10 Best Acoustic Pickup Fishmans
for September 2023

The Fishman Neo-Buster humbucker soundhole pickup is the dual soundhole version of Fishman's popular Neo-Classic pick (which, like the Neo-Buster, uses an onboard preamp). The Neo-Buster's clean, full sound sounds great with any type of guitar, and it's particularly well-suited to acoustic-electric guitars. It produces no feedback, even when played through a loud amp. It has a robust pickup design, so it'll hold up over time, and it's relatively easy to install and remove. However, the Fishman Neo-Buster requires an onboard preamp, so it's best paired with acoustic-electric guitars that have an onboard preamp. The pickup comes with a preamp that plugs into the guitar's sound hole, or it can be attached to an amp with a dedicated cable. The pickup comes with a small, removable soundhole cover that attaches magnetically to prevent feedback.

Fishman's Rare Earth pickups are by far the best-sounding pickups we've ever tested. They sound as good unplugged as they do plugged in, and they produce a clear, full sound with much more presence than previous pickups we've tested. The controls are simple, and they offer very solid performance, whether you're plugging into an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, or banjo. The pickups are very responsive, so you can hear even the subtlest of nuances in your playing. The Rare Earth pickups are louder than our previous top pick, the Fishman Sonitone, and they also sound better. The Sonitone has a slightly warmer tone, but the Rare Earths are louder and clearer. The pickups are also less susceptible to feedback, and they sound just as good through a microphone as they do through an amp. The Rare Earths pick up more lows than our previous top pick, the Fishman Sonitone, and they sound even better. The tone of the Rare Earths is very natural and mellow, and they don't distort at high volumes. Our previous top pick, the Fishman Sonitone, is louder and clearer, but the Rare Earths are louder and clearer. All of the pickups we tested produce plenty of volume, and Fishman's volume knob is very nicely designed, so it's easy to control how much volume you get.

The Fishman PRO NEO D02 is a high-quality soundhole pickup designed for acoustic guitars. The low-profile design doesn't take up much space, and thanks to a pickup placement guide, installation is fast and easy. However, installation isn't perfect -- the pickup's mounting screws aren't long enough to pass through most soundholes, and using the screw heads as guides can be finicky. The pickup's pickup placement arrangement also limits your ability to choose from a variety of pickup placement positions. The pickup also takes up a lot of room in the soundhole, so if you're using a soundhole cover, we advise you to mount the pickup outside the soundhole, or drill a small hole in the soundhole cover. The pickup's cable is detachable, and Fishman's included preamp makes the pickup easy to install and operate. The pickup's preamp features a built-in tuner, and it's cooperative with both computers and mobile devices. The pickup's output is low, and it's best suited for acoustic-electric and acoustic guitars, not solid-body guitars. The pickup's fit and finish are top-notch, and it's well built. The pickup's sensitivity is a tad lower than some competing models, but its clarity is excellent. The pickup's output level is excellent, and it's loud enough that most musicians will be able to hear themselves play in a live setting. The pickup works equally well on acoustic-electric and acoustic guitars. The pickup is versatile -- it's suitable for both solo and acoustic-electric guitars, and it's compatible with both standard and low-impedance acoustic-electric guitars. The pickup's pickup placement arrangement also limits its ability to sound great on solid-body guitars, and the pickup's low output level will limit its useful range on solid-body guitars.

Fishman's Matrix pickups are among the most popular preamp-equipped guitar pickups on the market. The Matrix Narrow format (3/32", 2.3mm) offers a rich, warm sound that's ideal for fingerstyle players. The Narrow format's construction is lighter than the Matrix Infinity's, and it produces a brighter tone than the Matrix Standard. The Matrix pickups are easy to install, and Fishman's Matrix preamp (not included) makes it easy to set up a system. The Matrix Narrow format offers the same features as the Matrix Standard, including noise cancellation, and both pickups are a great choice for any musician who uses a Fishman preamp.

The Fishman Matrix Infinity is a simple guitar pickup and preamp system that's easy to install, offers clear, transparent sound, and is affordable enough for most players. It offers a dynamic string response, and is loud enough for most situations. The Matrix Infinity is unobtrusive, and is suited best for acoustic guitars, or for players who need to amplify a ukulele. The pickup's small size, and the narrow spacing of the instrument's body, limits the pickup's versatility, and it's best suited for acoustic guitars and ukuleles with short scale lengths. The pickup's sound is best suited for country and folk-style music.

Fishman's AG Acoustic pickups are the pros' choice for accurately reproducing the sound of acoustic guitars. The AG-E's 6-watt output makes them suitable for most acoustic guitars, and they perform well on electric guitars too. The AG-E's open-back design offers clear, natural sound, and Fishman's proprietary undersaddle pickup technique means you don't have to drill holes into your guitar. The AG-E's versatile sound also makes it well-suited for use in electric and bass guitars, where it's paired with a preamp for a clean, natural sound. The AG-E's tough construction means it's well suited for gigging, and Fishman's 5-year warranty offers peace of mind.

Fishman's Blackstack pickups are among the most popular on the market, and with good reason. They're customizable, easy to install, and provide great sound. The Blackstack Passive model offers two humbucking pickups, and both come pre-wired with a TA4 mini-XLR connector, so they're easy to plug in and start playing. The Blackstack Passive pickups are double-stacked, so you can set the two pickups to work independently or together. Sound-wise, they're bright and punchy, and if you want your pickups to sound strident and in your face, the Blackstack Passives definitely deliver. They're a little muddy-sounding on bass notes, and the treble is shrill, but all the other notes are well-defined and pleasing. The Blackstack Passives also provide plenty of bass response, so they're perfect for electric basses. The pickups are louder than full-size Passive pickups, and they provide a clear, defined sound that singers and guitarists love. The Blackstack Passives are best suited for flat-top guitars, but on acoustics, the pickups sound a little muddy.

The Fishman Powerbridge pickup is the latest innovation in Fishman's lineup of guitar pickups. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup is designed for use with guitars with classic Tele-style bridge cavities. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup is proved to sound great with Tele-style guitars, with performance similar to Fishman's popular Classic Bass pickup. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup features Fishman's PowerBridge Technology, a patented design that delivers pure tone and optimal power transfer to your guitar. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup features an enhanced soundhole mount, which is optimized for bridge placement on Tele-style guitars. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup's soundhole mount features an enlarged soundhole slot, which improves pickup placement and vibrational transfer. Another benefit of the Fishman Powerbridge pickup's enhanced soundhole mount is that it eliminates the need to reposition the pickup after the guitar is modified. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup features an innovative, patented pickup cover design. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup's cover features four large, diamond-shaped openings, which improve pickup performance and maximum sound clarity. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup features Fishman's exclusive preamp system with Ultra-European circuitry. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup's preamp features a negative feedback loop, which eliminates hum and noise and enhances signal clarity. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup's preamp is proven to deliver pure tone and optimum power transfer to the guitar. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup features Fishman's exclusive PowerTap system. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup's PowerTap system provides one-button access to power boost, tone control, and pickup selection. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup features a rugged, nickel-plated steel cover. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup's cover protects components and facilitates pickup installation. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup is proven to deliver pure tone and optimum power transfer to the guitar. The Fishman Powerbridge pickup features our legendary 5-year warranty.

The Fishman Matrix Infinity Mic Blend Pickup System has the strongest sound of any system we tested, thanks to its combination of under saddle and bridge pickup. The under saddle pickup captures the full frequency range of your guitar, while the Bridge pickup provides added sustain. Both pickups are housed in one housing, which takes up less space on your guitar than separate systems, and is lightweight and comfortable to hold. The Matrix Infinity's preamp is powerful, providing boost and EQ settings. The preamp is also color-coded, so you can easily see which level you're at. The Matrix Infinity's onboard tuner is handy, though it's easily disabled, and the system is compatible with Fishman's Aura wireless system. The Matrix Infinity's output jack is flexible, allowing you to plug your guitar into a digital recorder, amplifier, or mixer. The Matrix Infinity comes with a cable that connects to the output jack, and to a standard endpin jack. The Matrix Infinity is easy to set up, and the included instructions are easy to follow. The Matrix Infinity's sound is rich, clear, and textured, and it provides impressive separation between the bridge and under saddle pickup. The Matrix Infinity produces a strong, clear acoustic signal, and it's loud enough for most venues.

If you need an affordable and reliable pickup for your bajo quinto, the Fishman PRO-REP-BQ1 is worth considering. It's one of the lightest pickups we tested, and its pickup sound is well balanced and articulate. The pickup's volume and tone controls are recessed in a recessed knob, which makes them easy to control with your whole hand. The pickup's active electronics also reduce noise, which is important for a bajo quinto, and the battery mount is also convenient. However, the pickup's humbucking tone isn't as full or rich as our favorite bajo quinto pickup, the Oscar Schmidt OB-5, and it's a fair bit more expensive than the OB-5, so we'd only recommend the PRO-REP-BQ1 if you're on a tight budget or you need a flexible pickup for other instruments.