K&K Western mini in GAD-30?

[Quackerjack]

Hi all! Guild newbie here!

I picked up a GAD 30r a few weeks ago and have been impressed with the quality and playability. It's a great fingerstyle guitar, and I'm thinking I'd like to put a pickup in it for use in church where I have a number of fingerstyle songs I'm playing.

I hear good things about K&K, but haven't tried them personally. Any opinions on them when paired with a GAD 30? Are they good for fingerstyle? Thanks!

 

[ac1dt3st]

hey there, welcome aboard! i'm a relative newcomer myself.

i'll let the more experienced folks on this board answer some of your specifics here, but while researching a new purchase for myself, i asked a question about pickups, and the resulting discussion was amazingly detailed and informative.

it included some coverage of the K&Ks, so why not relax and have a read of the following while your specific question(s) get answered.

http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15460

 

[Quackerjack]

Thanks for the welcome! Good thread - very detailed response. I'm hoping someone has specific experience with the K&K in a GAD-30, but based on what I've read about them it looks like I will give it a try anyway.

 

[fronobulax]

Welcome.

 

[chazzan]

I have a K&K in my guild f-20 and in my guild classical- they both sound great! Very acoustic and woody- I don't see why it would't work in your axe.
The only reason to get a UST is if you will be playing loud and the K&K will feed back at very loud volumes. But I like the k&k much better than the other pickups for acoustic I have used over the years.

 

[Dr Izza Plumber]

Spring for the LR Baggs active I-beam pick up instead of the K&K.
The I-beam is much easier to install, plus very natural sounding tone.

 

[earbleedz]

Hey there. I have used many pickups over the years but my favorite by far is the K&K. I have it in two guitars, and they both sound great. My only beef is that if you thump the top when you strum, say, with the heel of your hand, they amplify that as a big kaboom as well. Not for the heavy handed.

 

[Guildmark]

I offer welcome!

Post well. Post often.

 

[evenkeel]

First from another newbie, Welcome :!: :!:

I've installed the K&K in several guitars including my D35. I've never been dissapointed. The installation is very straight forward. Sound is very transparant, natural, with out the piezo quack. The natural woodiness of an acoustic comes thru. If you want to add a e.g/preamp, K&K has a good simple one. Volume, bass, mid and treble controls. D battery, easily clips to your belt or guitar strap. However, the K&K mini or western alone works very well.

Regardless if what pickup you use you will likely be faced with drilling a hole where the end strap button is. If you've not discovered a "Forstener bit" check them out before drilling. Will make a clean, crisp hole, virtually no chance of wood splitting, raggedy edges, etc..

 

[jcwu]

Hey there. I have used many pickups over the years but my favorite by far is the K&K. I have it in two guitars, and they both sound great. My only beef is that if you thump the top when you strum, say, with the heel of your hand, they amplify that as a big kaboom as well. Not for the heavy handed.

Thanks for this tidbit! I'd been considering the K&K, but I hit my guitars pretty hard. Good to know.

 

[Dr Izza Plumber]

Regardless if what pickup you use you will likely be faced with drilling a hole where the end strap button is. If you've not discovered a "Forstener bit" check them out before drilling. Will make a clean, crisp hole, virtually no chance of wood splitting, raggedy edges, etc..

FWIW: a hand powered reamer is probably the safest method, since there's no chance of the bit jumping onto the guitar body, and gouging the finish. Plus, it cuts as clean as a forstner bit.

 

[RussD]

Welcome!

I have a K&K in a similar-sized guitar, an A-50, and it really amplifies well. Have been recording quite a bit lately and am continually pleased at the balance. Good luck!

 

[chicagowineguy]

Hey, just to chime in...I had the K & K installed in the old D25 a couple of weeks ago and could not be more pleased. No quack...very natural sounding. Simple as pie...just plug in and play...I have to think it's an excellent product for any acoustic instrument.

 

[Graham]

Welcome!

I have a K&K in a similar-sized guitar, an A-50, and it really amplifies well. Have been recording quite a bit lately and am continually pleased at the balance. Good luck!

Which A-50 is that Russ? :evil: :wink:

 

[Quackerjack]

Hey... what's all this negativity about Quack??? Lol (just kidding)... I love my strats to quack like a duck, but not my acoustic, so its good to know the K&Ks don't!

My K&Ks just arrived (next day from Maury's!) and it looks like I'll install them this weekend. I've used a regular drillbit the last time I installed on an acoustic and found it hard to control. I'll have to see if Home Despot has a reamer...

 

[fungusyoung]

They are awesome pickups. I have them in virtually every acoustic I own now, except the Little Martin.

Very natural/woody/true to your acoustic's tone.

Sounds great in my 000-15, which is very similar sized to the GAD30.

 

[RussD]

Which A-50 is that Russ? :evil: :wink:

Ummm, so there we were, no LTGers in sight...

Careful, or I'll tell the whole forum how Graham finds the best guitars; just keep a discrete eye on what he finds and voila'; great Guilds!
But since I like Cid, I won't tell anyone yet... :lol:

 

[Graham]

Which A-50 is that Russ? :evil: :wink:

Ummm, so there we were, no LTGers in sight...

Careful, or I'll tell the whole forum how Graham finds the best guitars; just keep a discrete eye on what he finds and voila'; great Guilds!
But since I like Cid, I won't tell anyone yet... :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

We're looking for an F-30 now since you already have one of those. :lol:

 

[JerryR]

Hi there Quack Don't worry about Graham :wink:

 

[Quackerjack]

I won't :wink:

Just want to report back... I installed they K&K's and *wow*... very impressed! I used them in church today and got a number of compliments. They have a louder signal than my LR Baggs ibeam (w/preamp) equipped guitar, and no feedback issues. I really like the natural, well-balanced tone. Definitely a winner... and reasonably priced too!