Buc McMaster Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 Well Grunt, ones' choice of pickup system is exactly like ones' choice in guitars.............to each his own. I'm in the passive camp for several reasons that don't seem to resonate with you, and that's just fine. In addition to the lack of a battery, I enjoy the lighter weight of a K&K system (which does have a sound hole volume wheel as an option)........minimal wiring, very small footprint, nearly invisible. And like other SBT pickups, the K&K can be used percussively, picking up taps and thumps on the body that can be used to advantage in styles such as mine. While I use the no-frills Red Eye preamp externally, a passive system in the guitar leaves preamp/EQ/processor selection to the player's whim.........pretty much anything out there works perfectly with a K&K. It's all good. Follow your joy, grasshopper.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Thanks jinder I didn’t think I’d get that long out a PP3 battery in my fishman infinity ! That’s good to know I’ve wasted a lot of money over the years because i do a bit of research , decide on something because hey everyone who owns whatever it is says it’s magic , then a little down the line I realise that I should’ve sucked it up and bought the ‘next model up’ Like I said , I’d rather have it and not need it that need it and not have it I’m not arguing with anyone here , can I make that clear , just trying to glean knowledge of all you lovely lovely people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 after my latest roundabout with the Anthem rattles, removal then installing the Infinity Matrix in my J200, ...and... after having looked at the K&K... I'm tempted, I don't mind using s DI of some sort as I travel with a small pedal board. I would think my 7 band EQ would help to dial in what ever the pup wasn't providing.. No? I've come to the conclusion the less inside these babies to get them properly amplified, probably the better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 My mistake on the Infinity-it's 384hrs. Slightly less with the volume and tone control wheels fitted but I never use those in my guitars-plug and play all the way. The Baggs Element is the one with crazy 1200hrs battery life. If you're not averse to batteries, another excellent choice is the DTAR Wavelength. I had the dual source version in my old AJ and it really shone, absolutely lovely pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 My mistake on the Infinity-it's 384hrs. Slightly less with the volume and tone control wheels fitted but I never use those in my guitars-plug and play all the way. The Baggs Element is the one with crazy 1200hrs battery life. If you're not averse to batteries, another excellent choice is the DTAR Wavelength. I had the dual source version in my old AJ and it really shone, absolutely lovely pickup. with the Anthem, battery life was like half of what I am used to with the Fishman Infinity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwalker201 Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 If I played out, it would be to my adavantage to just use the k&k. One less thing to worry about giving you that oh **** what now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 with the Anthem, battery life was like half of what I am used to with the Fishman Infinity I can imagine it's a bit of a current Hoover, the Anthem. The worst I've ever come across was the onboard Aura my SJ200 came with. Terrible battery life-maybe 20hrs as an optimistic estimate. It crapped out several times at live shows which was embarrassing to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted October 4, 2017 Author Share Posted October 4, 2017 It crapped out several times at live shows which was embarrassing to say the least. ......and that, ladies and gentlemen, is my point.......exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 Acoustic groups who don't deal with bass and drums do well with just microphones- milk carton kids and their one or two ear trumpets and gillian and dave with their sm-57s. However that tonedexter gizmo may well be the answer to having a mic sound while using pickups, and it is also the pre-amp. Hmmmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 ......and that, ladies and gentlemen, is my point.......exactly. Yeah the Aura onboard was terrible in every practical respect...all the buttons rattled, it swallowed batteries whole for a pastime, the big heavy preamp unit weighed down and deadened the top response, just too much crap to put in a lovely guitar. My SJ200 sounds so much better without it! The Aura did sound good plugged in, but my outboard Aura sounds better. I’m meticulous with battery changes, my work as a tech makes it habitual and something I always think about. With the Infinity I’ll change battery every 3 months, which conservatively gives me 100hrs Of plugged in playing a month. The Aura’s 20hr battery life wasn’t always accurate though...it would sometimes last a fortnight and sometimes crap out after two gigs, always with the same Duracell Industrials in it. As a result, I ended up taking along my ‘67 J45 to most gigs, with the (you guessed it!) K&K in it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 I’m meticulous with battery changes, my work as a tech makes it habitual and something I always think about. With the Infinity I’ll change battery every 3 months As a result, I ended up taking along my ‘67 J45 to most gigs, with the (you guessed it!) K&K in it... Ah!! Cool. , you are both buc from the first post and me here simultaneously with two cases If the k&k is mr reliable here , making buc’s point Then why have you not a passive pickup fitted since? Help 😐 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Ah!! Cool. , you are both buc from the first post and me here simultaneously with two cases If the k&k is mr reliable here , making buc’s point Then why have you not a passive pickup fitted since? Help 😐 I like variety in my guitars! In all honesty, the Matrix Infinity through the Aura pedal suits my playing style a little more than the K&K. I also use several effects live and the active pickup fires them off a little better than the passive. Sometimes I play in very cramped quarters for session/Function band stuff and if I’m up close to the cabs or my amp, the Matrix Infinity has better feedback rejection than the K&K. Also, as much as my K&K sounds great in my ‘60s J45, I was advised by luthier Bill Pupplett (Johnny Marr, Noel Gallagher etc, knows his onions) that a K&K would be a little too boomy in an SJ200, so I went the Matrix/Aura route with that guitar and it all went from there. Zero problems or issues with the K&K in my J45 though, a lovely sounding pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Cool Thanks jinder Actual real worthwhile reasons for and against This is the sort of info I’m after This was never an argument against passive pickups Just a quest for knowledge Yer a gent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 feedback rejection, yep the struggle is real with the internal mics. I did have to watch it with the Anthem in my J200 when I was out with it. I also immediately noticed with the increased output from the infinity, (anthems are a bit anemic output wise) what little compression I tend to use, was a bit much,, they matrix woke that sucker right up. had to dial it back a bit the biggest win, in replacing the Anthem with the Infinity (another thread) is being done with the rattles and unwanted noises the anthem was adding to the sound. It was enough where recording anything with that guitar was becoming a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 LOL....looks as though I'm the only one using a Shure 57& 58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Vacamartin you are not the ONLY one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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