installing a K&K

[gdgross]

Hi all, guitar player here. I'm going to be installing the K&K twin ukulele pickup in my daughter's cordoba soprano uke (which she's graciously allowed me to borrow as I don't have my own) for a show I'm doing next month.

I've done a fair amount of guitar tech work, but I'm a little worried about the uke because it's so light and delicate. In particular, is there an end block inside the uke where a typical guitar endpin or ¼" jack would go? I'll need to cut out a hole for the jack there. I do have an endpin reamer tool, fwiw.

Any other thoughts on this? That's the only bit that scares me... but i don't really want to go to a luthier and pay more than I did for the instrument itself!

Thanks!
Geoff

 

[gdgross]

Perhaps I should mention the model. This is a Cordoba 15SM.

I do hear a difference in tone when tapping on the very end of the instrument vs an inch or two up the sides, so I assume this means there's an end block? Here's a quick vid.

 

[MrKlippies]

I suggest you get a mirror on a stick and check for yourself. I have a concert Cordoba that is a different model and does not have binding. It DOES have a block in there, although I couldn't tell you how strong/thick it is. I was comfortable putting a strap button there.

 

[Kenn2018]

Use a flashlight pointed into the sound hole towards the tail. Look in the sound hole. The tail block is usually partially visible.

But a mirror is the best way.

 

[gdgross]

Thanks guys, had a quick peek with a mirror, but somehow I wasn't able to get he angle right to see. will have another look tnight

 

[Bill Sheehan]

Hi Geoff, I don't mean to hijack the conversation, but I was just kind of wondering... if the show will involve just a few uke songs, at moderate volume, might you consider simply mic'ing up the uke? I have done it that way many times (although I've used K&K-style pickups many times too), and tended to have very good results. And although you often hear that a decent "condenser" mic is best for that purpose, I've had good luck with basic "dynamic" mics as well. As long as you stay behind the main PA speakers and keep any floor monitors at fairly low volume, you can get very good gain before feedback. I like to think of it as just treating the uke as another voice. A couple of our friends on the Forum are fans of mic'ing up, and if they happen to take note of this conversation, maybe they can throw in their two cents worth as well! And of course, others may have different perspectives based on their experiences.

 

[gdgross]

Hi Geoff, I don't mean to hijack the conversation, but I was just kind of wondering... if the show will involve just a few uke songs, at moderate volume, might you consider simply mic'ing up the uke? I have done it that way many times (although I've used K&K-style pickups many times too), and tended to have very good results. And although you often hear that a decent "condenser" mic is best for that purpose, I've had good luck with basic "dynamic" mics as well. As long as you stay behind the main PA speakers and keep any floor monitors at fairly low volume, you can get very good gain before feedback. I like to think of it as just treating the uke as another voice. A couple of our friends on the Forum are fans of mic'ing up, and if they happen to take note of this conversation, maybe they can throw in their two cents worth as well! And of course, others may have different perspectives based on their experiences.

Thanks, Bill - I'd thought of that, but it's a pit show with drums and such, and I think it will be easier for the house sound to manage if I can just give them a single feed from all my instruments (also playing guitars, banjo, mandolin, etc - it's the SpongeBob musical.)

Not too much of a feedback concern, and I could go this route if necessary, but it's also an investment for future uke gigs, haha. Figured I'd bite the bullet now and future Geoff will thank me.

 

[Bill Sheehan]

Thanks, Bill - I'd thought of that, but it's a pit show with drums and such, and I think it will be easier for the house sound to manage if I can just give them a single feed from all my instruments (also playing guitars, banjo, mandolin, etc - it's the SpongeBob musical.)

Not too much of a feedback concern, and I could go this route if necessary, but it's also an investment for future uke gigs, haha. Figured I'd bite the bullet now and future Geoff will thank me.

Totally understand your thinking, Geoff! And, for what it's worth, if you were interested in a simpler (though slightly less elegant) solution, I can highly recommend the PPS-100 internal-mount transducer from JJB Electronics. This one mounts internally like a K&K, except that the jack is going to be located more on the side bout of the uke, rather than in the endpin jack position. This simplifies the installation greatly. I've installed probably ten of them in the past several years, and they work great. The PPS-100 is a single-disc model, which in my view is very sufficient for a soprano, although they also make a dual-disc model. I would observe, however, that your best results with these will be achieved by running first into a pre-amp/DI box (such as the inexpensive Behringer ADI-21, which is what I use), and then on into your amp or PA board. Otherwise the disc pickups can be a little harsh and hot. The intervention of the pre-amp/DI allows you to pull out some of those quacky mids, and tame and smooth out that sound before it reaches the audience.

 

[Camsuke]

Here's a video which demonstrates the installation. Hopefully it will provide some useful tips.

 

[gdgross]

Here's a video which demonstrates the installation. Hopefully it will provide some useful tips.

Thanks Cam!

I successfully installed the pickup the other day, by the way. Seems to work ok! One of the reasons I like the K&K is that I don't play uke very much, and no one in my house besides me will really ever want to plug it in. The passive K&K might save me in future if I were to forget that a battery hadn't been changed in years.

The cordoba does have a decently sized end block, and I used a reamer to enlarge my pilot hole to the right size for the endpin jack. TBH the hardest part was cramming my big hands far enough back to get the piezo sensors in the right places and making sure they hadn't flipped upside down on the way there.

Unrelated question: Does anyone ever play with a strap? I find it slightly annoying to have to hold the instrument against my body with my right forearm. (and I do have a spare front strap button floating around...)

 

[Kenn2018]

Unrelated question: Does anyone ever play with a strap? I find it slightly annoying to have to hold the instrument against my body with my right forearm. (and I do have a spare front strap button floating around...)

I play with a strap on all my tenor ukes. I also put one on a soprano that I tried to play when my wife decided she didn't want to play ukulele. I prefer 2" wide guitar straps, but I put a 1-1/2" strap on the soprano.

I highly recommend the Strapkeeper by Tapastring to attach a strap to the jack. Strapkeeper

 

[rustydusty]

I had a respectable luthier (certified for Martin guitar repair) install a K+K pure mini in my Ibanez tenor guitar a couple of years ago. When I got it back, there was several “super glue” fingerprints on the sound board (the guitar was one month old). Needless to say, I was not happy. I took it back, and he managed to take it back to “as new” condition. I can’t tell that it was ever damaged. I’m also very happy with the performance of the pickup as being “passive”…