Ramp

[E sharp]

Just want to pick peoples brains on this .

Thinking of a ramp between two pickups . Thought of an idea of a clear bit of Perspex , cut to sit over both pickups .

Sounded out a mate who's a luthier , and he's got a spare Perspex pickguard that he can cut to fit perfectly .

Regarding the fixing , my thoughts were to source a couple of those really thin cupboard door magnets , glue to the underside of the Perspex , then it will attach to the pickups - and can be slotted on and off as required - sort of like those magnet attached electrics panels on some high end basses .

He wasn't sure whether the small magnets may affect the pickups . I've no idea really .

Does anyone on here know if this will be an issue with the pickups?

[fretmeister]

I bought one of these

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clear-Ramp-for-Jazz-Bass-without-Radius-72mm-or-73mm-Spacing/254194476376?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

Uses the pickup screws to hold it in place.

[E sharp]

They look good if I had a jazz bass , I'd get that - never seen these before . I'll save that link , thanks for that .

I have two of the new MM style pick ups though , and I'll not find an off the shelf one alas .

So a homemade one is my only option .

[Reggaebass]

I have a ramp on one of my jazzes, and really like it, if you just want to try one it’s worth making one to see if you get on with it 🙂

[Drax]

Your luthier could just make a regular ramp to fit inbetween the pickups, give you more freedom on pickup height, and avoid magnets on pickups?

[E sharp]

It's for the yellow Bogart that I've just got - you'll find the pictures on the Bogart thread .

The MM pickups are right tight together , but my regular MM , I've raised the PU really high (with gaffer tape to stop the strings hitting the pole pieces) , and have lost some sustain due to the proximity of the PU magnets affecting the string vibrations - common issue apparently .

So I wanted to leave the PU heights as they were , then just fit a small cut to size , sheet of Perspex over the top of them both .

So my question is really only about the issue of using a magnet style fixing system on the ramp , and if that will in any way affect the magnets in the pick ups .

[fretmeister]

If the ramp is going on top of the pickups, then use a black perspex and use double sided tape.

[Reggaebass]

I’ve never seen a ramp that goes on top of the pickups, if you have to lower your pu’s to allow for the ramp , won’t you lose your output 

[fretmeister]

Depends how thin it is I suppose.

 

Billy Sheehan covers the top of his pickups with epoxy and then shapes it.

[Delberthot]

6 hours ago, E sharp said:

I've raised the PU really high (with gaffer tape to stop the strings hitting the pole pieces) , and have lost some sustain due to the proximity of the PU magnets affecting the string vibrations - common issue apparently .

So I wanted to leave the PU heights as they were , then just fit a small cut to size , sheet of Perspex over the top of them both .

That's normal with pretty much every pickup - is there a reason that you need the pickup so high? Would it not be better to drop the pickup until you get the sustain back?

If the pickup is so close to the strings would you be able to fit anything between them?

Or have I picked this up wrong 🤔

[E sharp]

On my MM I've raised the PU and gaffered it to see if I liked it - and I really do .

What I'll probably do , is get some Perspex cut to size to cover both pick ups (that are pretty near to each other) , and then use double sided tape I reckon . Just was asking about using a magnet to affix the ramp . But either no one on here is sure , or perhaps I haven't explained myself properly .

I'll give it a go

[Reggaebass]

7 hours ago, E sharp said:

What I'll probably do , is get some Perspex cut to size to cover both pick ups

That’s a beautiful bass E sharp👍, Black Perspex would look good with the top rounded off as a thumb rest,  and you wouldn’t see the tape through it . 

[E sharp]

Yeah that might be an idea.

May pop and see my mate , and we can sort of rough cut a black and Perspex to get an idea which looks best .

[Woodwind]

13 hours ago, E sharp said:

On my MM I've raised the PU and gaffered it to see if I liked it - and I really do .

What I'll probably do , is get some Perspex cut to size to cover both pick ups (that are pretty near to each other) , and then use double sided tape I reckon . Just was asking about using a magnet to affix the ramp . But either no one on here is sure , or perhaps I haven't explained myself properly .

I'll give it a go

I personally wouldn't use magnets to attach a ramp to pickup pole pieces.

Over time you may decrease the power of the pick up magnets and you may still run into the decreased sustain issue.

Just use tape

[therealting]

On that bass I’d just get an ebony ramp made. Double sided tape behind it, done. Had them on several basses.

[Maude]

Using magnets will change the output of the pickup, and only the pole pieces which the new magnets are attached to will be affected giving an uneven output across the strings. You can try this by adding a flat magnet across the underside of a pickup to increase output. 

Also, although the magnets will be fairly strong against a pulling apart action, they'll be fairly weak against the shearing force of resting your thumb on the ramp edge, if you do. 

[horrorshowbass]

Guys, 

Any success with a musicman ramp?

I would love one for my SUB Ray4, got a zero mod but it just felt weird slapping etc.