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Show your Ramps!

#202
Started using a ramp by luck, really. One came with a bass I bought though the seller forgot to mention it. Took about 2 months of on and off before I decided I like using it. Here's the ramp I made for my JJ Helms, claro walnut on maccasar ebony.

JJ2.jpg


JJ7.jpg
 
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#203
needmoney said:
I'm particularly interested to see if anyone has traditional J's (pickguard/control plate) with ramps installed.

Let's see 'em!
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I have made several ramps. Flat ramps are easy to make but it's hard to get used to the difference between the E & G vs the A & D strings.

I made one 16" radius ramp the width of the soap bar pick ups. It was too thick & I could not raise the pick ups close enough to the strings before the neck edge started to buzz. Then is I realized the radiused section only needs to be as wide as the strings. Plus, it need only be strong enough to support the hand while playing. The ramp floats on the pickups. The center section is there as a thumb rest & because not having it would be too distracting.

The material used is picture framer's plexiglass smoothed down to 400 grit wet/dry silicon carbide. Everything is held in place with 3M Scotch 665 Double Coated Tape. It's not bad for a prototype. If I were to make more I would make molds & cast them in acrylic resin.
 

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#207
Bumping this thread up as I've seen a lot of cool ramps and integrated ramp/pickups lately. I recently replaced mine- on each of my basses, I had two separate ramps that made one long ramp as an experiment to see if having a ramp on top of my pickups would work. It did, so I now have a long thin one running from behind my pickups to a few inches in front. I went from ebony to dyed and finished maple, and of course I've already damaged them by putting a few dings in them with my fingernail while sanding the bottoms :D I have to drop the action on my lower strings still- they were raised a bit by the guy who recently did my setups.
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These sit on top of my pickups, which isn't ideal, but the only other route is either ordering a new set of radiused Bart Js, which I don't even know if they make), or having my bass routed to fit different pickups or an integrated pickup/ramp like Cliff Bordwell and Pete Skjold have been making, although I'm not even sure who I could get to make such a thing.
 
#208
I'd like a ramp for my steinberger spirit. Preferably plexiglass (I have an "apple" sticker between the 2 pups. I'd like it to be one piece and have holes and go around the pickups but not have to drill into my bass. I'd also like it to go from the neck heel to the bridge pup. Any ideas? Custom ramp builders?
 
#211
Tommygunn said:
I want one for my dirnt too. From bridge to neck heel...It'd have to be plexiglass too preserve my signature "X" :D
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Tommy, one day you're going to be in your twenties, look back at your posts, and shake your head :D

I've never ordered one from George. Your best bet would be to either ask in the FBass Club thread, or PM Tom7, who has gotten one or two plexi ramps from him.
 
#220
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Here's the half ramp I've been talking about. Functionally it works very well. I can hit the ramp when I want and move to the open space to pluck through the strings. For me, it's the best of both worlds. The downside is that it might be somewhat tight depending on hand size. I have small hands, so it works perfectly for me. Someone with bigger hands would either need the pickups spaced wider, larger scale length, or to skip it.
 

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