Alternative To The K&k Pickups...

[mwebber_82]

Does anyone have any recomendations for a quality pick-up for my L-03R?

I have gone back through previous posts and it seems the K&K pure western system gets a fairly unanimous thumbs-up. However, it seems to be a US based thing, because the only way for me to get hold of it over the pond in London is to order it and have it shipped (based on internet searches that aren't turning much up for me). This means that a good value pick-up is suddenly not quite such good value.

Does anyone know where I could pick one up over here in the UK with less shipping, or can you suggest a good alternative that will still represent good value and the great sound that I;ve read so much about....

Cheers guys - need to get plugged in for upcoming gigs!!

[hsojeel]

have you checked out dave at GA
he's got a good deal on them and I got mine through him.  check him out

[dberch]

Talk to Dietre at K&K. Great guy - maybe he'll cut you a deal on the shipping.  He'd probably love to have someone overthere playing one of his pickups.  You can mention my name, but be ready to duck. :D

David

[Mike S]

You may want to check out B-Band. They make a good SBT and they are based in Europe, so dealers are probably closer to you. Obviously Larrivee likes using them. :)

Mike

[jimi thing]

You may want to check out B-Band. They make a good SBT and they are based in Europe, so dealers are probably closer to you. Obviously Larrivee likes using them. :)

Mike

i love my D-60 with the Bband A2 / ust.....
i get loads of comments about how beautiful my larrivee sounds.

[danerada]

I put a LR Baggs I-Beam in my D-09 and it sings! I constantly get compliments on the sound. It realy sounds like it is studio mic'd...

[bing4sons]

I've got the B-Band A2.2 on several Larrivees (my sons' and mine) and it sounds great on all of them.  It has both an AST and UST with volume and blender controls right inside the soundhole.

[MJG]

You may want to check out B-Band. They make a good SBT and they are based in Europe, so dealers are probably closer to you. Obviously Larrivee likes using them. :)

Mike

i love my D-60 with the Bband A2 / ust.....
i get loads of comments about how beautiful my larrivee sounds.

I have just the AST (soundboard transducer) in my guitar as well.  I run it through a PADI and it sounds great.  I want to upgrade to the A2.2 someday but always seem to delay the purchase because I wonder just how much better can it get?  Is it worth the money?  Needless to say, I like B-band products as well.

[mwebber_82]

i understand that with the A2.2 you have sound-hole controls, but is there any other parts of the system that are visible? (i.e. do you still have to have pieces cut out). I don't want to alter the aesthetics of the guitar. my precious little girl.

Also how does the installation go? is this a technician's job or is it simple as the K&K?

thanks for all your advice guys n gals...

[Daddyo]

Does anyone have any recomendations for a quality pick-up for my L-03R?

I have gone back through previous posts and it seems the K&K pure western system gets a fairly unanimous thumbs-up. However, it seems to be a US based thing, because the only way for me to get hold of it over the pond in London is to order it and have it shipped (based on internet searches that aren't turning much up for me). This means that a good value pick-up is suddenly not quite such good value.

Does anyone know where I could pick one up over here in the UK with less shipping, or can you suggest a good alternative that will still represent good value and the great sound that I;ve read so much about....

Cheers guys - need to get plugged in for upcoming gigs!!

I ordered a K&K Classical and they shipped it to me in Canada in 3 days. I have no way of knowing what kind of duties HRM puts on imports but it's got to be cheaper than another pickup from a UK dealer.

[oneway]

I thought with the Dollar how it is, you could get it at a steal :)

[bing4sons]

i understand that with the A2.2 you have sound-hole controls, but is there any other parts of the system that are visible? (i.e. do you still have to have pieces cut out). I don't want to alter the aesthetics of the guitar. my precious little girl.

Also how does the installation go? is this a technician's job or is it simple as the K&K?

The only holes that the A2.2 would require is for the strap jack, which the K&K requires also, and a 1/8" hole drilled in the bottom of the saddle slot.  There is not soldering required.  All the components simply plug into the preamp.  I thought the installation was straight forward.  I didn't have an endpin hole, so reaming out the 1/2" hole for the strap jack was the most difficult part for me.

The preamp is visible throught the soundhole (it attaches to the inside of the guitar back with a velcro like tape).  In addition to the controls on the soundhole, there are master level pots on the preamp, which are adjustable with a small phillips head screw driver, inside the soundhole.  It looks similar to this (although the picture is of a LR Baggs iMix):

[bing4sons]

Here are a couple shots of the B-Band in both a J-05 and a J-10.  The placement in the J-10 is a little less visible, but the pots are not quite as easy to access.  

Here is the J-10:


And here is the J-05:

[Casino_Phil]

I had a Pure Western fitted to my D-03 when I ordered it from EM Shorts, so it arrived here in the UK that way.  However, I decided to get the Pure Preamp and found that ordering from K&K direct was the cheapest option.  The best price I'd found here was £99 plus postage, which was another £10, I think; there weren't any in stock, either.  I placed the order with K&K online and the unit was sent the same day.  It arrived within a week and I'd paid somewhere under £70.  Duty wasn't collected for once...had it been, I guess you could add another £15 to the total.  That's still £25 off the price here.  

I share this with you in the hope of showing that although it's nice to be able to buy stuff over here, it doesn't have to be a pain to import it yourself.  (And the combination of the Pure Western and Preamp is rather good, too!)