pinch harmonics, why do they come easier on some guitars?

[86barettaguy]

I'm curious as to why pinch harmonics seem to come easier on some guitars compared to others. Looking at my guitars, one of them (a neck-through, licensed floyd) was a lot harder to get pinch harmonics from compared to the other (a bolt on, at the time had an OFR and DiMarzio Super Distortion). Now, when I compare this same bolt-on (now with a licensed floyd and EMG89 pickup) to yet another guitar (bolt-on, ofr) pinch harmonics seem to be harder than I remember (while they are easy with this third guitar).
I noticed this difference unplugged as well, so pickups have nothing to do with it.

What's the recipee for great pinch harmonics, looking only at the hardware? Is it the hardened baseplate of the trem? The frets? Fretboard?

[Musician78]

Maybe it is the way your hand is positioned on the different guitars. I don't really know what else it could be. I have a slew of guitars and although I don't do PH often, I don't find it any more difficult from one guitar to the next. But my first answer would have been pickups.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

The sweet spot may vary a little from guitar to guitar, and various things that affect the brightness in a positive way(new strings, bright pickup, wiring) may make it a little easier, but generally it seems to be the same to me.

[Hellbat]

Some pieces of wood and wire ping better than others. With a high gain amp any guitar with mid output or higher pickups should ping well assuming you are hitting the right spot on the string.

[wilkinsi]

For me, the problems preventing decent PH are single hum guitars (RR24 was one of them) and EMG's (RR24, DK1).

[6string40]

EMGs prevent you from pinging? They certainly don't stop Zakk!!!!

[DarkkWarriorr]

For me, the problems preventing decent PH are single hum guitars (RR24 was one of them) and EMG's (RR24, DK1).

Interesting, cause I have two WRMGs with active emgs and they do the pinching-harmonic job pretty well!
Probably the set-up of the guitar and the type of strings your using have something to do with it too!

Many years ago, I had a rich collage friend who bought a retired (and signed) Michael Schenker Flying V somewhere in LA, and I got to play it for a few minutes through a crappy Roland amp he had in his garage, and that guitar was screaming with harmonics like a whore on fire with the slightest of touches, I literary was blown away! The guy said the pickups and the electronics were rewired to Michael's specification to achieve the maximum treble/midrange output possible! Until now, I never played a guitar screams like that, and I probably never will!

[javert]

I've experienced the same thing wrt. bolt-ons vs. neck-thru. I have an easier time getting pinch harmonics with my strat (with a humbucker in it, mind you) than with my neck-thru Jacksons.

[Soap]

Some pieces of wood and wire ping better than others. With a high gain amp any guitar with mid output or higher pickups should ping well assuming you are hitting the right spot on the string.

Bingo.

[Frigo89]

I can pretty much get good pinch harmonics on anyguitar, acoustics included. Though I never really practiced it. I just listened to CDs and tried to play along, and figured shit out as I went along.

Its moreso a technique thing I have to believe, since I know I can give somebody my guitar who sucks at PH's and they won't be able to do it, but I will be able to.

One thing I hate is when new "metal" bands write riffs based around a pinch harmonic, that's retarded. They should be used as an accent piece, not a structural element of a song

[MetalDaze]

I've noticed that with different bridge types (Floyd, TOM, Hipshot) and body shapes (Strat, V, etc) your picking hand will have a tendency to rest in slightly different positions, which makes it seem harder to find harmonics because you have to adjust for those differences.

[Total_Annihilation]

Interesting, cause I have two WRMGs with active emgs and they do the pinching-harmonic job pretty well!
Probably the set-up of the guitar and the type of strings your using have something to do with it too!

Many years ago, I had a rich collage friend who bought a retired (and signed) Michael Schenker Flying V somewhere in LA, and I got to play it for a few minutes through a crappy Roland amp he had in his garage, and that guitar was screaming with harmonics like a whore on fire with the slightest of touches, I literary was blown away! The guy said the pickups and the electronics were rewired to Michael's specification to achieve the maximum treble/midrange output possible! Until now, I never played a guitar screams like that, and I probably never will!

Sounds logical because I've been messing with pinch harmonics off and on in my 6 years of playing and as of late I've been dialing more mids in my tone as my ear for tones has changed. I'm finding that pinch harmonics now are coming easier than they have been in years.

Thinking about it now, I think they were easier for me years ago because my distortion unit was a Digitech Black 13 and I remember running more high frequencies on it. Then I switched to a Boss GT-8 and used very little mids/highs with it until about a month ago when trying out new sounds. Now I've got more mids and highs and all of sudden the harmonics are back...Funny the things that you find as your ear changes and you mature more with messing with knobs on distortion units, lol

[moku]

well, if you know how to do proper pinch harmonics. then you should be able to do it on any guitar. if you can't do it on certain guitars then check to see if that guitar is intoned properly b'cuz it's probably not intoned.

[P I K A]

One thing I hate is when new "metal" bands write riffs based around a pinch harmonic, that's retarded. They should be used as an accent piece, not a structural element of a song[/QUOTE]

You mean like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjozz...eature=related I like it.

[Guitar_Symphony]

My 87 lp has EMG's and you dont even have to try to get harmonics....
but it does have Jackson Tall Jumbo frets and an African buffalo bone nutt....