The K&K Mandolin Twin Pickup

When customers ask about amplifying their Northfield, I point them toward the K&K Mandolin Twin.

It's the pickup I stock and the one Northfield installs at the factory, and after years of working with various pickup systems, it's the one I trust most for these instruments.

How It Works

The Mandolin Twin uses two small transducer paddles mounted inside the instrument with double-sided adhesive tape or Crazy Glue gel. They're each around the size of a dime.

There's no drilling into the top or structural modification to the mandolin beyond enlarging the endpin hole for the jack.

The transducers themselves are very lightweight and unobtrusive. You won't notice any difference in how the instrument feels or balances.

It's also a fully passive system, which means no battery to worry about. You can just plug in and play. For acoustic amps, you can run it straight in. For PA systems or studio work, you'll probably want a preamp, but that's true of most acoustic pickups.

Why I Like It for Northfields

The K&K captures the acoustic character of the instrument better than any other pickup I've used.

The tone stays warm and natural without the harsh, processed quality that can come from other pickup types. It's also highly feedback-resistant, which is helpful if you're playing loud stages.

The minimal footprint is another plus. I prefer not to drill into an instrument or add a lot of hardware. The K&K keeps things simple.

Does a K&K Change the Sound?

This comes up a lot in online discussions. I've heard plenty of before-and-after comparisons over the years, and my take is that the K&K doesn't noticeably change the mandolin's acoustic tone. 

Pricing

When Northfield installs the pickup at the factory, it adds $200 to the cost of the instrument. 

If you're interested in having a K&K installed before I ship the instrument to you, I can have that done for $250. Note that this will add a few days to the ship time.