EMG 81 vs FISHMAN FLUENCE MODERN (ceramic) - Active Bridge Pickup Guitar Tone Comparison Demo

Clean and distorted rhythm comparison between EMG 81 (active) and Fishman Fluence Modern (ceramic version, active with two voices/modes) pickups for electric guitar on the bridge position. Settings are the following:
GUITAR
Model: Custom strat (alder body with canadian maple neck)
Tuning: Eь / D#
Strings: D'Addario EXL140 (010-052 gauge)
AMP
Clean: EVH 5150 III profile (Kemper Profiling Amp)
Distortion: EVH 5150 III profile (Kemper Profiling Amp)
RECORDING TECHNIQUE:
One centered mono track per pickup.
Same config and EQ for both.
Fishman Fluence Modern (ceramic) voice/mode description from the official Fishman website:
VOICE 1: Modern Active High Output - The ideal active ceramic humbucker tone. Crisp, searing crunch, tight bass with no mud, and a growl.
VOICE 2: Modern Passive Attack - Organic, high output, passive ceramic tone. Superb distortion characteristics with Fluence dynamics and response.
EMG Pickups official website
www.emgpickups...
Fishman official website
www.fishman.com/
Subscribe to my channel: / mikestamper
My official website: www.mikestampe...
My music: mikestamper.ba...
00:23 Clean test
04:18 Distortion test
#pickups #comparison #guitar

[@nazamarcos]

EMG 81 kicks ass! Those lower frequencies make a ton of difference. \m/

[@markcrisostomo108]

The voice 2 of the fishmans sounded good on clean and the heavy high gain stuff. But the EMG sounded extra special both clean and high gain. Cheers man great comparison.

[@krissmith2396]

Fishmans look cool but to me seem thinner. The EMG's are a bit more full sounding. Both most likely sound fine stand alone but in a comparison video the EMG's seem a bit better. Mileage could vary in an actual mix though

[@Vestu]

Having watched tons of comparisons, I think it's safe to say that you can sound really good or really bad with both pickups and the pickup is not the bottleneck.

[@brandonbehc]

I believe Fishman just entered to the electric guitars game with a tone between EMG for high gain and Seymour Duncan for versatility. Almost like the perfect tone for what I play

[@ZeruelZ19]

The more I listen to this, the more I convince myself that the bad fame of the emg tone is due to the fact that they are used mostly with a scooped tone

[@zjb29877]

Agreed. I bought a set of fishman moderns to replace an EMG 81/60 set I had in a Schecter and I'm honestly kinda of disappointed. Not quite sure if having 2 decent voices plus a split coil that's kinda meh is worth it to keep them. EMGs sounded fine, just wanted to try something different. Chugs aren't as satisfying. Clarity on big chords is maybe a little better. Probably should've just gone with passives lol

[@kendalllafollette1948]

its just because people like to hate whats popular. i own a guitar with emg 81s, and ibanez with fishmans and an esp with sd sh, i like each one for playing different types of music. i play my ibanez with fishmans the most just because its more versatile but i still love how my emgs sound playing certain types of music.

[@raydog_97]

Honestly if this pickup comparison video was on a baritone guitar tuned to Drop A I bet a lot of people would have went with the fishmans cause the EMGs would have been too bright sounding for a low tuning like that.

[@XChristianNoirX]

@@raydog_97 weird.. With baritone guitars, you usually want brighter pickups... (or with less bass) because or else the guitar will fight with the bass guitar... Kind of the reason people use overdrive and such... To cut the bass. And the lower the tuning, the more bass cut people use.. Like the Fortin 33.. That thing cuts loads of low end. It's practically just a high pass filter and volume boost, but then has a supper high input impedance to add insane amounts of high end. Anyhow, in this clip, it sounds like the EMG's have more low end and the Fishman have more high end. The EMG's actually have a slicgh cocked wah thing going on too.

[@raydog_97]

@@XChristianNoirX Yeah true

[@lenduckworth99]

A lot of my heroes have switched. I dunno, the fishmans sound good but to my ears, I still prefer the 81 tone if push came to shove. Both tight as hell but prefer the eq of the 81. I'm staying old school.

[@honigdachs.]

There's just something incredibly weird about the Fishmans' voicing that I hear in every demo. They sound almost like running through a cocked wah pedal, or as if someone turned the "contour" or "shred" knob some amps have all the way up. Kinda phasey, thin and janky. I'd prefer any of the EMG bridges over it at any day.

[@DunderHead.5000]

They are designed having more mids and treble. More 'modern' sounding like djent and cutting through the mix that everyone talks about these days.

[@LucasLeCompteMusic]

Moderns have this odd mid hump in them for some reason. If you play the KSE fishmans or Tosins, that mid hump is gone.

[@honigdachs.]

@@LucasLeCompteMusic Yeah, it's true, I'm familiar with the KSEs and they're voiced quite differently. Pretty awesome pickup set overall.

[@JSG-mw4qr]

I have an LTD Buzz 7 with Fishman fluence moderns and I also have an LTD EC 401 with emgs and I greatly prefer the emgs. Especially with lots of distortion and lower tunings, the FF get a bit muddy while the EMGs sound more legible. Not sure of this is a neck through ve set in neck issue though

[@TheAnalyticalObservers]

It's ok my dear boy, not all kids are able to handle the awesomeness. Seriously though, it's like someone hearing the voice of God for the first time, they don't know how interpret what they are listening to, it's not your fault, it's an acquired taste.

[@brandonlam1477]

EMG has been my go to for years, never going to change. 🙌

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

well it appears that the fishmans like the het set and ahb-2 clip the amp input because of how hot they are even if they're more dynamic overall than the 81

[@leviathan_is_me]

EMGs are perfect for me, why reinvent the wheel? Your likes are at 81...the best EMG model, so forgive me if I don't hit like and upset that, lol.

[@SpartanLaserCanon]

I think the Fishman Pickups are so overrated now and EMGs always beat them for full band mix tones to me in these tests especially with distortion. Heck, you could eq an EMG to sound like a Fishman pickup if you really wanted to. The EMG81s are very good for getting those classic metal tones. I would only use a Fishman Pickups like Tosin Abasi has if I were doing some solo guitar stuff. If you want EMGs in a guitar and don't have them, they can save you money compared to other Pickups too from what I have seen.

[@stallionstudios]

I can't complain considering lots of guitars loaded with them now going for dirt cheap. They used to be such a hot expensive commodity 17-18 years ago.

[@RumpleStiltzkin-bu5he]

Cant decide between the 81 or the 81x. Ordered both, but i need to cancel 1 of them.

[@unisonosc1617]

EMG 81 all the way for me. Fishman voice 2 was also pretty good, didn't care for the quacky voice 1 mode at all.

[@mettlecrusader29]

The EMGs have more bass in general, Fishman has more mids and cuts better in a mix for modern metal but if tweaked both can get the job done as well as the other

[@chaggasfernandes]

Agree

[@korbanoMUSIC]

In some demos the EMGs sound better and in others the Fishmans sound better. It really depends on so many things like how you play, the preamps in your interface, how much gain you set on the interface, and what amp/amp sim you use. You really just have to try them both on your own setup to really determine which is better for you

[@metaldreams3595]

Yeah, here its the EMG that wins....but Ive heard the Fishman Moderns adn they kill. Just as good rythym tone and more versatile, and Im an EMG 81 guy.

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

and if it’s the alnico or ceramic version where 81 is always ceramic

[@noxow3694]

fishmans sounds is better in the mix

[@ahahahaha496]

Agreed, I loved my black winter pups when I had a 6505 mh, gave just the right amount of high mids.... tried playing them through my 5150 iii which I'd dialed in with emgs and all of a sudden it was fuzzy and honky... but other passive pups sounded great with those same settings. What pups sound good with what amp and settings is so touchy its almost hard to believe sometimes

[@petedetraglia4776]

I bought a Schecter Diamond Series C-1 platinum recently with an active EMG 81 and 85. Most of the guitars I've owned I've either install these pick ups in or the guitar was bought with them. Nothing going to change my mind from listening to this video. EMG for the win...

[@dusanzeman121]

Well, I have Fishmans and it is whole new level... doesnť sound like this at all...

[@shield400]

I agree 100%! I own guitars with both pickups and the Fishman definitely don't sound the way they were "made to" in this video.

[@springsgaming7551]

What pickup heights did you use personally? I’m around 2.4mm but I really think I have bad emgs, they are around 16 years old by now.

[@BakedTatersOnAcid]

Could it be the difference between ceramic and alnico pickups?

[@jayz6008]

@@BakedTatersOnAcidthe 81 and modern both have ceramic magnets

[@FlipsMG]

The Fishmans sound artificial and sterile, yet amazing note clarity. The EMGs sound full, deeper and more natural, but severely lack clarity on higher notes when heavily distorted.

[@joshuanbray]

Yup

[@downandloud]

I going to try fluence alnico in the bridge maybe it's the best of both the 81 and fluence ceramic?

[@juanfelipeacuna1023]

Spot on, for riffing emg 81 sounds better, but for leads and arpeggios the fluence gets the upper hand.

[@Metalfreak327]

EMGs sound so much better frankly

[@Metalfreak327]

@Marius Interesting

[@nielsvangoor8326]

Why do i come to the same conclusion. Kinda weird to me because a lot of people are switching to the fishman fluence’s

[@Metalfreak327]

@@nielsvangoor8326 Frankly such videos usually sway consumer decisions. The only way you will know how it feels which is critical is when you yourself plug in and play through your own rig.

[@nielsvangoor8326]

@@Metalfreak327 that is also true wich is why I’m not letting my opinion get swayed by one demo :)

[@SomethingImpromptu]

They both sound amazing lol. I think the first voicing of the Fishmans takes the modern metal, ultra-hot, harmonically rich & dense distortion sound to the extreme, whereas I can detect a little more of the tone, the clarity & percussive sound of the string material that I’d expect from a more traditional (still very hot & harmonically rich) passive pickup. I feel like I’m detecting more pronounced fundamental frequencies on the EMG that give it a little more definition in the low end, but I also really like that wide, expansive, very clear, open-ended harmonic series you get on the Fishmans which sounds so good in a slow, moderately dissonant arpeggio, in a black metal kind of environment. With the right amp & guitar both of these options absolute rip. There’s a reason they’re basically both the most popular modern active pickups. I’d be very happy with either on a modern metal machine. I’m just torn on whether I want to go the active route at all or just stick with the passives I’ve always known. 😵‍💫 So many options. I’ve got to say though, I am really impressed every single time I hear the clean tones in those Fishmans. They sound so crisp & immaculate &, well, modern. They make me want to play some neoclassical-influences harmonic minor stuff on them, because god it would sound epic.

[@ThorsShadow]

My man here talking about them pretty pickup noises like he's some wine sommelier or something.

[@geomusicmove]

@@ThorsShadow Sommeliers talk about nuances in some overpriced booze as if they were sound engineers or something.

[@burnonethird]

Emg has a lower end which sounds more of a full and warmer tone. I bet in years ahead fishman will come with a programmable eq. Install an app on your phone and adjust your pickup.

[@josealejandroaburto7402]

simply buy an eq pedal

[@krissmith2396]

That is a great idea.

[@ssdravidian]

LOL !

[@darenross4187]

You better capitalize on that bro. Seriously, patent that shit asap.

[@BalashToth]

EMG 81 in the distorted tone takes it all.

[@intellectualmetal9850]

EMG definitely chugs better

[@dinonuggies2276]

Well emgs have more low end, the fishmans are made to be as clear as possible. especially with low tunings emgs can get real muddy real fast

[@intellectualmetal9850]

@@dinonuggies2276 in all fairness I haven't tried out the Fishman's yet. I wouldnt mind a set in my 7 string. It would be an upgrade from the stock active schecter pickups for sure.

[@rickyjones7282]

It's more than that!!! EMG's offer way more than the rubbish that Metallica get out of them!! Steve Lukather,Larry Carlton,Michael Angelo Batio & Reb Beach all use/used EMG pickups & they all possess individuality & clarity!!! I love EMG pickups because they get you out of many issues with signal loss through a pedalboard (I use old Marshall Plexi's & everything goes up front from my pedalboard(s) because their's no effects loop!!) & you certainly don't need to use a buffer at the end of your pedalboard chain too put the presence back like with Seymour Duncan pickups (Dimarzio fair better as do Bareknuckle!) & the active Seymour Duncan pickups sound worse than anything!! Do you remember Evens pickups? These were nice active pickups that Dominique Miller (Sting) used in his Fernandes guitars!!

[@dafxtone]

Fishman sound small and dull. EMg sound open and cold. I prefer EMG.

[@Timbo6669]

The Fishmans seem to have more clarity and mid bite. I like them..I won't change out my EMG's but will consider them for future builds, for sure.

[@7AKV7]

If you want to have deep heavy tone buy anything but Fishmans modern. It's been a nightmare to EQout the mid presence and absolute lack of lower mids and Anything that sounds narly and rumbly on lower tunings. It's just not worth your time basically. Too thinn of a tone with crazy reasonanses if you go lower.

[@souloftheage]

In the first passage the biggest difference I heard was the a separation of tones and a harmonic resonance over that on the EMGs. The Fluence sounded "grainy" at the end.

[@matthewlewis281]

I expected this to be blowout by fishman but it wasn’t.

[@JRs-guitars]

Personally I'll take Seymour duncan Blackouts over either of these. But out of the two...EMGs definitely sounded better.

[@thedavegoodman]

I like the EMGs in this comparison.

[@jgmopar]

I am an EMG person. I did just ordered a set of the Fishman Fluence So I will see what I like Better.

[@jgmopar]

@@KhaosWarrior6662 Both are great. Hard for me to say I like one over the other.

[@mikeallen5291]

Sorry to the Fluence bandwagon....Just imagine how much they paid guitarists to ruin thier tone (Satchel and his Duncans, Adam D with His EMG, Etc.) EMG for the W. Just way ballsier.

[@seanmorgan9020]

Standard business practice and Fishmans do have desirable qualities but I do mostly prefer EMG's for dat thiccness.

[@Gbhbbgvsbnjhhdchhb]

Whew!! EMG still rule... I don’t have to go and buy a set of Fishman’s

[@bellmeisterful]

Even though he dislikes 81s and has volume lower on them during high gain parts sometimes! Lol. Go listen and come back. On the Nazgul vs 81 vid he did. See if you hear it too. I use 81s and have Black Winter. I don't think an 81 has ever had lower output than another pu.

[@timbuk1126]

@@bellmeisterful it's definitely not as hot as the DiMarzio X2N which is a good thing..

[@bellmeisterful]

@@timbuk1126 Oh yes. Chuck Schuldiners favorite right? I do like DiMarzio a lot though. I use the Imperium set in one of my guitars right now. Love them. Dude from Revocation sig set.

[@wootdeegs3834]

@@bellmeisterful Ive noticed that. EMGs are great pickups. I dont know why people hate on them. All their favorites guitar players use them lol

[@Dan_Ranger]

EMG player for 35 years here. After hearing the comparison that's not going to change anytime soon. Fishman's sound too clean and sterile.

[@samuelrussel6296]

Yes couldn’t have said it better I have two ESP’s one has an 81x in the bridge and the other came stock with fluence modern and I’ve been struggling to get the grit and thrashy tone that literally comes instantly with the emg so to that does it I’m removing those damn things and putting an 81/85 combination in

[@KeepTheGates]

Fishmans shit all over EMG

[@samuelrussel6296]

@@KeepTheGates You shit all over yourself because the fishmans don’t sound as good as the Emg’s, Christ that’s no good😂

[@KluhlHloo]

@@samuelrussel6296 try this: 81B 60N.

[@lauleavil]

@@KluhlHloo BEST combo for sure! Another good one but not as common is 85B 60N! Has the beautiful cleans of the 60 plus the good warmer tones of the 85 in the bridge. Pretty versatile if you ask me!

[@realniter]

EMG

[@francescob.3019]

I've recently changed guitar, and pickups, from fusion edges to emg 81 and I'll tell you, it makes a lot less difference than you might imagine, I don't think anyone could tell them apart in a mix. Nowadays with all the processing we have at our disposal pickups are definitely less important than before. The main difference so far I'd say is that active pups are a lot quieter, meaning you can reduce a lot or even get rid of a noise gate, resulting in more sustain, which is pretty cool.

[@stephentyree9296]

The Fishman almost sounds “pre-EQd” to me. Like, a lot of the low end that a tech would take out of the guitars is already gone. I’d like to have the option or not have to boost the low end to compensate. I own guitars with both pickups and I gotta go with EMG.

[@ripss1431975]

emg!!!!

[@Fafafohi]

I don’t like active pickups. There, I said it. But nothing but love and support to the musicians that use them.

[@blahinator9370]

Sounds like the Fishmans are kind of a modern adaption to the classical 81 tone. Guitarists always struggle with disturbing frequencies around 300Hz and 5.000Hz. These frequencies can make you sound a bit...hollow...don't know how to describe it better. It seems that the Fishmans as close as they are to the 81s have exactly these frequencies cut. I think this is the particular reason why they are now loved by so many professionals. They probably have a lot less struggle with the Fishmans when it comes to tone adjustment especially when they, like myself, use the Kemper Profiler. The reason for this is that with this amp...or half PC or however you want to call it, you have to pay really good attention to your midrange settings to get a good tone, more than with classical tube amps. But overall both Pickups are definitely something that you can work with and rely on when you are going for really low tunings. And to be honest...with a little bit of effort and well placed studio monitor speakers you can make both of these pickups sound even more similar ;)

[@blahinator9370]

@Ken Severo Cool to know the theoretical background too, thank you!:)

[@geoffwhitemusic]

Damn. Voice 2 on clean is classic humbucker. Distorted, they all sound awesome. Voice 1 is modern metal. Voice 2 has Dave Mustaine vibes. EMG is classic Metallica.

[@BoeserKlon]

To be honest: the difference is so small I would just grab the cheaper ones.

[@mlwald79]

Try running the EMGs at 24volts instead of 9volts. Theres an adapter called 24volt mod. Night and day difference.

[@danadane2501]

A few people have told me about that I'll check it out but I love my EMG 81 and 85 pickups so much not sure I would mess with it but will definitely do some more research. If you say they're that much different.

[@Genjimain27]

I have both and the fishmans are so much better, they have much more distortion. The EMGs have too much bass and too few heights

[@Peter-zw8yn]

Have to say I'll always be an EMG man, been brought up with early Metallica, slayer and exodus haha. Its frustrating as most brands especially ESP are turning to fishmans, I wish there was an option to choose.

[@alijankhan3330]

Yeah I'm looking at this one LTD guitar which used to have emg 81s but comes with fishmans now...I want the damn emg 81s

[@caca_spaniel_1239]

shocked by how good the 81 sounds

[@heatgrimm8664]

I mean how? It’s been a staple pup since literally 81

[@MrScrofulous]

@@heatgrimm8664 People love to hate it for that exact reason and recent years have seen an exodus to Fishman for no reason other than they are the new thing. I'll take the EMG any day.

[@duaneanderson6393]

well Given it's not live but the internet , EMG OR FISHMAN ? BEING A DIMARZIO HUM-CANCELING FANBOY ... I CAN'T TELL, BUT, GREG KOCH ROCKS THE PLANET WITH HIS GRISTLETONE FISHMAN PICKUPS AND KOCH SIGNITURE AMP.

[@zzr7502]

EMG's all the way!!!

[@lorenmorgan1931]

Really? Fishman with a compresser will do the same. Squashed like a bug on the windshield at 100mph

[@iipriorii]

My EMG 81/85 set is the most amazing pickups ever. I feel a little let down this year, every company trying to keep up with Kiesel wood choices have invested in all exotics woods and skimped on electronics. So now I’d have to buy the guitar and pay to get my active set put in. Or maybe I can switch to Fluence?

[@Bluesruse]

I can forgive 85 on the bridge. But THE EMG neck pickup is the EMG 60.

[@michaelwallace1189]

Fishman voice 1 is a little more harsh and brittle than the EMG, good for screams, not so good for chugs. voice 2 shifts the EQ to emphasize the upper mids and cut the overall volume to mimic the single coil. Meh. EMG is round, deep and good across all the spectrums. I wanted to try the Fishmans, I think I'll stick with my EMG's. I do love them.

[@fastboy_guitars]

That EMG sound is iconic. It’s a shame that fluence have mostly taken their spot in new guitars… they’re a very different thing

[@brandonharris9160]

They really haven't though. EMG is everywhere and Fishman is usually chosen by more modern guitar players. I can go to plenty of music stores without a guitar with Fishman pickups but not EMG, they are everywhere

[@ab_cubing]

To me for cleans emg sounds pretty much mixture of both the voices of fishman or in middle of them

[@vibezyoung4264]

Fishmans are a lot more Grainier than EMG's. But Tone wise EMG's have more Body to it.

[@Wrathofkala]

Not even close EMG. I've been saying Fishman are a fraud for awhile. Better cleans and distortion. Mike great comparison as usual. You are the best on KZbin by far!

[@mikestamper]

Thank you one more time!!! :)

[@Wrathofkala]

Fishman Battery life gives you 250 hours verse EMG 1000 hours big difference. EMG all the way, less 9volt batteries which are very expensive right now.

[@chief8825]

Facts dude, EMGs are also way cheaper and way easier to install then fishmans

[@pmarciano1717]

What is better for a beginner ? That wants to play other genres beside metal ?

[@HTJason_S12]

​@@pmarciano1717 Maybe the Fishmans for better versatility. The Classic lineup could work as well.

[@mjtan6787]

I will just stick with the pickups that my guitar has and make the most out of it.

[@imlink7666]

I think it is better to invest in a quality tube amp than spend money on pickups .

[@robspectre1973]

I am upgrading my Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro Silverburst and was dead set on Fishman Fluence Moderns. I watched this video today and bought EMG 81/85 set instead. Thanks for the video. I believe I would have been happy with the Fishman pickups but honestly, I preferred the EMGs clean and distorted. I am a product of the Slayer/Metallica generation so.....maybe thats what grabbed me.

[@Sorrowablaze]

I have a bc rich eagle that until last week had a nazgul, tuned to c standard with 12-60 gauge strings. I wasn't getting along with it the way I wanted to, so I replaced the nut, tuned to D sharp and back to 10-46. Emg 81/89. It's a thrash monster. I look back at my favorite ols thrash lps. Emgs on damn near all of them. Keeping it old school

[@Middlestepofficial]

Fishman fluence has the low frequencies reduced compared to the EMG-81. I don't like that personally. The pickup is better to have higher dynamic range to pick up more content from the strings, which can be manipulated in production. When a pickup cuts out something, you can't add it in post. Besides, I'm using EMG-85X on bridge and 81X on neck. Never gonna change that sound.

[@rendyandrian7149]

As a fan of 81 in bridge, I definitely love this fishman sound. Someday I have to own a guitar with this pickup on it.

[@gonza.shreds]

Trust me they are completely different. As a passive pickups player for 15 years, I first tried active pickups with the FFM set and they made me hate active pickups. Their compression is insane and they have almost no low end at all (I think this would be fine for you if you djent, tho). One year later I tried the 81/85 set for the first time and I realized how wrong I was about my thoughts on active pickups. Now I am in love with the 81/85 set. Their chug is insane while FFM have no chug at all because the compression they have is just insane.

[@leoj6760]

Can anybody please give me their feedback on the fishmans in the passive voicing. I've tried a guitar only wired for the active voicing and i liked that but i'm wondering what the passive voicing is like. Is it actually like a good passive pickup for rock and mid gain tones? or is just passable and still sounds "metal"? Thanks

[@mikestamper]

Voice 2 is the passive one in this video.

[@philgraves4998]

My personal preference is for emg's because I'm more old school, I like Zakk Wylde's early tone and they sound better clean to me than Fishman or Seymour Duncan Blackouts!

[@RobinErhage]

Emg wins

[@ToneD5150]

There is no 2nd best here! Although for my personal preference I would still go for the EMG...!!! Grrr8 comparison 🤘👍 Rock til you Drop my Brothers and Sisters!

[@brevolt9321]

My Schecter C1 Elite make me love my passive pickup more than ever. Only because she got fishman modern on, they really suck and sound plastic af

[@Hazardteam]

EMG81. Definetely.

[@GeorgeBacan]

It seems to me EMG has more definition. Its clearer. 🙂

[@matheusesteves8318]

I prefer fishman clean and Emg for Distortion

[@Brandon-nj2vo]

Sounds like the emg got more bottom end. I wonder how they will sound on a 7 string

[@ashim0715]

It's only for 6 string but there's 7 string version of it 81-7

[@jaroslavkalamar7429]

I have both sensors.... you can't hear it that much in this video, but in reality I find the Fishman quite a bit more distorted than the EMG. I had to get used to it for a while ... EMG is cheaper and still good... But if you are tired of the EMG sound, the Fishman will surprise you.

[@dannychane]

I'm more team Fishman, but not necessarily because of the sound of the PU itself. It's more the feeling playing these. EMG sounds more in your face, more low mids. Fishman has more headroom.

[@Andy-km3pg]

Wow EMG sounded noticably ALOT better. I thought both pickups would be more or less the same....

[@jamiechorley1674]

I always think it's amusing how many people suddenly will just suck up to pickup brands. EMG's sounding "thin and sterile" (Whatever that's supposed to mean....) has been the narrative for a while now, and then you hear a head to head comparison like this and it's clear that it's in people's heads. they just buy in to marketing hype from other musicians.

[@mikestamper]

I'm always saying that the best thing is to use your ears and avoid that kind of "internet narratives". Your ear won't fail you. If you like it, then... you like it, :) That's what these videos are for, to help extracting your own conclusions, which is very hard sometimes. BTW, this is just a particular scenario, and the best thing is to compare with other scenarios too. The more info, the best!

[@rockrdude6668]

Both pickups sound good in their own way. It’s all based on preference!

[@arsenaultgilles4557]

Beautiful sound from two excellent, pick ups Thank you for your help.

[@CVholik]

Now do this test again with a super low tuning. EMGs get muddy real fast. Fishmans stay clear. But in a higher tuning EMG is the clear winner.

[@SinisterPrince]

This would explain Fishman's popularity in the extended range market. I noticed that EMG 707s sound muddy af in certain tone ranges. I've actually been perplexed about Fishman's popularity and did come across an EMG 707 comparison video earlier and noticed it's not the same world as an 81 on a 6 string at all.

[@rocketpigrecords3719]

As a user & owner of both pickups, easily the Fishman. Everything you love about the 81, nothing you don't. I bought this for a 1H SG, so I could do both Sabbath & Metallica & anything in between. I hated the 81 for anything but balls out metal. Sterile cleans, playing old school stuff is a chore, it's just a personality trait that can't be dialed out. Tbh a lot of high output pickups are like this, passive or active. However, I use the active voice as the alternate, and the passive ceramic is default...but sometimes I'll forget to switch back, and none of the grating EMG qualities are there to remind me. It's just a tight, clear sound that plays well with anything - despite my having the 10db activated! Sabbath, Who, ACDC, it never sounds "processed" or overly modern. They could easily sell that voice by itself. The new versions with a noiseless single mode just seal the deal further. Sold my EMGs in 2017 and never looked back, or felt lacking and needing something for that guitar. Oh, except the SA-SA-T set in my ESP tele, in case you think I'm a hater of the brand.

[@alanmenconi6940]

I listened many review of pickups this day... but nobody adjust the eq or gain of the amp to have the best result i think.... i know thats isnt the correct way if you do that but at the end is liike compare MESA, PEAVVY, ENGL or any amp with the same configuration or not? 🤔🤔🤔

[@TaureanMixing]

Not getting the hype for the Fluence. The EMG's give me tight, upfront tone. Fluence is pushing back the meat for highs , flutter and "fiiiissshh"

[@vasilyneganov3883]

Gosh, and I always believed EMGs sounded over-compressed! Again, thanks a ton for this helpful comparison, for the way it is done and presented!

[@metallicsavage788]

Fishman seem to be very fashionable of late but I feel they try to be everything to all men with their switchability options. I'll stick with the EMG 81s for time tested metal use🤘

[@ELECTRICSCARS]

The Fishman´s sound thin, the EMG81 has way more Body and Fat Tone. To me EMG Wins clearly

[@k.o.7405]

well whatever you prefer really, my guitar came with the Fluence, oh well lol not like im going to record some albums

[@kattine1]

The riffs used in dist comparison are great, congrats 👏

[@sidblackhysteria6313]

Emg81 are the most tight pickup. With mahogany or alder body, 81 are great and can do good clean in the neck. They don't really color to guitar tone, so they are good in a good guitar.

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

idk how EMG kept their prices down on the 81 all these years the h4 is the same price and many Seymour Duncans are even more expensive

[@btdxpm]

I grew up with EMGs so that’s always gonna be “the sound” to me. But realistically I’d probably be happy with either one.

[@rodneysnextchapter615]

I love emgs but have an epiphone prophecy on the way with fishmans in it that I will give a fair chance. My Ibanez has demarzio in it which I like for different things but just not as much as my emgs.

[@brianw.6718]

Personally, I kind of think it's stupid how ppl obsess over pickups for the tone they want. Anyone could make these particular EMG's sound exactly like these particular Fishman pickups simply at the turn of a treble knob.

[@jeffreyquinonez8964]

hmm gotta admit the 81 has the better sound cleaner cleans and more powerful metal tones

[@rickyjones7282]

The EMG DEFINITELY has more body & clarity!!!

[@maxblack880]

EMG 100% I just bought an LTD Brian Head signature with fishman pickups. What a disappointment! My LTD MH-417B is way better in every way.

[@gianlucaperricone2877]

It's a different sound, I prefer EMG but I like a lot the fluence sound too... it is more... fluency, it seems like to come from the abyss of the sea

[@cominroitover80]

The first time I heard fishman fluence pickups I wondered if everyone's ears are broken. Once I played them I became even more convinced that the guitar "industry" is just monetized tinnitus. What the fuck? How the hell do people like these things?

[@StormdriverOne]

About 5 minutes in, I saved $250! Thanks!

[@ExoTheEmo]

I dont know how to explain this but its like blue eyes white dragon vs galaxy dragon from yugioh with the tones

[@JimmyRadloff]

The Fishman ceramic pickup is too harsh and brill. I put an alnico in the bridge on my Schecter C-1 SLS Elite and it's much better

[@Kajan_17]

EMG!!!

[@jesseparrish9198]

Is that really you Alexi?

[@jessehuerta2028]

No, it wasn’t. One month ago Alexi wasn’t giving feedback on KZbin videos. His endorsement speaks/spoke for itself. He doesn’t play either of these pickups. I recently lost my good friend. The 81 did not catch his attention. That’s why he used the passive EMG’s with a boost for solos. Alexi could have played any pickups he wanted. He chose the H-2 for its massive tone combined with clarity. If you like the 81s, then you should give the H-2 a try. I don’t work for EMG.

[@matthewhale9831]

Nothing touches EMG!! I just bought an ESP LTD GL-200 MT Yellow Tiger Stripe George Lynch (Dokken) Signature with the intention of making upgrades to it, I put and EMG 81 in the Bridge position since it only has one pickup, I’ve never had an EMG pickup before so I was really interested in buying one, and it is easily the best pickup I’ve ever used, out of Duncans, Lundgrens, Fishmans, Bareknuckles (although Misha Mansoor’s “Bulb” Bareknuckles kick ass I still prefer the 81’s) Lace, FU Tone, Rockfield, Tone Zone, and pretty much every well known pickup brand out there, nothing compares to the crushing metal tones and the glistening clean tones of EMG’s 6:22 Is it just me or does that sound like Wild Eyes from Parkway Drive?

[@junior10kdutch]

To me it sounds like the EMGs are a bit hotter and fuzzier, while the Fishmans are a bit more crisp and throaty. More bass on the EMGs, more mids on the Fishmans. I guess if I wanted a clear and crisp tone, I'd go for Fishmans. If I wanted a hotter and bulkier sound, I'd go for EMGs. Thanks for the comparison!

[@JTguitarlessons]

I was kind of shocked at how much I preferred the EMG's... this coming from a guy who is a simp for Fishman Fluence lol

[@pumpkinheadjrb]

I swear I've owned EMGs for years and they never sounded like that. They always sounded like a wall of noise. Probably my fault haha

[@kiarashpkt]

i'm using emgs since 2007. no noise even in my country without ground wiring. check your cables or pickup i think... never had noise even on 70% of gain.

[@UtoyOnWheels]

The EMG is actually better.

[@LESHAVISHNEVSKY]

emg have more bottom on hi gain, but it's sounds old, in the modern metal fluence will be clearer

[@zeolyte]

EMG all the way! Dont understand the hype around fishman fluence moderns.

[@AntonKolhanov]

Fishman sounds more neutral, that is much better for studio recording, because during this you can equalize any sound you want. But EMG has more bass and middle, that will bring some problems during recording. EMG better to use if you playing at home in combo, but Fishman more professional.

[@nmnmnm9509]

Exactly inverse!!! is not EMG81 professional?? Emg81 is the best for recording and you can hear that in many metal masterpieces, indeed EMG 81 sounds a little thin (more mid but not more bass! ) but in high gain and in combination with another guitar sounds very well.i Fishman eventually is a little better in clean chords but not better than Emg85.

[@StrengthScholar0]

The emgs are probably my favorite overall but the mids sound like ass.