harmonics on a electric guitar

[bowelder]

I'm new to electric guitars, I've always played acoustic. I'm having trouble getting clear harmonics on the 5th and 7th frets unless I engage the bridge pickup and play with both neck and bridge. My question, is this normal or do the pickups need adjusting also if it's normal how you would get harmonics on a guitar with just a neck pickup, I'm curious because I prefer just using the neck pickup for a jazzier mellow tone, I play fingerstyle, any Ideas would be much appreciated.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by bowelder

I'm new to electric guitars, I've always played acoustic. I'm having trouble getting clear harmonics on the 5th and 7th frets unless I engage the bridge pickup and play with both neck and bridge. My question, is this normal or do the pickups need adjusting also if it's normal how you would get harmonics on a guitar with just a neck pickup, I'm curious because I prefer just using the neck pickup for a jazzier mellow tone, I play fingerstyle, any Ideas would be much appreciated.

Hard to say without specifics. Are you loud enough? I find it's easier with just the bridge, but no reason you can't get what you want with the neck with practice. I wonder if mixing the two positions actually makes it harder? Try and see.

Random thoughts.

[bowelder]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

Hard to say without specifics. Are you loud enough? I find it's easier with just the bridge, but no reason you can't get what you want with the neck with practice. I wonder if mixing the two positions actually makes it harder? Try and see.

Random thoughts.

I can't get a harmonic on the 5th fret with the neck pickup. As you say it's easier with the bridge. I don't like that bright twangy sound from the from the bridge pickup, that's why I try to blend the two pickups. The pickups are Seth Lover - Semore Duncan pickups on a Eastman 335 style guitar, played through a Quilter Micro pro mach 2 amp.

[perttime]

Usually, harmonics on electric have been easy for me - but I might not use them much with the neck pickup.

One possibility is that the very pure vibration of those particular harmonics has a node right on the pickup, so that the string vibrates very little there.

[Dru Edwards]

Doesn't the bridge pickup work better for harmonics on some electrics? What happens if you try the 5th and 7th fret harmonics without the guitar plugged in?

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by bowelder

I can't get a harmonic on the 5th fret with the neck pickup. As you say it's easier with the bridge. I don't like that bright twangy sound from the from the bridge pickup, that's why I try to blend the two pickups. The pickups are Seth Lover - Semore Duncan pickups on a Eastman 335 style guitar, played through a Quilter Micro pro mach 2 amp.

I'll try later today when I play, see what results I get. I don't think I've ever even tried them at any fret with the neck pickup, now that I think about it.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

Hard to say without specifics. Are you loud enough? I find it's easier with just the bridge, but no reason you can't get what you want with the neck with practice. I wonder if mixing the two positions actually makes it harder? Try and see.

Random thoughts.

OK, Tom Anderson Cobra (think of it as a Mahogany Gibson-scale Tele with humbuckers) through a Mesa TC-50, volume at 11:00. Played with a pick.

CLEAN: as expected, no problem on the bridge. First and second strings not so good, but actually the others seemed quite decent (both frets 5 and 7.)

DIRTY: predictably, they're there either place with either pickup BUT I thought the neck PU harmonics were pretty crappy. I wouldn't use them, but they're there.

FWIW, which is probably not much actually. I doubt that there is some particular trick that'll get you there.

[Chickee]

Getting good harmonics has everything to do with pick angle, skin contact and especially distance from chosen fret harmonic to striking distance of the pick. Having anything to do with the neck or bridge pickup being better or worse for transmitting the harmonic is pretty out there. Just practice where and how you are striking the string, and how good your touch is above the harmonic you want to activate.

[mr. beaumont]

Straight up fact, harmonics come out better with the bridge pickup on electrics.

A single coil neck pickup would be the biggest harmonic sucker.

[bowelder]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Doesn't the bridge pickup work better for harmonics on some electrics? What happens if you try the 5th and 7th fret harmonics without the guitar plugged in?

Unplugged at the 5th fret no harmonics at all, at the 7th very muffled sounding not clear. At first I thought it was me or something going on with the guitar. Now thanks to you guys I know that its just something that I'll have to live with and keep at it and try and improve them . Thanks for all your replies.

[perttime]

Originally Posted by bowelder

Unplugged at the 5th fret no harmonics at all, at the 7th very muffled sounding not clear. ...

That is strange.
Are you sure you are touching the string right above the fret wire?
Have you tried picking at a slightly different location?

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by bowelder

Unplugged at the 5th fret no harmonics at all, at the 7th very muffled sounding not clear. At first I thought it was me or something going on with the guitar. Now thanks to you guys I know that its just something that I'll have to live with and keep at it and try and improve them . Thanks for all your replies.

I wonder if you have intonation issues? Unplugged you should hear something.

[mr. beaumont]

What kind of guitar is this?

[bowelder]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

What kind of guitar is this?

It's an Eastman T186mx with Seth Lover -Semore Duncan humbuckers. Unplugged I can't get any harmonics at the 5th fret except for maybe the 1rst an 2snd strings. At the 7th I can get harmonics but they aren't very loud. I guess when it's plugged in I'm going to have to blend the two pickups. The reason, as I've said before I don't like the sound of the bridge pickup alone, too bright and twangy sounding for my ears.

[bowelder]

I just tried to get the harmonics on the 5th and 7th using my thumb instead of my fingers. I get harmonics with my thump but not when I use my fingers, both unplugged and plugged. I'm guessing it has to be a technique problem and not the guitar. I've never run into this problem with acoustic guitars.