Ramp question

[bassplayer2106]

Hi

I've done a couple of searches and found lots of threads about ramps.

I've had one fitted to my 6 string for a while now, and I've found that it makes playing a lot more comfortable, and it definately improves the fluidity of my picking.

I've so far just used a thin bit of wood that I found in the garage, I coloured it black with a marker pen, it's the perfect width to stay wedged in between the pick-ups without falling out.

It doesn't really do my Sei bass justice though, so I've ordered a piece of maccasar ebony, a bargain at £6. It just needs cutting down to size, and sanding and polishing.

My question is, has anyone experimented and found the optimum height for a ramp, the current one sits lower than the pick-ups, the wood was that size to start with, would I gain more from making it the same thickness as the pick-ups. My thoughts are yes, but I was just wondering.

Thanks

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

It's all personal preference on how close you like it to feel. In general I keep mine as close to the strings as possible- if I can fret the 24th fret without the strings hitting the ramp, then it's good. You can play around with the height by adding and removing layers of double stick tape. The tape can come in thick or thin sizes, so you can do micro adjustments that way (careful applying it though- if you mess up putting on a second or third layer of tape, you usually can't pull it off without messing up the first layer, and you usually have to start over).

I try not to let the pickups be a factor- I keep them at a level that gives me the best sound. Usually the pickups match the height of the lowest point of my ramps.

 

[arcellus]

i've got mine set up at about the same height as the end of the fingerboard. this is what gary willis recommends on his site (http://garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassmanual/rampsetup.html) which is also a great general setup guide. i used an old bit of cherry which i radiused to match the fingerboard and sealed with about 3 coats of polyeurethane. i've found that poster tape (the really thick foam stuff) works well - i cut the ramp a bit thin and needed to raise it, so it worked perfectly. i tried double stick tape at first and it fell off after about a week. just experiment with setup, attachment and the other variables and you'll eventually find something that works for you.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

i've found that poster tape (the really thick foam stuff) works well - i cut the ramp a bit thin and needed to raise it, so it worked perfectly. i tried double stick tape at first and it fell off after about a week.

Isn't the poster tape still double stick tape? I generally use the Scotch foam-style double stick tape.

 

[arcellus]

yeah, it's still double stick tape but it seems to be a lot more durable - it's been on there for a couple of months now, no wiggles or movement. i tried the standard scotch stuff and the ramp kept falling off.

 

[7string]

I had one custom-made for my Conklin. The ramp sits between the pickups, so I had it made the same height as them.

It's made a huge difference to the playability of the bass..

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I had one custom-made for my Conklin. The ramp sits between the pickups, so I had it made the same height as them.

It's made a huge difference to the playability of the bass..

The same height as in the top of the ramp has no radius? Unless your Conklin has no radius to the fingerboard, the ramp isn't nearly being as helpful to you as it could be.

 

[bassplayer2106]

Hi

Thanks for your replies.

My main bass is a Sei 6 string, it has quite a flat profile to it, so I was going to do the same as 7string and make the ramp flat like the pickups, I don't think that radiusing it would really make that much difference, I don't know.

I'm going to Camden to see Martin Peterson in a week or so, he's the master luthier who builds Sei basses. I'm having a new single cut 6 string built, and one thing that I definately want is a ramp made for it, out of a piece of the Spanish olive facing so that it matches.

Regards

Kevin

 

[lostrings]

Hi

I've done a couple of searches and found lots of threads about ramps.

I've had one fitted to my 6 string for a while now, and I've found that it makes playing a lot more comfortable, and it definately improves the fluidity of my picking.

I've so far just used a thin bit of wood that I found in the garage, I coloured it black with a marker pen, it's the perfect width to stay wedged in between the pick-ups without falling out.

It doesn't really do my Sei bass justice though, so I've ordered a piece of maccasar ebony, a bargain at £6. It just needs cutting down to size, and sanding and polishing.

My question is, has anyone experimented and found the optimum height for a ramp, the current one sits lower than the pick-ups, the wood was that size to start with, would I gain more from making it the same thickness as the pick-ups. My thoughts are yes, but I was just wondering.

Thanks

I purchased a piece of Ebony from Stewart McDonald and shaped to my pickups. I used Scotch brand clear mounting squares to hold it in place. They are small and very thin gel like squares that will hold up to a pound. I bought them at Menards, a home outlet store.....Gene.