The Fishman Fluence Thread

[Asdrael]

Sadly, I don't have anything to record right now beside a cell phone.

Anyhow, I think you are right @HeHasTheJazzHands . Just the frequency response is nothing I was used to. After playing with them a few hours, changing amp settings, I am closer to what I expected - although still no "gut punch" on palm mutes. I'll keep them in for a bit and see. I might still have a ground issue though, as the Voice 1 is noisier than Voice 2. But it's also like 3x hotter so it may simply be it. (Ibanez stereo barrel jack... for some reason the 9V is connected to the shortest lug? Ground is still on the sleeve tho).

 

[elkoki]

Sadly, I don't have anything to record right now beside a cell phone.

Anyhow, I think you are right @HeHasTheJazzHands . Just the frequency response is nothing I was used to. After playing with them a few hours, changing amp settings, I am closer to what I expected - although still no "gut punch" on palm mutes. I'll keep them in for a bit and see. I might still have a ground issue though, as the Voice 1 is noisier than Voice 2. But it's also like 3x hotter so it may simply be it. (Ibanez stereo barrel jack... for some reason the 9V is connected to the shortest lug? Ground is still on the sleeve tho).

I think voice 1 is supposed to be the humbucker mode , so if its noisier than voice 2 which is the split voice that's kind of odd.

 

[Asdrael]

I may have mixed up the voice names - I meant the "active" mode is noisier than the "passive humbucker" mode (my volume push pull). The split is on the tone push pull on my setup.

Beside the barrel jack wiring which might be off, I'll double check the pins at the back. The rest of the wiring is on point. (Also, I have a brand new Duracell 9V so that can't be it either).

 

[metaljohn]

Not normal . Adler sets in my experience have lots of low end and are not noisy pickups . Probably a wiring issue

I guess I should have specified a little more. They aren't noisy, but they definitely don't chug well in my rig, probably because of all the low end present. The high end is also nasty in a not good way to my ears.

 

[Tree]

Sadly, I don't have anything to record right now beside a cell phone.

Anyhow, I think you are right @HeHasTheJazzHands . Just the frequency response is nothing I was used to. After playing with them a few hours, changing amp settings, I am closer to what I expected - although still no "gut punch" on palm mutes. I'll keep them in for a bit and see. I might still have a ground issue though, as the Voice 1 is noisier than Voice 2. But it's also like 3x hotter so it may simply be it. (Ibanez stereo barrel jack... for some reason the 9V is connected to the shortest lug? Ground is still on the sleeve tho).

After you finish checking all your connections and making sure they're all good to go, one thing I've noticed after having two guitars now with Fishman Moderns and Abasis I can safely say that I've found they sound better when you slam the input of your amp/modeler a bit harder than you would with EMGs or passives. If I've got a patch setup on my Helix with an OD in front I now keep a Volume block in front just to quickly adjust the level when I swap between guitars. Going from the Fishmans to passives usually means I'm dropping ~3dB before the OD or amp. YMMV, but it's worth a shot.

To my ears the Fishmans are too "perfect" they don't reproduce sound in the way we're all accustomed to. Letting them really rip into the input seems to add more of that snarl and "imperfect" ballsy meat I get from other guitars.

 

[hensh!n]

I might still have a ground issue though, as the Voice 1 is noisier than Voice 2. But it's also like 3x hotter so it may simply be it. (Ibanez stereo barrel jack... for some reason the 9V is connected to the shortest lug? Ground is still on the sleeve tho).

This was my experience with the Modern set. The Active Voice brings up the noise floor since it's a 6dB boost compared to the Passive Voice.

 

[Asdrael]

Thanks for the replies guys. It seems it's a "me" problem. Let's see if i get used to the pickups. If not, well, I'll be on the market for some good old passives.

I did try with a boost in front and a somewhat lower channel gain on the amp and it seems to bring up some of the feel i was lacking. I am in love with the split voice tho, it's a really good one.

 

[lattjeful]

Good news for the guys who like the Will Adler set: Fishman announced that the set now comes in Black Nickel and Nickel. Wonder if they'll go back and add new colors/options to other sets, too.

Fishman Instagram post

 

[Noisy Humbucker]

Been pestering them about doing the Modern 8 set in white or with brushed steel caps, here’s to hoping we get something new.

Also a shame they tied the glow strip to a signature set early on (Carpenter), makes for a cool unique look in some guitars.

 

[Emperoff]

Hey guys! I don't feel like reading 120 pages before asking this, so may I ask you gents to school me on the differences between neck pickup models?

I'm only interested on the neck pickups since ceramic magnets are a 'no-no' for me. Same way I prefer the EMG 85 to the 81 on the bridge, etc. I'm considering the idea of building a combo of neck pickups from different sets if possible (Tosin neck + Modern neck, or whatever). Any thoughts?

 

[juka]

Hey guys! I don't feel like reading 120 pages before asking this, so may I ask you gents to school me on the differences between neck pickup models?

I'm only interested on the neck pickups since ceramic magnets are a 'no-no' for me. Same way I prefer the EMG 85 to the 81 on the bridge, etc. I'm considering the idea of building a combo of neck pickups from different sets if possible (Tosin neck + Modern neck, or whatever). Any thoughts?

Try the Fluence Classics!
When I still played EMGs I preferred the 85 over the 81, too, and been a huge fan of the 57/66 set. Now I'm extremely happy with the Classics. Most overlooked Fluence set of all times. It's so funny that a lot of the big YouTubers / Reviewers "discover" the Classic set now that it's also available as Scott LePage Custom Set...

 

[The Monster With .]

Hey guys! I don't feel like reading 120 pages before asking this, so may I ask you gents to school me on the differences between neck pickup models?

I'm only interested on the neck pickups since ceramic magnets are a 'no-no' for me. Same way I prefer the EMG 85 to the 81 on the bridge, etc. I'm considering the idea of building a combo of neck pickups from different sets if possible (Tosin neck + Modern neck, or whatever). Any thoughts?

The modern neck is alnico and sounds killer in the bridge. I have a(6 string with a Townsend neck + Modern alnico in the bridge and they go together great! So I think the Tosin neck + Modern neck would work as well.

The only combos I haven't been thrilled with is with the open core classics. Those are lower output, and I like my neck and bridge to be similar output, because I switch between them a lot mid song. The worst I tried was Classic Neck + Abasi bridge. They just kinda clashed in how different the sounded imo. But, for people who like a really different sound from their bridge and neck, they might like it.

 

[elkoki]

Hey guys! I don't feel like reading 120 pages before asking this, so may I ask you gents to school me on the differences between neck pickup models?

I'm only interested on the neck pickups since ceramic magnets are a 'no-no' for me. Same way I prefer the EMG 85 to the 81 on the bridge, etc. I'm considering the idea of building a combo of neck pickups from different sets if possible (Tosin neck + Modern neck, or whatever). Any thoughts?

Currently have the Abasi set , the neck on it split sounds glassy and kind of like a single coil .. ever heard Animals as Leaders clean sound ? It basically sounds like that . In humbucking it sounds warm and smooth for leads . It’s not super hot either id say medium output .

Been a while since I tried the Classics but I loved those pickups when I tried them 3 years ago . Can’t really describe them in detail becuase their sound is not fresh in my mind . But I ordered another set which should be coming today . From memory they’re very versatile , kind of bright , but are voiced that they can pretty much do anything you throw at them . They were my favorite pickups for a long time and only swapped them out to try other Fluence sets lol .

Maybe you should give them a shot rather than building random sets ?

 

[The Monster With .]

Currently have the Abasi set , the neck on it split sounds glassy and kind of like a single coil .. ever heard Animals as Leaders clean sound ? It basically sounds like that . In humbucking it sounds warm and smooth for leads . It’s not super hot either id say medium output .

Been a while since I tried the Classics but I loved those pickups when I tried them 3 years ago . Can’t really describe them in detail becuase their sound is not fresh in my mind . But I ordered another set which should be coming today . From memory they’re very versatile , kind of bright , but are voiced that they can pretty much do anything you throw at them . They were my favorite pickups for a long time and only swapped them out to try other Fluence sets lol .

Maybe you should give them a shot rather than building random sets ?

I have the open core classics (6 string) and I concur, great sounding pickups for whatever you throw at them.

 

[p88]

not sure if this has been discussed already, or confirmed, but is mick thomson (slipknot) now using fishman classic fluences?

source: https://riffmagazine.com/festivals/aftershock-20221006-slipknot/

View attachment 120610

It looks like Mick is still pretty invested with Fishman, despite not yet being an official artist. His wife posted this interesting photo on IG nearly a month back.

It's interesting because of the guitar itself (that bridge is pretty rad), and it's also interesting because of the pickup combination. The visual mismatch of the pickups (different finishes) suggest to me that he's mixing and matching production model pickups...(rather than testing prototypes). But I could be totally wrong of course!

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

The bridge seems to be a Gibson TP-6 tailiece with what looks like a Gotoh 510FB ToM.

 

[shalev98732]

its more of a question for a friend but what fishmans would work good in an hsh configuration.

 

[The Monster With .]

It looks like Mick is still pretty invested with Fishman, despite not yet being an official artist. His wife posted this interesting photo on IG nearly a month back.

It's interesting because of the guitar itself (that bridge is pretty rad), and it's also interesting because of the pickup combination. The visual mismatch of the pickups (different finishes) suggest to me that he's mixing and matching production model pickups...(rather than testing prototypes). But I could be totally wrong of course!

Kinda looks like a Townsend bridge and a modern in the neck.

 

[shalev98732]

Kinda looks like a Townsend bridge and a modern in the neck.

Could be the adler too now that they have new colors for it too

 

[shalev98732]

Could be the adler too now that they have new colors for it too

But cpuld also be the fluff one too