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Post by mylona on Jul 18, 2015 18:24:50 GMT
The Kinman Impersonator 54 was introduced about 5 years ago and got some good reviews but regards capturing the Shadows sound the comments were a bit too shrill, too much mid range twang, highs dominant and a little aggressive. That is probably a bit harsh. But Kinman have worked hard on this pickup and rev 4 is currently for sale.
Has anybody fitted the Impersonator 54 rev 4, and what are the thoughts regarding Hank's sound in comparison to Fenders CS54s. The Phil McGarrick videos on youtube are a great advertisement for this pickup.
My interest is because I am thinking of buying a set of Impersonators and Kinman are saying rev 5 is about too be launched. They have worked on this pickup and really believe rev 5 has captured the Shadows sound. I asked about the difference compared with rev 1 and Kinman say they want this pickup to be identified with the Hank sound and so rev 5 is more mellow and balanced, has a better mid range twang and less high note bloom and fuller sound.
I would appreciate any thoughts and comments.
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Post by driftin on Jul 19, 2015 7:02:40 GMT
for what its worth, I was knocked out with the sound / tone phil captured on his jealous guy sound file on this forum and when asked ,he said that there is a difference between the kinman marvin pickups and the impersonators so, eventually after listening and trying to emulate that tone, I have lashed the cash, and bought the marvin set from kinman...not cheap but hopefully when they arrive and are fitted...job done
regards
les
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Post by mylona on Jul 19, 2015 9:13:15 GMT
Yes, I contacted Phil via his website. He was very helpful and provided a lot of information about his pickups and how he sets up and records. He is very impressed with the Impersonators, I think he has rev 3, but says he much prefers the Marvin HMS pickups for Hank's modern sounds. He says both sets are good it just depends on the song regards which to use.
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Post by mickhunt on Mar 15, 2018 15:12:53 GMT
Hi all has anyone fitted the v5 kinman s yet
Advertised as the kinman Shadows on the kinman site
Mick
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Post by musketeer58 on Mar 21, 2018 0:26:01 GMT
Hi all.
I`ve been thinking about getting some Kinmans and I was looking at the impersonator fat 50`s so, if anyone has got them I would really appreciate your thoughts.
Cheers
Adrian
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Post by sheendigs on Mar 22, 2018 15:03:49 GMT
Hi Adrian,
I have put Kinman Impersonator IV three years ago.
They are very powerful and sound very clear to my ears.
Some would say that they prefer a lower volume gain.
As I said before I had no guitar in 1959 - so I cannot compare them with anything from that time.
But I am satisfied with them
Sheendigs
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Post by mickhunt on Mar 22, 2018 17:02:47 GMT
He says these version V s have finally got there that’s why he has now added the Shadows name to them
Mick
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Post by musketeer58 on Mar 26, 2018 3:14:59 GMT
Hi Adrian, I have put Kinman Impersonator IV three years ago. They are very powerful and sound very clear to my ears. Some would say that they prefer a lower volume gain. As I said before I had no guitar in 1959 - so I cannot compare them with anything from that time. But I am satisfied with them Sheendigs Thanks for the reply Sheendigs. I`ve got the Ironstone gold`s in one of my Strat`s and they`re quite good but I just want to try something different on the other one. I know that the Kinmans are more expensive but I don`t mind spending the money if I`m getting something decent. I`ve read other people`s posts regarding the Kinmans and everyone says how good they are so I think it`s just a case of which ones. The Impersonator fat 50`s were suggested to me as I believe they have a nice twang but now the V5 has been mentioned maybe that might be the choice, still not sure. I think I`ll wait a bit to see if anyone else weighs in to the thread. Cheers Adrian |
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Post by musketeer58 on Mar 26, 2018 3:16:42 GMT
for what its worth, I was knocked out with the sound / tone phil captured on his jealous guy sound file on this forum and when asked ,he said that there is a difference between the kinman marvin pickups and the impersonators so, eventually after listening and trying to emulate that tone, I have lashed the cash, and bought the marvin set from kinman...not cheap but hopefully when they arrive and are fitted...job done regards les I`m waiting with baited breath Les. Please let us know what they sound like after you`ve tried them out. Regards Adrian |
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Post by mickhunt on Mar 26, 2018 15:53:33 GMT
Les have you any sound files yet and what version did you receive
Thanks
Mick
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Post by mickhunt on Mar 26, 2018 15:57:18 GMT
I’ll do a version of sleepwalk this week with the kinman Shadows v5 and try to work out how to put it on this chat
Lol
Mick
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Post by driftin on Mar 27, 2018 19:10:07 GMT
hiya mick,
I have sent a mp3 file through to you on email. so you can judge the sound for yourself.
regards
les
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Post by mickhunt on Mar 29, 2018 12:17:43 GMT
Thanks les wonderful
What version of kinman are they
Mick
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Post by gruntfuttock on Mar 31, 2018 9:29:30 GMT
Does any one else have any info re the new(ish) Kinman Impersonator 54 V5 P/ups?
Regards
Dave.
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Post by driftin on Mar 31, 2018 9:36:36 GMT
hiya mick, just had a look at the box the pickups were received in and that tells me .......Kinman AVn series and a sticky label on the box reads ( 170786 barcode ) kinman hank marvin strat fat vintage Eines der thars it mate do hope it makes sense to you
regards
les
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Post by sheendigs on Apr 2, 2018 12:11:01 GMT
Hi Guys
Since I have the impersonator V1 - I asked the Kinman guys what was the difference with the V5.
I just want to share with you what I received as info:
The Impersonator 54 v1 is quite bright and snappy, and less scooped in the low midrange with more piano mid-tones from the low wound strings. It also was taller because it had a Kinman H-Core hum sensing bobbin/coil. This was in the early stages of the Gen-2 development period and although we were ecstatic with the non-aged sound of the '54 v1 after a while we felt it had more the sound of a pickup with Alnico-5 magnets.
The current '54 v5 produces a more mellow and rounded sound, more like a real 54 Strat pickup with Alnico-3 magnets.
We can make the v1 model again by request, but it won't have a H-Core, it will have our normal hum sensor which is perfectly adequate and minimizes the height to to our usual measurement.
Customer Care and Technical Help
Sheendigs
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Post by mickhunt on Jan 8, 2019 17:32:05 GMT
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Post by mickhunt on Jan 8, 2019 18:05:04 GMT
I used a caline EQ set to cruachans settings and a joyo AC Tone with Steve Reynolds suggested settings
So
Classic player with kinman impersonator 54 V5, hall and Collins , caline EQ , joyo AC Tone , into zoom R8 recorder
Mick
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Post by sandra on Jan 8, 2019 23:16:58 GMT
Your link is not opening for me Mick  |
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Post by bill on Jan 9, 2019 22:56:02 GMT
Your link is not opening for me Mick Works OK for me although i got a pop up window prompting me to join box to start with. However, ignoring that took me to the file. Bill |
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Post by sandra on Jan 10, 2019 3:53:08 GMT
It is working foe me today Mick, I didn't get your log in page this time. It was worth waiting for as it is sounding good |
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Post by mickhunt on Jan 14, 2019 15:27:27 GMT
Glad you got it Sandra
Mick
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Post by mickhunt on Jan 14, 2019 15:31:05 GMT
I’ve only just worked out how to post bill so might need to re visit how to post on box but I’m glad it gets through eventually
Mick
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Post by martyn on Mar 13, 2019 10:39:43 GMT
Mick - is that sample recorded using bridge and neck combined? Just wondered as the original was recorded with the middle pickup so not sure how this helps us to judge the pickups' individual tonal features.
Whichever way I phrase it, this sounds like a criticism but it's not intended to be! Just interested to hear the results, that's all.
Martyn
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Post by steviej on Apr 22, 2019 12:58:38 GMT
I think it's worth noting, that if it's the "classic" sound of the early Shadows stuff you're looking for, noiseless single coils are not what you need. Not to say they're better or worse, but they don't sound like traditional single coil pups.
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Post by gruntfuttock on Apr 22, 2019 22:05:29 GMT
I think it's worth noting, that if it's the "classic" sound of the early Shadows stuff you're looking for, noiseless single coils are not what you need. Not to say they're better or worse, but they don't sound like traditional single coil pups. Hi Steviej. I think I would have to disagree with you. I use the Impersonator ‘54 V5 and I think I achieve a creditable early Shads sound. According to Kinman Hank now uses these p/ups for his early numbers.Dave |
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Post by steviej on Apr 24, 2019 17:22:21 GMT
I think it's worth noting, that if it's the "classic" sound of the early Shadows stuff you're looking for, noiseless single coils are not what you need. Not to say they're better or worse, but they don't sound like traditional single coil pups. Hi Steviej. I think I would have to disagree with you. I use the Impersonator ‘54 V5 and I think I achieve a creditable early Shads sound. According to Kinman Hank now uses these p/ups for his early numbers.Dave Hi Dave.
That's interesting, and to be fair I've no knowledge or experience of the V5s. I personally feel that noiseless single coils don't "sparkle" like traditional s/cs, although I suppose you could try and EQ to taste.
Another point I would make is that you only hear the hum when you're not playing, so for me they never seemed a necessary purchase.
Best regards, Steve
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Post by gruntfuttock on Apr 24, 2019 22:32:02 GMT
Hi Steve. I do use an EQ - six middle bands of a ten band EQ. On some numbers F.B.I. The Stranger. Dance On for example I sometimes use a Boss Blues Driver with the gain set between 6 (Zero) and 8.
Dave
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Post by mickhunt on Nov 28, 2019 9:41:18 GMT
Sorry all for this delayed response I’m just getting back after the op recovery
Still not there yet and it’s early to see if I am going to benefit from it.
I have bad tinnitus in the left ear so I probably can’t do these pickups the justice they deserve.
But for the lack of sound files I had to give the recording a go, but the sound I recorded was from someone with impaired hearing and those of you who don’t have any hearing problems will definitely set their equipment up and get much closer,
I tried to put all the information down about the equipment used but i also have the K5 harnes fitted so it has the option of blending the bridge pickup with whatever position the selector switch is in and can’t remember now if I had it all the way to just the bridge.
I didn’t get the kinmans just for the noise cancelling I am happy with the fender 57/62s I had on the classic player, I don’t have to combat all the noise from other equipment that do affect the non noise cancelling pickups.
I was putting a new strat together and chose the kinmans after looking at many options, now what I didn’t consider was the pickup cavity and yes it wasn’t fully routed out, so I opened up my classic player and the cavity was perfect so as I wanted to hear the kinmans I replaced the 57/62s which I now have fitted on the new build and as hank has had them fitted to many of his guitars I think I made a good decision.
I wasn’t sure at the time as the classic player took me months of searching which fender stratocaster to buy as it was my first ever proper fender.
Has anyone put the kinmans in or found any more recordings.
It would be nice to hear hank play through them.
Nice to be back
Mickhunt
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Post by shawbridge on Feb 12, 2020 9:00:20 GMT
Hi Mick,
Thanks for posting this, the sound is okay but are you putting the microphone to your amp and recording with a video recorder of some sort or through the computer?
To me it sounds like going through the computer, I find when recording through a computer, there is this compression sound to the picking of the strings or perhaps it’s just me, it’s the lack of ‘Bite’ on the strings, how did you record the guitar?
Thanks
Peter
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