# PickUp for acoustic guitar



## jedi (Feb 20, 2009)

Good morning,
I have Takamine AN10 Natural 6 strings, I would like install electric pickup inside and I don't know what kind of pickup install, do you want help me to choose one? I forgot: I can't install undersaddle because my saddle it separated in two pieces and I don't have pins and I don't want drill my saddle, just drill for my end pin jack it's ok, the hole is there just remove the pinsand enlarge the hole.








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Thank you and sorry for my english I speak french

jedi


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

K & K. I have several. As with most acoustic pickups, a preamp will help.

Peace, Mooh.


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## JHarasym (Mar 27, 2007)

Canadian company:
http://www.schattendesign.com/


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## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

I-Beam Active - no external preamp required.


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

*K & K vote*

Strong vote for the K & K, for the first time in 35 years of playing I finally found a pick-up worth of my Laskin guitar. It sounds just fine. Not as good as my Neumann KM-184, but much less trouble and money. There is an application for a good pick-up and one for a good mic.

I also vote for a good pre-amp. The best bang for the buck is the LR Baggs Para-DI. A touring pro who doesn't have something like this in his tool box, needs to give his head a shake.


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## Big White Tele (Feb 10, 2007)

Mike MacLeod said:


> I also vote for a good pre-amp. The best bang for the buck is the LR Baggs Para-DI. A touring pro who doesn't have something like this in his tool box, needs to give his head a shake.


I use a radial Tonebone PZ Pre... Oh great now Ive got a headache!!


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Good advice given so far.

I have used all of the above at various times, and still have the IBeam active, Schatten active and K&K installed in different guitars. I also use a Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker and have a Dana Bourgeois designed UST/mic combo in an older JOMC. When I can I use an external microphone, either as the main source or as a supplement to the PU.

If I were to start out again (and I plan to do so) I would install K&Ks in all of my guitars and wire in an additional jack so that I could pop in and out the Rare Earth, as needed. My experience is that, run through two separate channels of quality preamp and EQ, that combination yields a signal that can be mixed to sound pretty nice, regardless of playing style, band configuration or venue.

Another serious consideration for anyone that travels a lot is that the K&K is passive and requires no battery inside the box. A loose battery in a guitar can leave some pretty serious bruises.

I would suggest that if you go the K&K route you invest in the K&K Pure XLR preamp. It is a better impedance match than the Baggs PARADI (and cheaper), and won't require quite as much EQ intervention. I still keep a Baggs PARADI, as well as a SansAmp Acoustic DI and a couple of Radials in my kit (for those guys and gals Mike alluded to.


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## jedi (Feb 20, 2009)

Thank you all,

I received few e-mail and some people tell to me, install Schatten Artist II Preamp HFN Artist for Steel String Guitar with endpin jack preamp, it suppose to be the best for acoustic sound, it's a Canadian made and 2 years warranty, what do you think about this pickup? If somebody have one install on quality guitar because I paid 1200.00$ 10 years ago for my Takamine AN10 Natural and I love this guitar sound and I want to keep a good sound.

Thank you

Jedi


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

K&K all the way.


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## Big White Tele (Feb 10, 2007)

Which K&K pick ups are you guy"s using? The under saddle type


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Big White Tele said:


> Which K&K pick ups are you guy"s using? The under saddle type


Trinity Western Mini system in both of my acoustics.

http://www.kksound.com/trinitywestern.html


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

*K&k*

Trinity Western Mini - 1980 Laskin
Archtop Twin - 1936 Epiphone Emperor w. Vintage Jack
Pure Western Mini - 1953 Martin D-18 w/ Vintage Jack
Pure Western Mini - 1964 Martin 0-18 w/ Vintage Jack

(Vintage jack allows for a non-invasive installation.)

Best pick-up sound I've ever used and one of the best I've ever mixed.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

how about an sm 58?
pickups in acoustics always sound sad- maybe cuz they dont belong?


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

fraser said:


> how about an sm 58?
> pickups in acoustics always sound sad- maybe cuz they dont belong?


If you are going to mic an acoustic go with a nice directional condenser.


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## jedi (Feb 20, 2009)

Thank you guys,

Finally I bought K&K Western Ultra Pure Mini (active) with little volume control, I fixed yesterday night and I tried with L.R. Bagg The Core 1 Acoustic Amp 200 watts, it's terrible sound, amazing sound, I love. With my 60 years old, I don't beleive find a sound like that.

Thank you for your help

Jedi


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

*K&k*

K and K in question is likely the Pure system which consists of 3 small dime sized thin discs that glue to the bottom of the bridge plate.

The trinity system is the same pick-up with the addition of a small gooseneck condenser mic clipped to the inside of the guitar. It can be ordered with an "on-board" pre-amp with battery or an out-board belt-mount (I prefer to mount this on a mic stand) pre-amp. this is the system I prefer as there is less stuff inside the guitar to come loose in transit.

<www.kksound.com> They have some good sound files here.


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## jedi (Feb 20, 2009)

Thank's Mike MacLeod,

I contacted K&K and I remove all and I changed, I bought Pure Western mini (passive) with endpin jack and I bought Preamp belt-clip, you are right, less we have things inside, better is, it's more expansive than before but I don't regret after I think. Best buy at K&K, the service it super.

Have a good day

Jedi


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