Pinch Harmonics

tt0511 · #1 08-17-2007, 12:08 PM

I'm noticing that it's darn near impossible, to get pinch harmonics on my new RGT320Q. I'm curious to know if you guys think that's due to the DiMarzio/IBZ pup in the bridge. I had no problem with the Evo's in the Jem. The only other guitar I've had this same trouble with was my JS100 and I had put the Fred and Paf Pro or Joe in there. For some reason, they were a challenge in that guitar too.

What happens is that it's really hard to hit the harmonic that's roughly in the middle of the two pups. And when I get it and try to bend the string to a higher note, the harmonic that was barely there disappears very quickly.

Thanks.

70Seven · #2 08-17-2007, 12:58 PM

Its all in the technique. I had Dimarzio IBZ for a while in my guitars and never had problems with pintch harmonics, I recently swapped my pickups for Paf joe and Mo Joe and I get the same pintch harmonics than with IBZ, no better or worse. Maybe your not picking at the right place on the string, some harmonics require you to pick closer to the neck pickup, others right in the middle between the two pickups. Practise your picking, find a note you can "pinch" right, and move your pick closer to the neck see what happens, then take the same fret but do the same thing on another string. 3rd and 4th string are easier for harmonics. I have a RG2550 and used IBZ pickups for over a year, your guitar and pickups are not the problem, you should be able to get good pinch harmonics out of them

PS, problem could be in the amp or distortion, what gear do you use?

sniperfrommars1 · #3 08-17-2007, 01:12 PM

The lowest output ****tiest pickups ever get pinch harmonics, its your technique thats flawed, it may even be the height of your action causing the issue mostly.

tt0511 · #4 08-17-2007, 02:34 PM

I'm using a Flextone III. Right now I have just set up one bank based on a Bogner amp, that has plenty of distortion, but the tone where I like it is half to 70% on the gain/distortion.

It could be the distortion setting since I am aware that the harmonics get way easier with a ton of distortion, ...but I'm not playing ozzy either. By the way, I have no problem getting the pinch harmonic at the front pup where the neck meets the body. It doesn't sustain during a bend before losing those harmonic overtones/qualities as long as it did on the JEM though. This very well may be due to the amount of distortion.

A higher pitched harmonic is accessed further back in between the pups. That's the one I'm having trouble with. And, I can get it, but it doesn't last long. I have tried everywhere on the string because I know that each guitar is a little different. I guess I need to try a higher distortion and see what happens. Action on the axe is just fine, ...pretty low.

I know it could be my technique, ...however, I am not a beginner who has no clue so please don't jump to the conclusion that I just don't know how to do it as that would only be folly on your part. I had no problem at all on the JEM, and I don't have much trouble on my strat although it is a little tougher on that axe for me (seems like the sweet spot is much smaller).

I am however, inexperienced with amp settings and don't know a lot about amps. I know much more about playing a guitar than about amp settings and differences.

TicTac in my eye · #5 08-17-2007, 02:54 PM

Amp settings matters with doing pinch harmonics. With the right amount of gain, mids, highs and presence you can get achieve pinch harmonics. I usually boost my mids more. Try messing around with different settings that sound good to you.

jb4674 · #6 08-17-2007, 03:50 PM

Whether or not you have incredible amounts of distortion, your technique is going to determine whether or not you get the pinch harmonic. Pickup height will help you get more detail when you hit the harmonics but, ultimately, your hand will have to make the harmonics come out.

Jimmy

rastachild · #7 08-17-2007, 04:53 PM

it is definitely true that your technique has to be solid first. best way to determine if your technique is the issue is to just play the guitar unamplified. you can hear pinch harmonics on an unamplified guitar just fine. but i have noticed differences in how well they ring out based on different guitars i play especially with the lower strings. i have one guitar that sounds kind of muddy, but only on the low e string. i can never get good pinches to come out on the low e of that guitar. when i started looking at the pickup, i noticed the low e pole piece was off significantly with the low e string (it wasn't f spaced), so problem identified. still, there are some guitars that i can really nail them on and others that i can hit them, but they just don't ring out as well. could be an issue like i detailed above or could be just poor construction on the part of the guitar (i.e., poor resonance, poor neck to neck joint fit, etc.)

Epicus Furor · #8 08-17-2007, 05:15 PM

If you really want your pinch harmonics to ring out clearly, raise your action so you can really dig into the string

waylay00 · #9 08-17-2007, 09:58 PM

Try checking the intonation. That makes a big difference.

Salamander In The Sun · #10 08-17-2007, 10:03 PM

I know this sounds obvious, but a lot of people tend to overlook things like turning their volume and tone knobs all the way up, as well as their amp's gain.

**jemaholic** · #11 08-17-2007, 10:38 PM

I play lots of Ozzy and BLS, so Zakk is God-like to me. It took a fair amount of time to capture his PH's but once you get it- it's hard to stop!

TheBoss84 · #12 08-18-2007, 12:51 PM

Its most probably your technique. I can even get pinch harmonics on clean and that with a squire bullet stock. Practice your technique more and try raising your action a litlle bit. Too low action cuts out harmonics.

TheBoss84 · #13 08-18-2007, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salamander In The Sun

I know this sounds obvious, but a lot of people tend to overlook things like turning their volume and tone knobs all the way up, as well as their amp's gain.

1+

Its very important to put the guitar volume knob on 10. Many times i wondered why i couldnt get pinch harmonics and i realized that my volume knob was on 1 or 2.

tt0511 · #14 08-20-2007, 03:14 PM

I increased the drive to full and tried it out, and things got a lot easier and the harmonics jumped out a lot more. The tone I'm enjoying right now runs lower on the drive though so the harmonic "sustain" or note length before returning to a non-harmonic sound isn't as long. But, that's the tone I'm diggin' right now. More of a mid to heavy brown sound that crunches good on chords when they are chunked, but also allows individual notes to ring out and not blend in.

It could be the action contributing as well, but I play a pretty darn low action so that's not likely gonna change much since that's my preference, but that is very good information to know!