K&K Pure Mini

mak009 · November 2015

Apologies firstly Michael for the double up.

To the wider audience out there- has anyone tried a K&K Pure Mini internal transducer system on a small soundhole Gitane D-250M style?

If so, comments?

Thanks in advance

woodamand · November 2015

Not on the same instrument, but I have them installed in my Tacoma DM9, where I added the internal preamp, and in my Martin D35. They work fine, but really if you want to shape the sound you need to EQ it on the board. Not junk not fantastic but not hugely expensive either. Hope this helps.

Jeff Moore · November 2015

I've got it (mini) in a Weber OM. Works dandy. I don't hear the piezo quack in the K&K stuff and for the money the sound is really good, and plug and play. I use the floating bridge in my Selmacs. Same result. Quite true to the guitars real sound.

mak009 · November 2015

Thanks for the comments. Much appreciated. Michael replied directly with some comments about over-resonant wetness and the Gitane already has enough of that.
Back to the drawing board.

Maybe I should just stick a mic in front............! Not perfect but it worked for a lot of people over the years.
Then you need a sound guy........

rgrice · November 2015

Used the Definity on a 250M and it was pretty good. I did have wetness and overtones, but had that anyway in that guitar. A piece of thick belt leather under tailpiece helped.
I still use the Definity on my Dupont and in my mind it sounds very good and fairly natural, especially for the price!

Jeff Moore · November 2015

Yeah! I been using K&K for a long time and learned that any sonic issues and idiosyncrasies your guitar has get amplified. This is good, if you don't have many problems, but if you do, even the ones you had learned to live with or ones you hadn't even noticed get bigger. A K&K floating bridge PU, in a great guitar sounds pretty great. I've got 4 or 5 selmacs (cheap and midpriced) set up with the floating bridge thing and its interesting how each guitar (even two from the same luthier) sounds unique. A long time ago Deiter, the originator of K&K, told me the floating bridge was his best pickup. Might not be true 10 years later because he's always developing.
Just for the record, I never had any real relationship or communication with K&K. I just kept using them because it worked and the old phone calls were always to answer installation issues. Undoubtedly, there's other great pickup options that have come along since I quit thinking much about it, and my non-K&K experience (other types) is really limited and long past.

rgrice · November 2015

Agree with your point about just amplifying your sound, good or bad. I also used the K&K Twin on a great luthier built mandolin and it was excellent as the mando was great. I am satisfied enough with K&K that I have stopped searching for the perfect pickup. I've said it before but my Definity sounds so much more natural than the Bigtones my main guitarist uses on half a dozen guitars.

Mandobart · November 2015

K&K works well, nothing against them. However, I've used JJB on many more instruments than I have K&K and I recommend the JJB. Just as good sound, build quality, excellent service, but about 1/5 the cost. I have no financial interest here, but I'm a real believer in their products.

woodamand · November 2015

With the floating bridge pickup, does it increase the height of the bridge?

Mandobart · November 2015

The K&K pure mini (and the JJB equivalent) is not a floating pickup like the typical floating mag pu's found on archtops. They are meant to mount on the soundboard underside, usually super glued in place. I use the twin head vs the three head design of the mini. One head mounted opposite each bridge foot contact point, on the inside. Thus there is no effect on bridge height. Its a pretty simple install on a grande bouche; not sure if my hand could fit inside a petite.