I use a BARCUS-BERRY pick up on both my open back & bluegrass banjo which works ok for me, but it is a trade off. it does sound a little "clanky". I found I had to use a preamp.Most times I don't use the pickups I just mic the instruments.That is partly because I switch from banjo to guitar to bouzouki to banjo etc. But I think that a clip-on mic like is used for drums would work better than the set up I have