K&K Pure 12-String

If we were to judge the caliber of acoustic guitar pickups simply by customer response, then the K&K Pure Mini would be the hands-down winner. Our customers simply love this pickup, often coming back to order 3 or 4 more after installing one for the first time. Like the B-Band AST and the PUTW #27, the K&K Pure pickup secures to the underside of your bridgeplate, inside the guitar. Although it's officially a passive pickup, it generates a high output, using 3 pickup heads (4 for the Pure Classic), to capture the warmth of your guitar with remarkable accuracy. These pickups are designed to be super-glued to the soundboard, but K&K also ships them with adhesive nylon strips, so you can experiment with placement first, if you so choose. 

The Pure 12-String listed here actually used to be K&K's primary pickup, for a while referred to as the K&K Pure Western Standard. But K&K found that the slightly smaller pickup heads of the Pure Mini resulted in much better string-to-string balance in regular 6-string guitars, so the Pure Mini became the dominant pickup. The larger pickup heads in the Pure 12-String produce a slightly hotter, slightly boomier signal, which is a perfect fit for the jangle of most 12-string guitars.

Customer Reviews

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Robert Pilcher
Wow!

I have installed pups in more acoustics than I can possibly count. Most active most well over 200.00 not counting the installation and time shaving the saddle which is not a 5 minute job. When I installed the k&k pure 12 in a mid priced Yamaha I was completely shocked at the response and balance across all 12 strings. For a passive pup it is truly remarkable.

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Greg Chaney
3rd K&K !!!!

I’ve previously installed a pure mini and the mandolin internal and love the results, so It was a no-brainer to choose the pure 12-string. The pickups are larger, so make sure you have room...I filled the bridge block on my Seagull S12 Coastline Cedar, but it’s such a nice match to this guitar! I’m getting to the place where I’d rather buy my guitars without factory, active pickups and install K&Ks in everything :)

Shoreline is my go to place for K&K pickups and John Pearse strings!

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Mike Hofer
Match made in Heaven!

The morning that I was going to order the K&K Pure 12 I opened up facebook and the first thing I saw was an ad for Shoreline Music. As a member of the worship band of Shoreline Church (Fort Walton Beach, Florida) I immediately knew where I was going to order from! I had installed a brand x stick-on under bridge transducer in my 1979 Alvarez 5012 and was very disappointed that I could not use it on stage because the best sound the techs could get was like fingernails on a chalkboard. I installed the K&K and was able to get the beautiful unplugged sound that I loved about this guitar. Played 3 worship sets yesterday and got several compliments on the sound. Thanks Shoreline! Very impressed by the service and the product!

D
DeVeaux Gauger
12-string tone quest accomplished!

I’ll start by saying that I’ve tried many pickups on my 12-string guitar over many years, and none has even come close to reproducing the actual sound, until now with the K&K 12. I’ve tried single under bridge round transducers, thin line under saddle, sound-hole pickups, and probably a few others. The problem has always been the same: the sound from the pickups was thin and brash. And even the ones that were decent, still didn’t give you that 12-string sound. My 12 is a 1979 Alvarez-Yairi DY68, which is fairly bright. Currently tuned to open C.
I tried the K&K 12 model after reading some online reviews and figuring K&K had a good enough reputation that if they put out a pickup system specific for a 12, it would be worth the risk given there’s no way to try it out.
It was a risk worth taking. I had mine professionally installed by an experienced luthier that I’ve worked with for many years. I think a big part of getting the most out of these is having them installed properly, which requires the right glue and experience.

On to the sound! The big challenge with 12 string guitars and pickups is getting depth, balance and clarity all at the same time. This is even challenging with good microphones, it’s the nature of 12’s.
The K&K 12 totally nails it. I ran it into an acoustic amp and also recording direct into my home studio. It is certainly the best I’ve heard in a 12 pickup, and closely replicates the sound of what you hear straight out of the guitar. Add a little reverb and maybe a touch of compression, and you have an excellent sound for live performances and recording outside a professional studio. Seems to limit feedback in live applications. Depending on your guitar model and tuning, a little eq may be required. I run the pickup into a LR Baggs Para-DI direct box.

Here’s the critical testament, the K&K pickup quality exposed the limits of my 6-string pickup system, so I ordered the K&K mini for my Guild F40.
Shoreline has excellent ser...

J
Joseph Madonia
Another great purchase experience at Shoreline Music. Thanks!

Another great purchase experience at Shoreline Music! Quite simply, I love this place. It's not often I've found such a high level of passion and expertise about music and all things guitars combined with such great prices and such a great commitment to consummate customer service. I actually look forward to spending money there! Thanks!

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