How to Do Pinch Harmonics on a Guitar
Producing pinch harmonics on a guitar comes down to two things: the ability to hit the string with the flesh of your thumb immediately after picking the note and the ability to do this at the right place along the length of the string. Once you begin to get a feel for combining these skills, you can begin sounding pinch harmonics (often called squeals) on every string, at every position.
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Instructions
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Hold the pick closer to the tip than usual. Make sure a portion of the fleshy part of your thumb hangs out behind the pick.
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Fret a note. It doesn't matter which note or which string (although it is usually easier to sound a pinch harmonic on the third or fourth string).
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Rest your picking hand at a point 12 frets higher than whichever note you are fretting. This would be over the 16th fret if you are pressing down the fourth fret.
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Strike the string with your pick, making sure to hit the string with your thumb immediately after the pick hits the string. You will hear a squealing sound when you do this correctly. It may take some practice to hit pinch harmonics with any regularity.
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Practice hitting pinch harmonics at different frets and at different places along the neck. Every note has multiple places along the string that will produce a pinch harmonic. Experiment until you are comfortable hitting pinch harmonics.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are having trouble, adjust your grip on the pick. You need to hit the string with your finger right after you hit it with your pick. The actual way you do it doesn't matter as long as you can hit the pinch harmonic at will.
Using distortion will make it significantly easier to sound pinch harmonics.
References
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