Anyone put a K&K pickup in their mandolin? Tips, Tricks? Vids?

[terzinator]

Just sort of kicking this idea around...

It's easy to install these in a guitar, with the big round soundhole, and all... but F-holes are kinda tiny.

Would love to hear experiences with installation, as well as experience at gigs. How you're using it... into an amp, direct into the board, etc...

[mandroid]

generically find what sounds good , on top then put them under that spot on the inside .

easiest :one under each bridge foot, out side of the tone bars should be accessible

reaching in the F holes .. K&K's pickup piezo chips are small

[practicality speaking , not owner so this drifts quickly from a narrow K&K exclusive]
( you should find a lot of K&K stuff from them, written on prior archived pages) ,


my F hole mandolin has its 1 Pickup mounted as I describe, under the treble foot.

My favorite Kit on the rare occasion I get to plug in , anymore
is the Internal Schertler- came in my mix A5.
since it's not a piezo,
but a Dynamic contact Microphone..

I don't need the preamp , other than a mic channel.. amp or PA..

K&K has their own Preamp .. as said in the past, Piezos seem to function better
with the mega ohm impedance considered..

by running through a preamp that handshakes with the Pickup..


hope this helped.

[Mandobart]

I have installed very similar twin head JJB pickups internally in several instruments, including mandolins, violins and violas, which are usually smaller f-holes than found on mandolins. I've had good results placing the heads as close as I can to directly under the bridge feet. Tone bars, bass bars, sound posts etc. will dictate slight adjustments to that. I use an S-type soundpost setter to get inside and mount the heads. Its important to cover the shaft of the tool with electrical tape or heat-shrink to protect the instrument. Also, I always put low tack painter's masking tape (blue kind) along the edge of the f-holes to protect them before poking around. I also tape the bridge in place before removing the strings and tailpiece.

I mount the p'up heads with a little blu-tak putty, though most people use super glue. The putty won't damage the wood, never hardens, allows removal/repositioning. I've never had it fail.

I use two kinds of output jacks. If the f-holes are big enough to fit this jack inside the instrument, I like the switchjack for ease of installation. On a standard violin, you can't get this type of jack in the f-holes, so I use a screw-in jack. On the screw in jack you need to place the p'ups inside, running the wires out the tail block hole (which you have to enlarge to accommodate the jack). Use brad-point bits for this, not standard drill bits. Solder the p'up to the jack, then screw it in. A little paraffin on the threads helps. After the jack is in, THEN mount the heads. If you mount them first you'll twist the wires as you screw in the jack. NEVER try to just mount the output jack in unsupported side wood. Any side load on the plug will tear the whole works out, including what used to be your instrument's rib.

This isn't a hard job to do, but you have to take your time and be careful. And, if you have a very expensive or collectible instrument, think before you take a drill to her or make any permanent mods.

[Mandobart]

...Would love to hear experiences with installation, as well as experience at gigs. How you're using it... into an amp, direct into the board, etc...

Sorry I didn't answer this part on my first post. The twin head piezo p'ups have worked well for me in two mandolins, a mandola, two OM's, 3 fiddles, a mandocello, guitar and upright bass. I usually have success running straight into a PA or amp, but not always, so I use a pre-amp. Of the ones I've had, the K&K Pure is my favorite because it has some EQ, a volume pot, good impedance matching, and with the belt clip is very handy for quick adjustments between songs. With high stage volumes, piezo's are prone to feedback. The mandos feedback more than the fiddles. It has to do with the orientation of the p'ups to the sound waves.

[Skip Kelley]

Chris, I installed one one in a mandolin I built for a customer and it was a breeze to install. He said it has a great sound.

[jambalaya]

you can get louder with the k&k, but the audio technica at-pro 35 clip on condenser mic sounds worlds better. i got one for christmas and have been amazed at how full the sound is.

[Pete Counter]

I have a Kentucky KM-1500 and I put a K&K Internal Twin in mine, no trouble at putting it in, comes with clear directions, just dont be shy, it dont take long. The only part that made me apprehensive was drilling the endblock for the endpin jack. Im using mine with an L.R Baggs ParaDI and it sound great, but it also works great running straight into my presonus EQ3B equalizer and then straight to the board as well. I Like the pickup, yes mics are better sounding but if you have high noise levels and HAVE to use a pickup like I do...Thats a Great Pickup!

[Jesse Weitzenfeld]

What about the LR Baggs Radius? I found this video while researching the Lyric for guitar, and really liked the sound. Any experience with the Radius vs. the K&K? The Radius is obviously a lot easier to install, and remove, but it's more visible.

[Astro]

Well if you're willing to surface mount, I think you'd be just as well off with a 30 dollar surface mount piezo disc like the JJB as you would that LR Baggs Radius. The piezo discs use the same putty, are just as easy to install, and sit flatter.

They quack about the same.

[Mandobart]

....They quack about the same.

Which is why an impedance matching DI or pre-amp is a necessity, to me, unless you're going into an acoustic amp or board made for high impedance piezo's.

[afhusband]

I have installed a K&K twin in my Morris F with 1/4" jack, & replaced the 1/8" jack with a 1/4" in my BRW.
The K&K installation was quite simple! It's easy to attach the small spots through the F holes. I would recommend drilling out for the standard 1/4" jack. The 1/8" jack was a pain in my butt. Those little plugs wear out fast, either with the 1/8-1/4, & the adapters. I went through too many before switching.
Also, post any questions here PRIOR to trying something drastic. Anything you can come across has been seen by at least one of the great dudes running around here!

[Jerry Turberville]

I had the K & K installed in my Eastman MD515 when I bought it from the Mandolin Store. I've used the LR Baggs Para DI and the ToneBone PZ Deluxe preamps as well as straight into my effects board. I've also used a LR Baggs Radius pick up on a different mandolin. I think the K & K is a better pick up. Again, to me it's a bit more natural sounding and permanent installations look better. Back to the preamps. The Baggs and Tonebone both work well. The Tonebone has more features and a clean boost for lead button which can come in handy, but it cost quite a bit more than the Baggs pick up. I've also run directly into me pedal board and although it does perform well without any preamp (in this configuration) it will feedback. I'd encourage to use a preamp for impedance matching, as well as room matching. I'm a little partial to the Tonebone for my mandolin because I found the LR Baggs to be the best preamp for my violin. You can always go to your local Music Store and ask to test out the Radius pick up. If you're not comfortable doing the installation the Baggs will probably be a little cheaper in the long run. Just never forget. You get what you paid for. Good luck and keep us posted!