MR GIBS Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hallo people, For some time the look of the L.R.Baggs M1 on the soundhole of my MR GIBS started to annoy me... And today I just sold it. For 259USD!!! (Purchased it from e-bay 3 years ago for 139USD) Can't believe this! I sold this pickup because I stopped loving its sound and its look. Now I need to put another inside. Think about that one: K&K Sound Trinity Pure Mini 3 Sensor Guitar Pickup w/Microphone, Preamp/EQ Can somebody tell me more about this system - there is no place in my country where I can try it. I need an as possible acoustic sound from my plugged in Gibson SJ 200 and searching in internet found this system. If somebody has a better suggestion - please tell me. Waiting for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 You might want to consider the Trance Audio system. Either the "M" (mono) or the stereo. I have both, and they are the best I've ever heard. http://www.tranceaudio.com/amuletm.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 You might want to consider the Trance Audio system. Either the "M" (mono) or the stereo. I have both, and they are the best I've ever heard. http://www.tranceaudio.com/amuletm.html this is maybe going to be a daft question , but , of course i know the difference between mono and stereo ... what difference is there Dan ? why would a fella pick one or the other ? and Mr gibb .... whats wrong with the M1 ? i understand you not liking its look on your hole , but i hear good things about them ? am interested to know what is not so good about them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salfromchatham Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I would go even simpler... K&K mini. Use it in conjunction with their pre-amp: http://www.kksound.com/purexlrpreamp.html If you are playing small venues through a Bose or a fishman Loudbox you won't need the pre-amp, but if you go through a house PA those two together will give you fantastic plugged in tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchristo Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 The K & K mini is a very nice pickup....it installs easy ( just glues to the bridge plate ) and sounds very natural K&K mini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 On my J-150 I use a Fishman Matrix Infinity but combined with an Aura Spectrum DI which gives a very warm, natural tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I like whatever is in my 03 J-45 but forget what it is. That's how much I like it. I never even think about it unless it needs a battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 I really stopped loving the M1 on the soundhole... Makes me nervous. And little by little I stopped loving its voice... How can I tell you - there is something "electric" in it. Something in the sound reminding me that I hear it like ot the telephone... There was a friend of mine who had M1 + some small AKG mic. installed into the guitar and he loved it very much. About the K&K mini - I have it in my old Yamaha + the electronic of the old yamaha. Sounds very well, litthe bit bassy... But I can correct it. Now I need a really brilliant acoustic sound out of my plugged in M-R GIBS. That's why I need a mic inside. I will hear samples of the "Amulet" - in internet of course (no way to try it in Bulgaria) I will NOT put a liezo in my SJ 200 - don't like that sound... Well I really appreciate what you write here, friends. The info I have for this topic is from this forum and from internet (youtube) where I find samples. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol fred Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Krassi, Here is a bunch of reviews http://www.kksound.com/guitarreviews.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjl200 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 On my J-150 I use a Fishman Matrix Infinity but combined with an Aura Spectrum DI which gives a very warm, natural tone. I use the same set up and love it..... BUT if I was changing I'd go for the Trance Amulet M It's sound is far and above any under saddle I ever heard, that's based on the J 45 pure voice I got to play... I' m trying to figure out how to change all my pups (3) to the Trance.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merseybeat1963 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 How about an AKG 414 in front of the guitar..should sound more like an acoustic..no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kebob Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Krassi, I know what you mean regarding Baggs M1 -- I have a M1A and fell out of love with it for the same reasons. My new SJ-200 came with a Fishman Ellipse Aura pickup installed and it sounds very good to me. I have three Fishman pickups (Ellipse Blend and Rare Earth Humbucker) in my guitars and I like all of them on top of any other brands. I have a K & K mini installed on a small bodied martin, and it's pretty good, but it was tedious to install myself. It's more prone to feedback as well. If you go that route, have a tech install it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherofpearl Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Lr baggs anthem is a magical PU also as Duluthdan stated trance mono m Is great. Fishman matrix infinity is good as well Personally I'm not a fan if the k&k just doesn't seem to put out like an active system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Krassi, I know what you mean regarding Baggs M1 -- I have a M1A and fell out of love with it for the same reasons. My new SJ-200 came with a Fishman Ellipse Aura pickup installed and it sounds very good to me. I have three Fishman pickups (Ellipse Blend and Rare Earth Humbucker) in my guitars and I like all of them on top of any other brands. I have a K & K mini installed on a small bodied martin, and it's pretty good, but it was tedious to install myself. It's more prone to feedback as well. If you go that route, have a tech install it. I will not put any pickup with active system inside my SJ 200. I don't love the idea of some battery inside the body anymore. And on the other hand I don't want nothing in the soundhole - controlls etc. Because there I will put an O-port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Lr baggs anthem is a magical PU also as Duluthdan stated trance mono m Is great. Fishman matrix infinity is good as well Personally I'm not a fan if the k&k just doesn't seem to put out like an active system. I listened sound samples (in internet) of this anthem and I don't like much the sound. There is this poisoning note "like on the telephone"... I have a L.R. Baggs I beam active in my other high end metalstring guitar and it sounds well, but he battery is inside... Aut I will not repeat the same thing for the Gibson SJ 200. The Amulet has the battery inside and to shange you have to loosen the strings to change it. Don't like the idea. The sound of the Amulet is really fantastic (the sound samples in internet). Would be bette If I can try everything but I have to choose only by the sound samples in internet in my haedphones... Concider the 1 plase the K&K Trinity system with a small external beltclip preamp. Love the idea of the mic inside the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 How about an AKG 414 in front of the guitar..should sound more like an acoustic..no? This is the best for the acoustic sound, but for a pitty is not an option for me because the tone-operators in the clubs where I play with my group here just can not operate this way... And they will ruin my sound... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Krassi, Here is a bunch of reviews http://www.kksound.c...tarreviews.html Thanks for that and will read it carefully !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Another alternative for a pure sound is a beautiful Neumann KM184 microphone like Tony records with in the Music Villa guitar videos: Just a suggestion - pure acoustic tone. Of course, you will have to sit in front of a microphone and use an acoustic amp or a PA system. I have Passive Fishman u/s pickups in nearly all my guitars and run them through an Aura Spectrum also, but many here don't like the Aura idea. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kebob Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I will not put any pickup with active system inside my SJ 200. I don't love the idea of some battery inside the body anymore. And on the other hand I don't want nothing in the soundhole - controlls etc. Because there I will put an O-port. To each their own, obviously. But every pickup has its drawbacks. The K&K passive pickup is prone to feedback, especially in a live situation. I wouldn't dare take my guitar with the k&k to one of my band's gigs. Hope you find what you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherofpearl Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 MR Gibs what are you using the PU for? Do you play in a band? Solo ? At home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 You may want to read the reviews and listen to the sound samples at Maury's http://www.maurysmusic.com/pickups_amps I've got the K&K mini on my 000-28 and it sounds real natural. I have the LR Baggs M1 plugged into my Cool Tube PreAmp on my Takamine. It's a monster combination, but it's far from that natural sound. My J200 has a Fishman Ellipse Aura that came that way from the factory. It sounds okay but I don't use it plugged in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Mr. Gibs / BBG The Trance Mono system has the preamp built into the endpin, requires a battery inside your guitar, and the endpin jack sends a mono signal thru a quarter (1/4") jack, that is then routed to your PA /amp signal chain with a single cable. At install, the preamp can be fine tuned to enhance the signals from each of the two "amulets" which are installed under the bridge - treble side, bass side. Set in once and done. I would imagine that it would be / could be difficult to re-adjust this balance later on. The stereo system utilizes a pre-amp (black box)which is installed inside the guitar, mine is secured to the side of the lower bout. The end pin is a special 5 pin connector which runs via this special cable to the "break-out box" (blue)which contains the batteries and has two outputs, one is mono, and using both, you have stereo. These two outputs can run two regular 1/4"cables to your PA / Amp where the sound balance between the bass and treble can be manipulated. Using this system in stereo you can have control at anytime in the blend between treble and bass. My experience has been, with both the Mono and the Stereo, is that there is little, if any, requirement to set the EQ at all. Just leaving it flat results in a very true sound. Mr. G - I understand exactly what you mean when describing a sort of electric sound from some pickups, its either noticable in that particular frequency type sound, or it may sound "scooped", as if something is missing. I do not have that experience with the Trance at all. The mono system is cheaper, about $300, requires a battery in your guitar (you should get at least a couple of hundred hours of playing time) The stereo system costs $550, enables a stereo signal that allows the bass and treble to be manipulated, has the batteries outside the guitar, and has what is called a "low-cut filter" that can remove boominess if you play thru a smaller amp /PA. They are described by some as being difficult to install correctly - but both of mine were installed by lutiers that had experience installing other under-bridge systems, and even though for one guy it was his 3rd time, and the other his first - they both turned out wonderfully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Mr. Gibs / BBG The Trance Mono system has the preamp built into the endpin, requires a battery inside your guitar, and the endpin jack sends a mono signal thru a quarter (1/4") jack, that is then routed to your PA /amp signal chain with a single cable. At install, the preamp can be fine tuned to enhance the signals from each of the two "amulets" which are installed under the bridge - treble side, bass side. Set in once and done. I would imagine that it would be / could be difficult to re-adjust this balance later on. The stereo system utilizes a pre-amp (black box)which is installed inside the guitar, mine is secured to the side of the lower bout. The end pin is a special 5 pin connector which runs via this special cable to the "break-out box" (blue)which contains the batteries and has two outputs, one is mono, and using both, you have stereo. These two outputs can run two regular 1/4"cables to your PA / Amp where the sound balance between the bass and treble can be manipulated. Using this system in stereo you can have control at anytime in the blend between treble and bass. My experience has been, with both the Mono and the Stereo, is that there is little, if any, requirement to set the EQ at all. Just leaving it flat results in a very true sound. Mr. G - I understand exactly what you mean when describing a sort of electric sound from some pickups, its either noticable in that particular frequency type sound, or it may sound "scooped", as if something is missing. I do not have that experience with the Trance at all. The mono system is cheaper, about $300, requires a battery in your guitar (you should get at least a couple of hundred hours of playing time) The stereo system costs $550, enables a stereo signal that allows the bass and treble to be manipulated, has the batteries outside the guitar, and has what is called a "low-cut filter" that can remove boominess if you play thru a smaller amp /PA. They are described by some as being difficult to install correctly - but both of mine were installed by lutiers that had experience installing other under-bridge systems, and even though for one guy it was his 3rd time, and the other his first - they both turned out wonderfully. thanks Dan , thats exactly what i wanted to know . youre a gent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Krassi I have that K and K Trinity system in my small body Martin. It was in it when I bought it second hand.I can't really give you a real run down on it as I've never bought the preamp. So when I run it through an amp i'm only getting the sound from the under bridge transducer component and not the little internal microphone.(You need the preamp to get the mic sound and balance with the transducer sound) The sound (from the tranducer only) is reasonably natural but a little prone to boominess and feedback-but nicer than the standard piezo sound. Probably if I had the preamp which allows the mic sound to be mixed in it would be much better.I never use this guitar live so I haven't worried about it. I hope what I've said is correct here as I'm relying on memory of research a few years ago. edit....I think the sound DuluthDan gets from his Trance systems is hard to beat and better than what I get from the K and K...but it does cost some bucks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Here's the Trance Stereo in my Jackson Browne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.