Fishman Fluence vs Bare Knuckle vs EMG Pickups

EMG, Fishman and Bare Knuckle have pushed the boundaries of contemporary guitar pickup design, particularly associated with rock and metal music as it’s become more extreme, more aggressive, sharper, sometimes cutting, sometimes enveloping. This has been the case for decades, from the Bay Area thrash explosion to the mind-bending strobe-prog of Animals As Leaders and Periphery, and now the popular modern wave of bands like Bad Omens, Spiritbox and Sleep Token. Our three pickup brands we’re highlighting have contributed to the evolution of heavy music and continue to be at the frontline of new guitar tones across broad swathes of genres.

Let’s explore what sets these guitar pickup creators apart.

Fishman Fluence Pickups

Fishman, under the leadership of Larry Fishman, have been producing audio and amplification equipment for over 40 years. Preamps, pickups, effects and controllers, for all manner of instruments. For a long time, acoustic amplification was the core of their business model. They produced world-class piezo and magnetic pickups for acoustic guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, classical instruments and more.

In 2013, Fishman unveiled their latest project: Fluence. This was their first foray into electric guitar pickups – something they’d previously deliberately avoided. They knew that to enter the market at such a late stage, they’d need to be bold and offer something new – and that they did.

Forget hand-wired coils – these active pickups contain two Fluence Cores, as well as carefully-engineered analogue circuitry. This combination produces unparalleled tonal consistency, next to no hum or signal degradation, and a unique 3-voice system. It’s literally three pickups in one.

Fishman Fluence Range

Fishman’s Fluence pickup range includes some of the highest quality pickups available spanning a variety of tones, including series like the Modern (high-output rock/metal), Classic (vintage PAF-style), and Open Core Classic models that provide multiple distinct voices per pickup via push-pull or switching controls. Whichever option you pick, you’ll be amazed by the sheer amount of sounds you can squeeze out of just one pickup with their multi-voice settings, let alone a bridge and neck pairing.

Why choose Fishman Fluence pickups?

3 voices in 1 pickup – 3 Fluence cores and analogue circuitry gives you 3 switchable pickup voices in a single pickup. Incredibly versatile.
Minimal noise, consistent sound – again, the Fluence cores are designed differently to traditional coils, drastically reducing hum and ensuring reliable, pure sound performance.
Great range of styles – commonly associated with heavier styles, but you can get everything from 3-pickup Strat sets to 8 string pickups.
Used by top players – the list of Fluence users includes metal legends like Mick Thomson (Slipknot), Stephen Carpenter (Deftones), Richard Kruspe (Rammstein) and Devin Townsend, as well as the prog-metal virtuoso Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders) who stated that ‘no other pickup competes’.

Bare Knuckle Pickups

Bare Knuckle are a UK company who make hand-wired electric guitar pickups of just about every shape and size. Founded in 2003 by session guitarist Tim Mills, they continue to operate as an independent company in Southwest England.

Mills needed a huge range of sounds when working as a professional guitarist. He decided to put his knowledge to good use, creating his own pickups. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, his combination of rough-cut designs, catchy names and head-turning tone took Bare Knuckle from underdog to the big-league. Guitarists who wanted to stray from the path and find something a little more out-there suddenly had somewhere to go.

Fast forward to today, and they’re one of the go-to names for just about everything – from vintage-style single-coils to extended-range monstrosities. All of their pickups are made by hand in their UK workshop. They do custom pickup orders too, so you can tailor your pickup to suit your precise needs. Couple this with the fact that they have a sizeable but navigable range of pickups, and you can see why they’re so darn popular.

Bare Knuckle’s Range

Bare Knuckle’s range of hand-wound passive pickups has some incredible high-output humbuckers like the Aftermath series – purpose-built for modern metal with a crushing midrange and precise high-end articulation. Outside of heavy music, their PG Blues humbuckers deliver a gorgeous jazzy voicing and The Mule is for anyone after classic PAF tone.

Some of their most popular choices are in the Boot Camp range which offers lower output vintage tone from the ‘Old Guard’ models as well as the fatter-sounding mid output ‘True Grit’ and the high-output drive-focused ‘Brute Force’ pickups – all available in humbucker, single-coil or P90 variations.
The lineup spans the tonal spectrum, all with hand-wound British quality. Plus, they offer custom winding services for personalised specifications.

Why choose Bare Knuckle pickups?

Hand-wired in the UK – as mentioned earlier, it’s all done in-house, by hand, the old way. This is quite rare, especially at Bare Knuckle’s price point!
Easy to find your style – they’ve got a lot on offer, but it’s super easy to find what you’re after. Choose your guitar-type and playing style, and there’s probably one that’s perfect for you.
Customise your pickup – choosing a pickup to suit your guitar and playing style is easy. But if you want to go a step further, you can with Bare Knuckle. Choose a full set, different covers, different screws – down to the finest detail!
Used by top players – BK’s roster includes the likes of Misha Mansoor (Periphery), Matt Bellamy (Muse), Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand), Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park) and our pal Rabe Massaad among many others. Bare Knuckle have particularly taken over the modern metalcore scene, with a whole host of the genre’s top bands including Architects, Northlane, TesseracT, Polaris, Landmvrks and Bleed from Within all using their pickups to define the sound of the genre.

EMG Pickups

Having been in the electric guitar pickup business for the longest, EMG are arguably the better-known out of our 3 contenders. Ask any guitarist about EMG pickups, and they’ll likely have a thing or two to say.

The company was founded in 1976 in California and specialises in high-output active pickups. In the ’80s, guitarists’ demands grew more extreme – more volume, saturation and bite was needed to keep up with the rapidly maturing rock and metal sound. EMG stepped in at just the right time, providing a dense, consistent sound the likes of which simply hadn’t been experienced before.

This perfect timing set them on the path to guaranteed success. They very quickly became one of the staple manufacturers of hot pickups and remain so to this day. Any mention of active pickups, and chances are people imagine a set of EMGs.

EMG’s Range

EMG have quite the arsenal available to pick from. The pairing of an EMG 81 & 85 (in the bridge/neck positions respectively) is as iconic as a set of Gibson PAFs or a set of Fender Strat single-coils from the ’60s. Having said that, the EMG pickup range now has plenty more on offer, including the 57/66 (vintage-voiced actives), S or T-style single-coils, extended range pickups and P90s – all with their active technology to boot. They also feature some exceptional signature models from artists including James Hetfield, Jim Root, Zakk Wylde, David Gilmour and Gary Holt.

Why choose EMG pickups?

Familiar sound – you know how they’re going to sound before you even plug them in. Chunky compressed gloriousness that just makes you want to rip classic Metallica riffs (unless you go for single coils!)
Highest output – on average, their range offers pretty much the highest output on the market. If you’re looking to supercharge your guitar with consistently intense levels of gain, look no further.
Instantly recognisable – if you’re a guitarist and you claim that aesthetics don’t affect your decisions, you’re lying to yourself. EMG pickups look super cool and you can spot them in a guitar a mile away.
Used by top players – renowned EMG users and signature artists include James Hetfield & Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Zakk Wylde, Jim Root (Slipknot), Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage) and Sean Long (While She Sleeps). They’re a mainstay in the world of heavy music, with bands including Slayer, Machine Head and Parkway Drive all using their pickups in studio and on stage.

Honourable mentions

As mentioned earlier, we picked these three pickup brands because it’s a common comparison to make. Guitarists who want to give their sound a turbo-boost often consider aftermarket pickups, and EMG/Bare Knuckle/Fishman are at the forefront of said turbo-boosting tech.

There are plenty more guitar pickup manufacturers to choose from though. Just a handful of popular pickup brands to consider are:

Seymour Duncan – Hand-made in Santa Barbara, Seymour Duncan is steeped in prestigious history. Famous models include the high-output Invader, hot-rodded JB and enduring Duncan Distortion. Artists on the roster include Dave Mustaine, Brad Paisley, Lari Basilio, Yvette Young, Wes Borland, Nuno Bettencourt, Billy Gibbons, the late Dimebag Darrell and countless other top artists.
DiMarzio – Several famous pickups like the Evolution, Super Distortion, Tone Zone and Fortitude humbuckers made in the USA. DiMarzio are played by Paul Gilbert, Andy Timmons, Nita Strauss and Joe Duplantier.
Gibson – It’s impossible to count out the original creators of humbucker pickup design. The Gibson sound transcends guitar specialists with the likes of the historic “Patent Applied For” humbuckers, later T-Top alnico 5 ‘buckers, and their latest high-output Elev8 series. We’d be here all day if we listed who has played through Gibson pickups, but notable names who have played them include Angus Young, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Mick Ronson, Ritchie Blackmore, Billie Joe Armstrong, Ray Toro and Brent Hinds.

Which pickup brand is right for you?

These three titans of the pickup market certainly cross over in places. Extended range pickups, modern djent-style tone – you get the idea. But hopefully by now you’re a little more aware of the primary differences, and perhaps a step closer to finding which brand is right for you.

Fishman’s Fluence range has turned the pickup game on its head, offering a hi-tech solution to noise, tonal consistency and sound versatility. Bare Knuckle fly the flag for the old-school, with hand-wired products that offer gutsy tone and the ability to hone a sound that’s 100% yours. EMG bring superior experience and a reputation that hasn’t budged in decades – if you want active pickups, that’s your game.

Check out more of our Labs articles for insightful comparisons and guitar gear.

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