Why not use double-sticky tape to try different spots to see whether it makes a difference. In the U.S., the stuff to use is "Scotch Permanent Double Sided Tape." If you think it does, you can. It's certainly not permanent. I peel it off in applications like that all the time. The alternative is "temporary," and that's asking for trouble.

See if you or someone can find a Jones-Hatfield pickup installation instructions. I have one, but can't find the sheet. It's between the center and the bridge, but may be more precise.

I am attaching. instructions for Jones-Hatfield pickup as suggested by other comment.

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Originally posted by jackhatfield

I am attaching. instructions for Jones-Hatfield pickup as suggested by other comment.

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Hi Jack, thanks for the response. I am familiar weith this one as we have them for sale here.

I place a .010" piece of feeler gauge directly under the middle foot of the bridge with great success.
I felt that the inductor strip was too thick.
I cut the feeler gauge piece to be very slightly bigger than the bridge foot.Just enough to have it peak around the foot.

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Originally posted by davidppp

Why not use double-sticky tape to try different spots to see whether it makes a difference. In the U.S., the stuff to use is "Scotch Permanent Double Sided Tape." If you think it does, you can. It's certainly not permanent. I peel it off in applications like that all the time. The alternative is "temporary," and that's asking for trouble.

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Another good removable adhesive is Glue Dots.  Not only do you want to be able to experiment with the PU's location, but keeping it stuck in place on that slick head requires a glue that retains some flexibility.  CA dries hard and brittle-- it would be hard to remove when you want to, but a head can flex, and if it does (like if you adjust the tension), that superglue is liable to let go instantly when you don't want it to. 

I never saw the need to glue it anywhere as I was very pleased with the sound from directly under the bridge's middle foot.

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Originally posted by Dan Gellert

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Originally posted by davidppp

Why not use double-sticky tape to try different spots to see whether it makes a difference. In the U.S., the stuff to use is "Scotch Permanent Double Sided Tape." If you think it does, you can. It's certainly not permanent. I peel it off in applications like that all the time. The alternative is "temporary," and that's asking for trouble.

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Another good removable adhesive is Glue Dots.  Not only do you want to be able to experiment with the PU's location, but keeping it stuck in place on that slick head requires a glue that retains some flexibility.  CA dries hard and brittle-- it would be hard to remove when you want to, but a head can flex, and if it does (like if you adjust the tension), that superglue is liable to let go instantly when you don't want it to. 

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As both the pickup and the banjo (cheapy entry level Asian) are Asian, I attached a couple of strips of thin double sided tape to the rounded profile of the outside edge of the pickup. It seems to be holding. I don't know how it sounds as it has gone back to the music store who owns it.

I loved the sound I got from Dad's '68 Vibrolux,but I adored the signal from my '63 Ampeg B15-N bass amp.Gotta love that glow-plate.

Sometimes I miss that B15,but I only paid $200 for it and couldn't refuse a $2200 offer.

With a piezo the piezo and the instrument will tell you the best location, listen to them

The audience can tell you a lot,too.

There are some very strong small light and flat magnets inside the paws of some small mice or other animals meant fot climbing on refrigidiator doors. But now listen.
In the early Hi-Fi days there were three types of magnetic pick ups for record players that outdated the piezo crystal pickups. The first was called moving magnet pickups. They were very powerful, but the small magnets fixed to movable needle arm seemed to be too heavy. Then came the moving iron picks (i.e.g. B&O´s moving micro cross), the princip of which you can compare to the Hatfield pickup, and at last the lightest and best but wit the weakest signal moving coil system.
My thought was this: If you could get hold of one of the small flat magnets I mentioned and instead of gluing the little piece of iron under the skin just under the magnet coil, you glued the little magnet on top of the skin just over the coil so that the two magnets attracted (not repelled) eachother there would be a much stronger magnetic field between the two parts, resulting in a much stronger signal (I think), and the weight of the little flat magnet should not mean much to a banjo head (I hope). The stronger signal should mean that "signal/noise" relationship would be improved. I think it would be neccessary with a little more distance than a credit card.
I have not got a Hatfield pickup, but if I had, I would definately experiment with very small and light magnets instead of little pieces of "passive" iron. Maybe the amplifier will be overloaded?, but then the the coil can be moved a little farther away.
The idea that I do not know the quality of is free (also for Jack Hatfield). You may smile, but I have always loved to experiment :) Steen.