K&K questions

[asmith9509]

OK... I've been developing my lutherie skills recently, and I've gotten very good at making bridge saddles. Enough to know that they make a difference. For better or worse, I love tinkering with my guitars and my J45 is my favorite "test bed". It's my frustrated inner engineer coming out.

 

One of the other threads has got me wondering how much better my 2008 J45 modern could sound without the Baggs UST. I play it 80% of the time acoustically, and 20% plugged in on stage. In checking out the K&K website, installation seems pretty straightforward; I'm very tempted to try it. So I have some questions for the experienced K&K users:

 

- do you prefer the Pure Western standard or mini? Why? From K&K's description, it sounds like the standard puts out a hotter signal, and better balanced. What is the down side?

 

- do you have a soundhole volume knob, and do you find it useful?

 

- what is your preamp of choice? why?

 

Excited to get started on this project, can't wait to hear people's feedback. Thanks in advance!

 

Aaron

[Buc McMaster]

The standard K&K Western is physically larger and requires a larger bridgeplate for proper installation. It is recommended for 12-strings which generally have larger bridgeplates than 6-strings. The increased bass response of the standard pickup is also better for 12-strings (generally speaking). This is why K&K recommends the Western Mini for all steel 6-string installs.

 

No soundhole volume control on my guitar. I do mostly rhythm work and find no need for more volume control than I can generate with my hand and pick.

 

No preamp here when I use my Fishman Solo. Experimented with a Fishman Platinum Plus for awhile but found no advantage in my rig. I am considering picking up one of the K&K preamps for use at open mic nights on systems other than my own for better control in an unknown situation.

[zeebee]

K&K are fine except for one inherent flaw.......they use a superglue type of adhesive. I installed one a few months ago which worked great for a few weeks and then died of an apparent short. There was no way I could access it due to interference from braces. Ended up taking it to a repairperson who had fashioned a tool which he had to insert thru the endpin hole and pry it off. $50 later and the thing was in the garbage as there is no way to preserve the transducers while removing it. The repairperson claimed removal was more common than generally acknowledged and suggested alternatives...............I now use a mic and have found I prefer that but obviously it cant handle all situations.

[Taylor Player]

I have a K & K mini installed in my Gibson AJ. I had my favorite Luthier/Tech Marty at the Podium in Minneapolis install it. It is a great pickup! The Mini Western is now recommended for most applications. The signal is very similar to the other, larger one. I really don't need a pre-amp, but I do have an LR Baggs PARA DI that does work very well if playing through a PA or in a larger venue. Just plugged into my Genz Benz Shenendoah 200 is also very nice without the preamp.

 

I have had no problems and find it to be just a great, amplified acoustic tone with no harshness like the Highlander UST in my Taylor. With the PARA DI I can back out the piezo quack but the K & K has none of that. I do like to scoop the mids in my AJ down a bit and it sounds awesome through our Church PA system.

[Ripper]

A friend of mine has had a pure western installed in his Yairi for about 4 years now. It sounds great and hasn't given a moments problem. He didn't use the glue he used a double sided tape to install it.

[H]

Hi Aaron,

 

I can't answer the comparison element of your question but I can tell you that installation of a K&K Pure Western Mini is pretty straightforward but requires dextrous hands/wrists when you're glueing the transducers in. A lady's make-up mirror (and a ball of BluTack to position and hold it in place beneath the bridge in the soundbox) combined with a small torch will give you a good view of the area you're working with.

 

I felt a bit nervous when loading up the 12mm drill for the endpin bore-out but that went very smoothly. I'd already taken the hole out to 8mm and 10mm in stages but the 12mm looks huge when it gets near the finish of your pride and joy!

 

Now I plug in my Hummingbird and I get all the tone and purity of the unplugged guitar - only louder I don't play live anymore so I'm happy adjusting volume from the amp - you might find this a restriction. I reckon I'd be happy with a foot-pedal to control volume if I were to need that.

 

I don't use a pre-amp and can't honestly see what benefit it would bring to this pickup.

 

I chose it because of the pureness of tone it delivers, combined with it's invisibility.

 

Hope that helps a bit with your decision

[powerpopper]

K & K are now making a Pure Western Mini with a smaller endpin (they call it a Vintage Jack) that does not require drilling. It's a pricey option ($80 for brass or stainless, $110 for various woods), but I picked one up to put in my AJ-45. You can get them with a volume control, too, but that wasn't important to me. Plan to use it direct into my Fishman SoloAmp, but I have the Para DI for use elsewhere. Glad to see someone else here has used it with my setup.

 

I have a Pure Western Mini in my Taylor 314 and I'm very happy with that. Looking forward to getting the AJ done!