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1115 pickup

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Cavalier
Posted 2015-12-12 12:08 PM (#519311)
Subject: 1115 pickup


Joined:
March 2013
Posts: 359

Location: undisclosed
I recently rescued a 1115 Pacemaker and wanted to add a pickup. I like the sound of K&K's offerings. Their Pure 12 String uses 3 transducers but there is no way they will fit in the specified location under the saddle do to the 1115 top bracing. I have a few of their Big Twin pickups around, acquired as factory seconds with cosmetic issues so called the factory to talk about placement

The engineer recommended a location under the saddle around the second and 5th string, he thought there might be a lot of mid range with this system which is rigid compared to the Pure system which uses slightly flexible transducers. The Big Twin is designed for thick tops, I use it on cellos and archtops so figured the bridge plate under the saddle would be right. After careful measuring I used the front edge of the bridgeplate and the sides of the braces as placement guides for the 3/4" circular pickups. This made mounting by feel very easy and didn't require guide holes through the saddle slot.

I first attached it with the 2 sided tape to check tone and placement and was pleased so went ahead and mounted them with the super glue gel which improved everything. First I had to remove excess epoxy in the area to assure a flat fit. My 70s Os both had plenty of extra epoxy around the bracing.

The sound is full and natural with enough output to skip a preamp. It is a good place to start and easily dialed in to suit different styles. I mounted a endpin strap jack for a stock look. I'll try to post a photo.



(1129151546b.jpg)



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Cavalier
Posted 2015-12-12 12:19 PM (#519312 - in reply to #519311)
Subject: Re: 1115 pickup


Joined:
March 2013
Posts: 359

Location: undisclosed
The tricks to superglue mounting are to use gel which won't run off and put a small piece of the double sided tape/film they send on the finger tip of your latex or nitrile glove to hold it in place as you put your hand in the guitar and mount it. The gel gives you a few seconds to move the pickup slightly as needed, when it dries a pull will free the glove. Tight fit on the gloves is best and a few dry runs build confidence.
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2015-12-12 5:14 PM (#519316 - in reply to #519311)
Subject: Re: 1115 pickup



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
Looks good to me.
I have much cheaper "Direct-out" piezo buttons in my Epiphone AJ220.
I used to have cheap piezo buttons in my 1114 Folklore, but now I have a Shadow Basic undersaddle system.
Oh, and I got them in my Traveler AG105 acoustic.
Mine are not K&K, mine are Brand X.

Mine are also not Super-Glued. I found that I had to move mine around on the Jumbo Epiphone.
But it is good to know about the Crazy-Glue if the tape ever fails.
Those piezo buttons are nice and "non-invasive"...
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Cavalier
Posted 2015-12-13 12:03 AM (#519319 - in reply to #519311)
Subject: Re: 1115 pickup


Joined:
March 2013
Posts: 359

Location: undisclosed
The thing K&K found with super glue is it increases volume by 30% while extending the tonal range and improving bass response by eliminating anything between the pickup and soundboard. The gel version doesn't run off while you get things in place.
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