What is the concensus on fishman fluence pickups? How do they comapre to other soapbar pickups? Who out there uses them and how do you like them?
One word, Crisp.
That’s what stand out to me. It can be punchy and boomy like everyone else but if you want to turn it up this is Glass grade pickup.
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They are awesome, and wish I had a bass to put a set in.
One day…
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I’m still waiting to find out. I have a set that’s been waiting to go into my project bass. Closest it’s come so far is dry fitment to make sure the cavities are sized right (I had to chisel and sand a bump out of one wall). I just got my knobs and drop tuner today. Waiting on some conductive paint and some trim paint I want to do before putting the Tru-Oil all over it. Hopefully soon!
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I put a set on one and have a spare on deck, 
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Crisp is a perfect word to describe them. I have a Spector NS Dimension 5 with them. It sounds awesome!
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Any particular “voicing” for the crispness?
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Tbh, both modes are pretty crispy. If you are effects user this is a dream. My first mod I installed it with the battery pack but I didn’t like that idea very much because it’s the micro USB. If it’s type C I’d be all over it.
I like active pickups. They have great tone. That’s the main reason I love EMG pickups.
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There are Fishman Fluence pickups on my Schechter SLS-Evil Twin bass. I’m still struggling some with them after six months. A, D, and G strings are good, but the E string is either weak or overly boomy and muddy. I’m just having a hard time finding a sweet spot that picks up the clarity without getting boomy. Maybe I need to change the strings, I have no idea how long they were on the bass before I got it.
Plus, for an active bass it seems like it is overall quieter than my passives.
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Love those Evil Twins. The inspiration for my project bass is kind of part SLS ET and part Stiletto Studio. Possibly pickup height is off from side to side? ? If used, I’d change the strings on principle just to not play other people’s gunk. Or maybe you’ve got a bad E string?
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got them on my cort a4 , lots of tonal options, almost too much for me to choose, but that is not s bad thing
the only thing is there is no passive switch , once the batteries run out it starts to distort for a(very) short time, then it just dies
also cant seem to find a guideline for pickup height anywhere ?
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Thanks @qenden I’m looking into what I think is the same Bass, a Cort A4 Ultra Ash, once GAS funds are sufficient 
How is the playability of the A4 Bass itself?
Yeah there does not seem to be much on setting the string height other than the standard 2.5 to 3mm. Fishman’s own manual isn’t much help.
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Yes mine is a A4 ultra ash …
I’d say go for one , It’s light, balances well , lots of tonal options sound / looks great a nice bound neck feels like a jazz with a “ flattened “ D shape ( if that makes any sense) .
I can get the action very low and no buzzing
A LOT of bass for your money
Come on, you know you want one
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Reviving this thread a bit. Has anyone tried gold strings with their Fishmans? The aesthetic works great for my project but can’t really decide if I want rounds or flats. If rounds, I’d probably go with the Optima 24k or maybe the Aurora strings in gold. Flats would probably be the LaBella DTB Golds.
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@Al1885 likes both of these gold strings. I do not. The Optima are so bright and ringy, too much for me. The Labella’s were just not for me. Al may be able to advise on either with the Fishman’s
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Thanks @John_E
Here’s the thing. If you are already have the Fluence on a few basses and want different flavors then the flats may be a good option but it would not be my first choice as it takes away the zing-alicious of the Fluence away.
That said going Optima round wound gold will take that Zing to the next level. If you have a decent right hand control then go for it. I love my gold strings.
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Are those the Optimas? Or something else? If Optima, the 24K Gold, the Maxiflex, or the Uniques?
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All are unique studio. The differences is the silk. Unique Studio is a little less bright but you gotta be A/B-ing them side my side to notice, I have the Maxiflex on my Jazz Mod and the gold flat on my Spector
.
Plus @booker_t just gave me a set last Sunday, that was very generous of him.
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The ones on the Spector would be basically perfect for my look with the black silk. I was thinking trying rounds but flats may be the way. I wasn’t seeing gold flats from Optima, though. The only flats I see from them are nickel. I think the LaBella Gold flats have black silk, though. Could the ones on the Spector be LaBellas?
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I ended up ordering a set of the Optima Studios last night from Strings By Mail as they supposedly have them in stock. I wanted to get the super long to take advantage of the new holes I drilled for through-body mounting. Amazon said it’d be about 6-7 MONTHS for delivery. I almost went with the LaBella Gold flats, but they specifically say “This particular set is NOT suitable for basses with bridges that require strings to pass through the body of the instrument. The Gold Flats are only available in Standard/Long Scale.”
Aurora is the same way. Plus there were a number of reviews saying the coating chips off very easily and issues with strings breaking during install, etc. I’ll probably end up dying the silks black, though.
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