Ramps...

C

Casey

Guest
I noticed a few people here have ramps on theyre basses... Wondering if any of them can post a pic? I'm thinking about building one, I have some old oak laying around so I figure I'll make it out of that... Problaby some dark walnut stain on it so it matches my bass a bit.
 
jay said:
What the hell is a ramp?...
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i was gonna ask the same question.

now i know what one is...is it just aesthetics or does it have some practical purpose?
 
It allows for a very delicate touch... Mainly used for fretless...
 
I'd love to a have a nice big ebony ramp on to hide my humbuckers
 
Mh, - don't like this idea.
In fact i even don't like this stuff with the pickups being hidden or clothed in wood or anything.

For my taste those "black blocks" really give some aesthetic to every natural-wood bass. And those on the Corvette $$ with open polepieces... woah... just beautiful.
 
boebl said:
Mh, - don't like this idea.
In fact i even don't like this stuff with the pickups being hidden or clothed in wood or anything.

For my taste those "black blocks" really give some aesthetic to every natural-wood bass. And those on the Corvette $$ with open polepieces... woah... just beautiful.
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I 'd have to agree, but if they serve a useful purpose for you go for it...
 
JanVanHove said:
It allows for a very delicate touch... Mainly used for fretless...
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Thanks for the answer make so much sense now.

I'd love to try one and have it as a direct extension of the fretboard. On the right bass with a lovely bit of ebony could be very nice. Probably not a on a $$ though as those pickups just need to be seen 8)
 
the idea behind ramps is this;

people tend to play with their thumb on the pickups (i know this isnt the case with everyone). playing without anchoring your thumb on a pickup often results in a slightly more shoddy technique because your holding you hand in a different position. this limits where you can play; over the two pickups and sometimes where the neck joins the body (where theres a bit of nech to anchor your thumb on).

not being able to effectivly play in all place between neck and bridge does limit the tones you can make as the tone changes the more you move away from the bridge (usually more mid orientated near the bridge and more bassy the nearer the neck you go, i even go further and pluck the strings half way up the neck for a very double bassish sound).

the ramp give you more places to put your thumb comfortably thus expanding the different tones you can get


bear in mind all this is presuming you play best when your thumb in anchored on a pickup

i hope all this made sense



this is a great example. you can see how there is something to anchor your thumb on in all place between the neck and bridge
 
Actually... The reason I'll be making one is for double thumping. I find that if I double thumb on the end of the fretboard I use the fretboard to keep my fingers high enough up that they sweep past the strings letting me play faster. So I'll problaby be making one, one of these days when I have the time.
 
Turtleboy84 said:
A thumbrest would be sufficient, wouldn't it then? :?
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not as attractive though :P

as far as i know there isnt another reason for the ramps...

am i wrong anyone?
 
It never occurred to me a ramp could be used to let you play in different positions around the bass, but maybe because i rest my thumb in the e/low b of the bass.

I think they also stop you from digging in to deep when playing in particular a fretless bass. I remember seeing what i now know to be a ramp on Gary Willis ib*n*z signature bass a while back with him saying something about it stopping you digging in on the strings. I never found out the reason why though so if someone could explain that would be very handy.
 
I've seen them used as a fingerboard extention too. :wink:
 
thumperton said:
I've seen them used as a fingerboard extention too. :wink:
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Thats another reason I'm considering making one... As a fretless extension :P

Plus I figure having one will keep my fingers up high enough for the double thump plucking I've been doing (So my fingers just sweep by basicly to keep the speed up)
 
Not much into all this... First of I don't rest my thumb on pickups or the like - only on Low B or E string. Second, I personally think that whatever sound u want, which ur amp or bass have trouble delivering, can be sorted by ur fingers/style/technique. This is just how I go about my bassplaying. If I can't get it out of my bass/amp I'm the problem. So I fix me :lol:
 
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