You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Guitars and accessories → Anyone have opinions on Preamps
I'm looking to buy an off board preamp . Does anyone have input on what they like or don't like. I want to change my Fishman under saddle pickup to a K&K pure mini and need an off board preamp. I've been looking at L R Baggs & Fishman.
I'd like your opinion.
I put a K&K Pure Mini in a Larrivee acoustic that I used to own, and ended up selling. Prior to that, I was looking at various preamps, and the one I liked best for it was a Sans-Amp GT2 by Tech 21. It was around $200, and reproduced the acoustic sound more naturally than anything else I tried ... definitely worth a look / listen.
It's been awhile Joe, nice to see you hanging out here! Back to your question.... with a question; Why?
I've installed a few of the K&K Minis and mostly have no problems going right to the effects chain and on to the amp without any pre-amplification required. Hence the question. Direct to DAW, same story, they're passive but drive pretty good outright.
The ONLY reason I own a pre-amp is to power up the big condenser mics, and at that it doesn't get much use, as the vocal processor does that for me.
Just curious, and maybe you don't need to spend the additional $$.
Thanks for the info. I have been busy as of late but I try to check the forums as often as I can.
Tenement , I will check that out.
Doug, Thanks for that advice. If I don't need to spend the extra money that would be great. Most sites that offer the K&K's generally suggest using with a preamp.
Do you think it would work just as well thru a P.A. system ? That's generally what I use.
The K&Ks drive every bit as hard as your common dynamic microphone, so if you can just plug in something like a SM57 to your PA and get good output, it should be fine. I put the last set in a Taylor, and ran it through my Behringer 120Watt mixer and out to the speaker bank with plenty of overhead. I'd sure try it without before tossing $$ at it.
Amy (Mekidsmom) put a set in one of her guitars awhile back, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't use a pre-amp.
Doug, Thanks for the info . I'll try it without a preamp first.
Doug asks a great question ... why bother with a preamp at all?
My reason was to strengthen the signal to my acoustic amp, for which I have no effects chain in between. My amp (Traynor AM150T) has some on-board effects, but the only ones I use with an acoustic guitar are a bit of Chorus + a bit of Reverb ... nothing more. A simple volume pedal can only maximize the strength of what's coming from the K&K's, which are a passive pickup system with low output on their own. The preamp would enable volume control at one's toe-tips, and thus a stronger signal going to amp.
At least, that's the way I understood it. Not being a professional, maybe this is all out of whack ... always eager to learn.
Well here is the answer direct from the maker: http://kksound.com/support/pickups101/preamp.php
There are lots of good reasons to have a pre-amp as TF mentions.... but if you're on a budget and it sounds good on your kit without....
Lol
I don't even know what a pre Amp is 
I have a Fender 212R Frontman Amp that I will occasionally hook up when no else is home and a little Marshall MG 15Cf amp that I use to play in my office with headphones so as not to bother anyone else in my house.To be honest, I don't even know what most of the stuff on the fender amp does. The one thing I do like is that I can hook up the Acoustic electric Martin and Alvarez, or the les Paul and Ibanez's I have and pretend that I actually know how to play electric. I do like to hook up my trio and play - it helps me with strumming on beat and gives me some alternative sound ideas. It's fun to me and each time I play them hooked up, I get a little better and I learn something new.
Jim
Thanks Doug for the insight from the K&K site. I did listen to that previously but after you do so much research things start to get cloudy with all the data. I guess the easiest way is to try it first without. I can always get a preamp if I don't like the sound without one. Thanks to all who shared their thoughts. It's what I like about this site.
Thanks Doug for the insight from the K&K site. I did listen to that previously but after you do so much research things start to get cloudy with all the data. I guess the easiest way is to try it first without. I can always get a preamp if I don't like the sound without one. Thanks to all who shared their thoughts. It's what I like about this site.
If the folk at your local music store are accommodating, you could probably take your guitar in, and plug it in to a SansAmp (or whatever) to give it a try .. before you buy. No one else's opinion matters more than your own, so you could do a with / without comparison, and hear how it sounds. If you're a regular customer, they'd be crazy not to let you.
Another alternative would be a Rapco V-Cord. This would allow you to plug your K&K-equipped guitar into your amp, find the maximum volume setting you'd want to use, then use the knob on the cord to lower it as needed.
http://www.rapcohorizon.com/p-345-v-cab … cable.aspx
You wouldn't have any effects at your toes / fingers, but you could at least control the volume.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Guitars and accessories → Anyone have opinions on Preamps
