Aftermath Pinch Harmonics

[JacksonRR]

I know the Miracle Man is the go to for clear pinches, but I haven't heard the Aftermath squealing yet. I'm in love with it's distorted tone and the bottom end response is what I'm looking for, as opposed to the MM which really only interests me with the pinches. Pinches, whammy tricks and natural harmonics are a real big part of what I'm into. They don't have to be "easy", they just have to sound clear and ring out well. I have boosts and tubescreamer types to embellish and accentuate, but is the basic voice there and are they super hard to bring out? Nolly's clip has some hint(I think) of a good response, but no one's just ripped one for a few seconds yet. Thanks.

[Roobubba]

In my hands, artifical harmonics are as easy with the aftermath as with the miracle man.

To be fair, they were only marginally more difficult with the black dog, but I would say you shouldn't find a problem with pinch harmonics with an aftermath. They're a big part of my playing btw, so I'd notice if they were tough!

Roo

[MDV]

Pinch harmonics are 99% technique. It always confuses me that people worry about pickups making them. A bit of gain and a top end thats not completely dull is all you need.

That said, time was I could do pinches on an acoustic, with my fingers. Maybe I still can, havent tried in a few years.

Roo, artificial harmonics are different - thats when you fret a note and then play a harmonic as though it were a natural harmonic. Just FYI.

[Transcend]

i also agree with MDV & Roo on this

Roo on the point that they come out just as easy on the aftermath if not easier than they do on the MM.

And i agree with MDV on the technique points.

It takes a little while to master it but once you do you can get pinches out of anything.

The best thing i found that helped when i was perfecting it was to do it unamped to get the technique down 100%

i can pull them off with ease now on any guitar in any position on the fretboard.

Also i'll add that the pick you use plays a big part in it if you aren't 100% there on the technique something like this will help a lot

http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/tortex-jazz

[ev1ltwin]

Pinch harmonics are 99% technique. It always confuses me that people worry about pickups making them. A bit of gain and a top end thats not completely dull is all you need.

+1

listen to zz top. billy gibbons uses pinch harmonics all the time, and he uses lower output humbuckers. fresh strings, some gain, and good technique a pinch harmonic make.

my favorite kind of harmonics are tapped harmonics tho. that requires a guitar that is intonated really well. let Eddie show you the way... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-anY8u24mg (again, lower output humbucker)

[ericsabbath]

I don't think he's interested in the technical details
harmonics SOUND very different with different pickups
that's a fact

for some reason, the "easiest" pickup for pinch harmonics I had was the holy diver, and I had the miracle man, cold sweat, emgs and at least 10 other pickups in that same guitar
the diver harmonics sounds louder, fatter and clearer than everything else
it was also more prone to feedback than the others, though
the miracle man pinch harmonics sounded a bit thin and spikey at low bedroom volumes, but sounded huge and clear at band volume
cold sweat has a thinner pinch harmonic tone, less in your face than the diver and miracle man
very "dimebaggish", instead of the modern fat harmonics of the other two
in another les paul, I get easier harmonics from the cold sweat than I got from the nailbomb
my technique didn't change at all

[JacksonRR]

Cool! Thanks guys. That seals it then. Aftermath it is. Tapped harmonics are just about the coolest thing. I was just flabbergasted when I couldn't figure them out by myself. "How is he doing that with one hand!!" You really gotta give a good accurate thwack to the string. Completely different motion than normal fretting. At least your other hand is free to instantly work the bar. In fact, letting some of that tension out before you hit it helps when getting those really cool ones between the 2nd and 3rd fret of the 3rd string, G if you're in standard. Not something to practice with the girlfriend over though. Zero sex for you. Two hours of SQEEEE bonk SQUAAA buunnmmm SHFLEEE. "Hey baby, wanna get naked?" looks at me like I have two heads, "I'm moving back to my parent's."

[Roobubba]

Pinch harmonics are 99% technique. It always confuses me that people worry about pickups making them. A bit of gain and a top end thats not completely dull is all you need.

That said, time was I could do pinches on an acoustic, with my fingers. Maybe I still can, havent tried in a few years.

Roo, artificial harmonics are different - thats when you fret a note and then play a harmonic as though it were a natural harmonic. Just FYI.

Fair enough, like I said on the other forums, I'm not up on guitar nomenclature :)

'pinch harmonics' are definitely all technique - you can quite easily get them unplugged, on acoustic, hell even on a cheapo ukulele. When our EP is released very soon there's a little cheeky bit of harmonising with pinch harmonics which I did for fun on one bit, and I'm really quite happy with it :)

But I'm not clear on what you mean by fret a note and then play a harmonic as though it were a natural harmonic... Maybe I'm doing 'pinch' harmonics, maybe I'm doing artificial harmonics, I'm not sure.

But yeah the bottom line is, you'll be just fine with an aftermath :)

[With Full Distortion]

Pinch harmonics are 99% technique. It always confuses me that people worry about pickups making them. A bit of gain and a top end thats not completely dull is all you need.

That said, time was I could do pinches on an acoustic, with my fingers. Maybe I still can, havent tried in a few years.

Roo, artificial harmonics are different - thats when you fret a note and then play a harmonic as though it were a natural harmonic. Just FYI.

Fair enough, like I said on the other forums, I'm not up on guitar nomenclature :)

'pinch harmonics' are definitely all technique - you can quite easily get them unplugged, on acoustic, hell even on a cheapo ukulele. When our EP is released very soon there's a little cheeky bit of harmonising with pinch harmonics which I did for fun on one bit, and I'm really quite happy with it :)

But I'm not clear on what you mean by fret a note and then play a harmonic as though it were a natural harmonic... Maybe I'm doing 'pinch' harmonics, maybe I'm doing artificial harmonics, I'm not sure.

But yeah the bottom line is, you'll be just fine with an aftermath :)

to me.. artificial harmonics and pinch harmonics are the same. just different names.
thats what dimebag uses on the song cemetery gates and many others. THAT by the way.. together with Slayer-Black magick
and natural harmonics are the ones you do by lift your fingers on top of the strings and fret it .
AT least thats what my secondguitar teacher told me.
first technique i EVER Learned was that artificial harmonics... from cemetery gates song.
Regarding the AFtermath question....
its also a matter of how much MIDDLES to you add
no middles.. it gets hard to work it out.
JP

[JacksonRR]

Toe-knee, this is the pick that I use. I was using the Dunlop Jazz III Eric Johnson's before.

http://shop.bluechippick.net/products/Jazz35.html

It's a really nice feeling pick, the tip and edges are real smooth. It glides really well with strumming or sweep picking, but you can dig in for pinch harmonics well too. Has a very nice attack. Another thing I like about it is that picking noise is reduced by about half. So when you're doing a muted single note run, it's a lot more string than click. It lasts for a very long time. I've had mine over a year and that tore up, ragged tip that I'd put in my Dunlops quickly isn't happening whatsoever. If you can manage to keep track of it, it's a great buy. I did drill some holes in mine for extra grip and that's been my only complaint. A bit slippery in my clammy mitts without them.

[HairyChris]

One pickup that I have problems with is the A-Pig 7. There's something about it that doesn't like my technique!

 :D

[JacksonRR]

How's your guitar face? Try opening your mouth real wide and shake your head like "Oh my god, this is amazing!" when you squeal.  :mrgreen:

[asianaxeman]

from my experience, order of ease of getting pinch harmonics, easiest first - I#m talking Zakk Wylde style harmonics

C-Bomb
Painkiller
MM
Holy Diver

The best sounding pinch harmonics, particularly on the bass strings, in my opinion are on the PK. The C-Bomb and Miracle Man achieved crazy volume (in a good way) on the dimebag style artificial harmonics tho.

Harmonics depend on your string action and string gauge of course too.