Classical Guitar Pickup: KNA Up-2 Piezo Pickup
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- KNA UP-2 Piezo Pickup with Volume Control for Classical Guitar or Any Acoustic Instrument.
➔ My Full Review with Pros and Cons: www.thisisclas...
➔ Or Visit KNA's Website: www.knapickups...
➔ Or on Amazon: amzn.to/3wjTtHp
KNA UP-2 Piezo Pickup with Volume Control for Classical Guitar or Any Acoustic Instrument.
Overall: Contact piezo pickups have been around a long time but the KNA UP-2 is a winner in its category. The affordability, simple design, wood finish, and especially the volume control are the key elements. Having a volume control nearby is essential for gigs and I won't play without it. The sound was better than I expected. Depending on your needs you could explore the KNA NG-2 behind the saddle piezo that also has a volume control and might sound a bit better. Either way, this is an easy mic solution for anyone who wants to avoid big price tags and complicated setups.
How does it sound? It sounds like other piezo contact mics, but maybe a bit better and with a volume control. It's possible the lightweight wood construction helps it get a more sensitive sound. I've played with contact piezos before so I'm used to the sound they make. It's not like having a real microphone, it's an isolated and responsive sound. As with any contact piezo you get a little bit of the hollow body electric sound with lots of mid range. I find it sounds best when placed near my bridge but that will depend on your guitar. The great thing is that you can experiment so easily to find the best spot and sound for your guitar. Just move it anywhere on the guitar to get different sounds. The main concern is big bass and mid-range tones but experimenting with placement helps a huge amount and then tweak it at your amp for further adjustment. Compared to most systems I found it easy to get a good sound with very minimal effort. Considering the price and ease I think this is the best option for casual gigs unless you want to buy a gig-dedicated guitar with internal electronics. Also, adding some reverb on the amp really helps piezos sound a bit more natural as it give them some space and dimension to the sound. As with all contact piezos feedback is generally good especially if you cancel it by touching reverberating strings when it's happening. As always, don't leave the volume up way high and walk away from the instrument but again the volume control on this is great for breaks.
KNA Promo Text: "Light, small and versatile, UP-2 is a stick-on guitar pickup that allows acoustic musicians to amplify their instrument and control volume from the stage. The versatile UP-2 passive piezo attaches safely to just about anything that vibrates. In addition to being a surface-mount guitar pickup, UP-2 can be used for harp, drums, and percussion...The piezo element is encased in laminated birch with an elegant and stylish mahogany top. The lightweight assembly offers maximum tonal sensitivity."
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Thanks for watching!
#guitar #classicalguitar #classicalguitarlesson
Thank you for all your fantastic videos. You play impeccably, your tuition is wonderfully free from ego, and myself & I know many others are grateful to you for your wonderful learning content. Wishing you all the best
Thanks for sharing. I just think that your guitar sounds tons better without the pickup.
Absolutely, this is just an affordable solution for a specific purpose.
Great review, thank you.
Great demo thankyou
Thanks for watching!
You have also demonstrated the KNA-NG1. Which one do you prefer sound wise? I don’t particularly care for the volume control, just the tone. Please let me know. Cheers!
The bridge pickup is better in terms of sound to my ears. But this one is just convenient and fast to install and uninstall. It depends on the type of gig you are using it for, for super casual ones this might save you some time.
your new glasses look great!
Ha, thanks! Although I need new lenses because I hate the blue light coating on them.
Your videos are all great. I'm interested in the static cling material you're using and how you use it for this sort of application.
Not much to say, I just cut it to the size I need and slap it on. It's listed on my gear page here: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/classical-guitar-store-reviews/
I have a question I hope someone will help with.
Where is the cling wrap and how is it applied? I have the video paused and slowed to .25 at 4k. How do you attach it? How will the putty hold on to the guitar through the cling wrap?
It was also nice to hear a basic test sample played. There is good and then there is good.
The static cling sheets are just plastic and they hold on through static charge. You can get them for very very cheap since they're craft supply. You just stick the sheet to your guitar and it'll hold there.
Then you glue the pickup to the sheet, instead of to your guitar. You can peel the sheet off and re-stick it if you want. I also use one along the side for where the suction cup on my support sits to stop wear there.
Hello,What do you recommend for statcic free stickers without having to buy a big roll of film? Thanks for your time.
Great review! Thank you. How does it compare to the NG-2 (that has a volume control) ? What is the putty you used?
The putty comes with it, it's pretty much the same as poster putty that you can get at any office store. I would say the NG-2 sounds better but this one is less expensive and you don't have to loosen the strings or anything. In the end, it's a solution for casual background gigs rather than more important gigs.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar what would you recommend for more important gigs?
I feel silly for asking, but where can I find this putty that is safe for instruments? I just bought a Baritone ukulele, and when I get good, I'd like to get this pickup.
Well, I put some static cling vinyl on my instrument to protect it. The blue putty is just like poster putty from any office store.
Is there any special putty you use to attach the pickup or any old plumbers putty will do?
Not sure, I feel the stuff it comes with is most similar to poster putty you'd buy in an office supply store. Regardless, I always put the static vinyl cling stuff in-between to protect the guitar.
How is the volume control? Another review turned it up and down and it seemed to be very sensitive - too soft or too loud.
Seemed pretty normal to me, gradual volume levels.
Nice one! Would this work on a banjo?
I would assume that it would work but not sure how it would sound. It's a pretty basic device. I seem to recall that they might make one for banjos but I could be wrong.
That Amazon link takes you to the under the saddle version ...
Hmmm, maybe this one: amzn.to/3wjTtHp
@@Thisisclassicalguitar That's it ...
Unfortunately it seems to be more expensive at Amazon than anywhere else ...
Ya, search around for the best price.
Hi and thank you ! would this mic be noisy to play outside ? Bars etc ? Thanks
Noise from your instrument (touching it, buttons rubbing etc) happens but it really doesn't pick up surrounding sounds since it is not a microphone.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar thanks for your anwers !
Sounds super noisy when connected to the Apollo. Guess I’ll pass on this :(
How did you get such a thin slice of the blue putty?
The putty is very soft, I just pushed it flat.
You did explain everything very well and the examples made things clear, but I really thought you where a cat person.
Sounded like a cheap ukulele your fancy guitar…imo
For the price I'd say this is quite good. Obviously you can't get a pro recording sound for $99.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar Just like you said, the NG-2 sounds better and is a great pickup (On par with Takamine's Cooltube or even better, I have to admit). If you have a small room with bad acoustics and noisy environment, mics are not always convenient or better sounding. Even with the most expensive ones. But that is my opinion. For live use it's also perfect!