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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 30, 2015 at 11:04pm

if you mean    lining the poles  up  to  the strings better  ,  it  really  does   not make  too  much  of a difference  in  sound  ..  the  mag  field radiates  out  ,  strings will  still  be  picked  up    even  in-between the poles  . some folks  figure  the  slanted pup  looks better ,    and seems to  match  more  visually . or  may   sound better    over the poles   . and also  may  be trying to  get  deeper  tones    on  one side  , and   brighter  on the  other  . 

(ie:   closer to  the  neck  will  give a deeper  tone  ..   closer  to  the bridge will  be  brighter  .)

this   helps  decide  pickup  placement also    , even  if   the  pup  is   straight   up and down. . 

ps ..  is there going to  be a skin  on  this   ?   or  wood top  ? 

pss ..  you  can  also  hide the  pickup  inside  ..  if  its  thin  wood  ..  it  will  radiate through the  lid and still  work . 

   

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on May 1, 2015 at 3:33am

Can you post a photo of this baby? If it's a traditional skin-topped banjo, then the surface mount pickup you noted makes a lot of sense. It might dampen some of the sound produced by the skin, but since you will be playing electric, it shouldn't matter. You may also want to look into nickel strings instead of bronze since the pickup responds to the disturbance to its magnetic field caused as the strings move. Bronze wound strings do have a steel center, but the bronze winding is non-magnetic. Nickle strings will be noticeable louder with a mag pickup.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on May 1, 2015 at 11:21am

just line it up so the strings sit halfway between pole pieces (like a bass pickup) and it'll look great ;)

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Permalink Reply by Jonesy on May 1, 2015 at 11:56am

Thanks for the advice. I feel confident fitting it now. No, it's not a skin top, it's a cigar box. The wood it the thickest I have ever seen on a box, a good quarter of an inch. I was /am going to post all the photo's on the website when it's finished, but since Tom T asked for a photo, this one is the box. The neck is looking good also. Will post several pics when it's finished.

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Permalink Reply by Jonesy on May 1, 2015 at 9:38pm

That's a point well put and a timely suggestion.

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