P-90 heat without the hiss.
Great versatility. Three terrific-sounding, distinct voices. Quiet!
Lacks a little of the grit and granularity of traditional P-90s (if you like that in the first place).
$169 (single) $289 (pair)
Fishman Fluence Greg Koch Gristle-Tone P-90s
fishman.com
Pickup companies often look backwards for inspiration. But Fishman redrew the blueprint for electric guitar pickups when it introduced the Fluence series in the early 2010s. Different in design and constriction from both the traditional passive electro-magnetic pickups of old and powered active pickups, they are relatively hum-free and much more consistent in sound and quality from unit to unit.
The newest member of the growing Fluence family is the Greg Koch Signature Series Gristle-Tone P-90 set. "Hum-free" and "P-90" are not words you often see together, but the Gristle-Tone delivers impressively on the promise of a quieter P-90. They're easy to drop into any soapbar-pickup-routed guitar (provided you also have a space routed for a 9V battery). And when mated to a pair of included push-pull pots, they can generate three distinctly different voicesādelivering unexpected versatility and an original take on one of the guitar world's oldest pickup designs.
Played in an EpiphoneĀ Les Paul Special, recorded direct via a Neural DSP Quad Cortex modeling unit.
Clip 1: Clean. Quad Cortex set to an AC30 emulation, with pickup/switch settings in order: Bridge Vintage, Overwound, Clear Single Coil; Neck Clear Single Coil, Overwound, Vintage.
Clip 2: Overdriven. Quad Cortex set to a cranked-Plexi emulation, with pickup/switch settings in order: Bridge Vintage, Overwound, Clear Single Coil; Neck Clear Single Coil, Overwound, Vintage.
Ā Chewinā It Over
Behind their relatively traditional-looking covers, the Fluence P-90s utilize a means of signal generation that departs from conventional wire/coil architecture. Instead of wire wrapped around a bobbin and an array of poles, each Fluence Core is made from a 48-layer coil on a robust substrate. The structure not only makes the pickups impervious to variations in wire-gauge and insulation, but also resistant to fluctuations in heat and humidity. Fluence pickups still have some things in common with traditional pickups. They're essentially electro-magnetic in nature, of course, using alnico bar magnets and threaded steel pole pieces, just like traditional P-90s. But without variations in wire and winding, the Fluence pickups can be much more consistent.
Fluence architecture also enables a given pickup to stretch its capabilities. And in the case of Gristle-Tone P-90s, Fishman managed to extract three distinct voices: a vintage P-90, a hot, overwound P-90, and a clear single-coilāall of which are selected via the push-pull tone control.
In a Lather
The Gristle-Tone's hum-cancelling capabilities will be good news to fans of old-school P-90s, which are famously some of the most hum-inducing pickups on the planet. But reduced noise is just part of the story. And my initial impressions of the Greg Koch Gristle-Tone Signature P-90 set were that they were dynamic, versatile, and sweet-sounding.
Fishman supplied the review set in an Epiphone Les Paul Special which I played through Marshall and tweed Deluxe-style amps. Compared to vintage-voiced P-90s, the Gristle-Tone might lack a little of the characteristic grit and granularity that many players dig. The Fishman pickups are also a little clearer and more precise in all three voices. But given the overall musicality and expressiveness of the Fishmans, I rarely felt like I missed those vintage elementsāunless they were central to a very specific tone quest.
That said, the vintage P-90 setting is convincing enough that no one will be scowling at you from a packed mosh pit on a Saturday night. It yields a fat, juicy voice through a pushed amp or overdrive pedal, while adding bite and edge to clean settings. The overwound setting offers instant sizzle and burn for leads or chunkier power-chord rhythms, and impressively adds the extra dash of heat without sacrificing articulation. The clear single-coil option took the Les Paul Special straight to Tele townāgenerating a brighter kind of twang and jangle in settings where standard P-90s can sound muddy.
The Verdict
Together, the Fluence Greg Koch Signature Gristle-Tone P-90s make an impressive pair, and instantly give you access to vintage, rocking P-90 sounds, contemporary, high-gain rock textures, or immaculate country and pop tones at the pull of a switch. You'll have to switch batteries out every 100 hours (for a 9V), or 120+ hours between charges (on Fishman Battery packs). And vintage purists may miss some of the wild-and-wooly attitude that comes along with the noise in an old-school P-90. But for guitarists who value maximum possibilities, a wider palette of tones, and a more dynamic feel, the Gristle-Tones are a load of fun and full of potential.
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Lutefish, the real-time music collaboration device and platform, is excited to announce a suite of new features designed to simplify setup, streamline collaboration, and offer more flexible subscription options for Lutefish Stream users. These latest updates, Audio Presets, Automatic Session Recall, Improved Scheduling with Contact Visibility, and a new Yearly Subscription Plan, are all about making it easier than ever for musicians to jam together, no matter where theyāre based.
Save Time and Stay in the Flow with Audio Presets & Session Recall
Musicians can now save and reuse their exact audio settings, reducing setup time and ensuring every session sounds exactly as they want.
- Automatic Session Recall: When users leave a session, their current audio levels are automatically saved and restored when they rejoin.
- User-Defined Audio Presets: Each user can create and name up to five custom presets, like āBand Practice,ā āStudio Mic Setup,ā or āQuick Jam,ā making it effortless to jump back in with the perfect sound.
āThese tools are all about saving time and hassle,ā said Patrick Finn, Business Manager at Lutefish. āMusicians want to make music, not spend time rebalancing levels every session. With presets and recall, weāre giving them time back and helping them sound their best, every time.ā
Smarter Scheduling and Contact Visibility
The latest update to Lutefish also made it easier to find collaborators and book sessions. Users can now:- View all their contacts at a glance when scheduling a session.
- Instantly identify which contacts own a Lutefish Stream deviceāso they will always know whoās ready to jam.
Go Yearly and Save 20%
Lutefish now offers a Yearly Subscription Plan, providing users with the same great access as the monthly plan at a 20% discount.
This option is now available within the Lutefish app and web platform, and current monthly users are eligible for a discount with an upgrade to a yearly subscription.
Lutefishās mission has always been to empower musicians to connect and collaborate without boundaries. With these new updates, Lutefish Stream continues to break down barriersāwhether youāre jamming with a friend across town or collaborating with a bandmate 500 miles away.
For more information and to start jamming today, visitlutefish.com.
Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramerās incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.
Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramerātogether with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator āthe pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramerās charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
In honor of his close friend, Tom Morelloāthe innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and moreādemoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramerās incredible legacy.
Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive
"What they've tried to bake into the MXRĀ® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne's sound but Wayne's attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5," said Morello, one of Kramerās best friends, during his demo of the pedal. "This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song 'Heavy Lifting' that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.
"Named after the late rocker's charityāwhich provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation toolsāthe MXRĀ® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer's sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.
Music makers looking to capture Kramerās raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXRĀ® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kieselās new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼ā input, XLR and ¼ā outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. Itās intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But donāt let that hold you back if youāre a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼ā phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry ā important for the instrument most responsible for the bandās groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).