K&K Sound Systems Pure Western

Pickup features: Magnetic Passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Samick Custom
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Picking/strumming Rock./Folk
Reason for pickup change: Never had a pick in the first place

Perceived output level: Excellent. No pre-amp needed!
Tone: Very Balanced. Very true to my own guitars sound. I'm extremely impressed.
Sonic evaluation: Samick custom/peavey 130 watt

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock/Folk. Pick up is great for my guitar (I think it would suit any as it seems to fairly true to the guitars original sound)

Comments: It's great! Why? It's the best value for money I've seen for a pick up (and I've been checking out a few I can tell you!). I have been playing for about 25 years (scary I know), and have had various guitars (samicks, Takamine, Washburn 6 & 12 strings), and this is the best on board sound I've had. Today I did some recording vs my friends Gibson (sorry, not sure which one) with a pre-installed pickup. His sound in was great with the microphone, but lousy with direct line in from pickups - it was so much more scratchy and metallic. Mine however, had very little variation from the mic sound.
Amplified, I had almost as much volume as his guitar did with a preamp, and no more feedback problems than his. All I can say is, don't be fooled into paying bucks just for brand names. If your looking for a great pick up at a great price, do yourself a favour and check these out.

Pickup features: Passive under bridge-plate transuducer
Impedence or other specs: who cares - it's great

Model of guitar or bass: Tacoma DR-20
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker (soundhole)
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): finger style / hard strumming roots/alt/whatever
Reason for pickup change: sound quality, what else is there?

Perceived output level: about same as the sound-hole pu w/ built in pre.
Tone: very clear top end, warm mids/ pretty well balanced
Sonic evaluation: to my ears, very transparent in that it sounds alot like my acoustic naturally, just louder. Top end a little briter than the actual sound of the guitar. I run this direct into a board with eq pretty much flat, still need more playing time to see if it performs better with low roll-off switched in or out with the bass turned down.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I think its great for fingerstyle as the high end really cuts w/o being quaky like piezos. Best quality is the realatively uncolored sound, along with high output, high gain before feedback.

Comments: Here's a note I sent off to the manufacturer......
Just got my Pure Western transducer yesterday, and had to immead. install it. Install went w/o a hitch (15 min), I glued them direct to the bridge plate. The instructions were clear and well written. Since I was using a soundhole pickup, I was able to AB them through my PA system. I was originally thinking about using both to blend the best qualities of both. I pulled the soundhole PU out. No comparison! While the Fishman was quite good, the PW killed it. I love the warm/transparent quality to the sound. And where-as I had to tweak the EQ a bunch to get the Fishman to sound good, the PW pretty much sounded great right out of the chute. Thanks for an awesome product and making it available at such a great price on EBay. These are going in all my friends guitars. Thanks!! Matthew Miller

Pickup features: Passive under-bridge pickup (not under-saddle)
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Simon and Patrick SP6 Spruce
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fishman Rare Earth (Single coil)
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock/Folk mainly, but some a variety of other stuff too
Reason for pickup change: Always found the Fishman a bit too "electric" in tone for my taste, but a clash in my main playing environment made it impractical and this was the main reason.

Perceived output level: Not less than half that of my Rare Earth, so hot enough to use as is
Tone: Very realistic and natural. Only need a slight EQ tweak and that's more because of the tone of my amp!
Sonic evaluation: I use my S&P with a Roland AC-60 and an LR Baggs Para DI (see other review)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: One of the best things about this is that you get a realistic strummed sound. That has been the hardest thing to capture with any pickup/amp/EQ combinations.

Comments: This pickup is certainly worth the money and well worth replacing if stolen. If you don't believe how good it is you can listen to samples on the K&K site. I was a bit skeptical, but that sort of sound is what you can expect with a decent guitar. I listened to other manufacturers' audio samples after I bought this and was not so impressed.
It doesn't get a 10 because it's not quite good enough to send you over the moon, but it does give a very good sound at a very good price.

Pickup features: Passive, bridge plate transducer
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Martin D-1
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fishman Active Matrix undersaddle transducer
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): I use a rhythmic style using a combination of my thumb, fingers, and fingernails.
Reason for pickup change: I found myself having to adjust my playing style to accommodate the qualities of the Fishman undersaddle pickup - very frustrating while playing live.

Perceived output level: K & K's Pure Western is very hot compared to the Fishman...great output level for a passive pickup.
Tone: The tone is exactly what I've been looking for. It is extremely balanced, very natural and allows me to play any style I choose without a change in tonal quatlity.
Sonic evaluation: I play at a local coffee shop through the house (Peavy) PA system. I use a Fishman Pro EQ to adjust for the type/size of the speakers. I do use a soundhole cover to eliminate feeback that only seems to be an issue with larger loudspeakers that are positioned too close to me.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play a mix of blues, fcountry, folk, rock, and jazz. The Pure Western is the best match for my style of playing - rhythmic fingerstyle.

Comments: I've been playing for about 16 years and have had my Martin D-1 for 10 of those years. I installed the pickup myself using the excellent instructions provided. The use of superglue created some anxiety, but I practiced the installation without superglue several times before the final (and successful) installation. I wish the three transducers were somehow connected to make the installation easier.
If the pickup gets damaged then my guitar will likely be damaged also...so I would certainly replace both. For under $100, this pickup is an excellent choice for anyone. I have yet to find a pickup that sounds as natural as the Pure Western. It truly sounds like my guitar. What more could I ask for? I plan to install the Pure Mini Western pickup in my Larrivee Parlor next.

Pickup features: Passive under the bridge-plate (internal) 3-piezo pickup
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Armbrust custom-made
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: electret-condenser mic
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: unknown
You musical style(s): finger-picking, "flailing", plucking, back-finger strumming, etc.
Reason for pickup change: Too much hassle with the electret-condenser mic/pre-amp/batteries/mounting thing. All that takes away from the spontaneity of a live performance. Too many things to worry about.

Perceived output level: Output (passive) is high enough to be handled by any decent soundboard and bring the guitar's sound up to viable levels.
Tone: The natural beautiful sound of my guitar with all its intricacies but loud enough for live gigs.
Sonic evaluation: My friend, luthier Jack Armbrust (crafting quality guitars since the early 1960's, website http://ca.geocities.com/jaluthier ) created this guitar for my aging hands. It is a "thin-line" cutaway with red cedar top, mahogany sides, back and neck, moose horn nut and saddle and an unknown Columbian hardwood for the fretboard and bridge and an ebony "ankh" inlaid into the spackled mahogany headstock.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: folk, folk-blues, modal-tuning instrumentals, ballads, re-worked pop sendups

Comments: I've been playing for almost 40 years. I love the sound of good well-built acoustic guitars made from quality woods but hate what electronics too often do to their sound. I have a '62 Gibson SJ25 that I bought in 1967, my "Grande Dame", which has just about the sweetest sound of any guitar I've ever heard. I tried using it on stage with a Bartolini and other sound-hole pickups and was always sorely disappointed. I've played and listened to any number of those guitars with the "under the saddle" piezo pickups and found them all sorely wanting. They all sounded dry and unnatural (yes, and even "quacky"). Well, after installing the K&K Pure Western into my Armbrust (make sure you follow the company's instructions... Kind of intimidating dealing with the "permanent installation" using crazy glue but when all is said and done, not that big a deal), I will soon be installing the K&K into this fine bird. You may get as natural a sound with other pickup systems that incorporate active electronics, mixers, batteries etc. (although after reading all the reviews on this website and listening to a bunch of MP3's online of various guitars such as Taylors, Larivees, etc., recorded with IBeams, Baggs and other systems, as well as the K&K, I put my money on the K&K), but you won't find anything this hassle-free (just plug it in) that sounds this good for under $100 or maybe even $200 or $300. It won't make a bad guitar sound good and it won't replace Niemann mics in a studio (it won't turn lead into gold either), but if you're playing live gigs and have a good or great sounding guitar and want its tonal characteristics reproduced faithfully at gig levels without worrying about pre-amps, outboard EQ's, batteries, etc., THIS is the one. Just tell the soundman to set everything "flat" and if his equipment is any good, you'll sound great.

Pickup features: Transductor Passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Martin D - 15s
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: Rare Earth Humbucker
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Fingerpicking, open tunings
Reason for pickup change: Needed more acoustic tone for mids and treble.

Perceived output level: Louder than the Rare Earth, equl to an Active Matrix.
Tone: Blanced mids and clear treble, boomy somewhat muddy bass. But, no quack.
Sonic evaluation: Straight to a SWR California Blonde.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good for Fingerstyle and open tunings, will work good on large body guitars. May sound better on smaller body guitars.

Comments: I would get another one. I have been messing with acoustic pickup combinations for over 6 years, played guitar for over 30 years. This pickup will probably sound good alone on acoustic amps with weak bass, as it has great low end. Also, it will probably sound good in small body guitars. On a large body D 17s, with a SWR amp, you need a magnetic pickup for the bass (no getting around it). Without a magnetic pickup, you will get massive muddy boom. Nevertheless, This is the best sounding acoustic pickup for under $100. Furthermore, it is passive and has about the same output as my active Fishman Rare Earth (both chanels on the SWR are at the same gain setting). It can get to high volumes without feedback if you turn down the bass. Installed easly in less than 20 min. Someone wrote "Try it for yourself and see". I did, and was blown away. I wish K & K would build a passive systm with a combination magnetic pickup and the Pure Western so that we can crank up the acoustic without feedback.

Pickup features: passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Avalon Dreadnaught
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: me
You musical style(s): scottish/irish traditional/rock
Reason for pickup change: had no pickup

Perceived output level: output about equal to most pasive pickups, loud for an acoustic transducer
Tone: very well balanced, good definition, nice strong bass fundamentals without being overbearing, strong mids, warm highsI
Sonic evaluation: I am playing an Avalon (made by Lowden) Dreadnaught. Spruce top and rosewood back. playing currently through a Gibson goldtone amp (not ideal for acoustic stuff I know) It really does sound like the real acoustic coming through though. beautiful sound - It really lets the wood sing.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play a blend of traditional celtic music and indie rock. This pickup is a great match for that, but I think It would work great for any style of acoustic guitar. It really lets the guitar do the talking and doesn't get in the way of pure acoustic tone.

Comments: I would definitly buy it again if it were destoyed. I would highly recommend this pickup to anyone with a great sounding acoustic - for a crappy acoustic it might not work so well as it really lets you hear the guitar as much as the string.

Pickup features: Passive , 3 bridgeplate transducers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ovation Custom Legend 12 string w/ Optima pre-amp, mid-depth
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Ovation high-output
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Contemp. worship, strong rhythm style
Reason for pickup change: Looking for more natural sound. Guitar sounds magnificent unplugged, but typical quacky sound when plugged in.

Perceived output level: Same as orig. p/u. I left my vol. settings the same on the guitar & at the soundboard.
Tone: Well-balanced, finally plenty of base.
Sonic evaluation: This is Ovation's best guitar/pre-amp combination...no complaints there. I run the guitar through an XLR cable direct to the soundboard. I run the board flat, using the guitar's on-board EQ.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Contemporary worship, anywhere from a rock to a folk-rock feel. This p/u fits in perfectly. Sounds articulate with delicate picking, sounds perfectly natural strumming hard and fast. People used to tell me it sounded like a banjo when I played far up the neck. That problem's gone!

Comments: I'd buy another one of these in a heartbeat.My Ovation presents an unusual situation with it's fan bracing. I've installed I-Beams,but placement is critical and requires an open bridgeplate area.These transducers fit nicely between the braces in my guitar, and since there is no bridgeplate,supergluing directly to the soundboard seemed like a great idea for sound-transfer. Had 3 long talks with K&K's tech. He was glad to talk me through this not-very-straightforward installation. I feel like I have perfected my guitar!! Though I'm an Ovation fan,my $1,500 12-string didn't sound any nicer than a $200 guitar when I plugged in! Now, that beautiful sound that I hear coming from the soundhole is exactly what I hear from the house speakers! Next up is my Seagull S6 CW.

Pickup features: passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez Artwood 1
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: first pickup on this guitar
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): all styles.... folk, pop, country, everything from James Taylor to Sheryl Crowe to Matchbox 20
Reason for pickup change: A friend suggested that acoustic pickups are "the only way to go"

Perceived output level: alot louder than I imagined, especially for a passive unit
Tone: very well-balanced... booming bass and crisp clear trebles and highs. no crackling piezo plastic effects.
Sonic evaluation: I'm still searching for an acoustic amp though I've been plugging into a karaoke machine Yes, that's right! The K & K Pure Western sounds wonderful. Just imagine what it will sound like with a real amp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup is well-suited for my playing style, 60's - 70's to current.... Beatles...Croce...Buffet...Eagles...Seger...

Comments: I most likely would buy this pickup again since I haven't found another one that comes close to giving uncolored pure acoustic sound. Sometimes simplicity is the best. I installed it myself directly to the underside of the bridge. This permanant installation provides 20% more performance than using the removable tape. Besides, why would I want to remove it when it sounds better than anything I've heard from the "big manufacturers".
It was relatively easy to install, but if you do it yourself take your time and be careful with your instrument. I listened to several pickups on the internet ie: DougYoungGuitar.com and the K & K products seemed to provide the tone I was looking for. I was apprehensive that this transducer would pick up unwanted banging, booming or thumping sounds from the guitar... Not! no noise problem.
When I get a more upscale guitar like Taylor or Martin I would consider an upgraded K & K product like their Ultra Pure or Trinity systems which include preamps. Until then, the Pure Western suits me fine. I bought direct in case I needed help or had questions.
The K & K people are a pleasure to do business with. If you're looking for "natural" acoustic sound check out K & K and let your ears be the judge.

Pickup features: Passive transdoucer
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Wm-45
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: Fishman Natural matrix / Dean Markley Pro mag
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): folk rock / pop
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Seems to be pretty close to the Fishman 's output , 1 1/2 notch on the volume .
Tone: natural with a bit extra on the bottom
Sonic evaluation: Don't laugh .Shure Vocal Master PA + Marsland colums , Yamaha JX 25

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Well I'm not a Clapton , mostly strumming folk /blues/ 60's etc and it works fine

Comments: Would I buy again ! Big YES. Been playing for about 20 years. Have a few other acoustics , Yamaha, Ibanez , Mansfield and a Yamaha SA-90 ES-335 copy. This sounds just like the guitar it's installed in . I bought it after reading the posts on this board.When I first plugged in I was disappointed .I was expecting the kind of sound you get with a fishman only better but the K+K has no electric sound to it at all . I have a fishman in a cheap Yamaha and it sounds pretty good but after last night it sounds totally electric . If you love the sound of your guitar then this is the pick-up but the old saying "garbage in - garbage out " holds true. Don't expect it to increase or mask the sound of your instrument. I am really impressed with it and cheaper than the fishman and cheaper to install. After reading the installation instructions I chickened out and took it into the shop to have it put it ($30). I look forward to having a chance to use it in public, I am a happy camper!! One thing is that it picks up everything , squeaks , fingers on the body of the guitar, missed hammer ons .My technique needs work , you can't hide with this.