Pinched Harmonics on a 24 fretter

thomasross20

I've mainly (other than the Torero which has now sold, and my 2 PRS) play 22 fret guitars and so over the years I got very used to these and could nail pinched harmonics any time I wanted. Not so with the PRS now - with the 22 fretters the harmonics where pretty close to where the plectrum was when picking anyway, but with 24 fretters am I not right in saying you have to move your hand up/down the string some more to find those sweet spots? It's a bummer but I'll find them... Anybody else found the same?

I'm not slating 24 fret guitars at all, but I also notice it's more of a stretch to play open chords as the neck is that little bit longer. 

Maynehead

Both 22and 24 fretters are 25" scale length if I'm not mistaken, so the harmonic points are exactly the same. Maybe it's all in the mind? 

bingefeller

I've found no difference and I've played 22, 24 and 27 fretters!!  It's just really muscle memory for me.  Once you get to know where the pinch harmonic sweet spots are you can come back to them without thinking.

stonevibe

The stretch and the harmonics will be the same on 24 or 22 fret guitars. Scale length of 25.5" may be a slightly longer stretch, compared to a Gibson for example, but thats about it.

thomasross20

Say whaaaaat!? 

Must just be the guitars lol...

ICBM

The neck is about 3/4" further to the left on a 24-fret PRS compared to a 22, as is the bridge and bridge pickup, so if you're used to playing in a certain place relative to where the body sits, it will change things.

I can't see why you would have much trouble with open chords though, you're a big tall bloke! I admit that a Firebird is almost unplayable for a short-arse like me, but they're just a bit silly…

thomasross20

Wait - so will the harmonics be in a different place or not lol? Certainly feels like it! 

It's amazing how small changes can affect things - with the 22 fret Suhr I don't feel like I'm stretching my arm out much to play open chords compared to the PRS. FYI this isn't the first signs of me ditching the PRS - no WAY lol!!

Maynehead

Relative to the bridge, no.

Relative to the body and neck pickup, slightly.

John_P

thomasross20 said:

Wait - so will the harmonics be in a different place or not lol? Certainly feels like it! 

It's amazing how small changes can affect things - with the 22 fret Suhr I don't feel like I'm stretching my arm out much to play open chords compared to the PRS. FYI this isn't the first signs of me ditching the PRS - no WAY lol!!

it depends what you're using to reference the position -  distance from the bridge - no.   The scale length from nut to bridge is the same on all prs, just the 24's have an extra two frets - so the neck itself is longer and the pickup has moved. If that is your reference point then it will be different.

This pic shows what I mean..
http://toragraphics.com/img/draw/22V24.jpg

You are comparing 22 and 24 on prs guitars though I assume.

thomasross20

You know, maybe it's because the scale length is different to other guitars I've played - my Ibanez SA (now gone) was 25.5" compared to PRS 25" (hope I'm correct with those numbers) - so maybe that's also part of it.

Maynehead

I think it's probably the fact that when rested on the lap, the neck and bridge have all essentially shifted to the left a little, so your right hand is having to reach a bit further in order to get to the picking position, and your left hand is also having to reach further to get to the end of the neck.

Things might improve a little when you play standing up.

ThePrettyDamned

I've found some guitars are just better for them than others, too. My old bc rich gunslinger would give you a harmonic if you looked at it funny! So it could be a component of the woods? Not sure, to be honest, I'm not sure what I believe, but some guitars are very "lively" in some ways.

Perhaps your cu22 is just a "livelier" instrument?

thomasross20

Getting used to it now - I think it's just a matter of getting to know your instrument inside out. 

mike_l

ThePrettyDamned said:

I've found some guitars are just better for them than others, too. My old bc rich gunslinger would give you a harmonic if you looked at it funny! So it could be a component of the woods?

Yep, my Ibanez is easier to get harmonics on than my Jackson or ESP.

Using higher output pickups and/or higher gain helps with this too. 

ThePrettyDamned

mike_l said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

I've found some guitars are just better for them than others, too. My old bc rich gunslinger would give you a harmonic if you looked at it funny! So it could be a component of the woods?

Yep, my Ibanez is easier to get harmonics on than my Jackson or ESP.

Using higher output pickups and/or higher gain helps with this too. 

Best harmonic machine I've ever tried was an Ibanez RG Prestige.  Put it into a marshall with an sd-1 boosting it and adding a bit more drive and every note seemed to have a bit of pinch harmonic sounding things going on. Awesome for 80s riffing. 

ICBM

Brass hardware helps too - it really brings out that upper-mid 'whang'. The best guitar I've ever played for it was a friend's USA Charvel San Dimas 'target' reissue - brass bridge, single JB pickup, no tone control.

It would generate false harmonics at will anywhere on the board. I set it up for him and ended up playing my bad attempts at Van Halen riffs all afternoon . Not a very versatile guitar though, it has to be said...

ToneControl

I've always gone for the harmonic by using the edge of the pick, but I saw someone using their other finger halfway along the active string length

Do most people just use the pick edge, and play as normal with the left hand?

ICBM

I use my right hand thumb knuckle and pick behind it with my middle finger - I don't use a pick so that isn't an option.

grungebob

I trap the string between the back of the pick and my middle finger on my right hand but then I do use three fingers to hold my picks