Need Help on annoying Duncan JB pickup harmonics

Icarusfire

Icarusfire

New member
I have a weird "problem" I recently bought an ESP ltd les paul style guitar with a Duncan JB pickup on bridge. Yesterday while i was practising with my headphones and with full hi gain distortion i noticed that especially on high strings the moment my pick "touchs" the string to make an attack i get a quite loud pick "harmonic" kind of sound. SO loud and melodic that it feels like a note in advance added to my actual notes! Actually thats NOT an annoying sound or noise, its a bright sweet harmonic, but eventually that does not belong to my solo!!

I dont get this on my neck pickup(Duncan 59) and this is less noticable when doing alternate picking on same string, but it becomes quite annoying if thats sweep picking since there is single note on every string and when I am starting an upward sweep from high E, my arpeggio starts with the "harmonic" of my pick touching the string before I make any attack on the string. This is not about my technique cause when I simply and very lightly touch the string with my pick I can still get this harmonic as if I made an artifical harmonic whether or not I press anynote, and this is almost louder than an actual pressed and attacked note.

Is this a known issue for all hot humbuckers? some people say bridge pickups are naturally pick lots of harmonics and its normal. I tried changing height of pickups but no luck, something wrong with wiring or my digital effect pedals distortion is very crappy(thats 50 dollar Vamp with amp simulation )

Any ideas?
 
Last edited:
Re: Need Help on annoying Duncan JB pickup harmonics

Icarusfire said:
Lol its not Underwear, you dont change ur decade pick in a split second :)
Click to expand...

I know, changing picks usually requires some technique adaptation, but I like thick picks & have had the same problem. With hot bridge pickups & high gain, it is hard to avoid. Using a softer pick, like the Dunlop nylon 2mm, helped a lot.
 
Re: Need Help on annoying Duncan JB pickup harmonics

Also try 250k pots. The resonant peak of the JB is very active in that range, and a 250k pot flattens it a bit. Its not so much a harmonic as it is the sound of the string between the pick and the bridge. The reason your neck pickup doesn't do it is because it simply can't "hear" it. It's like for a split second your pick is a fret or a slide.

You can roughly simulate this by turning your guitar's volume down to "8 or 9" and you'll hear it take the edge off. It's not the same as using a 250k pot, but it should teach you whether that will be a step in the right direction or not.
 
Re: Need Help on annoying Duncan JB pickup harmonics

The worst "chirp" I've EVER heard from a pick are those Dunlop Big Stubbys.

I find Tortex, and other picks made of Delrin, to have a low amount of chirp.
 
Re: Need Help on annoying Duncan JB pickup harmonics

Are you sure that the strings do not touch the poles?
 
Re: Need Help on annoying Duncan JB pickup harmonics

I just got a JB and use good old fender mediums i have no chirp unless i want it.
In your case i think the other guys already answered what the cause is:)
 
Re: Need Help on annoying Duncan JB pickup harmonics

Icarusfire said:
the moment my pick "touchs" the string to make an attack i get a quite loud pick "harmonic" kind of sound. SO loud and melodic that it feels like a note in advance added to my actual notes! Actually thats NOT an annoying sound or noise, its a bright sweet harmonic,
Click to expand...

Yeah baby! thats why JB's rawk!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top