Does It Really Get Any Better Than a K&K For a Solo Performer?

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by weshunter

I had a hard time getting the IR capture right with the tonedexter. It would sound good at home and then on the gig be super boomy and then I’d try different mic positions and different mics and different blends and all that and it just never got to where I liked it live.

Hmmm . . I wonder why that is? Were you going into PA / amp at home, or just listening through the headphones?

I finally got the K&K upgraded to the Ultratonic and got it adjusted properly (along with a neck reset on the guitar), and adding some EQ with the Baggs Align EQ pedal (had a friend adjust the EQ for me while I was playing through an amp at his guitar store), it sounded pretty good.

Once I get my small pedalboard built (I put the ToneDexter on it, and also the Align EQ, and a "Big Joe" rechargeable battery to power it all) I will see how I like playing with that.

[Jgavin]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi PANDA-Pandelo…
I see no way (nor need) to use the internal mic on my K&K rig with either ToneDexter or Voiceprint.

Both look like products fingerstyle players have wanted for years (even if we didn't realize what we wanted).

I listened to Doug Young's video on the Voiceprint DI for the 4th time…as I'm typing this response (from May, 2021). I'm impressed. It gives a player a lot of control, and you don't need buy/rent/borrow studio mics to record your IR samples.

If you are comfortable playing with parametric EQ on screens, and making adjustments on the phone in combo with the pedal - Voiceprint.

If your priority is to sound as close to the original sound of your guitar as possible through a PA…and capability of tailoring your sound to the room quickly with knobs on the unit, and you have access to quality mics…ToneDexter.

The ToneDexter brings decent sounds with flexible adjustments to the party. The Voiceprint brings the possibility of more improvisation with tone (which may not be popular with sound techs who like ending up with fixed values by end of sound check).

James May (inventor of ToneDexter) shows up in this forum regularly and converses with owners and the curious. Doug Young hangs out here and can answer questions about either unit (in my experience Doug is faster and more responsive than Baggs support).

LAST…
I played for a funeral last week. The sound tech & I met a couple days ahead of time. Huge, open, echo-y auditorium with 25 foot high full-wooden ceiling and a 25 foot high brick wall behind me (seats 250). Music was solo guitar, and uptempo, punchy and heavily rhythmic. Dynamics were soft-as-I dare to loud-as-I-can…

Took me 15 minutes to set up. After 10 seconds playing I realized I couldn't hear what was going on in the room, so I had my gigging partner play my guitar, in my style, through the ToneDexter through the house system.

I walked around for 2 minutes then met the tech at the board. A couple tweaks to the EQ on their X-32 board I was delighted. Back to stage for ½ of first song, and I was done.

Day of the funeral was seamless. Full - room filling sound without a hint of feedback - and focus was on our friend who had passed, not on the equipment.

I love where technology can take us!

Hi Larry, I'm really curious regarding your current K&K plus ToneDexter setup. I ordered a rosewood/cedar SJ from Jim Olson some 28 years ago and still have it and play it live. I would love to hear audio samples or video of your current rig in action.

[ACOUSTICDEWD]

Highly recommend the Source Audio EQ2 pedal. Famous guitarists raved about the first version so I pounced on the new one. Aside from the 1mega ohm input, it has a variable low cut which would have been enough. From there, the combination graphic and parametric equalizer with 10 fully adjustable frequency bands and look-ahead limiter makes it #1

Interfaces with your computer and has a standalone app to NAIL every possible problem. It replaced my Tone Dexter

[Br1ck]

I find people like Dough Young, those who have tried everything imaginable, to be the true tone chasers among us. Pickups are only the start. Watch his more recent videos on his signal chain. Multiple sources, pickup and mic, run through a very high quality pre amp and a couple of very high quality effects processors. A total and very high quality system evolving as newer high quality products come on the market. Since he and others constantly try new things, they aren't tied to one concept. I, on the other hand, find that the same thing works for me over and over. But my goals are not Doug Young's goals so we are going to arrive at different solutions. He has used the higher end SunnAudio pre. I'm using the Stage Di. It works fine.

[noledog]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

It’s a good pickup but I don’t think it’s the best.

+1... k&k totally does not work well for my application as a full time musician. I much prefer the MIJ Takamine Palathetic pickup and/or the DeArmond Tone Boss mag. If I sat still and did quiet finger style shows the k&k would be nice but even then I still prefer the DeArmond; especially for f/s on my D18. But I’m up moving around the stage and audience at high volume and energy for the most part. For my quieter f/s venues (only a few) I prefer my D18/Tone Boss mag.