Fishman Fluence Classic set - My thoughts

[Rex_Rocker]

So I grabbed a set of Fishman Fluence classics for my LTD EC-1000. I absolutely love them!

They're hotter than I expected. They keep up just fine with my other guitars (loaded with EMG 81/81 and Fluence Moderns sets). They sound fantastic, but they are very different-sounding from the Moderns, so I definitely have to tweak my settings to make them work.

The bridge in Voice 2 (I set V2 as the default position) is sort of like a tighter, hotter JB with a lot more clarity and detail. I'm a huge fan of the JB myself, so this interpretation by the Fishman guys feels right at home. Lots of sparkle, really bright, but with not as much stuffiness in the low mids as with the standard JB. It's definitely tighter, more detailed, and I absolutely love it!

V1 on the bridge and neck is sort of like all the good things from the 59 set and the Burstbucker pro set merged into one. It's broad, beefy, airy, sensitive, and detailed. I set V1 as my default position on the push pull for the neck pickup, and it balances really well (better than I expected) with the bridge position in V2. A lot like a JB/59 or JB/Jazz set, except much more balanced output-wise.

I set Voice 3 to be accessible with the push pull control for my neck pickup. It's airy and chimes like a good single coil... except it's really low output (like a good single coil, I guess). Probably not going to stay with that voicing as it's really weak-sounding, and it barely punches over my noise gate. I think I'm going to set V2 as my secondary choice for the neck pickup.

So all in all, I absolutely love them. They're definitely inspired by some pickups that I am familiar with and I like ('59/Burstbucker Pro set, JB), but with the usual Fishman twist. More clarity, tighter, and more detailed without being harsh. So far, I'm undecided about which I like best for chunky rhythm work, V1 on the Moderns or V2 on the Classics. V1 on the Moderns is really tight and focused, but these have a certain graininess and grind that I really like. Very much like the JB that I love, just clearer and tighter.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

Sweet guitar! Love the Silverburst finish.

These sound like great pickups. The only negative thing I have heard about Fishmans is batteries don't last as long as EMGs.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Sweet guitar! Love the Silverburst finish.

These sound like great pickups. The only negative thing I have heard about Fishmans is batteries don't last as long as EMGs.

Thanks!

Yeah, they don't last nearly as long. That's true. I use rechargeable 9V batteries (not the Fishman packs, just regular old rechargeable 9V's), so it's no biggie.

 

[Synapsys]

Congrats on the new set.

On a little off-topic note, can they somehow be wired in parallel?

 

[Artie]

Sweet guitar! Love the Silverburst finish.

Just what I was going to say. Love those EC-1000's.

Nice review of the Fishman's. They're getting stronger on my radar with each review.

Thanks.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

How often do you have to swap out the rechargeable 9 volts? I play my Fishman guitar a lot, and plug it in for a couple hours every few weeks.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

How often do you have to swap out the rechargeable 9 volts? I play my Fishman guitar a lot, and plug it in for a couple hours every few weeks.

I've had to charge it like once a month so far. I don't play as much as I wish I did these days, though, but still about 5-6 hours a week.

Congrats on the new set.

On a little off-topic note, can they somehow be wired in parallel?

I don't think they can, no. Voice 2 on the neck pickup is supposed to be "Clear, airy chime". That sorta describes "parallel" to me, but I haven't really tried it so far, so I don't know.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Just what I was going to say. Love those EC-1000's.

Nice review of the Fishman's. They're getting stronger on my radar with each review.

Thanks.

Thanks!

I was dubious at first, because I didn't believe the hype these pickups have around them. Once I tried the Moderns, I was sold. They're everything they're advertised as, and then some. Both the Moderns and the Classics are killer pickups. Voice 2 on the Moderns is kinda mehhh, but Voice 1 is IMO everything EMG's aspire to be. On the Classics, both Voice 1 and 2 are fantastic.

 

[PFDarkside]

I’m pumped to try these on my upcoming Warmoth build.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I’m pumped to try these on my upcoming Warmoth build.

I'm sure you won't be disappointed. These things are killer. I think the multivoice thing in these is more thought through than the Moderns, TBH. I still like the Moderns for ultra tight chuggs, but these do that, plus a whole lot more (not that I use them for anything else, LOL).

 

[PFDarkside]

I'm sure you won't be disappointed. These things are killer. I think the multivoice thing in these is more thought through than the Moderns, TBH. I still like the Moderns for ultra tight chuggs, but these do that, plus a whole lot more (not that I use them for anything else, LOL).

I’m limited on controls so I was going to do one push-pull for Voice 1/2 and one for Voice 3/Split, but your comments of V2 Bridge and V1 Neck have me reconsidering...

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I’m limited on controls so I was going to do one push-pull for Voice 1/2 and one for Voice 3/Split, but your comments of V2 Bridge and V1 Neck have me reconsidering...

You can make either voice the default. There are several connectors on the bottom, so you’d just swap the leads for V1 and 2 if you want the down position to be V1 neck/V2 bridge.

Incedentally, V2 bridge on the Classics is the tone they came up with that they liked better than Frank’s vintage butyrate JB.

 

[PFDarkside]

You can make either voice the default. There are several connectors on the bottom, so you’d just swap the leads for V1 and 2 if you want the down position to be V1 neck/V2 bridge.

Incedentally, V2 bridge on the Classics is the tone they came up with that they liked better than Frank’s vintage butyrate JB.

Yes, I’ve considered all the possibilities. A 4 knob setup like a Les Paul would be ideal so you get independent V1/V2 and V3 for each pickup.

I was considering the Freeway 6-way toggle for Voice 1 B/B+N/N and voice 2 B/B+N/N, but like I said, rethinking now! Maybe I just use it for Voice 3 (split) and put Voice 2 on Volume and Tone for neck and bridge.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

It's been ages since I've had a guitar with actual single coils (or even coil splits), but these sound pretty good. Just too quiet to punch over my Decimator.

But I stand by my statement of these being much more thought through with the different voicings. V1 on the Moderns is like what the EMG 81/85 aspires to be, and it's amazing, but V2 is kind of just like a less hot/fatter version of that. I think it's kinda mehh. It's useable, just not fantastic, IMO.

V1 and 2 on the Classics are both amazing, extremely passive-like, and VERY different-sounding between one another. V2, which is my favorite, does have that overwound passive vibe. V1 sounds like a great PAF-type that rivals any I have tried ('59, Burstbucker, PAF 36th Anni, WLH). V3... I'm not a single coil connoisseur, but it sounds usable. It's just that me personally won't get a lot of use out of it. It would be better if it were slightly louder, IMO.

You can make either voice the default. There are several connectors on the bottom, so you’d just swap the leads for V1 and 2 if you want the down position to be V1 neck/V2 bridge.

Incedentally, V2 bridge on the Classics is the tone they came up with that they liked better than Frank’s vintage butyrate JB.

Yeah, that's exactly the reason that I wanted to try the Classics. I didn't imagine they'd be as hot as the Moderns, but not complaining. I love that. Then again, the 81 and the JB aren't THAT far off when it comes to output.

And V2 is DEFINITELY JB-inspired. It's just less stuffy and more airy, which is exactly what I always wanted out of a JB myself.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Alright, just a quick update: After some tweaking, I've actually come to the conclusion that I like these better than the Moderns. They're just dirtier, more grindy, fatter, broader, more 90's metal. I still love the Moderns, but I actually just moved the Classics to my favorite guitar (my LTD EX-401). Man, I love these pickups. I really want to try the Adlers now.

 

[allstarrme]

I’ve been telling people these are great for awhile now, I also like them better than the moderns. Getting people to try them is the hard part. The older sets can be split but the current sets just have the third voicing in split mode, which is probably better sounding overall.

When they were going to do that big JB off thread I suggested these are better.

Anyone that thinks the JB is good is missing out until they try these.

I also wired them backwards so they default to v2. The v1 sound though is really good. I wasn’t a paf guy at all but I get what a good clear paf can do, and these are the best paf. Like antiquities and seths and 59’s in one.

If anyone knows great tone and getting it right it’s Frank.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I liked them so much I just grabbed another set. They should be here before the week is over. I'm moving the Moderns to my RG570 and keeping Classics in both my LTD's. Damn, I love these.

I still very much want to try the Will Adlers, though.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

BTW, this new set I scored is Rev 4.2 for the bridge and Rev 4.1 for the neck.

The set I have right now is Rev 5.1 for the bridge and 4.1 for the neck.

Will they sound different? Or is it just the single coil voicing that's different? Anyone know?

 

[allstarrme]

If they are open core (cover less) versions they all have the 3 voices. With the covered versions the newer ones have the 3rd voice while the older ones had the HF tilt instead and had a a solder pad for splitting.

I don’t know the revision numbers though. I’m sure I could figure it out as I have probably 7 sets. There’s very little out there on the revisions and what the differences are. I don’t hear much difference between most of them though. Maybe someday Frank could walk us through the numbers. I know a lot of shops had older versions in stock for a long time at first.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

They're both black nickel covered. And yeah, it doesn't look like the set which is on the way has Voice 3. I hope Voice 2 doesn't sound different, since that what made me fall in love with the Classics.

I've seen this comparing different revisions of the Moderns: