The pinch harmonic squeal is a trademark of Texas boogie lead. You pick a note and let your thumb touch the string right after, so a high overtone jumps out. Then you bend it and shake it with vibrato.
Position: A minor pentatonic at the 12th fret, around the G, D and B strings.
Tone and grip
Bridge pickup, plenty of gain, tone on 10. Choke up on the pick so only the tip shows, and let the side of your thumb graze the string right after the pick. Where you pick matters: move along the string in small steps between the pickups to find where the harmonic is loudest. Each fret has its own sweet spot.
Pick firmly with a downstroke, then bend. The 12th fret on the G string is an index-finger bend: pull the string down toward the floor. The 15th fret on the B string is a ring-finger bend, backed by the middle. Add vibrato only once the bend is at pitch.
The most common mistake is gripping too much pick, which kills the harmonic and leaves a plain note. The second is a weak pick attack: harmonics need energy.
How to practice
- Pinch the 12th fret on the G string and the 14th fret on the D string until most attempts ring.
- Add the bend: the G string's 12th fret up to the pitch of fret 14.
- Play the full squeal phrase, letting the last A sing.