Ramp??

[stewblack]

Friend just bought himself a bass. Rather nice Squier Precision 5er, and for a bargain too. It had something called a ramp fitted between the pick ups. Lawd knows what or why this chunk of ebony had been shoehorned in there but I bet someone here can tell me.

[antnee]

Tommy C'esque thumb rest?

[ped]

Some people prefer the feel of it. Otherwise if you play between the pickups there’s quite a gap below them to the body. Sometimes having a ramp can encourage more consistent and accurate playing. I’ve had them in basses before, but only in basses where the pickups don’t naturally act like a ramp anyway. 

[Reggaebass]

I was told in the studio that by feeling the ramp below your fingers it stops you digging in too much and forces you to play with a lighter touch 🙂

[stewblack]

Thanks guys. Knew you'd be there for me

[Grahambythesea]

Gary Willis likes one on his signature Ibanez. Didn’t early Alembics have something similar but looking like a third pickup?

[ped]

Just now, Grahambythesea said:

Gary Willis likes one on his signature Ibanez. Didn’t early Alembics have something similar but looking like a third pickup?

That’s a hum cancelling coil and normally it sits flush with the surface

[fretmeister]

20 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I was told in the studio that by feeling the ramp below your fingers it stops you digging in too much and forces you to play with a lighter touch 🙂

Yup.

 

They are standard on the Ibanez Gary Willis bass too. I like them a lot.

Billy Sheehan covers the tops of his pickups in epoxy and shapes them into a ramp as well

[visog]

On 04/02/2019 at 18:03, fretmeister said:

 

Billy Sheehan covers the tops of his pickups in epoxy and shapes them into a ramp as well

Indeed...

So this is why a ramp helps... even though ironically he doesn't use a ramp as such because, as you say, uses his pick-up for the same purpose...

[fleabag]

For me , what ped said.  You get different tones from playing near the bridge and further up the board.  If you like tone between the pups, and you use the anchored thumb technique, there's nowhere to anchor, so a ramp fits the bill.  I have one on my Basso 4, a nice piece of old ebony

 

[Lfalex v1.1]

I'd fit a ramp, but then I think of how many bones Evel Knievel broke playing with them..

[visog]

6 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

I'd fit a ramp, but then I think of how many bones Evel Knievel broke playing with them..

That rather dates you... (and me for getting the joke)

[stewblack]

I'm wondering whether an elongated thumb rest running from the bridge right through to the farthest point of the body might be an even more unsightly solution. 😉

Edited February 7, 2019 by stewblack
Feckin autocorrect

[Cato]

Sorry double post.

Edited February 7, 2019 by Cato

[stewblack]

6 minutes ago, Cato said:

 

Please tell me you just did that on Photoshop

[Cato]

Sorry, double post.

 

Edited February 7, 2019 by Cato

[stewblack]

As above, please

[Cato]

8 minutes ago, stewblack said:

As above, please

It was a commercially available product, I think a couple of companies made something similar.

Edit.

Here you go

https://www.shapeways.com/product/S9UMXUFE7/thumbrail-fits-fender-jazz-70-s-geddy-lee

Edited February 7, 2019 by Cato

[ped]

Doesn’t function like a ramp though, the whole thing with a ramp is the feel under the plucking fingers. It’s  use as a thumbrest is secondary. 

[Bigwan]

I had a ramp on the shuker 6 string I had made. It's a brilliant device, and so simple. Having played the bass both with and without it, it was a much better experience with it. It's been described as a natural compressor,  which I think hits the nail on the head. Certainly evened out my ropey right hand technique! 

[chris_b]

I just think of all the brilliant players who somehow got by without ramps and stuff!

[ped]

2 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I just think of all the brilliant players who somehow got by without ramps and stuff!

Doesn't mean people shouldn't use them - some brilliant players even manage to get by with P basses!

[Bigwan]

41 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I just think of all the brilliant players who somehow got by without ramps and stuff!

I'm not one of them... 

[visog]

6 hours ago, chris_b said:

I just think of all the brilliant players who somehow got by without ramps and stuff!

I don't think anyone said you have to use a ramp. But like the other posters here, I got one on my GB and I love it. To the point that on other basses, I view the crevasse between the pick-ups as a right-hand smartness inhibitor.

Edited February 8, 2019 by visog

[Mikkoantt]

Hi

Here is my ramp basses. First one is Mayones jabba Classic 4, then comes Elrick platinum hybrid classic 5, then comes Fodera AJ 5 Elite and last one is Ibanez Gary Willis fretless. Ramp really helps my playing, because I have soooo soft touch novadays.