K&K Pure Mini vs Pure Mini 12 string question

TheBigDipper · November 2022

I have K&K Pure Mini pickups on my 6-string acoustics. I've got a spare Fishman magnetic soundhole pickup. It sounds OK o the 12-string, but not very natural. I'm thinking of putting a K&K into it, as I'm likely to start taking it out from time to time. I like the passive nature and unobtrusiveness of the K&K, and they work well in my 6-string guitars, so I've no interest in anything else.

K&K has a 12-string version of this. Anyone used one in their 12-string? Apparently it has slightly bigger sensors and that gives a slightly different tone to the signal in the same guitar.

Anyone used a standard K&K in a 12-string and liked it/didn't like it?

Ta!

TheBigDipper · November 2022

No-one? Am I pioneering here?

Stratavarious · November 2022

I used a guitar one in a mandolin.. sound perfect - gigs weekly. Bigger sensor area might be why it has a lot of breadth. K&K said I’d not have a problem using a guitar pickup in the mandolin. You can message them. They were quick and helpful.

I’d just get their 12 string version and not give it a thought.

TheBigDipper · November 2022

Stratavarious said:

I used a guitar one in a mandolin.. sound perfect - gigs weekly. Bigger sensor area might be why it has a lot of breadth. K&K said I’d not have a problem using a guitar pickup in the mandolin. You can message them. They were quick and helpful.

I’d just get their 12 string version and not give it a thought.

I thought I would unless someone said it wasn't as good as the6 string one. More interesting is you're using one on a mando. My open mic partner is looking to do more mandolin playing with me (hence the 12 string - lots of REM planned) and currently just points a mic at it.

Stratavarious · December 2022

TheBigDipper said:

Stratavarious said:

I used a guitar one in a mandolin.. sound perfect - gigs weekly. Bigger sensor area might be why it has a lot of breadth. K&K said I’d not have a problem using a guitar pickup in the mandolin. You can message them. They were quick and helpful.

I’d just get their 12 string version and not give it a thought.

I thought I would unless someone said it wasn't as good as the6 string one. More interesting is you're using one on a mando. My open mic partner is looking to do more mandolin playing with me (hence the 12 string - lots of REM planned) and currently just points a mic at it.

They’ll need a DI box, ideally one with a mute switch. DI gets a superb tone from it,

TheBigDipper · December 2022

K&K Pure 12 is inbound and I'll have in on by Wednesday, I think. Then I'll report back.

My mandolin-playing mate is surprising me. After just owning one for years and not really applying himself (guitarist, mainly) he's giving it a real go and spending a lot of time on it. He's thinking of upgrading his instrument and maybe getting an electro-acoustic.

Kalimna · December 2022

It's a shame you don't live closer to central Scotland, as I have a setup that would make for an ideal test. I have a 6 and 12 Brook of similar body-shape, with respective K&K in each. My own listening ability is probably not good enough to discern minute differences, but both sound good to me through a Boss AD10 (perhaps not the most accurate sounding preamp), and reasonably close to the original guitar sound.

TheBigDipper · December 2022

So, the final outcome is that the transducers on the K&K Pure 12 are too large to fit the bridge plate in my guitar. There's a 50% overhang if you put them the correct distance away from the pin holes. So I can't use it.

A K&K Pure Mini (the clue is in the "mini") does fit and sounds fine, so job done.

I'm slightly peeved because the sales blurb on the retailers website doesn't have a warning that this pickup may not fit all guitars.

The retailer will accept the return as a 'changed my mind" but are taking the view I should have checked the K&K website before placing my order with them. Therefore they want me to pay for the return costs.

My initial reaction is they took my order without any mention in their own sales description that sizing could be an issue for this product. The first time I realised it might, was when the package arrived and I looked at the install instructions. The first step is to cut out a paper template and offer it up to the guitar to check the fit. Which it does not.

That's annoying...

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K&K Pure Mini vs Pure Mini 12 string question

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