K&K Trinity upgrade mini-review

[fazool]

In THIS thread I raved about the K&K Pure Mini I installed. I then went on and installed a K&K in my 12-string (different version) and one in my large-body Taylor. I loved all the results and am a big fan.


Based upon info on AGF, I then upgraded this with an UltraTonic upgrade kit which I raved about in THIS thread.

The James May upgrade includes an available "port" to connect another pickup and since it already has a stereo jack installed - it's a pretty easy exercise. So I did some research and bought a Trinity Pro upgrade kit, which includes the trinity internal condenser mic, the two channel (via stereo cable) K&K pre-amp and a stereo patch cord. It also includes any mounting supplies you need.

I "cheated" and did not remove my endpin jack - this is because I had lightly loctite-d it because I use a strap lock. So I had to reach in, unplug the "daughterboard" solder the mic to the available pad and plug it back in. I did it by feel and inspected it with a borescope camera. I was worried I might have missed a pin but it was actually easy.

This entire upgrade was under an hour, including string change and retesting my daughter board reinstall (three times to be sure).

Super easy.

It works fabulously well and the sound from my acoustic is so much more authentic now. I haven't even tried adjusting the EQ or gain pots yet - I just ran with the stock settings. The mic is very sensitive so I do now get a lot of mic feedback. But in those instances I will simply turn down the mic.

I love the flexibility.

Fingerstyle playing is where this mic really shines - it picks up so much more from a delicate touch. I love that.

This was an expensive upgrade ($226) and I would have been better off starting with the finished product instead of upgrading twice along the way. But, I was experimenting and still figuring out what I needed.

I highly recommend this upgrade and this combination.

By the way I called James May to ask a quick question and he was great to talk to!

[BluesKing777]

Ha, I laughed when you said you did it the hard way - I did similar the very long hard way....congratulations by the way!

I run the Trinity with the mic full so use it in a mixer with in ears or headphones. Fabulous!

Long story short - I started the long way by getting a K&K Mini in 3 guitars a few years back. I run them to Tonedexter files, sounds great.......but..

I have the Matons with the sensational dual source and had the bit between my teeth to get a similar dual source sound from a guitar with a fat neck instead of the standard Maton neck. And there is not a huge lot of information here on the Trinity but eventually my plan was to buy ONE Trinity Pro Upgrade Kit to try it.

So I spoke to my luthier, he ordered the Trinity and said it would be a 'few weeks' before it arrived from his supplier. And then we went into Covid Lockdown and were only allowed to go to the closest shop and nowhere else.

He called and said it was here! He organised his partner to drive around and pick up guitars from clients, masks, gloves and reluctantly off went my custom 00 in its Hiscox.

Of course, when I got it back, it had the full K&K Trinity ONBOARD system installed inside it. K&K, Mic, preamp, battery, leads ...the works. I was about to flip a lid!

I plugged it in and it sounds incredible. I rang him and said it was wrong but I loved the sound (on the preset settings). It cost a lot too!

After playing it and looking at K&K's ordering form for the 50th time, I can see how it went wrong......it is very confusing.

So, I ordered the 'Trinity Pro Upgrade Kit' myself from Thomann in Germany? Very clearly laid out information on their website and it arrived in 4 days! Then I got the luthier to install it for me and worked on the preamp setting for days as I was getting a lot of distortion. The gain setting needs to only just on, NOT on FULL like I do with my Matons!

Then later, I bought 3 K&K Trinity Mics from Thomann and got my luthier to solder them on - easy job, eh?

I can run the stereo lead out to get the full Trinity sound with mic, OR I can run a normal lead from my Tonedexter and just use the K&K part. (handy if there is a noisy environment. - I could hear my portable fan on a hot day with the mic and I can imagine err, my Better Half and friends in the front table at a gig......)

Still untried at gigs because of the virus, but I KNOW I am on the right track...


BluesKing777.

[martingitdave]

This is the direction I am going. I was going to ask with respect to the onboard system, if it is a bulky as it looks in the pictures? Well done Fazool and BluesKing. You guys are a step ahead of me, as usual.

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

This is the direction I am going. I was going to ask with respect to the onboard system, if it is a bulky as it looks in the pictures? Well done Fazool and BluesKing. You guys are a step ahead of me, as usual.

Very bulky, Dave. And I haven't changed the battery inside yet.... BUT,it is a stand alone guitar like a Maton then....

No, get the Trinity Pro Upgrade kit with the outboard preamp and change batteries daily!! For fun, very easy.

If you have the K&K, you just need the mic plus the preamp.

And.....these old eyes couldn't see the gain and eq setting on the miniature preamp board! Bought a new magnifying glass!

BluesKing777.

[M19]

I have the Trinity in my McIlroy and my 00-18, and love the tone they produce. Just the mini in my Tayor GC and it is OK, but without the mic it is less wonderful.

[fazool]

I am using the K&K Trinity Pro external preamp, so I don't have anything like that in the guitar.

[BluesKing777]

The little EQ controls on the Pro pre need the patience of a saint, and as I am sharing it with a number of guitars with the K&K plus mic, I decided to leave the EQ on ‘flat’ and run it to another pre/DI with easy to adjust EQ knobs AND an effects loop for more EQ if I wanted.......but so far I have been so pleased with the tone that I just turned the bass knob down a bit, treble down a smidgeon and that is all!

I like the mic on full, and was disappointed with running full K&K with a splash of mic like most people here would do. I don’t really like the sound in an amp either. Mixer, in-ear monitors, mic full!

BluesKing777.

[Cuki79]

Hi Fazool!

Can you please post a demo? (with and without the internal mic?)

[M19]

Originally Posted by fazool

I am using the K&K Trinity Pro external preamp, so I don't have anything like that in the guitar.

What split sounds best to you? I'm about 75 mic, 25 SBT.

[fazool]

Originally Posted by M19

What split sounds best to you? I'm about 75 mic, 25 SBT.

Yeah I just started experimenting and I'm with you - either 1/4-to-3/4 or 1/3-to-2/3