2nd Ramp Build

fishsticks · #1 08-18-2009, 02:56 PM

OK, the first wave of ramp building was a success!

Now to initiate Wave two!

a PJ bass ramp!

I was thinking about getting a little more complicated with this one since the p bass pickup has such an irregular shape. i am leaning towards replacing the stock pickup covers with the ramp itself.
something like this:

again i want to go from neck to bridge and would like to keep it all one piece if possible.

please hit me with some suggestions!

here is the bass in question:

fishsticks · #2 08-24-2009, 01:39 PM

my mind continues to boggle!
according to my calculations a radius of 9.5 in will make the ramp not quite wide enough to use as a replacement pick up cover for the p pick up. i might have to make separate pieces after all.

Does anyone on this forum have a ramp on a p-bass or a PJ?

fishsticks · #3 08-25-2009, 01:57 PM

anyone?
Bueler?

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #4 08-25-2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishsticks

my mind continues to boggle!
according to my calculations a radius of 9.5 in will make the ramp not quite wide enough to use as a replacement pick up cover for the p pick up. i might have to make separate pieces after all.

Does anyone on this forum have a ramp on a p-bass or a PJ?

Why would the radius limit the width that you can make the ramp? Do you mean it will hit a pole piece or something?

Darkstrike · #5 08-25-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishsticks

Does anyone on this forum have a ramp on a p-bass or a PJ?

I have a flat perspex one, which some will say is not a "real" ramp, on one of mine.

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #6 08-25-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

I have a flat perspex one, which some will say is not a "real" ramp, on one of mine.

Well, to be fair, there's not any ramping going on in a flat "ramp."

Darkstrike · #7 08-25-2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

Well, to be fair, there's not any ramping going on in a flat "ramp."

But then, this ain't much of a ramp either......

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #8 08-25-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

But then, this ain't much of a ramp either......

It's an awesome hat though

Darkstrike · #9 08-25-2009, 03:05 PM

If you're in England.

Darkstrike · #10 08-25-2009, 03:06 PM

Oh, and FWIW, P/J ramp....

fishsticks · #11 08-26-2009, 07:23 AM

OK, so the box is 4.5 x .5 it represents the plank of rose wood i am using.

and the semi circle inside is a 9.5 in radius circle. same radius as my fret board

as you see the radius force the wood to be about 4-4.25 inches wide when the width is .5 inches. unfortunately the space under the strings is much less than that so the ramp will probably end up being less and 4 inches wide. which isn't enough to reach the outside pickup screws on the p pick up.

it seems i will have to keep the pick up covers on after all.
i think i will route my neck cavity and pick up holes into the wood first then radius it and see what happens.

FWIW if the radiused playing ramp doesn't work out for me then I'm willing to try a flat "playing shelf".... it don't look half bad

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #12 08-26-2009, 07:31 AM

Well, two questions:
1. How low are your pickups? You can always lower them a tad to get more room for the ramp, although you don't want to lower them too much or you'll lose output (I'm currently in the planning stages of getting a ramp for the top of my pickups as well and am figuring out the height thing with a luthier).
2. By "reach the outside pickup screws on the p pick up", do you mean the edge of the pickup, or the pickup screw itself? Not much reason to go all the way to the screw unless you were screwing through the ramp to hold it in place, and I'd look for a different way to attach it than that (small strips of strong, flat (not foam) double stick tape, etc.).

fishsticks · #13 08-27-2009, 06:47 AM

the pick up screws on my p pickup are just under 4 inches apart. my ish lies in the fact that the space between my body and the top of my fretboard is about .375 inches. so that limits the width of the ramp to about 3.75 inches wide...

seems like a magic number to me so i'm gonna go with it.
it should just fit inside the square part of the pickups which will look pretty nice even though i wont be able to replace the pickup covers.
i will have to removes the pick guard from under my strings to get it to fit just right but I'm cool with that as long as i can cut the guard and make it look nice.

will any ol saw blade do for cutting a pick guard or is there some special kind?