Ramps: Anyone use them on their bass?

[RandomBass]

Hi All

I recently came across something called a 'ramp' which fits under the strings. What's the main purpose of it? I did some googling and it mentioned about reducing attack etc, but would be interested to hear if anyone here uses them, and why.

Cheers

Geoff

[Spoombung]

Oh god, it's meant to encourage the player to pluck softly and evenly and not exhaust their poor fingers or something like that. They're usually placed right where I like to dig in and twang the strings as hard as I can, so THEY SPOIL ALL THE FUN for me.

[Truckstop]

It's also supposed to help bassplayers that can't cope with resting their thumbs on the pickups and need to anchor somewhere else.

Man up or develop your floating thumb technique like everyone else!



Truckstop

[charic]

I think they're to help encourange even picking strength. Especially used on basses with ULTRA-low action. By having a ramp which reduces how hard you can hit the string you can put the strings much lower without having to worry about rattle purely because you CAN'T hit it too hard

I played with a ramp for the first time on Doods Shuker, took some getting used to but it was alright

[Spoombung]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1348221560' post='1810980']
Man up or develop your floating thumb technique like everyone else!



Truckstop
[/quote]

Seconded!

[RandomBass]

I came across the reference whilst browsing throught the classifieds on here (I know, I sould be working, but what the hell it's Friday and I need to mentally prepare myself for a jam night at a local pub tonight

I'm enjoying myself the most when im giving my fingers some real welly, and making those strings work for their living, and my thumb has a permanent indent from the corner of the pickup - so I don;t think a ramp would be for me. Perhaps in later life, though...

Right, back to browsing...

[andydye]

There was a ramp on the geddy jazz I got from McGraham and I kinda liked it, I then sold the neck and had a new one fitted by BassDoc that's fretless and the ramp doesn't suit so well now as the action's that bit lower and it clashes with the strings now, I also like to dig in on fretless...

On the fretted neck it made me play nice and smooth, I seemed faster too somehow maybe it's because I was controlling my picking strength more?

either way I no longer have a bass that it will fit so my ramp is for sale, fits a geddy jazz perfectly and should fit any jazz with 70's pickup spacing

[BassBus]

As far as I know Gary Willis was one of the first to use a ramp (I'm sure someone will correct me on that one). They do stop you getting your fingers too far under the string if you use the four finger picking technique. Have a look at Gary Willis' playing on youtube. There are one or two clips of him explaining his use of the ramp.

I've just started working with four finger picking and the ramp is pretty well integral in that style, as the end of the neck is integral in slapping. If you are someone who likes to dig in on your playing then it is not for you. I like a more subtle approach to that so I'm thinking of having one bass fitted with one.

Edited September 21, 2012 by BassBus

[Doddy]

I've got one as standard on my Ibanez Gary Willis fretless,and to be honest,I find it to be
nothing more than a glorified thumb rest.If you play over the pickups,like I do, I can understand
how it can give you an even playing surface between them,but other than that I don't think they do
much.I don't need one to help me play lightly.

[Sté]

what bassbus says.
the ks burner i had for my 40 birthday had one. it really helped me to reduce my attack and improve my playing flow. So i made one for my second bass.

[RandomBass]

As Paul and I share the same surname, I shall go with whatever he says...

[brensabre79]

What Jam are you going to Random? I'm in Brighton -ish too

The ramp... yeah my dad has one on his GW 5 string bass. Horrible thing. I can't play his basses because the action is so low and the strings are like cheesewire (seriously his low B is about the same gauge as my A string). When he got it I pointed out that thats exactly the place I need a lot of room to dig in and get my fingers under! So much so I've shimmed the necks on most of my basses to get a bit more space. He swears by his though, he's put them on his other basses now too! Although my dad pointed out that he actually IS a bass player as opposed to a drummer who has migrated - he always said I play guitar, bass and keyboards like a drummer.

[BigRedX]

I have one on my Sei fretless bass:

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/SeiNeck.jpg[/IMG]

I liked the way it felt when I played over the end of the neck on another fretless bass I owned, but the sound when plucking at this point wasn't always the one I wanted. So when I had the Sei made I wanted the fingerboard, pickups and ramp to form a continuous surface to give me a constant feel no matter where along the length of the string I wanted to pluck. When I do dig in it's when I'm playing near the bridge so there's no ramp there, otherwise I'd have had it carried on to the front of the bridge. I also forms a continuous uniform thumb rest for all the positions I want to pluck the strings at.

Having the ramp suits the way I play this particular bass. I wouldn't have it on all my basses because I play using different styles on different basses. It doesn't suit everyones playing style either. Some people find them invaluable, others find that they just get in the way.

[chris_b]

[font=Arial]Just an opinion, but I think a ramp is a bit of a pointless gimmick. [/font]
[font=Arial] [/font]
[font=Arial]Your technique should be good enough to make a ramp superfluous, and you should be able to play hard or soft without hooking your fingers under the strings anyway.[/font]

[Musicman20]

Perhaps I'm being over critical, but they come across as pretentious to me.

I'm a classic two finger or pick player, so maybe they don't apply to myself as much, as I can't ever see myself learning 4 finger technique.

I am not a jazz player either.

Probably the least rock n roll thing I've seen...and I LOVE digging in when its the right time, and I prefer a medium action anyway.

[RandomBass]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1348227509' post='1811078']
What Jam are you going to Random? I'm in Brighton -ish too
[/quote]
It's at The Hampden Arms in South Heighton, Just outside Newhaven. A compact place but usually a good music and fine beer venue

[brensabre79]

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1348232792' post='1811190']
It's at The Hampden Arms in South Heighton, Just outside Newhaven. A compact place but usually a good music and fine beer venue
[/quote]
Ah yes, I've played there. Might pop down later on then - didn't know they were doing jam nights

[Sté]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1348232258' post='1811179']
[font=Arial]Just an opinion, but I think a ramp is a bit of a pointless gimmick. [/font]
[font=Arial] [/font]
[font=Arial]Your technique should be good enough to make a ramp superfluous, and you should be able to play hard or soft without hooking your fingers under the strings anyway.[/font]
[/quote]
it'not a matter of good or bad technic, it's just improve the right hand technique and allow to play with a lighter touch and increase shades in the bass "voice" , and chords technics to play latin grooves.. at least to me. i play jazz and try to expand the chords technic in my playing.

[paul_5]

I fitted one of these ramps onto my bits P Bass - works a treat and if anything, gives me MORE attack!

[attachment=118976:images-1.jpeg]

[andydye]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1348240863' post='1811324']
I fitted one of these ramps onto my bits P Bass - works a treat and if anything, gives me MORE attack!
[attachment=118976:images-1.jpeg]
[/quote]

[paul_5]

[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1348241381' post='1811329']

[/quote]

don't act like you're not impressed...

[Doddy]

[quote name='Sté' timestamp='1348239340' post='1811293']
it'not a matter of good or bad technic, it's just improve the right hand technique and allow to play with a lighter touch and increase shades in the bass "voice" , and chords technics to play latin grooves.. at least to me. i play jazz and try to expand the chords technic in my playing.
[/quote]
The ramp by itself does not improve right hand technique and allow you to play with a lighter touch. Dynamic range
and technique come from the players hands,not the ramp.

[risingson]

I can vaguely understand why someone like Matt Garrison for example has one, as his right hand technique involves his thumb and three fingers spread across a wider area than the standard two fingers, giving a more even playing surface presumably. Personally I don't get them at all, clearly some players swear by them but I can definitely get by without one.

[andydye]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1348241932' post='1811338']
don't act like you're not impressed...
[/quote]

yep...you got me there

[RandomBass]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1348238001' post='1811268']
Ah yes, I've played there. Might pop down later on then - didn't know they were doing jam nights
[/quote]

Yes we've played there too a few times. I think the jam nights are not that frequent - I only got a txt from the landlord yesterday telling me about it lol.