Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: llJasonll on October 30, 2011, 05:30:43 PM

Title: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: llJasonll on October 30, 2011, 05:30:43 PM
I am heavily torn between the Rebel Yell, Miracle Man, and Holy Diver for the bridge position of my new axe.  The guitar that it will be going into is a bright guitar: Alder body w/thick Maple Top; Maple neck/fretboard; bolt-on.

My question is out of the three pickups, which has the most prevalent harmonic overtones?  That is probably going to be the most important factor when I am choosing.

Also, can someone explain how certain pickups bring out the harmonic overtones better than others?  I don't know much about the topic, but I assume that compression has something to do with it?  I imagine that harmonic overtones are more prevalent in "open" sounding pickups?

Either way, I have some time to mull over the options since I will probably pull the trigger and get something right around the holidays.

Thx in advance!
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Telerocker on October 30, 2011, 05:35:02 PM
The VHII provides lots over overtones.
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Kiichi on October 30, 2011, 05:40:20 PM
When I asked for a lot of harmonic overtones I got the Rebell Yell and I can only say that I like it a whole darn lot!
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: PhilKing on October 30, 2011, 09:21:35 PM
The Rebel Yell gives me great harmonic feedback in my PRS.
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Nephilim on October 30, 2011, 11:14:21 PM
What actually is 'Harmonic Overtones'?
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: llJasonll on October 31, 2011, 02:21:27 AM
I can't describe what harmonic overtones are because I don't understand how they are produced...but I can hear them, and I like them a lot!

So out of the 3 pickups the Rebel Yell has the most overtones?  How does the Holy Diver compare?

Also, when it comes to pinch harmonics; how does the Miracle Man fair?

thx
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: darkbluemurder on October 31, 2011, 09:52:48 AM
I have got all three, RY, HD and MiM, and I can get pinch harmonics with them all without any effort.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Roobubba on October 31, 2011, 05:48:58 PM
Yeah I can concur that the MM is a piece of cake to get pinch harmonics from. So is the aftermath and the black dog in my experience, but I do play with a lot of them, and can happily get pinch harmonics from a Uke if you want...
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Sancho on October 31, 2011, 05:54:46 PM
The pickup doesn't produce the pinch harmonics, the player does ;)
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Telerocker on October 31, 2011, 06:34:43 PM
The pickup doesn't produce the pinch harmonics, the player does ;)

+1. Though I must say it's a bit easier with the VHII in my ashstrat, then the Crawler in my swampashstrat.
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: darkbluemurder on November 01, 2011, 08:23:16 AM
The pickup doesn't produce the pinch harmonics, the player does ;)

That is correct but any player would have had a hard time doing this on the early 80s Gibson SG I had - that guitar was just born dead and ugly and should have never left the factory.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Sancho on November 01, 2011, 08:54:26 AM
When a guitar is dead, there's no salvaging it. No pickup will help a guitar that doesn't do pinch harmonics unplugged.
And yes, certain pickups will capture the overtones better than others.
But I must insist : the player is the first part of the equation. It took me quite a while to get pinch harmonics down (I'm a slow learner I guess). But once you get it, you can draw them out of an unplugged electric or acoustic. They just won't be so noticeable.
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: llJasonll on November 01, 2011, 02:45:24 PM
So then the consensus is that the Rebel Yell has the most pronounced harmonic feedback, or overtones??
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Dmoney on November 01, 2011, 02:47:00 PM
Im not entirely sure what harmonic overtones are... i just know they find it hard to exist inside a crystal lattice.
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: Roobubba on November 02, 2011, 09:50:31 AM
Im not entirely sure what harmonic overtones are... i just know they find it hard to exist inside a crystal lattice.

True say, true say.
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: BigB on November 02, 2011, 12:42:57 PM
What actually is 'Harmonic Overtones'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone)
Title: Re: Harmonic Overtones
Post by: MDV on November 02, 2011, 05:17:17 PM
What actually is 'Harmonic Overtones'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone)

Correct. Also, pickups dont and cant make them, only relay them well or not (with lots of high end and high end extension).