Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

[tonelizard]

I have a set of Pearly Gates in my Ibanez JS 1000 and can pull some very nice artificial harmonics. I recently bought a beautiful Gibson Traditional Les Paul and swapped out the 57's for a set of Alnico 2's, much better definition and clarity but I don't love the way the pickups squeal when I pull those ZZ Top harmonics. My question is should I have bought another set of PG's for the Les Paul? I was going for that GnR tone but am wondering if I'll be happier with the PG's. Do pickups make that much of a difference in pinch harmonics or is it all about the guitar? Thanks,

Evan

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

i think it's more a matter of the way you're used to playing your ibanez, which has a longer scale. the harmonic nodes are spaced farther apart on it, making them less cluttered and easier to pull off.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

I have a set of Pearly Gates in my Ibanez JS 1000 and can pull some very nice artificial harmonics. I recently bought a beautiful Gibson Traditional Les Paul and swapped out the 57's for a set of Alnico 2's, much better definition and clarity but I don't love the way the pickups squeal when I pull those ZZ Top harmonics. My question is should I have bought another set of PG's for the Les Paul? I was going for that GnR tone but am wondering if I'll be happier with the PG's. Do pickups make that much of a difference in pinch harmonics or is it all about the guitar? Thanks,

Evan

Now Im not the expert on this, but i think that pinched harmonics come from a pickups wind. I have the same issue. I have an alnico II pro set in my les paul and cant get good harmonics.......where the custom custom in my kramer baretta squeals like a pig. It all depends on how the pickup is wound. I know how you attack the string and your pick placement has a factor also, but some pickups just have stronger harmonics than others.

 

[ozzynotwood]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

I think its all in the hands, all my pinch harmonics sound the same on every guitar, and they come out loud.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

technique is a huge factor but a hot and/or bright wind certainly helps IMO

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

I think its all in the hands, all my pinch harmonics sound the same on every guitar, and they come out loud.

Agreed, I even use them on acoustic quite often.

A pickup like the JB or distortion that had accentuated high mids will help, but if the technique isn´t there then there isn´t much to help with

 

[orpheo]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

first and foremost: technique!

but, a pickup which is wound so that it has a strong treble detail, with a nice dose of midhighs, the pinches will be easier to get. those high frequencies aren't capacitated away from the pickup. also, a 'warm' wound pickup with a screaming magnet will give you nice pinches aswell.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

Now Im not the expert on this, but i think that pinched harmonics come from a pickups wind. I have the same issue. I have an alnico II pro set in my les paul and cant get good harmonics.......where the custom custom in my kramer baretta squeals like a pig. It all depends on how the pickup is wound. I know how you attack the string and your pick placement has a factor also, but some pickups just have stronger harmonics than others.

sounds like you're also having a bit of a tough time getting those harmonics out of a shorter scale, but have an easier time getting them from a longer scale, just like tonelizard

 

[tonelizard]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

True, I have been playing Strats and the Ibanez for many years and the LP is pretty different with it's shorter scale neck. I'm getting the harmonics, they just aren't sounding as mean and pronounced the way i want. Maybe the AP2's are a little too clean whereas the PG's have a little more bite? The AP2's sound so good clean but maybe I'll be happier with a hotter wind? Any thoughts? Thanks,

Evan (tonelizard)

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

Technique helps, but for me, something like a JB oozes pinch harmonics where the Custom is much more reserved in that area. I think it has to do with that resonant peak helping to pull out those frequencies.

 

[Invader09]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

I'm having trouble w/ the pinch harmonics also ! I just can't get my thumb down, w/ my picking style... but i'm not a metal player anyway -- I do like pinch harmonics though !

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

I'd say once you have the basic technique down (on a certain scale) you're set, but as others have said pickups can have a big effect on how much squeal you get. I actually find them easier to do on a shorter scale. When the nodes are closer together I don't have to be as accurate with where I pick.

I also find strings and tunings have a lot to with it for me. When I use light strings in E pinches are easier than with heavier gauges, but in lower tunings heavier strings seem to work better. No idea why it works that way for me though.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

Hotter pickups certainly enhance the effect.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

Oh and i forgot.......more gain helps too. Ive found that the more gain you have, the easier PH come out.

 

[tonelizard]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

It's funny if you listen to La Grange, the quintessential ph song from the master Billy Gibbons, he doesn't use a ton of gain and I bet those old pickups in his guitar weren't even that hot. In fact i believe I read in an interview that he played the solo for that tune with a 50's strat, only the rhythm was recorded with his LP "Pearly Gates."

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

It's funny if you listen to La Grange, the quintessential ph song from the master Billy Gibbons, he doesn't use a ton of gain and I bet those old pickups in his guitar weren't even that hot. In fact i believe I read in an interview that he played the solo for that tune with a 50's strat, only the rhythm was recorded with his LP "Pearly Gates."

Well that just proves the fact that technique is VERY important!:headbang:

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

i think it's more a matter of the way you're used to playing your ibanez, which has a longer scale. the harmonic nodes are spaced farther apart on it, making them less cluttered and easier to pull off.

Seriously?
The scale length difference between the LP and JS1000 is .75 inch.
It might matter if we were talking about a normal scale length guitar versus a proper extended scale (28 inches or more).
I can barely tell the difference between 24.75 inches and 27 inches for harmonic node spacing and pulling off pinch harmonics, let alone .75 inch. .75 inch is nothing.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

BG also used a Peso for a pick.

I've found that bridge styles also play a vital role in getting Pinches. For some, the smaller frame and curvature of the hand over a tuneomatic bridge facilitates smoother, easier pinch harmonics, while the flatness and width of a Floyd-style bridge put the picking hand at a flatter spread, making the thumb used for the pinch turn just enough to mess up the angle.

 

[Vincent Vespa]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

BG also used a Peso for a pick.

I've found that bridge styles also play a vital role in getting Pinches. For some, the smaller frame and curvature of the hand over a tuneomatic bridge facilitates smoother, easier pinch harmonics, while the flatness and width of a Floyd-style bridge put the picking hand at a flatter spread, making the thumb used for the pinch turn just enough to mess up the angle.

I find that isn't even a remote issue if you do pinch harmonics using the fingernail of your index finger rather than your thumb. I never understood why people use their thumbs anyway...

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Can A pickup help increase pinch harmonics?

Seriously?
The scale length difference between the LP and JS1000 is .75 inch.
It might matter if we were talking about a normal scale length guitar versus a proper extended scale (28 inches or more).
I can barely tell the difference between 24.75 inches and 27 inches for harmonic node spacing and pulling off pinch harmonics, let alone .75 inch. .75 inch is nothing.

seriously. i find all three of my 24 3/4" guitars much easier to get pinch harmonics out of than my stepdad's 25 1/2", even just unplugged. for me though, it has more to do with my muscle memory and technique more attuned to short scales. that and the thing DrNewcenstein said about bridges