“My pickups were tuned in a studio and then tested on the road, the end result being both musical and face melting”: Slipknot's Mick Thomson has just released his much-speculated Fishman Fluence signature pickup set

Fishman has just announced the release of the Fluence Mick Thomson Signature Series pickup set. Thomson is known for exploring new technologies and gear, and Fishman Fluence claims to “deliver the greatest version of Mick's signature tones” but also “encapsulates everything that he’s been searching for throughout his career”.

The new pickup set promises to deliver an array of humbucker sounds as well as single coil capability. The first voice in the bridge pickup is Thomson's signature tight, active bridge humbucker tone, while the second voice conveys a refined punchy passive humbucker sound. The third voice channels a “glassy, crystal-clear single coil tone.”

The neck pickup features the first voice, which Fishman describes as “thick and fluid”, plus a second voice that offers “sweet” vintage passive humbucker plus an extra low-mid punch. In addition to these two, the neck pickup also incorporates a third voice that delivers “vintage, but quiet, single coil neck tone”.

To achieve the voicings Thomson requested, Fishman leveraged a new custom hybrid magnet design. “My pickups were tuned in a studio and then tested on the road and then tuned a little bit more. The end result being both musical and face melting,” reveals Thomson. 

“Extra attention was given to the low mids to keep it big but tight. Voiced to cut through a mix but never be shrill. Just could not be happier with how they turned out.”

Last year, the Slipknot guitarist officially became a Fishman Fluence endorsee alongside his new role as an ESP artist, all of which led to speculation that a signature set was on its way.

Fishman Fluence pickups were a game-changer when they first came out in 2014 due to the use of tiny, precision-made coils that can be stacked to isolate hums and frequencies. They can also be “split” to create different voicings, making the pickups particularly attractive for potential endorsees. 

In an interview with Guitar World, Fishman’s VP of Marketing and Artist Relations Chris DeMaria said, “It goes back to creating solutions for players. We’ve been able to sit in our studio with the artist and, in real time, create voicings that perfectly match the idealized sound they’re looking for.”

Priced at $289.95, the pickups are available as a 6-string set and come in a Thomson-approved matte black nickel finish. For more information about the Fluence Mick Thomson Signature Series pickup set, head to Fishman.