For Those of You Who've Installed a K&K Mini

[Honky Dog]

I'm thinking of pulling the Baggs out of my Hummingbird, putting in a bone saddle and a K&K Mini. For those of you that have a K&K installed in your Gibson:

 

1. Did you use the super glue or the tape?

 

2. Does your Gibson have the approximately 1/4" hole on the bridge plate where one of the pickups is supposed to be placed? Seems I read somewhere that you have to fill the hole or move the pickup toward the soundhole a bit. Anyway, was this an issue for you? If so, how did you deal with it, and how did your solution work out for you?

 

Thanks!

[Taylor Player]

Hi Honky Dog...

 

I have a K & K mini in my Advanced Jumbo. I had my guy at the Podium in Minneapolis install it so I can't tell you about the hole. I do know that the superglue is recommended for the best overall sound and volume. My guy said it is still removable in the future if needed but that it was the best way to go. I love mine by the way and am having one installed in my LG1 that is currently getting a neck reset. I figured since the UST that was in there sucked, I might as well have him pull out that since I am getting a new bone saddle made too. He can then install the K & K at the same time as he is doing the neck reset. I can't wait to get it back and hear how the K & K sounds on the LG1.

[H]

Hi Honky :)

 

I did this very same installation with my Hummingbird a few months ago, so I'm pleased to be able to help.

 

1) Superglue. Having read numerous accounts of the installation, I came to the conclusion that the superglue forms a better bond with the bridgeplate than the tape; better bond = truer acoustics.

 

To my mind, people who use tape are not considering the impact of the huge hole you'll be drilling through the endpin opening. Their idea being that you can 'undo' the installation if you don't like it much simply by pulling the triplet pickup off. If you really have to remove it and you've superglued it in then a flat razor can 'shave' them off. How you would approach fixing up the 12mm hole at the endpin I'm not sure ;) Bottom line: I knew it was a good system and I knew I would be keeping it in (barring malfunctions).

 

2) No - my bridgeplate just had the string-holes through it. The pickup comes with pretty detailed instructions for installation and includes some 'tools' for correct placement. Get yourself woman's cosmetics mirror (the small, round sort that will fit through the guitar's soundhole), some BluTack and a small torch. Fix the mirror and the torch in place inside the soundbox with the BluTack so you can see the bridgeplate through the soundhole and you won't need that 'third hand' ;) One final point - the chuck end of a 12mm bit is pretty big, so make sure your drill can handle it. My cordless drill's chuck was too small.

 

You won't regret it :)

 

regards,

 

H

[Buc McMaster]

Yes, I installed a K&K PWM in my SJ200 using the superglue. And yes, the bridge plate had (has!) a small hole in it. It ended up at the edge of one of the transducers and it's been no problem. I wonder what this hole was for......something to do with construction......I dunno. No worry, though.

[Jinder]

Buc, that small hole (about 2mm across) is standard on almost all Gibsons...it's there so that the bridge doesn't have to be drilled out to fit a UST pickup...I was surprised by it a few years ago when I put a Fishman Matrix II UST in my SJ200...I just took out the saddle, slotted in the pickup, popped the saddle back in after filing it down suitably, and away I went. Job done! The hole is there for just that purpose.

[Honky Dog]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

[Honky Dog]

Buc' date=' that small hole (about 2mm across) is standard on almost all Gibsons...it's there so that the bridge doesn't have to be drilled out to fit a UST pickup...I was surprised by it a few years ago when I put a Fishman Matrix II UST in my SJ200...I just took out the saddle, slotted in the pickup, popped the saddle back in after filing it down suitably, and away I went. Job done! The hole is there for just that purpose.[/quote']

 

Jinder, in addition to the small hole for a UST pickup, there is a larger hole, about 1/4", that is between the 3rd and 4th string pin holes and a little toward the sound hole. This hole is located right where you are recommended to place the middle of the three pickups in the K&K Mini. So people are having to shift that middle pickup about 1/4" toward the soundhole. From what I've read here and elsewhere, it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. I wonder if one shouldn't shift all 3 pickups forward?