The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum-K&K mini pickup (2024)

Thoughts and can you install yourself?

Thanks
Jon

I started using them shortly after they became readily available. I had good communication with Dieter, the inventor and company founder/owner and was easily able to install myself. Since then I have put them in many guitars (mostly D-28 variations) that I own/owned. These include vintage and Authentics. I've installed them in guitars for friends, including Authentics, GE, Marquis, as well as regular D-28, HD-28, D-35 and Greven guitars. They are all happy with the pickup. All are installed properly with superglue. NO HALF MEASURES! Do NOT waffle and install with double sided tape or putty as the pickup will not work optimally. Some people have improperly installed that way, then wondered why they didn't like the pickup when so many others do.

I'd recommend against any optional volume and/or tone controls. Stick with the beauty and simplicity of only the pickup itself in your guitar.

In my main gigging setting pre covid, I used the setup of guitar to Morley Volume Plus pedal (for lead boosts and muting) to K&K Pure XLR Preamp to PA board. I also have the K&K Twin in my F-Style mandolin with the same rig. As a side note, I see the Loar LM700 in your sig line. My mandolin is a unique LM700 prototype I got from the designer (a friend) at THe Music Link (Loar parent company). Mine has an Adirondack top they did as an experiment before deciding to stay with Sitka for their production model. My band mates in two different bands I was in use the same guitar setup.

I currently have the K&K in my original '71 D-28 as well as my '67 to '37 spec conversion D-28.

For background reference, in the '60s & '70s I primarily used mics, although I dabbled & rejected a couple of the early soundhole pickups back then (this with my original D-28). In the very early '80s I tried the Martin/Fishman thinline, which sucks. In the mid '80s right after they hit the market I had the original Baggs LB6 installed and used that in acoustic and loud country band settings. During this time I also tried the Baggs iBeam in a smaller Martin. Meh... This is just to say I have some experience over the decades of using other pickups although not as many types/brands as some here have experienced.

I have easily installed several on my guitars and my wife can tell you I'm not that handy when it comes to tools so its pretty easy. Take your time and practice install before using glue and it goes well.

Also, on the last two installs, I did not drill out the endpin for the 1/4" jack and I used the Vintage Jack which is a tapered endpin jack that you use an 1/8" adapter to 1/4" plug to connect to. I have it wired to disconnect [unplug] inside the guitar so I can remove my VJ for flying with the guitar or to just put a regular endpin in the guitar. No real modifications to the guitar needed but you do need the adapter tail piece or a modified guitar cable with a 1/8" jack.

Trux

D35(1983);E28(1981 solid body Martin);Backpacker(1992);00028EC(2004);000X1(2003);OMC15E(2003);00015S(2006); 0018VS UMGF Sunburst#67( 2006);WashburnD236(1975)Hondo12String(1980); 000XHippie (2008-mrs.trux); LX 175th (2008); 00042VS Custom Vintage Sunburst (2009) ; LX Martin Tour (2009); 00018 Kenny Sultan (2009); LePatrie Motif Classical (2012); Pavan Classical Nylon (2010); Custom Martin 00DB Nylon Classical (Mamacita)(2014); Martin Dreadnought Junior (2016)

Jeff
Current: 1949 0-15 | 1959 D-28E2A Conversion | 1992 J12-40| 1994 000C-16| CS-21-11 Past: 1976 D-28| 1988 D12-18| 1993 D-16 H 93| 2002 HD-28

What price are you seeing for the K&K? JJB Electronics makes an equivalent unit (the Prestige-330) with your choice of piezo element sizes (15 or 20mm) for only $49.95. Visit jjb-electronics.com Note that both of the JJB piezo sizes are larger than the K&K Mini, which I believe accounts for a slightly stronger signal and better sensitivity. I've used both pickups and found the tone to be similar, and have chosen the JJB for its price. Installation is the same as for the K&K and has 3 parts.

Part One is drilling out the endpin for the jack (or you can use the aforementioned Vintage Jack) which can be easily done by starting with a stepped drill bit and then finishing with a regular bit. Go slowly, and use masking tape around the endpin hole to protect the guitar's finish. You can search here for threads that will mention specific drill bits and where to get them. Once you're done, remember to vacuum out the sawdust/shavings/splinters inside the body.

Part Two is getting the washers and lock nuts on the threaded jack properly positioned to match the thickness of your end block. Once you've drilled out the endpin, you want to get the hex nut/washer positioned properly around the threaded jack so that just the right amount of the jack sticks out of the endpin hole to secure the strap button while also allowing your 1/4" plug to fully/securely engage. I use a 15" length of 1/4" threaded bolt which I run into the endpin hole up inside the guitar and then insert that into the 1/4" hole in the jack which helps me guide the jack into place. You should get it right after a few tries, and you can always redo this part even after you've attached the piezo elements.

Part Three is attaching (gluing) the piezo elements to the underside of your guitar top, usually underneath and in line with the saddle. I remove the strings and bridgepins and leave a small flashlight turned on inside the guitar. I clean the piezo's metal surface with rubbing alcohol and let it dry, evenly spread a modest amount of superglue uniformly across the clean/dry metal piezo surface, and using the light inside the guitar while looking down through the bridgepin holes I line up the piezo to be between the 6/5 string holes and pull it back slightly towards the soundhole/neck so the piezo element is out of the way of the string ball end and directly under the foot print of the saddle. The cable attached to the piezo should be running or pointed towards the soundhole/neck. I hold the piezo element in place lightly for a couple of seconds then quickly check the placement inside with an inspection mirror. This is your goal (photo credit to Guitar Gallery):

With gel superglue (Gorilla green top - make sure you shake the gel stuff very well first) or an older open bottle of regular superglue (I use Gorilla Glue blue top) I usually have a few seconds to check and reposition if needed. Once I've confirmed the position is correct, I press firmly and hold for 15 seconds or longer to secure. Repeat for the 3/4 strings and the 1/2 strings and you're done. While the transducer positioning can alter the balance you hear from string to string, if you position evenly across/between the 1/2 and 3/4 and 5/6 stringholes underneath the saddle you should be fine. The B (2) string can be slightly louder than the E (1) string on an acoustic guitar, which is why many photos will show the 1/2 piezo nudged a bit more towards the E (1) string to favor it slightly and better balance the two strings. Once the elements are glued in place, you can position the sliding sleeves on your internal cables to minimize the slop. I also twist my jack a few times to put a little twist and tension into the cables so they don't flop around inside, as in the image shown above. Mount the jack securely in the endpin hole and you're done.

I believe the K&K comes with a jig, and I've seen folks make jigs that hold the pickup elements in position for you, but I found I had more control just placing the elements in position individually. It is usually only a 15-20 minute job. Good luck!!

Tony

As David Drucker says, "Nov shmoz ka pop..."
My cure for GAS - my wife asking, "Which one(s) are you selling to get that?"
(Forum intro - page 11)
Say hello to my little friend...

-Mr. Slots-

tonguy wrote: ↑

Aug 24, 2022

See Also

K&K pickup, K&K Pure Western

I believe the K&K comes with a jig, and I've seen folks make jigs that hold the pickup elements in position for you, but I found I had more control just placing the elements in position individually. It is usually only a 15-20 minute job. Good luck!!

I don't use the "jig" but I do use two golf tees for to index where I want the sensor.

Margaret

Martins: D28, 0018V, 00021(custom), D12-35(on loan from my brother)
Guilds: GF60M
Ukuleles: Martin C1K concert, Kala soprano

Well...

I tried just about everything out there in the way of acoustic pickups. Much of that time I'd bump into kyDave at San Francisco's old "Bluelamp" club on Geary St.

Dave would tell me over numerous years to ditch what I have and go K&K. I finally heeded his advice and I've never looked back.

All of my acoustics have K&K's in them.

Bill

I actually have the add-on preamp/ battery/ Volume knob version of the K&K Pure Mini, installed into my Blueridge 0M-28 style guitar and absolutely love it! All sounds pretty natural to me, ( of course I did not install, no way!)

My Martin '93 D-1, had the same style Fishman preamp package installed about 4 years ago now ( albeit, with piezo saddle transducer), and as I liked that so much, I went for similar from K&K.
I just did not want to deal with any preamp pedals on the floor; just plug straight into PA.
I lucked out, having 2 gig acoustics with no pickup volume/tone issues. Just great sound.

LAPlayer wrote: ↑

Aug 24, 2022

They are almost universally appreciated and enjoyed. Installation is pretty simple. I do them in 30-45 minutes depending on what has to be done to install the jack.

I’m in the ALMOST category. For the coffee shop, small stage, solo/duo performer, the K&K is great. For me, a passive K&K can’t keep up with the volume needed to play in a rock band. The K&K broke up at a certain volume threshold and had a truckload of feedback. I switched it out to an LR Baggs Element VTC, and while the sound isn’t as good without a lot of EQ’ing, it’s plugged in capabilities are far superior. It has a higher threshold before breaking up (aka distorted sound) and it can achieve high volume without feedback.

We play hard. We play loud.

DM3MD wrote: ↑

Aug 29, 2022

LAPlayer wrote: ↑

Aug 24, 2022

They are almost universally appreciated and enjoyed. Installation is pretty simple. I do them in 30-45 minutes depending on what has to be done to install the jack.

I’m in the ALMOST category. For the coffee shop, small stage, solo/duo performer, the K&K is great. For me, a passive K&K can’t keep up with the volume needed to play in a rock band. The K&K broke up at a certain volume threshold and had a truckload of feedback. I switched it out to an LR Baggs Element VTC, and while the sound isn’t as good without a lot of EQ’ing, it’s plugged in capabilities are far superior. It has a higher threshold before breaking up (aka distorted sound) and it can achieve high volume without feedback.

We play hard. We play loud.

Horses for courses. One of my non-Martin acoustic electrics is a Seagull Peppino D'Agostino signature model which I chose in part because of its wide-necked short-scale dreadnought cutaway configuration (unique, and also perfect for fingerstyle) but also for its factory-installed LR Baggs dual-source pickup which blends an Element undersaddle pickup with an active iBeam attached to the bridgeplate. Like your Baggs Element VTC, this rig has the volume to keep up with and also step out in front of a full band without feedback. It doesn't offer as natural an amplified sound as my JJB- or K&K-equipped guitars, but it still sounds like a really loud acoustic guitar in a band setting. Which is just fine.

Tony

As David Drucker says, "Nov shmoz ka pop..."
My cure for GAS - my wife asking, "Which one(s) are you selling to get that?"
(Forum intro - page 11)
Say hello to my little friend...

-Mr. Slots-