K&K for 12-string needs pre-amp....

[Cougar]

And I know darn little about pre-amps, pedals, DI boxes, and, well, lots of other stuff, too. But the K&K I had installed in my F512 just sounded pretty awful when just plugged into an amp. I'm not even sure what "quack" is, but regardless of settings on my amp, the output was just super trebly to the point of not even worth plugging in!

So I heard somewhere that the passive K&K really needed an external pre-amp. So I went looking for one of those. Jeez, I didn't know they could be so expensive! Many over $100, even up to $400! Just for a pre-amp? I guess I'm just generally a cheapskate, especially when I don't know the difference between a $100 pre-amp and a $400 pre-amp. I kept looking.

Then I saw this Behringer ADI21 V-Tone Acoustic Driver DI Pedal. For $39 at Sweetwater. Quite a mouthful of a name, but it was touted as "essential for your piezo-equipped acoustic-electric guitar. Replacing your artificial, lifeless sound with one that is rich, loud, and electrifying..." Well, for 39 bucks I figured I could take a chance on the thing.

I got it in the mail yesterday. It even came with the usual Sweetwater candy! I read the instructions, made the suggested settings for "folk," which I guess came closest to what I've been playing, plugged it in, tweaked it a little, and hey, I'm pretty happy with this cheap little box! It really tamed the piezo tone coming out of the F512 and sounded pretty darn good to my amateurish ear. "Rich and loud" was right! I'm ready to rock!

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[HeyMikey]

I have the same one Cougar. Works pretty well. The biggest downside I’ve heard about, but not experienced, is that it may not be super robust or roadworthy if you play out a lot. In that case it might be wise to have a backup. I also have an LR Baggs Gigpro belt attached - about as bare bones as it gets but usually all I need.

 

[Cougar]

I have the same one Cougar. Works pretty well. The biggest downside I’ve heard about, but not experienced, is that it may not be super robust or roadworthy if you play out a lot.

Well, that's not a problem for me, lol. But yeah, I guess most pedals have a metal case, and this is just plastic. It's not likely to leave my music room though, so should be good!

 

[twocorgis]

K&K makes a preamp that is designed to work with their pickups.

I have one that I've never used, and since I don't have any K&K pickups, I'd sell it to you for a better price than you'd find on Reverb and the like. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.

 

[Cougar]

I have one that I've never used, and since I don't have any K&K pickups, I'd sell it to you for a better price than you'd find on Reverb and the like. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.

Thanks, Sandy. I think this Behringer thing is going to work out though.

 

[twocorgis]

Thanks, Sandy. I think this Behringer thing is going to work out though.

No worries, it can go back in the parts drawer. I went with a LR Baggs Para Acoustic Di because most of my pickups are Baggs. That being said, I play bass about 99% of the time when I'm plugged in anyway.

 

[Rocky]

Not on a 12-string, but I've used k&k pure minis for years. You would be amazed how well a run of the mill Boss GE-7 pedal works, if you don't need DI/XLR functionality.

 

[chazmo]

K&K makes a preamp that is designed to work with their pickups.

I have one that I've never used, and since I don't have any K&K pickups, I'd sell it to you for a better price than you'd find on Reverb and the like. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.

Hysterical, @twocorgis ! I have the same thing and I've never used mine either. My F-512 has the PWM pickups, and when I've performed with that guitar, I have not used the pre-amp. Whether I sounded good without it is more a question for the (small) audiences!

If you have a 9V battery in it, Sandy, take it out.

 

[twocorgis]

Hysterical, @twocorgis ! I have the same thing and I've never used mine either. My F-512 has the PWM pickups, and when I've performed with that guitar, I have not used the pre-amp. Whether I sounded good without it is more a question for the (small) audiences!

If you have a 9V battery in it, Sandy, take it ou

Oh I did. I don't keep batteries in any of my acoustic-electric guitars anymore. I learned my lesson with the F512. It has AA batteries, which leak even worse than 9V. I had the front battery burst in the DTAR, and I was lucky that my luthier was able to salvage the pickup.

The only active guitar I keep the battery in is my '86 Pilot bass, but I play that one a lot. Best $350 bass in the whole world!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . I'm not even sure what "quack" is . . .

It's usually used to describe the sound of a Stratocaster with the pickup switch set to select two pickups at once. When played clean, not overdriven, the signals from the two pickups clash to create a sweet, jangly sound called quack.

Here's a great example, with all guitars quacking their little hearts out right from the start. If you want to just cut to the chase, the solo begins at 1:45:

 

[Rocky]

It's usually used to describe the sound of a Stratocaster with the pickup switch set to select two pickups at once.

In the case of acoustic guitars, it's used to describe the thin plastic-y sound made by undersaddle piezo transducers, as exemplified by Ovations, MTV Unplugged, etc. Here's an example - even this guy's playing can't save it:

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In the case of acoustic guitars, it's used to describe the thin plastic-y sound made by undersaddle piezo transducers, as exemplified by Ovations, MTV Unplugged, etc. Here's an example - even this guy's playing can't save it:

Aha! I've heard the term applied to acoustics before, but I've never heard a guitar do it. Thanks!