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  #1  
Old 01-07-2022, 06:06 PM
Eucatastrophe Eucatastrophe is offline
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Default K&K Trinity Pro System Installation (Pinless Bridge)

Today, I successfully installed the K&K Trinity Pro System in my McIlroy AP25.



Over the past year and a half I’ve tried a handful of pickups: LR Baggs Lyric, IBeam, M1 passive and…most recently and the longest…Schatten HFN Passive. I have also paired these pickups with several preamps and pedals: LR Baggs Venue, Voiceprint and Line 6 Pod Go. The Pod Go and the Schatten with IR was really close to the tone I wanted but was still missing the depth and warmth I sought.



After some really helpful dialogue with Pandapandelo and Guitarman68 and posts by ljguitar and Dustin Furlow, I decided that the Trinity really has what I’m looking for: passive, higher output, dual source option, SBT that plays well with IR, well matched preamp, warm authentic tone.



Installing this myself was a little daunting at first because my McIlroy has a pinless bridge. So the included jig doesnt work. And because I did not want to drill the recommended reference holes under the saddle, I used strong magnets to position and make a homemade template. They were strong enough to attract from the inside out and confirm I had the space to place the transducers to the recommended position. (Thank you, James May, for the magnet idea from your Ultratonic install instructions!)

IMG_1641600051.179237.jpg

IMG_1641600072.045052.jpg

IMG_1641600080.914795.jpg



On the top of the template I attached the three transducers with putty. I then superglued two magnets to the bottom of template, directly under the two outside transducers. I practiced a couple dry runs positioning the template and connecting it with two magnets above the bridge.

IMG_1641600099.533874.jpg

IMG_1641600107.289316.jpg



Feeling confident enough, I applied the superglue gel to the three transducers and placed the template inside and into position. I then connected the two external magnets on the bridge and repositioned the template just slightly. I applied pressure to the transducers for about a minute and removed the template! I may have been a little too generous with the superglue gel but I’m very happy with the position. The mic was super easy to install and for now is in the recommended position.

IMG_1641600140.937179.jpg

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IMG_1641600159.638863.jpg

IMG_1641600166.327228.jpg



So far I’ve only done a basic EQ set up with the preamp and my Pod Go pedal. Through my headphones, I am super duper impressed! Hope to give it a complete workout tomorrow through our church’s PA. Thanks again for all your help and interest

IMG_1641600179.919523.jpg
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2020 McIlroy AP25 Custom (K&K Trinity)
2017 Taylor 712E 12 Fret
2022 Eastman T64/V-GB
Line6 Pod Go ("Helix Lite")

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-1...c00vCM5OTc-dmA

Last edited by Eucatastrophe; 01-08-2022 at 08:03 AM.
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  #2  
Old 01-07-2022, 06:28 PM
guitarman68 guitarman68 is offline
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Wow, that sounds great. Thank you for detailed description and pics. Looks like a careful and thoughtful install. I hope you like it on stage. Let us know.
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Old 01-08-2022, 08:10 AM
rb1591 rb1591 is offline
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Thanks for sharing. That’s a lot of work for our benefit.

I own a pinless Breedlove and this method has occurred to me. Glad to see it works well. BTW, this is also the method that James May recommends for installing his Ultra Tonic pickup. Looking forward to your live experience report.

Thanks again.
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Old 01-08-2022, 12:29 PM
Eucatastrophe Eucatastrophe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by guitarman68 View Post
Wow, that sounds great. Thank you for detailed description and pics. Looks like a careful and thoughtful install. I hope you like it on stage. Let us know.


Thanks for your advice on YT. It was really helpful!
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2020 McIlroy AP25 Custom (K&K Trinity)
2017 Taylor 712E 12 Fret
2022 Eastman T64/V-GB
Line6 Pod Go ("Helix Lite")

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-1...c00vCM5OTc-dmA
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  #5  
Old 01-08-2022, 12:32 PM
Eucatastrophe Eucatastrophe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rb1591 View Post
Thanks for sharing. That’s a lot of work for our benefit.

I own a pinless Breedlove and this method has occurred to me. Glad to see it works well. BTW, this is also the method that James May recommends for installing his Ultra Tonic pickup. Looking forward to your live experience report.

Thanks again.


Yes, I hope that it will help others with their install especially for pinless bridges. And yes I got the magnet idea from James May. I thanked him above in the post. Although the jig he suggests is far better than my cardboard one lol!
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2020 McIlroy AP25 Custom (K&K Trinity)
2017 Taylor 712E 12 Fret
2022 Eastman T64/V-GB
Line6 Pod Go ("Helix Lite")

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-1...c00vCM5OTc-dmA
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  #6  
Old 01-09-2022, 07:36 AM
pjbelsch pjbelsch is offline
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how is this system in comparison to the baggs anthem?
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Old 01-09-2022, 04:58 PM
Eucatastrophe Eucatastrophe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pjbelsch View Post
how is this system in comparison to the baggs anthem?


We’ll, I’m definitely not the guy to ask since I’ve never played the Anthem. However, I did strongly consider it a few years ago. But in my process of research and trying a variety of pickups I decided…

1. I did not want a battery inside my guitar.
2. I did not want to modify my McIlroy for a UST.
3. I I don’t need volume or tone controls onboard.

So that ruled out the Anthem for me. But I know a lot of folks who love the Anthem!
__________________
2020 McIlroy AP25 Custom (K&K Trinity)
2017 Taylor 712E 12 Fret
2022 Eastman T64/V-GB
Line6 Pod Go ("Helix Lite")

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-1...c00vCM5OTc-dmA
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  #8  
Old 01-09-2022, 06:53 PM
Eucatastrophe Eucatastrophe is offline
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Default K&K Trinity Pro System Installation (Pinless Bridge)

UPDATE: First time using the Trinity Pro Live

Today I lead music for our church’s gathered worship and the Trinity sounded fantastic in my McIlroy. Like most Sundays post-Covid it was just me and my McIlroy and a good friend adding vocal harmony.

EQ
I followed Pandapandello’s advice in setting the blender EQ.
Mic: bass all cut, Mid mostly cut, Treble slight boost.
Mini: bass in middle, Mid slight cut, treble slight boost.
I did not adjust the gain for either as they seem to have the same output.

I blended the Mic and the Mini at 50/50 into my Line 6 Pod Go using the worship Tutorial acoustic patch. To keep things simple today, I the swapped out the parametric EQ and used the simple EQ.

The little bit of tweaking I did beforehand with headphones seemed to do most of the job. Strummed through some progressions and played some fingerstyle. Cut just a little bass and a little mids and ran through all our songs!

IMPRESSIONS
1. K&K preamp. I wasn’t sure if I would like this, especially having the eq trim pots inside a case. But it is actually very easy to use and make adjustments. But I doubt I’ll have to very often. Hopefully most of my changes will then be made on my Pod Go.
2. Very present, clear tone. It was love at first strum. I was very impressed with the clarity and “in your face” tone. My HFN always seemed a bit distant for lack of better description and the highs a bit harsh. The Trinity really reflects the warm tone of my Cedar/Walnut McIlroy.
3. Not boomy or boxy. So far I didn’t experience any over boominess on the low end. Our sound guy commented that the boxiness of my previous set up was gone too and that my overall tone was def hotter, clearer and warmer.
4. Super responsive. I felt an improvement in responsiveness and dynamics. Especially with my palm muting.
5. Beautiful bass. The bass I was missing with the Lyric and the HFN I found in the Trinity. More immediate, thumpy but clear.

FRETTED G PROBLEM
So the only issue I encountered is that I noticed for the first time with any pickup in this guitar that a fretted G on my low E string decays very quickly. The string to string balance is great in every way except that one note. I also had never noticed it playing unplugged before. But after the service I played it in a quiet room and sure enough the fretted G decays more quickly than any other note on the fretboard. Not a lot but it is noticeable.

Could the Trinity install have changed the body resonance a bit and accentuated this? I mounted the mic adapter on the lower back of the guitar a couple inches up front the end block. And I mounted the mic to the top just above the bridge where my pinky rests on the top.

Or could this be a bad string in this new set? Or has it always been like this lol?

Any ideas or solutions?

That all said, I am very impressed with my first live outing with the Trinity system!
__________________
2020 McIlroy AP25 Custom (K&K Trinity)
2017 Taylor 712E 12 Fret
2022 Eastman T64/V-GB
Line6 Pod Go ("Helix Lite")

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-1...c00vCM5OTc-dmA

Last edited by Eucatastrophe; 01-09-2022 at 07:50 PM.
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  #9  
Old 01-24-2022, 06:45 PM
Eucatastrophe Eucatastrophe is offline
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Here’s a little audio sample of how the K&K Trinity Pro sounds in my McIlroy AP25. The audio contains no room mic—just the Trinity.

IMG_1643071479.709953.jpg

I have the blend set about 60% SBT and 40%Mic through the K&K preamp. From there the blended signal is running through my Line 6 Pod Go with some additional EQ, compression and the slightest reverb. This is the sound I’ve been using live in our gathered worship the past two weeks. To me it sounds a bit warmer live than this recording. Still needs a little more EQ in the high mids. But overall I’m REALLY loving it! Thanks too Worship Tutorialsfor that fantastic acoustic patch!

The song is “The Flower of Magherally.”
__________________
2020 McIlroy AP25 Custom (K&K Trinity)
2017 Taylor 712E 12 Fret
2022 Eastman T64/V-GB
Line6 Pod Go ("Helix Lite")

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-1...c00vCM5OTc-dmA
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