

[Ben M.]

No experience with the JJb but I've put a K&K pure mini in two guitars and was very pleased both times.

[steelvibe]

I've used and installed both. Both are very good but the K&K is hotter. Just like anything else (strings, picks, personal playing style), some pickups just sound better in some guitars. Since you can't test both, I recommend the JJB for a "budget" guitar that you may move on some day and the K&K in something more valuable, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the sound quality of either IMO.

[TNO]

Have used both but the Schatten HFN is much more natural-sounding and doesn't require super glue on the bridge plate.

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by TNO

Have used both but the Schatten HFN is much more natural-sounding and doesn't require super glue on the bridge plate.

This is my vote too.

K&K: Name brand recognition for resale, nice sounding, hot output, glue
JJB: Similar in tone to K&K, slightly lower output, glue
HFN: Lowest output of the three (still beats a Baggs Ibeam), nicest tone of the three, no glue

Since the HFN is installed with tape or putty, you can experiment with placement, which for some is an endless search. I used a K&K like tool to place it directly under the saddle and never moved it. It benefits slightly from an IR and/or a little high end roll off.

[llew]

I've used both but prefer K&K. And I used a HFN once and it was a bit cleaner sounding but I didn't care for the lower output level. I have one JJB-330 in my Voyage-Air VAOM-02 travel guitar. The p/u suits the guitar. My other guitars have the K&K mini.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by L20A

Which one of these pickups do you use?
How do you like them?
Is there a difference in sound between these 2 pickups?

Which one do you recommend?

I've never used the JJB, but I've installed close to a dozen K&K Pure Minis and always been happy with them. I don't know if JJB has improved the quality of their output jack, but it used to be a much cheaper version of the Fishman end jack as shipped with the K&K Pure Mini.

JJB is a bit scant on details like that on their website, and their FAQ section still says that their standard output jack is not long enough to go through the tail block of a standard acoustic. I wouldn't think that could possibly be true, but you tend to believe what a manufacturer posts on their website:

*********************************

Q Is the jack that comes with your standard series systems (like the PPS-200) long enough to go through the end-block of my guitar?

A No it is not. It must be mounted through the side like you see in the pictures on the page for any item that uses this type of jack.

*********************************

Small details like that are precisely why I've never been tempted to save $30 by using something other than the K&K Pure Mini. It's worth it to me to spend the additional $ on what I have had excellent results from in the past. One of my guitars was purchased used and had a undersaddle transducer and a broken output jack. I replaced it with a K&K and was quite happy to get rid of the cheap output jack that came with that system. I don't know who that was made by, but it didn't matter because I was replacing with a K&K Pure Mini in any case.

You see many happy users of the JJB transducers, so I'm simply relating my personal experiance with using the K&K Pure Mini transducers and why I'm sticking with them.

[Goat Mick]

I have a K&K in my J-45 and it does sound really good. I have JJB pickups in two other guitars and for my playing and to my ears the JJB pickups sound better. They just sound warmer and more natural to my ears and aren't as fussy about preamps as the K&K pickups.

In response to Rudy4's comments above, the JJB pickups come with a jack very similar to a standard Switchcraft Jack. I have never had any issues installing a JJB endpin jack in any of my guitars. Also if you message Jesse at JJB he will send you a pickup without the endpin jack so you can solder any jack you want to use on the pickup (he discounts for not getting the jack).

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

I have a K&K in my J-45 and it does sound really good. I have JJB pickups in two other guitars and for my playing and to my ears the JJB pickups sound better. They just sound warmer and more natural to my ears and aren't as fussy about preamps as the K&K pickups.

In response to Rudy4's comments above, the JJB pickups come with a jack very similar to a standard Switchcraft Jack. I have never had any issues installing a JJB endpin jack in any of my guitars. Also if you message Jesse at JJB he will send you a pickup without the endpin jack so you can solder any jack you want to use on the pickup (he discounts for not getting the jack).

Thanks, Mick.

It's just odd to see incorrect information about such an important detail on a small website such as the JJB site.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by L20A

Which one of these pickups do you use?
How do you like them?
Is there a difference in sound between these 2 pickups?

Which one do you recommend?

Hi L20A

I Have K&K Pure mini in 4 acoustics. Had a JJB in one OM. The output level (without a preamp) was substantially less, and the JJB elements are larger (15mm versus 12.5mm on K&K). If you have a small bridge plate that can be an issue.

The original K&K Pure was 15mm. It was sometimes called the Pure Western. They still make it, and it is now called the Pure 12 string. It is incredibly bass prone and treble-shy, which is good for most 12 strings which tend to sound thin and strident when amplified.

If you have a superb preamp with effective tone controls, you can make many different pickups work.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Thanks, Mick.

It's just odd to see incorrect information about such an important detail on a small website such as the JJB site.

Yeah I wouldn't expect that from Jessie but he is also very responsive to emails. I exchanged a few emails with him before I bought my first pickup. He has been a pleasure to work with.

[SeattleCard]

I've had both and much prefer the K&K over the JJB, which was a disappointment.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

I've used and installed both. Both are very good but the K&K is hotter. Just like anything else (strings, picks, personal playing style), some pickups just sound better in some guitars. Since you can't test both, I recommend the JJB for a "budget" guitar that you may move on some day and the K&K in something more valuable, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the sound quality of either IMO.

Same here. I have a K&K (professionally installed) in my HD-28V and a JJB (self-installed) in my D-2832 Shenandoah, and both sound fine through my ToneDexter. The K&K is definitely hotter.

If you do go with the JJB, I suggest buying directly (www.jjb-electronics.com) instead of through eBay so Jessie doesn't have to pay the eBay fees.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I've never used the JJB, but I've installed close to a dozen K&K Pure Minis and always been happy with them. I don't know if JJB has improved the quality of their output jack, but it used to be a much cheaper version of the Fishman end jack as shipped with the K&K Pure Mini.

JJB is a bit scant on details like that on their website, and their FAQ section still says that their standard output jack is not long enough to go through the tail block of a standard acoustic. I wouldn't think that could possibly be true, but you tend to believe what a manufacturer posts on their website:

*********************************

Q Is the jack that comes with your standard series systems (like the PPS-200) long enough to go through the end-block of my guitar?

A No it is not. It must be mounted through the side like you see in the pictures on the page for any item that uses this type of jack.

*********************************

Small details like that are precisely why I've never been tempted to save $30 by using something other than the K&K Pure Mini. It's worth it to me to spend the additional $ on what I have had excellent results from in the past. One of my guitars was purchased used and had a undersaddle transducer and a broken output jack. I replaced it with a K&K and was quite happy to get rid of the cheap output jack that came with that system. I don't know who that was made by, but it didn't matter because I was replacing with a K&K Pure Mini in any case.

You see many happy users of the JJB transducers, so I'm simply relating my personal experiance with using the K&K Pure Mini transducers and why I'm sticking with them.

This must be old information. Mine replaced the original UST jack in my D-2832 Shenandoah, and installed through the end block. No problems.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

This must be old information. Mine replaced the original UST jack in my D-2832 Shenandoah, and installed through the end block. No problems.

It's a copy/paste from the website, so it must be "current" old information.