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harmonics myth???

M

momma'sboy

Jul 11, 2006
47
0
pinas
#1
hi all,
my firend told me the other day he was planning to buy a new guitar at a local shop here (he didnt specify if its a bass or normal electric guitar so lets stick to guitar term as general to bass and guitar) and he asked me what are the points to look out for in buying a new one and not being scammed, so i told him to check/ask everything about wood, tuners, truss rod, pick up finish etc.. and then he asked if the the harmonics sounds good will the over all sound of the instrument is good? and i was like "uhmm i dont know" and i feel pathetic for my answer

well anyways is this a some kind of myth or its a genuine fact?

thanx
 
#4
No good harmonics do not make a good bass sound to everyone. Good harmonics tend to be on brighter sounding basses. Some basses might have poor harmonics but have a huge warm tone.

It's up to you what you value in a sound.
 
#5
Harmonics and non-harmonics notes are different stories. If one sounds good doesn't mean the other will. My Ibanez SR500 sounds very thick and full, which is what some consider as a good tone, but the harmonics sound very brittle and flat. It sounds like I'm scratching the string with my fingernails...
While on my AP2ASSBS6SBG, harmonics and non-harmonics notes sound pretty much the same.
 
#6
The ability of an instrument to produce harmonics is a good indicator as to it's build quality. Of course, the quality of the strings makes a difference as harmonics are not played fretted (obviously) so even a great bass can produce dull, or not produce harmonics if the strings are in bad shape.

It has to do with the wood, the neck, the bridge, the nut, etc. all being in harmony so that when a harmonic is played, it will ring out clear and sustain.

Having said that, I've had a few basses that did not produce harmonics all that well, yet full notes sounded deep and clear. The best basses I've had produced sharp, distinct harmonics anywhere on the neck with no dead spots.

Crystal clear harmonics wouldn't be my only criteria, but I usually try out a bass unplugged and listen to how it produces notes acoustically (including harmonics) before I even plug it in. If it can't pass the acoustic test, it won't even get plugged in. IMO, no electronics are going to overcome a poorly built bass.
 
#9
Indeed, good harmonics in unplugged instrument say about good building quality. If it's possible to have nice harmonics anywhere over the neck, it's a definite plus. IMO even those who don't use a lot of harmonics in their playing should check them extensively. I would make an extrapolation: if the overall build quality is good, there's a greater chance that other aspects of the instrument (electronics, finish etc) are well-done as well.
Hehe, it reminds me that on my last rehearsal I did 5th and 7th harmonics on D and A stings at the end of a song, and when the gutiarist stopped playing everyone was puzzled "where is that weird feedback coming from". :D I played there a mid-low-end Peavy bass there, and it had lots of sustain and nice harmonics.
Also, my guitar player has a beast that produces a lot of harmonics even compared to other distorted guitar. They seem to pop out of nowhere. Again, if we look a the broad picture, it's a great instrument.
 

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