Clip on pickup placement

[mobi]

I bought a Cherub clip on pickup.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00VNSOB6M

I have noticed that it only amplifies the sound if I place it on the headstock where the (mandolin) manufactuer's logo is printed. It does not work anywhere else. I tried clipping it on to pick guard which didn't help. Tried clipping to bridge which didn't help either.

Am I doing something wrong?

[Mandobart]

This probably should be in the "equipment" sub-forum. It should work anywhere there are vibrations on the instrument. It definitely should work on the bridge, so something is wrong. Vibrations are usually stronger there than on the headstock. How does it sound? Even if you get it to work on the bridge you'll get much better sound with something like this or this.

[John Kelly]

Some folk have used those pickups as a way of connecting instrument to a tuner - clip PU on to the headstock as you are doing and then plug jack into your tuner. This was when tuners were not the modern clip-on types we all tend to use now. You are not doing anything wrong - in reality there is not really a strong enough signal and the clip does not give enough pressure to create a good contact between PU and instrument. Plugging it into a pre-amp might help you a bit, but for the price (£2.90 post-free), I think you are not going to get a very successful outcome.
I'd agree with Mandobart about the JJB pickups. I have fitted them to three separate instruments now (mandolins and octave) and they are very successful in my opinion. The ones I have used do need to be fitted rather than just clipped on, and I use the model with the jack socket, which has to have a hole drilled in the instrument.
Hope this helps.

[maudlin mandolin]

I find best results from clipping the pickup to the soundhole

[farmerjones]

I've got two Cherubs. One for fiddle. One for guitar. Ridiculously good pickup for the money. Either one would clip through the top F hole on my mandolin. The fiddle version would possibly be better, if the F holes are small. But again. mine seats in the flat spot beside the tailpiece on the G string side. If you think it's too boomy, move it to the E string side.

[mobi]

Either one would clip through the top F hole on my mandolin

I am struggling to attach it to the f hole ! Will try again.

When attached to middle of headstock, I discovered that G & D strings are boomy but doesn't feel like A & E string sound is amplified enough.

[almeriastrings]

Definitely NOT the headstock.

You need to get good contact with the soundboard.