Members panhandler Posted January 30, 2009 Members Share Posted January 30, 2009 I just finished installing one in my Martin DM I didn't scratch anything, gouge anything, break anything or glue anything I wasnt supposed to I was a lil nervous drilling that hole though, first I bought the Forstner bit only to discover it wont work where there is already a hole (DUH) So I went back to Lowes picked a 12mm regular steel bit and took it sloooooooow. I see why these pickups get so much love, my guitar sounds like my guitar only louder So if anyones attempting to do this themselves... You're welcome to borrow the drill bit. PS: If ya ever need callouses in a hurry, spread some superglue on your fingertips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babablowfish Posted January 30, 2009 Members Share Posted January 30, 2009 Congratulations. Welcome to the wonderful world of K&K. Now, if you want to fine tune the tone, get a Baggs PADI - Shoreline sells them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted January 30, 2009 Members Share Posted January 30, 2009 I ordered one with the volume knob for my Guild D-60. Someone else is installing it. What hole? That makes me nervous. You mean the strap peg hole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Melodeous Posted January 30, 2009 Members Share Posted January 30, 2009 I ordered one with the volume knob for my Guild D-60. Someone else is installing it. What hole? That makes me nervous. You mean the strap peg hole? Yep. I cut through the wood (to the block inside the guitar) surrounding the peg hole first with an X-acto blade to prevent the bit from grabbing and splintering the side wood beyond the bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted January 30, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 30, 2009 Congratulations. Welcome to the wonderful world of K&K. Now, if you want to fine tune the tone, get a Baggs PADI - Shoreline sells them. I got the P/U from Shoreline... Nice peeps. I'm using that cheap Behringer PADI right now. It' seems to do the trick, but I do want to upgrade to the Baggs one day. Yeah Marcellis... The HOLE! I sent emails to 3 different local luthiers for price quotes on part and labor. Not one replied! Oh well... Money towards the baggs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members extollo Posted January 30, 2009 Members Share Posted January 30, 2009 I really wanted to try one, but i had a bridge plate repair that would make it to tough to get the pickup installed on the bass side of the saddle. Got a matrix infinity instead. it's, well, ok. i like what they did with the eq. i was using a old mcintyre into a para di, but just couldn't get it to work right. so i'm upgraded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Whalebot Posted January 30, 2009 Members Share Posted January 30, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hudman Posted January 31, 2009 Members Share Posted January 31, 2009 Congrats on the new pick up and on the fact that you didn't splinter the edges of the hole with the drill bit. The best tool for that is a reamer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted January 31, 2009 Members Share Posted January 31, 2009 How big is this hole anyway? I'm starting to get the heebie jeebies about this. I didn't want the LR Baggs because it's a sound hole pick-up. It looks ugly. The D-60 is a thing of beauty. It's face shouldn't be mucked up with a sound hole pick-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members d28andm1911a1 Posted January 31, 2009 Members Share Posted January 31, 2009 The PADI will work and it is the one I would use for any pickup but the K&K. Get the K&K XLR for about the same price and you will be more happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted January 31, 2009 Members Share Posted January 31, 2009 It's a 1/2" hole IIRC, marcellis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted January 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2009 How big is this hole anyway? I'm starting to get the heebie jeebies about this. I didn't want the LR Baggs because it's a sound hole pick-up. It looks ugly. The D-60 is a thing of beauty. It's face shouldn't be mucked up with a sound hole pick-up. You can use a 1/2" but a 12mm is a snugger fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted February 5, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 Houston... We have a problem. (Honeymoon over) I don't know what my ears were hearing when I first installed it, but now it sounds MUDDY and I can't seem to dial it out. I checked with the K&K Website tech sppt. not much help there. I have the mids and the bass turned all the way down on the DI and that makes it kinda okay, but still muddy. If I plug into my Acoustic Amp... same thing. At first I thought it was okay there, but I gave a better listen to it this evening. Anyone got and ideas before I remove it? Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Melodeous Posted February 5, 2009 Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 Check to see if one of the bugs (treble) came off the bridgeplate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 5, 2009 Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 Check to see if one of the bugs (treble) came off the bridgeplate? I have zilch experience with this, but that was exactly my first thought. Something came off or loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 5, 2009 Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 For future reference...NEVER drill with a huge bit into the endpin hole to install a jack. Lots of bad things can happen. Use a "reamer" to make the hole bigger instead: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Melodeous Posted February 5, 2009 Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 That thing looks sinister. I used a new drill bit in a hand-held chuck and ran the hole in by hand. It wants to grab and advance into the hole but keeping firm back-tension stops the bit from advancing and you can delicately remove material at a slow pace without gouging. Just gotta keep the back-tension while twisting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pipedwho Posted February 5, 2009 Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 -1 on the reamer idea. The depth of the wood where the end pin sits is about 1/2" to 3/4". The taper on the reamer produces a hole that is far from ideal for an endpin jack. I've drilled a few of these for friends. And as long as you tape over the area to be drilled in advance and use a nice sharp 12mm steel bit, it should work nicely. It is also important to use a variable speed drill, and if you don't have a good jig, get someone to hold the guitar down so it cannot move while you drill the hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted February 5, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 The problem with a reamer is you end up with a tapered hole. Wider on the outside lending itself to movement on that end of the pickup. K&K recommends using the "steel bit" I'll look under into the treble coming loose, but I doubt it. I feel confident I did a textbook install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted February 5, 2009 Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 The problem with a reamer is you end up with a tapered hole. Wider on the outside lending itself to movement on that end of the pickup. K&K recommends using the "steel bit" I'll look under into the treble coming loose, but I doubt it. I feel confident I did a textbook install. I use a drill too - no problem if you drill a pilot hole first then take it slow and steady. And I prefer UST pickups to the strick-on bugs. The bugs amplify every little bang or scratch on the guitar top as well as the strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted February 5, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 I just read the HC reviews on this pickup. It's no wonder I'm having a lil "muddy" issue with it, seems like most folks do. I was gonna take it out, but I'll just keep dropping the mids on the DI and the PA until I completly dial it in. Unfortunatly the reason I purchased it was to eliminate swapping pickups from the 6 to the 12 during performing. So re-dialing the EQ's for the 12 is out of the question afer the 6. Looks like I'll need another DI for the 12 and a seperate channel for each. Live, learn, live, learn, live, learn.... (forgot SPEND!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Galabar Posted February 5, 2009 Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 Actually, I think a reamer is the way to go (but the correct reamer): http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Reamers/Endpin_Jack_Reamer.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted February 5, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2009 Actually, I think a reamer is the way to go (but the correct reamer): http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Reamers/Endpin_Jack_Reamer.html You Sir... Win a cupie doll! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babablowfish Posted February 6, 2009 Members Share Posted February 6, 2009 I put K&Ks in my Yamaha and Parkwood. I use the same Baggs PADI with both. What I did was "dial-in" the tone I wanted and then noted all the settings on little cards I made out of index cards which sit over the control knobs. See pics below and it should be self-explanatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Melodeous Posted February 6, 2009 Members Share Posted February 6, 2009 I do the same thing except I set the preamp flat and adjust the amp. After GW348's claim about being muddy I had to review my own setup with the K&K PWM. Nope. No mud. I have my amp (Acoustisonic) set at 3-2-4 (B-M-T) without fingernails and almost flat with fingernails. I cut my nails off about every 2-3 weeks if they last that long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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