To Artificial Harmonic or not...

[Reinder]

I was playing Cemetary Gates by Pantera on my RG20064 and noticed that itīs a lot harder to get those screaming artificial harmonics out of my axe than say on my Epiphone Les Paul. Any suggestions for the cause? There are Dimarzio/IBZ pickups on the RG. Can it be String Gauge, Pickup Height, Intonation, Pickup Type? Like to hear your suggestions!

[NeglectedField]

If it's a physical difficulty I would say most likely set up and/or string gauge. Try finding a string gauge that's more or less gives the same tension on your Ibanez as your Epiphone. Or maybe your technique, which I can't really verify...

[Reinder]

I guess it's not really the technique, there is an artificial harmonic coming out, but it's harder to get it out and it has not got the same screamquality. This probably sounds anal, but what the heck...

[jb4674]

what's the tone control set at? If it's at zero, you're going to have a harder time getting the artificial harmonics to ring. It'll affect them but not completely.

Jimmy

[RG1820X]

If nothing else works, I would say its probably the pickups. Different models "pickup" different harmonics.
Example: I put a FRED in the neck of one my guitars (they are all 24 fret RG style's practically) and I was finally able to get the fourth fret harmonic in the neck position. I couldn't get it with PAF Pro, Air Norton, PAF Joe, or the Blaze Neck, only the FRED.

[Phishphood42]

Thats because of the difference in scale length and number of frets. The artificial harmonics won't be in the same locations as they would be on a Les Paul.

[Rekuss]

I've been having the same problem. I went from a 22 fret PRS Santana where I could get pinched harmonics out easily, to my RG, which find it harder to get em out. It's getting better. but I guess it all just takes a bit of fiddling eh?

[Reinder]

The tone control is ok, so that's not it. The different scale length could be part of the problem, although I tried finding different spots. Glad to see that I'm not the only one experiencing this issue.

[rastachild]

phishphood is right. you will have to experiment and find the sweet spot on the rg. i had to get used to that too when switching from my js6 to my rt450.

[Dee]

^^ Agreed, plus I agree with the pickup thing. Some pickups are just harder to get harmonics with than others. For some strange reason I had a few problems getting them from my old RG3120 with Tone Zone. I knew it wasn't me, I can pop them out all over the place with ease on any other guitar I've owned, but that guitar didn't wanna do it!

[GAZ]

I had the same problem with my RG2620 straight out of the case. It sounded as dead as a proverbial Dodo. I raised the pups and individual pole pieces and now it screams like good 'un through my Recto. Dead strings won't help, not enough gain and you'll struggle, too much and it'll compress the sound. With pinched harmonics where and how you pick the string makes a massive difference. Try picking exactly in between the humbuckers then pick slightly nearer the bridge or neck. You'll get a different harmonic and some jump out more ! Have fun !!