My review of Fishman Fluence pickups.

So I was up in Boston, drinking beer and went to The Axe Palace, because I wanted to check out a Kemper. While they were a dealer, they were out of the Kemper and I got a little sidetracked. Before I get into the Fluence, pickups, I want to say what a cool store the axe palace is! Loads of high-end gear, more suited towards the metal player. Most higher end stores target more of a blues market, but this store , it was all about the metal market and it was pretty neat and I don't see that too often. Anyhow...

I have a Charvel strat that could use new PU's and I was toying with the idea of the fluence pups. I demo'd the Classic, Modern, Killswitch Engage, Stef Carp' and Devin sig. pickups. Keep in mind, I royally hate EMG's. Blackouts are better but still not totally my thing. These pickups, if I hadn't know they were active, I never would have known. By Far, they're the best active pups I've ever used.

Classics- 1) PAF when you need it. 2) Everything you think a JB is, without any of the bad. Classic tones, searing upper mids, Great sizzle. Tracks notes very well. 3) single coil mode was great for texas strat cleans the neck pup went from clean to classic easily

Modern) EMG 81 and more EMG 81, I wasn't a fan

Devin Townsend) EMG81 and glassy clean. I liked this pickup the least of all the fluence designs. I'm just not into the 81, so...

Stephen Carpenter) Thick and big sounding pickup. I thought this would be ideal for a stoner rock-type of thing. It was articulate as well.

Killswitch Engage- Voice 1 reminded me of an EMG 85 with a little more sizzle and controllable sound. It sounded very modern and a the verge of being hi-fi, but not quite. Voice 2, was a cross between a Super 3 and an EVH pup. Thick, open, on fire.

The modern and Devin Townsend pickups weren't my thing. the Stephen Carp's were cool, but not what I was going for. It came down to the Classics and KSE pickups. I was demoing them back to back and I was having trouble making up my mind. Both these sets, blow away any active pickup I've ever played. They sound holy organic and have loads of different sounds. At then end of the day, the Classics, made me smile just a little more. They had that great upper-mid attack the the JB does so well, without any of it's negative qualities. And if The JB wouldn't sound right for an application I had a PAF on standby and split coil modes- which sound glassy- If I could lever any complaints, Its that I think the neck pups need a little work. I liked the Stef neck pickup the most, it was a little more rounded but nothing like that artificial EMG 85 neck PU sound. However, the other neck PU's weren't as rounded and a little too glassy sometimes.

Just my thoughts. I see these as the future of modern pickup designs. All of the tone of passive pups with the good qualities of actives. I might pick up the Killswitch set someday too. They sounded great. I was really having a tough time deciding between the two sets. The classics just seemed more versatile for the music I play (george lynch and punk and fusion).

Thanks for the review! How did you manage to try all the different Fluence pickup models, did they have guitars with the different pickup models to try?


I happen to dig EMG, so we have different tastes/requirements.

FWIW, I'm considering Lace Alumitones which are a different/modern design on passive pickups. Still not sure on Deathbucker vs Humbucker, though I'm leaning toward the Humbucker. I also dig DiMarzio, especially the X2N with tube amps. Most of my playing is with digital modelers, so clean consistent neutral pickups like EMG actives work great, as do low - medium output/gain passives, and why the Alumitone Humbucker is a better option for me... so many choices, and a PITA to try/compare each.

i love my moderns. really amazing pickups.

I have Fluence's in 5 guitars now. One 7 string, 3 moderns, and one classic. The moderns are my favorites so far. I really want to try the KSEs next.

rsm":1fwn4vwv said:

Thanks for the review! How did you manage to try all the different Fluence pickup models, did they have guitars with the different pickup models to try?


I happen to dig EMG, so we have different tastes/requirements.

FWIW, I'm considering Lace Alumitones which are a different/modern design on passive pickups. Still not sure on Deathbucker vs Humbucker, though I'm leaning toward the Humbucker. I also dig DiMarzio, especially the X2N with tube amps. Most of my playing is with digital modelers, so clean consistent neutral pickups like EMG actives work great, as do low - medium output/gain passives, and why the Alumitone Humbucker is a better option for me... so many choices, and a PITA to try/compare each.

Click to expand...

I had an alumitone at one point and hated it. Stiff, stiffer, and stiffiest. Like playing a splawn quickrod. there was no give. no soul. not my thing at all.

I demoed all the PU's in different guitars- Classics were in a framus semi hollow, KSE were in an ESP Horizion, Stef were in a Schecter usa thinline tele, Modern's were in another ESP, devin townsend were in some other guitar.

Thanks!

the rossness":2aoxeuut said:

rsm":2aoxeuut said:

Thanks for the review! How did you manage to try all the different Fluence pickup models, did they have guitars with the different pickup models to try?


I happen to dig EMG, so we have different tastes/requirements.

FWIW, I'm considering Lace Alumitones which are a different/modern design on passive pickups. Still not sure on Deathbucker vs Humbucker, though I'm leaning toward the Humbucker. I also dig DiMarzio, especially the X2N with tube amps. Most of my playing is with digital modelers, so clean consistent neutral pickups like EMG actives work great, as do low - medium output/gain passives, and why the Alumitone Humbucker is a better option for me... so many choices, and a PITA to try/compare each.

Click to expand...

I had an alumitone at one point and hated it. Stiff, stiffer, and stiffiest. Like playing a splawn quickrod. there was no give. no soul. not my thing at all.

I demoed all the PU's in different guitars- Classics were in a framus semi hollow, KSE were in an ESP Horizion, Stef were in a Schecter usa thinline tele, Modern's were in another ESP, devin townsend were in some other guitar.

Click to expand...

There are a few tweaks you can do with the moderns (not sure about the others)
There a jumper that drops them down 6db ...made quite a difference...when I first tried them I thought they were hotter and more compressed than EMG's
This tamed them a bit...I found the wiring diagrams pretty poor! You can split coils & make the previous switchable but it didn't have much clear info in there as to wiring etc.

(I don't mind EMGS....hell if they were on albums like Metallica Black, Demanufacture , Reign in Blood etc I'd say they hold more stock than most of the modern pickups

I love my Moderns. They eat the shit out of batteries though. I have been contemplating the battery pack. I would guess it would require a route to the back of my Schecter C-1 SLS tho

Would love to try the KSE wish they sold the bridge separate instead of the set..

shred-o-holic":nmoneyik said:

I love my Moderns. They eat the shit out of batteries though. I have been contemplating the battery pack. I would guess it would require a route to the back of my Schecter C-1 SLS tho

Would love to try the KSE wish they sold the bridge separate instead of the set..

Click to expand...

I haven't had mine in but a couple months. How fast do they eat batteries?

I am very interested in these pickups. Want to hear what people think of the Modern compared to the KSE.

Gsxrbusa":in7iwf5c said:

shred-o-holic":in7iwf5c said:

I love my Moderns. They eat the shit out of batteries though. I have been contemplating the battery pack. I would guess it would require a route to the back of my Schecter C-1 SLS tho

Would love to try the KSE wish they sold the bridge separate instead of the set..

Click to expand...

I haven't had mine in but a couple months. How fast do they eat batteries?

Click to expand...

Maybe the supposed pro who wired mine in got it wrong? They sound amazing but my battery is dead if I leave it in a week.

Man, I've been using mine a lot for months now on the same battery. Something sounds off...

sleewell2":xhbk2098 said:

Man, I've been using mine a lot for months now on the same battery. Something sounds off...

Click to expand...

Are yours Moderns?? Man I guess I need to crack some heads lol

yes, moderns. i love them. i used an 85 for years and loved it but i feel like the fishmans are just better in every way. the guitar also has an evertune bridge which i highly recommend.

shred-o-holic":1mcoia8p said:

I love my Moderns. They eat the shit out of batteries though. I have been contemplating the battery pack. I would guess it would require a route to the back of my Schecter C-1 SLS tho

Would love to try the KSE wish they sold the bridge separate instead of the set..

Click to expand...

Man I noticed the same thing! I wired it myself exact to the diagram ...pots and everything work fine.....
Thought there might be a short or some weird shit ...maybe I'll take another look.

One thing that pisses me off is there looks to be a few different revisions on these pickups.
I think 3.5 is the final for moderns....mine is earlier 3.1 or something...pisses me off these things were a "work in progress"

Just a heads up to peeps that don't know you have to unplug your guitar cable from your guitar every time you're done playing if you have active pickups.

Your guitar cable completes the ground to the battery which powers the pickups, thus using battery voltage.

Starman22":3gx62hbz said:

Just a heads up to peeps that don't know you have to unplug your guitar cable from your guitar every time you're done playing if you have active pickups.

Your guitar cable completes the ground to the battery which powers the pickups, thus using battery voltage.

Click to expand...

I figured this was a given with actives but maybe not?

Interesting. Personally, I am not a fan of the EMG 81 at all, but I love the Fishman Moderns. I have them in 3 guitars, now. I would not say the Modern is like the 81. Definitely have more low end than 81s, and an overall warmer and cleaner tone.

Definitely interested in the KSE set, but I read that they are supposed to have less low end than the Moderns.

I haven't had any battery issues, yet, either. Been a month of 2 in my V, and still on the first battery. H400 is still good, too. Lets see how long the battery lasts in the Juggy.

Starman22":38ky1sc7 said:

Just a heads up to peeps that don't know you have to unplug your guitar cable from your guitar every time you're done playing if you have active pickups.

Your guitar cable completes the ground to the battery which powers the pickups, thus using battery voltage.

Click to expand...

Yes of course that is a given for myself playing for decades with active pickups. That's not what is occurring with me the 9 Volt drains all by itself. What I have been doing is just removing it every time which is a hassle. Unfortunately competent repair installation people are few and far in this area right now..

rbasaria":36homhvi said:

Interesting. Personally, I am not a fan of the EMG 81 at all, but I love the Fishman Moderns. I have them in 3 guitars, now. I would not say the Modern is like the 81. Definitely have more low end than 81s, and an overall warmer and cleaner tone.

Definitely interested in the KSE set, but I read that they are supposed to have less low end than the Moderns.

Click to expand...

Yeah I got rid of 81's years ago and then the 85........to me the Moderns sound/feel nothing like the 81 as well. And I too would love to try a KSE bridge...