hooligan
hey guys
i'm just wondering if there is a specific way to use your p/ups when you are playing
i find it sometimes better to use the neck p/up for pinch harmonics etc
is there a standard or is it something i got to work out on my own?
Explorerlover
I get better pinches from the bridge pick up, so I guess it depends on the pickup but more on what you as an individual do on the guitar...
hooligan
hi explore
i'm using a szr 520 ibanez guitar
does the type of p/ups play a role too?
AlanRatcliffe
No hard and fast rule, but generally bridge pickup will be better at getting any harmonics. Your choice of which to use is based mainly on the tone you want (brighter from the bridge pickup), although some players like setting their neck pickup up low to get cleaner sound and then switch to the bridge for more drive.
Humbuckers don't suffer from as many harmonic dead spots as single coils (as they sense a wider string "window") and are more compressed, but single coils are brighter. So either can make harmonics stand out well as long as the guitar is producing them.
cain
As alan said, its the tone you want.
Generally i feel distortion ( not overdrive ) + neck pickup + close to fretboard does not sound so nice, and then you would use the bridge pickup. Once you go lower down it starts sounding more trebbly and gets harshe on 15-24 etc, then the neck pickup + distortion sounds nicer. But its not a rule and this is for distortion obviously.
As to your pinch harmonics there are 3 pinches as far as i know and they all sound different. I find the neck pickup won't always screem out all 3 of them.
Shawnvs
GENERALLY the more gain in your guitar signal the easier certain harmonics will become. (so, higher gain pickups or disortion)
However! The guitar and amp and volume plays a role. Compare ZZ-Top's guitar player to arch enemy/megadeth. Have a look at their gear and hear the difference. Generally, more gain = easier harmonics.
Just keep practicing till YOU get the sound YOU want.
