I've recently lowered the action on my Fender Deluxe. Afterwards, I was able to play a ton more harmonics than I was used to. It could be related to that...

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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NATURAL HARMONICS (played open)

If you might have a dead spot on the string, but on all strings is unlikely.
Harmonics can depend on the strings you use and the position you play them in.

One thing you need to have is good intonation along the fretboard.
You said you have checked up and down a bit so you should have ruled that out.

Another possible thing is the strings elliptical vibration is slightly dampened by the saddles or the nut. But this is unlikely.
I wouldn't worry about the action being too low on the guitar otherwise you would have problems fretting notes there.

Not all harmonics are as strong as the 12th fret. Remember its in the middle of the guitar. You need to practice, use a firm pick and plenty of attack to make them ring.

Give your guitar to someone else to test if you have ruled out everything here and have your doubts.

If your a new player watch this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAP0je2gwSQ

Well after three guitar techs and two neck adjustments, it really is the location of the pickup selector. When it is in the neck position, there is hardly any harmonic. More sound as I move the selector to the bridge position.

I took it to guitar center and we tried it with several strats. Same result every time. This, to me, is a flaw in the design of the guitar.

Any feedback from someone from Fender monitoring this forum?

I'm not sure if it's a flaw, I've always felt the 5th fret harmonics were weak using the neck pup, specially on lower strings, this is on every guitar I own, more noticeable on Strats though. I don't use harmonics, only time I do is when I'm tuning, I just got in the habit of making sure I"m not using the neck pup when tuning, never really thought about the reasons... it's not as bad on my 335, but I can definitely hear a drop in volume if I hit any harmonics on the 5th fret using the neck pup, if I switch to the bridge pup right away I can hear the change in volume with the same harmonic I hit using the neck pup.

The same 5th fret harmonics are located right over the neck pup, maybe this has something to do with it, who knows, who cares

Have no problem getting a 5th fret harmonic on any of my 4 strats. It's not a design flaw, it's eq or technique.

Can you get the 4th fret harmonic and the 2 between the 3rd and 2nd frets, the ones not over the fret wire but inbetween them?

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No no and no

It's not that I don't get harmonics at the 5th fret, it's there but with the neck pup, same amp and guitar settings, the volume is much lower.

I can get the other harmonics, but those need more volume and drive... natural harmonics (5th, 7th, 12th) all work except 5th with the neck, it's there but nowhere near as loud as the other two. If I'm tuning E for example and I hit low E at the 5th fret and A at the 7th fret, using the neck pup the E played on the A string is way louder than the E on the low E string. Change pup location and they're equal in volume, always been that way. Why, I can't explain it

with my singles its the same for me.
the buckers are ok though.
could very well be pickup height as well in the neck pos.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

I just remembered something, even SRV changes from the neck position when he wants to hit these harmonics above the neck pup (same as the 5th fret), he always changes pup location just before he hits them if he was playing using the neck position. Here's an example, around 1:20 and at the end

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kpkSRtcrR0

So, I'm not sure how some of you say you have no problem with harmonics at the 5th fret using the neck pups. Using a Strat of course.

cedar, i think some of it might have to do with how hot the pup is also.
on a couple of my fiddles i dont have much of a problem, but i dont know what pups are in these models at the neck.
it isnt as clear as the bridge i promise you.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Well I've tried it with 3 different Strats with different pups, same story. It definitely has something to do with the neck pup location, but I don't have an explanation...

look cedar, im going out on a limb here for ya ok,
i mean the limb is about to snap here im so far out on it.
just send that 79 up here, i'll test the neck pup for harmonics, and i'll get back with you on it. im sure your doing something wrong.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Sorry that Strat is sold!

Nope no problem at all. Now I'll repeat the previous question, can you get the 3 harmonics below the 5th fret? The 4th fret, the one 1/8th of an inch behind the 3rd fret and the one 1/4 inch infront of the 2nd fret.

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No no and no

lucky for us you still have that 335 you can send up this way in its place.
theres just gotta be something wrong with that one that needs a indepth look at.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

This was my response.. I can get the other harmonics, but those need more volume and drive...

I'm not familiar with them, but I know I can get the other harmonics but they're not as easy as natural harmonics. What does this have to do with the 5th fret harmonics using the neck pup? Maybe it's related but I have no clue...