Any thoughts on the K&K Pure Mini?

[Barber Derek]

Now that gigs and jam sessions are back in play, I am considering adding a pickup option to my 2020 SCGC 00. I’m looking for the least invasive option. K&K Pure Mini seems like it provides good sound while not compromising the beauty and integrity of the guitar. Still, it is a big step, so I have a few questions that I would love to get some thoughts on:

 

1) How has your experience been with the K&K Pure Mini? Installation? Sound?

2) How does it compare to the similar pickup from JourneyTek?

3) Do you use it with a preamp or DI?

Thanks for weighing in on any or all of the above questions.

[dwarfrat]

I used it on two of my guitars. Eric Skye sold me his K&K preamp. It did a great job of bringing the trebles up past the 5th fret.

Now I have the Antehm in my Cruz.

I still prefer using a microphone.

[Barber Derek]

Thank you for the feedback… no pun intended. : ). I too would prefer to use a microphone when possible.  I sometimes find myself in a situation of playing with a full band (drums, bass, electric guitars) and, of course, need a way to let my SCGC be heard.  I suppose I could play my Tele in the band situations, but I have a deep, abiding love of my 00 and have used it to write all of my original songs so I’d like to have it be my performing partner as well.

[indexless]

Look at JJB electronics…..no association with this company but I have at least 6 or 7 of them

jjb electronics

[Barber Derek]

Thank you for mentioning JJB, I am not familiar with the company but the product looks very compelling. It is especially helpful to know that you have them in a number of your guitars.

[NMpicker]

I have them in my SCGC TR and a Martin D-18GE.  These are passive pickups so some pre-amp is needed.  Depending on the venue, that might be through a DI to the house system, or an outboard DI.  I use a LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI for pre-amp and DI to the board.  The only caveat is the K&K needs to see a 1 Meg input impedance and the PADI is 10 Meg.  Still, I have gotten good sound using the PADI controls.  I may invest is the K&K pre-amp that has the matching input impedance but as I don’t need to plug in all that often, I’m holding off for now.

As for sound, I’ve had under saddle pickups and soundboard pickups from LR Baggs in the past.  The K&K by far seems to me to sound the best.  I like the fact there is no onboard pre-amp and consequently a battery inside the body of the guitar.  That was the primary reason I had the Baggs systems removed from both guitars.

[Barber Derek]

Thank you for sharing your experience and set-up. I agree with you, I am looking for the least invasive option possible.

[Brad Maestas]

NMpicker, as I understand it, it’s perfectly fine to plug a high impedance source (1MΩ) into a very high (10MΩ) impedance input. As long as the input is higher than the source, you’re good to go.

The classic impedance mismatch occurs when a high impedance source meets a low impedance input, such as plugging a K&K into a vintage Fender tube amp or an old/low-quality DI box.

[tadol]

I am firmly in the UltraTonic camp – James May has designed a neat little circuit that, combined with an extra output disc, gets the best possible feedback-free and well-balanced output I’ve heard. When I heard what it was able to do with my Santa Cruz baritone, I decided it was the only way to go. It has the advantage of no battery, easily tuned for the guitar its installed in, a soundhole volume control that doesn’t modify the tone, and offers a simple retrofit kit if you already have a K&K installed. I recommend it highly –

[Barber Derek]

Thank you so much for the suggestion, I will definitely give it a look!

[Matt Hayden]

After installing a few of them, I’m also fond of the Ultra Tonic.  I’ve installed it both with superglue and with 3M tape; the difference is nominal, IMO.   I like the ability to tune it to the guitar via DIP switches, and the fact that it’s passive.

Planning to try the new Baggs bridge plate transducer – I have had passive IBeams in guitars for years and they work very well if the volume levels aren’t too high.

My cost-is-no-object system of the moment is the Trance Amulet MVP Phantom system – no batteries and remarkable sound.  It’s very expensive, though.

[tadol]

Yeah – but when cost is no object, I’ll still put it into the guitar instead of the pickup –

[Brad Maestas]

I like K&Ks quite a bit. They’re very easy to install. They’re passive and minimalist. They sound great through my Grace preamp and two AER amps in stereo. I have tried tracking down a guitar with the Amulet system in it but I haven’t been able to audition one yet. I’ve also heard about the UltraTonic but haven’t been able to experience it in person yet either.

[pto]

i like them precisely because they are a breeze to remove with NO damage to the guitar… i’ve never had a use for a pickup. of course, to remove all traces of electrification, one has to use something like the vintage jack from tapatune, too. i purchased a 34d, used, years ago, which had a properly installed k&k and vintage jack. actually did a tutorial, with pictures, of that pickup removal on the martin forum, when somebody asked back then.

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