Better pinch harmonics?

[smavridis]

is there anyway i can hot rod my SD full shred to get a better pinch harmonic out of it?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

While some pickups do pick it up a little better than others, I think it's technique as much as anything.  I've seen 3 guys play the same guitar with same amp and each get different results.

 

[dbw]

Always use the bridge pickup, with tons of gain... other than that it's just technique I guess.  I practice on an acoustic :guitaristgif:

 

[metalman22105]

Throw an overdrive pedal in front of your amp as a clean boost (gain down, level all the way up) it will add a ton of harmonic overtones, and pinch harmonics will fly out a lot easier.
Try the Maxon OD9, OD808, or the Ibanez Tubscreamer series (TS9, TS808 re-issues) I personally like the Maxon ones better, but an overdrive pedal used as a clean boost will enhance pinch harmonics a lot! Hope this helps

 

[dmraco]

it is alot of technique.  I do have guitars that scream more than others.  My EMG 81/85 seems the best for pinch.  May want to mess around...use 500K pots if you are not already...

 

[smavridis]

using 500k

its in the bridge and using a boss metal zone mt-3

never thought of that one metalman, ill try it out... when i fix my amp  ???

 

[mayfly]

ya know, it's mostly technique.  I can get a pinch harmonic on an acoustic guitar as long as the strings are fresh.

I recommend practicing on a piece o' crap.  Then once you switch to a good guitar you'll be able to squeal at will.

btw, have you taken that amp apart yet?

 

[smavridis]

my friend looked at it and he is changing the fuse for me, you guys were right! i need to update that.

 

[jimh]

I find smaller stubby picks like the Dunlop Jazz III work really well for Pinch Harmonics as you can really get your thumb behind the point of the pick.

 

[Orpheo]

I find smaller stubby picks like the Dunlop Jazz III work really well for Pinch Harmonics as you can really get your thumb behind the point of the pick.

funny, I prefer the huge tortex picks, cause I have more grip with those and thus more control.

 

[dmraco]

I find smaller stubby picks like the Dunlop Jazz III work really well for Pinch Harmonics as you can really get your thumb behind the point of the pick.

funny, I prefer the huge tortex picks, cause I have more grip with those and thus more control.

+1...dunlop ORANGE!

 

[Superlizard]

Pinchie-squealies are effortless with this stompbox.

 

[smavridis]

I find smaller stubby picks like the Dunlop Jazz III work really well for Pinch Harmonics as you can really get your thumb behind the point of the pick.

i use similar ones, they're small like the jazz but different material.

 

[dmraco]

I do think pedals help...but it is mostly and effect of your playing, guitar, and pickups.  No amp or stompbox will help if they are not being generated on the guitar./

Mayfly had the best suggestion...practice on an acoustic.

I am trying to teach my 10 year old how to do it on his Warmoth LP loaded with dimarzio Evos.  The guitar screams and I can pinch like crazy!  He is working thru it and will nail one every so often...he gets a big smile on his face~~~~ :guitarplayer2: :guitarplayer2: :headbang:

 

[smavridis]

I do think pedals help...but it is mostly and effect of your playing, guitar, and pickups.  No amp or stompbox will help if they are not being generated on the guitar./

Mayfly had the best suggestion...practice on an acoustic.

I am trying to teach my 10 year old how to do it on his Warmoth LP loaded with dimarzio Evos.  The guitar screams and I can pinch like crazy!  He is working thru it and will nail one every so often...he gets a big smile on his face~~~~ :guitarplayer2: :guitarplayer2: :headbang:

lol thats cute 

but its funny because when i played the ibanez rg550, i could pull them off without trying. but on non ibanez guitars i have to actually TRY.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

It is more technique than anything else. Second from good levels of gain, compressor pedals help a lot also. Harmonics are not as loud as a normal plucked note, so gain is required for it to jump out and slay the front row of your couch. Third is how your EQ is set up, pinch harmonics are going to happen in the upper frequencies for the most part, so if your top end and upper mids are not strong, they will be weak also.

I personally haven't found a situation where I couldn't pull it out of a guitar/amp combination. But on some weaker guitars/amps it is harder to do. 

 

[smavridis]

It is more technique than anything else. Second from good levels of gain, compressor pedals help a lot also. Harmonics are not as loud as a normal plucked note, so gain is required for it to jump out and slay the front row of your couch. Third is how your EQ is set up, pinch harmonics are going to happen in the upper frequencies for the most part, so if your top end and upper mids are not strong, they will be weak also.

I personally haven't found a situation where I couldn't pull it out of a guitar/amp combination. But on some weaker guitars/amps it is harder to do. 

and it just so happens that those are pretty low lol! i'll tweak those and see.

btw what IS gain? all i know is that it makes your guitar crunchy!

 

[Death by Uberschall]

It is more technique than anything else. Second from good levels of gain, compressor pedals help a lot also. Harmonics are not as loud as a normal plucked note, so gain is required for it to jump out and slay the front row of your couch. Third is how your EQ is set up, pinch harmonics are going to happen in the upper frequencies for the most part, so if your top end and upper mids are not strong, they will be weak also.

I personally haven't found a situation where I couldn't pull it out of a guitar/amp combination. But on some weaker guitars/amps it is harder to do. 

and it just so happens that those are pretty low lol! i'll tweak those and see.

btw what IS gain? all i know is that it makes your guitar crunchy!

Gain is how much the amplifier increases the level of your guitar signal in the pre-amp section. More gain causes the pre-amp tubes to compress and distort more. When this happens it can and will give the feeling of compression since the full on threshold of the tube has been reached. So even though your note or pinch harmonic is actually dropping off in volume, since it's above the full on threshold, the loudness of the note or pinch harmonic will stay the same even though the note is decaying. Once the notes has decayed below full on threshold of the tubes, then you will start to hear the note drop off.

Same thing will happen when the power tubes are pushed to to full on and distorted, but it's easier to do at normal volumes in the pre-amp section. Metal, hard rock players, classic rock players, etc use gain to get those notes.

 

[smavridis]

It is more technique than anything else. Second from good levels of gain, compressor pedals help a lot also. Harmonics are not as loud as a normal plucked note, so gain is required for it to jump out and slay the front row of your couch. Third is how your EQ is set up, pinch harmonics are going to happen in the upper frequencies for the most part, so if your top end and upper mids are not strong, they will be weak also.

I personally haven't found a situation where I couldn't pull it out of a guitar/amp combination. But on some weaker guitars/amps it is harder to do. 

and it just so happens that those are pretty low lol! i'll tweak those and see.

btw what IS gain? all i know is that it makes your guitar crunchy!

Gain is how much the amplifier increases the level of your guitar signal in the pre-amp section. More gain causes the pre-amp tubes to compress and distort more. When this happens it can and will give the feeling of compression since the full on threshold of the tube has been reached. So even though your note or pinch harmonic is actually dropping off in volume, since it's above the full on threshold, the loudness of the note or pinch harmonic will stay the same even though the note is decaying. Once the notes has decayed below full on threshold of the tubes, then you will start to hear the note drop off.

Same thing will happen when the power tubes are pushed to to full on and distorted, but it's easier to do at normal volumes in the pre-amp section. Metal, hard rock players, classic rock players, etc use gain to get those notes.

wow! thanks man!

 

[dbw]

Well said, DbU.  Overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals work the same way so that's another way to GET MORE GAIN!!  You can also use a clean boost pedal in front of a tube amp or a distortion pedal