Guitar & Pickup Comparison... You Be The Judge!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks for watching! Be sure to read this video's description for cool info you'll want to see!👆 🔴🙏 HUGE thanks and shout out to my Patreon supporters! Hop on board with us! 👉 www.patreon.com/RobArnoldWorld 👇READ MORE BELOW!👇 🎸Grab yourself an M-1000HT right here 👉 imp.i114863.net/LtdM-1000HT 🎸Check out Some EMG 81's! 👉 imp.i114863.net/EMGpickups 🎸Check out Some Fishman Pickups! 👉 imp.i114863.net/FishmanPickups 🔗 (using my links helps support my channel!🙏) ---------------------------- Thank you SO much to the following: THANK YOU 👊 Alex Legend THANK YOU 👊 Andy W THANK YOU 👊 Anthony Best THANK YOU 👊 Anthony Bluhm THANK YOU 👊 Anthony Maroni THANK YOU 👊 Brady Clark THANK YOU 👊 Brian Stadden THANK YOU 👊 Brian W. Rogers THANK YOU 👊 Chris Santiago THANK YOU 👊 Curtis Doyle THANK YOU 👊 Darron Bryant THANK YOU 👊 Dillon Brown THANK YOU 👊 Gavin Courtney THANK YOU 👊 Hervé Franco THANK YOU 👊 Ismael Ocegueda THANK YOU 👊 Jason Arnett THANK YOU 👊 Jason Sherrington THANK YOU 👊 Jeff Holland THANK YOU 👊 Joe Prostko THANK YOU 👊 Josh Maurer THANK YOU 👊 Kevin Smith THANK YOU 👊 Mandm Randall THANK YOU 👊 Marc Laakmann THANK YOU 👊 Mechanization THANK YOU 👊 Michael Wagner THANK YOU 👊 Mike Franco THANK YOU 👊 Mike H THANK YOU 👊 Olivier Rouleau THANK YOU 👊 Paul Thomas Presley THANK YOU 👊 Rich Arnold THANK YOU 👊 Rocko Marrufo THANK YOU 👊 Russell D Morrow III THANK YOU 👊 Ryan Lesnick THANK YOU 👊 Samuel Zuker THANK YOU 👊 Steve Martin THANK YOU 👊 Thomas Bryson THANK YOU 👊 Thomas Spoor THANK YOU 👊 Todd Jay THANK YOU 👊 Travis Tutwiler THANK YOU 👊 Vasilii THANK YOU 👊 Aaron Prentice THANK YOU 👊 Alex White THANK YOU 👊 Brandun Keck THANK YOU 👊 Cesar Brena THANK YOU 👊 Chad Bolton THANK YOU 👊 Dakota Winston THANK YOU 👊 Eyeless THANK YOU 👊 Gonzalo Ferniz Jr THANK YOU 👊 Ingo Deißenroth THANK YOU 👊 Ivan Zemchanka THANK YOU 👊 Jack Krolo THANK YOU 👊 James Beard THANK YOU 👊 Jerry Guardado THANK YOU 👊 Joe Hinton THANK YOU 👊 JR Tasker THANK YOU 👊 Kevin Henderson THANK YOU 👊 Kris Hotchkiss THANK YOU 👊 Lucas Van Cleef THANK YOU 👊 Max Evans THANK YOU 👊 Michael Mckee THANK YOU 👊 Michele Porcu THANK YOU 👊 Mohamad Hafiz THANK YOU 👊 Paul Turnbull THANK YOU 👊 Randy E. THANK YOU 👊 walkamong theignorant And a special thanks to all of my Patreon supporters not mentioned here!🙏

[@jayteesgear]

Emg’s crush the Fluence btw

[@c_w3377]

I have to go with the EMG. Great video. 👍

[@creepymcpeepers]

I have fishman and Emg also but I prefer my emg… although this week I have just been playing my p bass and my strat some weeks I just jam acoustic

[@geoffsprock]

The Fishmans to me had a little bit of extra “sauce” to the mix, but with a little tweeking of the EMG’s, they could easily get there as well. Plus, the EMG set is more affordable.

[@kingpriapatius5832]

In Europe the price is the same.

[@neuroscope9052]

The EMGs have some extra low end and sound heavier to my ears. it's splitting hairs sonically, The Fluence modern pickups are quieter when muted and have coil split /tap & voice modes that can make your guitar much more versatile if you bother wiring it all up. The EMGs are tried and true simple metal pickups. I love them both.

[@M3tal_matt]

Chimaira is singlehandedly the reason why I habe played emg for the last 10+ years..that tone is "home" to me when it comes to pickups 🤘

[@blackspine343]

Sounds great... I hate how they feel though.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

@M3tal_Matt Hell yeah bro and for me, it was Metallica!

[@DizzyDez613]

Same. I’ve been playing 81’s through Peavey amps for like 20 years. Lol

[@jeffreyquinonez8964]

I cant get a good tone with my fisgmans 😢im gonna try the low gain mode with the ht tilt mode combined to see if that helps.

[@jeffreyquinonez8964]

The 81 sounded better more metal for me lol 😂i feel more thump in them. Kicks you right in the chest. I think i might switch back to emgs lol 😂

[@azfarkhalid3752]

I totally agree with what you said at the end about feeling the riffs and not just listening. In isolation both pickups do sound very similar but the Fishmans do have a tad bit more clarity. But in the mix I do feel the chugs from the EMGs much more. They feel much more in your face compared to the Fishmans.

[@veenoir1991]

Lol almost 2 decades of being influenced by robs writing and playing and I'm just now realizing the great teacher vibes he has. This man could fkn host blues clues 😆

[@RobArnoldWorld]

🙏👊🤘

[@jay8395]

Thanks for making this video, Rob! This was actually a burning question of mine and I was starting to feel old school with my EMGs. Now I know I'm not really missing anything.

[@adamkahn8645]

I love how many different voices/tones the Fishmans have and add to the toolbox without losing that "81" tone. After 20 years with 81s, it was near impossible for me to like anything but an 81.... until I tried the moderns out. Now all of my guitars are rocking moderns

[@DunderHead.5000]

If the Fishman modern ceramic replaces the 81 in the bridge, what replaces a 60 in the neck? I'm guessing the Fishman alnico neck is similar to the 85 which has alnico so maybe the Fishman modern ceramic neck is closer to the 60 which is also ceramic?

[@minstrel9806]

@@DunderHead.5000 there are some guitars which have both bridge and neck with a Modern ceramic rather than the Ceramic + Alnico combo, so yes i think that's pretty much the logic you should follow.

[@anandgarde13]

Having played EMGs since I was 13, mostly 81/85s in my teens and then 57/66s throughout most of my 20s, the Fishman's were a surprise for me and have lived up to the hype. The Fishman Modern's active voicing is very clearly modelled after the EMG 81/85 set, they don't try to hide that, and a listener would not be able to tell the difference between the two, but as a player, in opinion, you can feel the difference. The Fishmans feel like they have slightly more compression and just feel easier to play on. Plus the Fishmans do have the Passive voicing when you pull on the volume knob, and some artist sets get other extra voicings, making them much more versatile than a 81/85 set. The only drawback of the Fishman's is that they do eat through batteries way faster than EMGs, but Fishmans can be installed with USB rechargeable battery kits. In the two years since I've tried Fishman's, I've swapped 6 of my guitars over to using Fishmans, 5 with Moderns and 1 with the Keith Merrow set. I still use EMG 57/66 sets on 4 of my guitars because I love that extra hot PAF sound they have and I think they sound better and have better dynamics than both the Fishman Moderns and the EMG 81/85 sets.

[@themodernguitarist]

The EMG seems to have a bit more "give" to it that makes it sound better with palm mutes. A mix of that and a more present highmid-trebly pick attack. The Fishmans have more mids, but don't have that "give" or that pick attack the EMGs have. They never felt very satisfying to play in my experience.

[@tomvrabel6811]

Enjoyed the the video Rob! Closed my eyes and listened with headphones on when you began playing and surprisingly couldn't tell any difference whatsoever.

[@mitchoburrito2836]

You know, for the amount of hype that surrounds the Fishman's, they dont sound that much different to the EMG's (imo) I guess it just comes down to preference. Im a Hammett fan and ive rocked the 81/81 combo in my ESP's forever and i dont think ill be changing anytime soon. Thanks for another sick video Rob \m/

[@remuslycan6473]

Yeah.. Hammett Fan... That's because you have no clue 😅

[@XChristianNoirX]

The Fishman have more options. 3 possible modes. You can also do stuff like HF rolloff (needed for the classics) and Low Gain mode if you want to have more clarity/dynamics with less compression and if the pickups are pegging your pedals or whatever making them sound buzzy. Personally, I think the Fishman Moderns sound pretty good direct to amp, but if using a pedal or what not, they often sound pretty bad in high gain mode. Makes my preciso drive or HM-2 sound like garbage. These options can be hardwired by jumping pins on the back of the pickups or adding switches to short the pins for options on the fly. In the other hand, EMG's def give you your meat and potatoes, for the rigs you're accustomed to... But if they sound bad for certain things/rigs, you have 0 options, as you're stuck with a one trick pony... A great one trick pony, but one trick nonetheless. Persknay, recorded, I love the Emg sound.. I just Sint like how they feel to play. I rarely get enjoyment compared to passives. People who hate actives or don't like the Moderns at first, sometimes change their minds when they switch to low gain mode.

[@rferguson3]

​@@XChristianNoirX​​Very well said. I absolutely agree with everything you said. I recently (couple months or so ago) copped my first set of fluence moderns & I absolutely love em. And just as you mentioned, what makes me now lean more toward the fluence, is the fact that you just can't beat the versatility. Bottom line. I still love my emgs (multiple guitars of mine are loaded with em. 81/85, 81/60, 57/66 & Het set) & while I don't plan of changing them, I do plan to get another set (maybe even a couple sets) of fluence to replace some of my passive loaded guitars. Was skeptical, with all the huge hype surrounding Fishman, but I was absolutely blown away at the sheer versatility, all within the same set of pickups. The neck pickup with vol. popped out & single coil voicing activated, SOOO drastically different than the wide open, brutal sound of the bridge. Not to mention, all sorts of super tasty in betweens. Highly recommended , to anyone remotely considering them.

[@RomanDido]

Yup, I felt the same...the difference is barely noticeable..you would have to really dig and look for it, so in the end it would be about feel...great video Rob, I love your channel brother!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Cheers Dido!🎸

[@Namelessforever_]

Haha love the dramatic music at the end! Great comparison fella. Can’t wait to see the new amp!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks dude!

[@Jaymze9370]

For the M1000’s they had Alder bodies in ‘2002’ then maple body / maple top for 2003 & 2004, and then they went back to the alder body from 2005

[@ryanriffs_1349]

Really need to save up and get me a set of EMG pickups I've always wanted them but unfortunately at this time I only got to play other guitars with EMGs and thats my driving force to one day have them in my guitar. Awsome job on video you always do the best job explaining what going on. Great start to 2022

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks Ryan! I know you'll get some 81's one day man!

[@GhostDragon1182]

On Reverb there is the EMG Factory Outlet, I’ve bought a bunch of pickups off of them. They’re considered “blemished” stock but their standards must be higher than mine because I can’t find any scratches or visual imperfections. You still have to bug a wiring kit separately but you can still save some money doing it that way.

[@theajprentice]

Gotta say...super close but I just love the way those palm mutes sound on the Fishmans!

[@sethforpharaoh9356]

That new guitar really shines bright man! 😍 As for the pickups, I really had to put on some quality headphones on to hear a difference. I'd say the fishmans have a tiny tiny edge on the clarity. Maybe a clean tone would reveal some more of that? However, I'm no sound engineer but there is next to no difference to my ear. I had to close my eyes and focus on my hearing only to notice the tiniest bit of tonal shift between the two!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

I agree on all man!🎧🎸

[@619dar]

Well from what I could hear is the difference between both pick ups is the Fishman pick up as a little more higher tone.

[@Dirt_Serpent]

Damn rob, let me just say, one thing people majorly fail to realize is the importance of good bends in lead playing. That bend at the end of the EMG lead was one of the most beautiful thing ive ever heard man

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks Tyler and I agree man!🎸

[@HazeCovers]

Thanks a lot Rob for this excellent video;) I fully agree with you especially on the Riffing part, The Fishman sounds a little bit more precise but when you went through lead part for me the EMG has a little bit more personality and thickness I clearly heard the difference. Both are awesome btw!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Right on man!🎸

[@demonslayervirgil600]

Going by this video, and having personal experience with both pickups, my opinion is that the Fishmans have a great split coil sound, but i love the sound of the 81 so much more for whatever reason. The low end you get from the 81 compared to the Fishmans is more noticeable in my opinion. But we are talking about two different guitars but the woods are similar.

[@nickpep9730]

The Fishmans just sound buttery! Hard to define…… more of a feel? Both sound great!

[@parallaxgaming5070]

i started recording music shortly after I saw the recording process dvd you guys put out after leaving roadrunner. that damn video hyped me so much i went out a bought logic and started making music with a buddy of mine but it was short lived, now 41 my 13yr two weeks ago asked me to teach him guitar and bam after buying him a setup i find myself right back into it and now have a chance to get something like my idol Rob Arnold ! thank you for everything you do and for always posting videos that inspire me and others to keep playing. hopefully one day you can let esp know that we want a guitar with the chimaira logo inlay .

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Haha awesome man! Happy to inspire! Glad to hear your boy has an interest as well! Good luck to you both with all of your creations!🎸

[@snapascrew]

Nice! I’ve heard fishmans in two different guitars (almost identical guitars with mahogany bodies) sound vastly different. Same pickups. I also had an LTD eclipse (maple top) that sounded best with an 81 and another eclipse (no maple top) that sounded best with an 85. It’s honestly something I feel you just have to mess with which each and every guitar unless you’ve got 2 identical guitars.

[@GhostDragon1182]

EMG is the sound I grew up listening to, and what I built my current sounds around. Fishman Moderns came in a new guitar I bought and while I like them, I’m not going to swap all my current EMG guitars over to Fishman, but the Fishman’s give me another “color to paint with”.

[@garrettpiatt9958]

Bro I appreciate, your realness. No hype , just straight talk !

[@RobArnoldWorld]

👊🙏🤘

[@iamgribs]

I'm a bassist that used to play guitar. They both sound similar. I'd say 81 has more top end "sizzle". This is more obvious with the lead part. Fishman sounds more "smooth" for leads sort of like Dimarzios. 81 sounds more "pointy" and harsher, but in a way that is appropriate for metal. Both are great. 81 is a great choice for modern metal. It's like putting a flamethrower in your guitar. I'm less familiar with what Fishman is about but i like what i have heard.

[@edwardkania9622]

That lead was super clean and sounded so perfect. I’ve had both pickups and I think for active I prefer the fishman but overall I like a passive pickup. The Jupiter set is awesome.

[@webad422]

You should have included in this emg vs fishman comparison a passive voicing of fishman pickups , just to have a clear picture of what sound this pickup can produce and that is the main reason why fishman pickups became so popular.

[@johnelmers3348]

I hear a difference. And I've heard a lot of comparisons lately as I'm about to up grade to replace an older guitar. The difference is not in tone or output but the Fishman's although a bit crisper or clearer sounds synthetic. It's really only noticeable to me during octave or any non-palm muted single note melodies or solos. Does not seem to affect chords or any kind of chugging. Makes sense though as they are basically a processor with magnetic poles. It is subtle but once "I" heard it I can't unhear it. But technology gets better everyday and overall they do sound great. Everything is moving in the direction of software simulations anyways. I think it's just best to jump on board if in the market for a new pickups.

[@ChaziChaz89]

Rob. Thank you so much for this comparison. I love the EMG 81. But the Fishman's are also great. After watching this, I ordered some FIshman Fluence Modern 7 string in Black Nickel (so smooth!!) for my Schecter KM-7 because of 2 reasons: Local store were sold out of EMGs. Amazon Fishman Fluence page has a 5 month payment plan for the same price I'd pay the EMG set. So why not? Totally excited to riff on these. Thanks again for the detailed review.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Wow awesome bro! I'm sure you're going to love em'! You really can't go wrong either way you go when it comes to these pickups. Please stop back and let us know you're thoughts after you've spent some time riffing on em!🎸

[@jeremyzuern5540]

The only way to be super sure is to swap pickups in and out of the old M-1000 back and forth in a new video. You can bypass the diff voicings in the Fishmans and go straight to the "active" sound simply by using the existing EMG connector onto the Fishman where the 3 pins are off to one side. Maybe that comparison would have been a little more exact? Maybe a follow-up vid?!?!?!? As always you tha man tho!

[@MikeArpeggio345]

I had the EMG 81/60 combo in my ESP E-II V. I wasn't the biggest fan and had them swapped out for passives. I may toss them back in and compare them to the fishmans myself since I got the 7 string version of this M1000HT on its way to me.

[@johnnysguitarcorner5510]

Rob and a new amp😱. The Fishman moderns are pretty much based on the best Emg 81 ever made. The thing is the consistency and technology of Fishman which is revolutionary and mindblowing. All the models I own are amazing. The consistency is the thing that knocked me of my socks. Pickups with wound wires have a lot of variables even within the same brand/model/Magnet ones. Fishman tackled that with their technology.

[@AhYesIndeedItsFunTime]

As someone who played EMG for 15 years but then switched to Fishman for me the big difference is in the cleans. Less mud. You can hear more articulation, especially with big chords.

[@philsmith3019]

I recently pitted the M-1000HT against the LTD JL-600 with 81/60. Through my setup, the Fishmans have more upper midrange bite. The EMG'S have a nice darker, squishy sound in comparison.

[@timjenkins502]

I have also noticed my guitars with Floyd's always sound ever so slightly different than the hardtails. Possibly just a tad weaker or less full. I think it might be due to the routing and it having less mass and the springs pulling on the magnetic force of the pickups. I notice it especially with active pickups.

[@Ottophil]

Thats why ive only bought hardtails for 20 years now. Except i ended up getting a regular strat. Hardtail strats are rare.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

@timjenkins502 I feel you on that man!🎸

[@MFKitten]

The 81 was definitely 100% the target for the Fishman. I think the 81 has a little bit of low midrange mush that the Fishman doesn't have. I think the absence of that slight low mid mush is what makes them seem brighter, relatively speaking

[@keolahutchinson7687]

Both sound incredible. Love your playing, man. Appreciate all the badass music you've given us over the years. I feel like the sonic differences get smaller once EMG's are run at higher voltages. Like you said...gotta crank it to know. It's gonna come down to feel.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

👊🎸🤘

[@RodneyMcG]

Killer comparison Rob! I did the same a while back and found that the Fishman is even closer to the X series EMG 81. It's so close I have a hard time believing it wasn't modeled directly after it. It also seemed that the reason for the percieved tighness difference was the high pass on the Fishman was set slightly higher. Funny how the trendy new hotness is often just an old classic with a new look! Enjoyed your breakdown.🤘

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Makes sense Rodney! Hope you're doing well man and thanks for tuning in!🤘

[@TobyKBTY]

What's interesting is that most of the time I prefer playing through Fishmans for that tightness and clarity BUT whenever I record with my EMGs I dig the recorded tone more. There's just something about how they sit in the mix where the chunk sounds so punchy. With that said, Fishmans can easily catch up by tweaking settings here or there.

[@apoplexiamusic]

I think there is a bit more openness and clarity in the Fishman pickups, whereas the EMGs are a bit more compressed and a bit muffled. In my personal experience the Fishmans are way better for a super low tuned baritone, which came stock with EMGs which were very muddy for low tunings.

[@bburritt666]

Great video Rob. I still like the EMG’s and I mostly dig passives. But a good guitar with EMG’s is hard to beat.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks Bri!

[@-_OduvanchiK_-]

EMG's have that classy vibe to the sound - punchy, round. And FF's sound... well... modern. More mids, more clarity, more air

[@2015IeepWranglerJK]

I’m a Floyd guy too. Fishman pulled me away from EMG’s…But I still got more guitars with passive JB’s in the bridges and Saturday Night Specials in the neck. Experimenting is a blast. I am trying out different types of necks as well. Good video. Thanks.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

I also like the JB's!

[@moonelfcosmo]

The Fishman’s popped a bit more in the mix. A slight bit more clarity. The EMG’s sounded great too.

[@M3tal_matt]

I don't care if rob is comparing toothbrushes...I thoroughly enjoy the content he makes and will watch everytime 🤘🖤

[@RobArnoldWorld]

👊🎸

[@matthewsalyersjr4965]

The biggest difference would probably be in the sustain pretty much, The sound .. Alder is a softer wood than maple. Not sure if that would have any effect from the pick ups or not though..

[@AJPMUSIC_OFFICIAL]

I could barely tell them apart in the rhythm test, maybe the fishman was slightly different in the low end on the chugs which is I assume the frequency difference in the pick up hitting the pre amp maybe? The lead sound had a slightly different character but very subjective really.

[@djdanger9812]

Listening through my studio monitors the Fishmans sound like they have a little more low mids its more noticeable when double tracked. They sound slightly thicker and give off a wider more "stereo" sound when double tracked. They sound awesome. Ive been using my EMG 81 / 85 set in my MH400NT for ages I love them but id like to track some Fishmans now.

[@JonnyCrackers]

Fishman wins easily in my opinion. They have more clarity without losing their edge. I have two Kiesels with fluence moderns and they are just the sickest pickups. I'd also recommend DiMarzio Imperiums for a somewhat similar passive humbucker set.

[@CBlackShred84]

I just got the Dave Davidson 7 warrior with Imperiums. Best metal passives of all time. Chords cut through the mix like no other

[@MetalxMasters]

I find the EMG 81 a little more pleasant to the ears. Those Fishmans sure sound huge when tracked left and right, though!

[@ty_the_guy951]

I’m not sure if you thought of this or not, if you have then I’m sorry in advance. There is a second voicing on the fishman. You have to pull that lower knob out.

[@michaelsmith9544]

I like the sound of both. Very minimal difference between them for my ears. Enjoyed the video.

[@dungeonboy3270]

Awesome comparison! That new M-1000HT is absolutely stunning, the only thing holding me back from picking on up is I already have an EMG-81 loaded Eclipse that I play all the time, and this video really did show how small the difference is between the two pickups. I think the Fluence sounds better, but not enough to give the tonal options I'm looking for.

[@alinoe3604]

Hello Rob. First of all, the sound is not only the pickup itself. Wood, bridge in this case also played a big role and you need to pay attention to it. Anyway, your videos are very pleasant to watch. Greetings from Poland.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Cheers!

[@Irishtodd419]

I 100% agree on the analogy you came up with. I think the Fishmans have just a touch bit more clarity than the EMG’s. As you said, a bit more modern. They sound fantastic, but then again, so does the tried and true EMG.

[@robcny74]

The thing here is ... emg . Magnetic and wound thats what we have known for years .. now Fishman . No Magnetic field . Full on digital sonic assault... I personally can totally hear the difference with headphones on . But for me it all depends in what sound I'm going for. My esp has 81/85 in it .. but my schecter i put the killswitch fishmans in it , the 2 guitars have completely different voices, but they both rip and shred.. so it really a matter of what your feeling at that moment . I love them both equally.

[@CBlackShred84]

I thought the EMGs cut through the mix a little more. Especially when you muted those triplets.

[@luisdanielmartinez7772]

first of all ...what a riff man!!! loved it !! Now pickups: thru all my years of playing I realize even tho pickups sound different if you really want to change your tone you gotta take in consideration the amp, the pedals and the cabinet!!! cabinets make a huge difference in sound compared to pickups . Pickups really affect tone but is subtle is all about how they control the midrange and how powerful the are to drive the signal before the pedals and the amp. Pickup swaps were more useful when amps, cabinets and pedals were not as high tech as they are now. With a good amp even the cheapest guitar can sound great. EMGs have a tiny more low end other than that is hard to tell the difference.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Awesome Luis! And with everything you said about tone, I'd like to further that by saying that the PLAYING is ultimately what's MOST important! As I always say... EVH could walk into a walmart and shred a busted up 3 string acoustic and make it sound better than most of us sound on the sickest gear available!😎🎸

[@luisdanielmartinez7772]

@@RobArnoldWorld completely agree with that Arnold , there are guys out there like Eddie that were born to shred no matter what the conditions !!! keep the riffing going my man!! loving your videos

[@RobArnoldWorld]

@@luisdanielmartinez7772 I appreciate you tuning in!🤘

[@JDUBBY08]

I wonder what the difference would be if you used the new chrome EMG81-(B)? They are hotter than the older 81s.

[@chapperbone]

Cool video Rob. I felt pretty much the same way about the pickups too. I like my blackouts more than both. Cheers man.

[@kreepthedestroyer]

Thanks Rob very helpful. I'll stick to my EMGs. I still have that ESP catalogue haha. I drooled over the M1000 because you and God Forbid used them. in the end I got an ESP Eclipse. I also have an ltd V407B which has the same arrow inlays killer guitar. Shame they dont make the 8 ball v anymore.

[@disco4535]

I got my ESP Horizon E-II about a month ago and it has EMG 66TW & 57TW pickups. These are my first EMG's and I was really surprised at how much more I liked them compared to my Fishman Moderns. I was planning on changing out the EMG's before I even got the guitar lol. They sound incredible.

[@makikaze]

It starts around 10:00. Oh man!

[@makikaze]

And ends at 11:40 XD

[@kattycat3502]

Nice to see someone telling the truth about tone for once. Good job...

[@TheMultiDouche]

To my untrained hack ear the fish man’s have a thicker warmer mid, maybe you could call it muddier but I don’t think that’s it. The EMG’s feel more aggressive at the top and bottom

[@agentsixx4343]

I played back that comparison between the 2 guitars 3 times, that s how much I love the the chords

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Nice! 👊😎

[@ErikSchultekdrums]

Had to stop the video to put in what I think before you gave your thoughts. I like the high end attack and clarity of the 81s in this example. Could be that I’m used to your sound but I think it sits better in that eq range in the mix. The fishman have their own character though. I feel they’re warmer in a way and more rounded. Darker in naturally less articulate. I’d say the difference could be compared in a way maybe not 100% but the difference between a brilliant finish cymbal and a dark cymbal

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

Awww man, that custom shop guitar with the gold hardware was SWEET.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Yessir! (For those wondering... kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHSuYoRriNOdpLs)

[@vinsaneinthemembrainnnn]

Great to see you still out there man. Great demo🤘🏻

[@RobArnoldWorld]

🤘

[@paulallyngoff7472]

I think the key is in which one sounds better clean. That would be a determining factor for me.

[@jimmyp7358]

I had to listen a few times to decide… The Fishmans did have a warmer tone to them, but I don’t know if that’s “better” or “worse”. They both sound fantastic. I have EMG 81/85’s in my guitar and I would probably be equally as happy with the Fishmans. Are you still an EMG man after this? Or have the Fishmans changed your mind? Great video by the way! A fantastic comparison between the two!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks Jimmy! I certainly have no plans to start swapping out all my EMG's, but if I acquire new guitars with Fishmans, I'll welcome them with open arms! But to directly answer your question, YES! I am still an EMG man😎

[@ryanlilly198463]

I've been an EMG guy for about 16 years now, but I can hear a little more top-end on the Fishmans and I kinda like them better.

[@chrisfelix9009]

Great video. Yeah although I like the Fishman's for more clarity I do really think the EMG sounded excellent especially for the genre.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks for watching!🤘

[@ghostchants]

Awesome video. Exactly the types of tests you'd want to hear. Also that riff was super cool..

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks dude!

[@judgeshred66]

I can’t hear enough of a difference on rhythms to choose one or the other. Fishmans win on leads imo. But not by much. The 81s just have that classic sound on leads so I’d be happy with either! Totally agree it comes down to feel and how much your balls shake whilst you riff.

[@TheSPazCORE]

Passives are better than either IMO. I have a Schecter with the Fishman Fluance Modern... no dynamic range... can't wait to pull them out and put some passive Duncan's instead.

[@aakaashbulani9237]

Hey Rob was eagerly waiting for this video...... Thanks mate....... Both of them sounded great,,,, can't get one sounding great from other.....

[@Birdie_1991]

emgs have that tone you either like or hate (i personally love) and the biggest selling point for Fishman is the 5 way switch and multiple modes the pickups provide for experimenting. If you dont need all that and play 1 genre stick to what you like and need, but if you play clean, dirty,ambient, cant make up your god damn mind the pick some Fishman or get 5 guitars with differnet emgs lol

[@thesaguitarian9430]

I would have been great if you did the 24v battery on EMGs and see if it makes a difference with a 9v ones. Then compare it to a fishman.

[@nathanhogsed7475]

Great video bro! I've got both Fishmans and EMGs in multiple guitars and I must say that I personally still prefer EMGs. The Fishmans have a slightly weird upper midrange thing that I'm not a big fan of, but I do still enjoy them. And I immediately started banging my head when the riffs kicked in with drums and bass. Dear Lord please let there be new Chimaira music this year!!!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks Nathan!🤘

[@RyRyTheBassGuy]

Can't say I'd go out of my way to install Fishman's in a guitar, but definitely wouldn't replace them either. Just another good sounding pickup.

[@redneckrebelzracing2891]

The solo brought out the difference... The emgs cut harder but the fishmans had a more balanced neutral tone... Kinda surprised because to me they sounded identical except the in the solo. Everybody seems to be jumping to fishmans but I been playing 81/85 for awhile now and they just sound better to me.

[@1Know1tHurts]

Both sound amazing! I'd happily grab any of these pickup sets.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Fuckin A!🎸

[@EliPorterMahn]

This is easily one of the best guitar channels on youtube especially for modern metal!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

I appreciate that dude! Please spread the word!🎸

[@EliPorterMahn]

@@RobArnoldWorld done!

[@RobArnoldWorld]

@@EliPorterMahn 👊

[@human9564]

Hey Rob. Huge fan of your tone. You are one of those OG EMG 81 users. What's your PU height suggestion for the bridge position, with the last fret pushed. i know, emg states to put the PU as close to string as possible, but what's your suggestion. Cheers from germany.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

I don't do any technical measurement or anything. I just eyeball it. Nice and close to the strings, but not in any way where it would interfere with the strings or my playing. 🎸

[@pavelmerkulov7417]

Wow! This riff here and the one from the latest ESP 2022 presentation video! Can’t stop head banging 🤘🤘🤘no matter the gear you are the best!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Haha thanks man! 👊 Please check out some more of my stuff from my bands Chimaira, The Elite, & The Disaster! Just search here on my channel!

[@ardillapesadilla]

Hey Rob!! Did you know about the 24v mod for emg? It would be awesome to watch a video from you testing that mod.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

I do know if it, but I've never tried it!

[@carlsmith9077]

I have the exact 2002 M-1000 Deluxe. I swapped out the stock Floyd trem block with a solid brass unit & added Duncan Gus G's actives. IMO sounds way better. The EMG's sounded a bit harsh to me but right at home in my EC-1000. The Duncans have a warmer tone but as much attack.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Nice!

[@Foxy_proxy]

Both sound good but the EMG's have a deeper sound. Fishmans are a bit more high pitched. I prefer a more bassy sound as long as you're not losing detail. Which was not the case with the EMG's.

[@ReginaldAnteel]

Holy crap I remember that 2005 ESP catalog. The 30th anniversary series. Takes me back. But my Ibanez RG631ALF and LTD M1000HT both have Fishman moderns in them. Compared to my other guitars, running them through Neural DSP amp sim they come out sounding very clean. I understand why ppl call them a “sterile” pickup but to for downtuned metal (drop B) I absolutely love them.

[@felinekaiju4517]

I agree about the sound man!!. I like the more focused sound of the Fishmans, but it seemed less lifeless. As much as the 81's had a bit more... flub in comparison, there's just something else there that I enjoyed more. What was the new amp that you teased at the end?.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Ahh.. I had ordered the new 5150 iconic half stack. I was all jazzed up about getting it, but after like three months it still hadn't arrived, and I lost my mojo for it. Cancelled my order. Bummed

[@garyshelly6555]

I've been a EMG guy since the mid to late '90s and still am today and will never change haha, is that being said the EMGs I believe sound better to my ears.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

I feel the same way!

[@datrain780311]

what a great riff. thanks for the comparison video.. been very interested in the fishman pups.. always love my EMG 81/85 tho.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks for tuning in dude!

[@zakfairchild2356]

Great video! It’s so close. The good news…. either option is great. I currently have the EMGs….

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Cheers Zak!

[@RotterStudios]

Great video! Great comparison setup! I'm thinking of an ESP....one has EMG's and the there has the fishman fluence. I don't know. All my guitars now are passive. I see online most people prefer the EMG.

[@RobArnoldWorld]

Thanks dude! Personally, I prefer EMG.

[@RotterStudios]

@@RobArnoldWorld thanks! I'm going with EMG

[@RobArnoldWorld]

@@RotterStudios 🤘😝

[@dustynguilford7893]

This was a cool comparison because I have a arrow 1000 with the 81/85 pair and just bought an m 1000 with the Fishmans. They both sound killer! To my ear the Fishmans might saturate and cut through in the mix just a tad more but they both sound killer!

[@MetalNeverDieswithMarkA]

The Fishman is a touch brighter or something. That's what I noticed from watching your video. And can i steal your riffs?? Lol

[@RobArnoldWorld]

🤘😉

[@ChaziChaz89]

Marking the dates on the battery, rear head stock. Holy crap, I never thought about that. I feel like I've been blind my whole life.