Woodinblack Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Lots of guitars have pickup ramps, those little bits of wood between / next to pickups making a large part of the neck the same height as the pickup. I had a look at some explanations as what they were there for, but wasn't sure I was really getting it. Can anyone explain what the point of them is, and what you gain from them being there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Could be quite wrong, but I had it in my head that they were there to prevent you from digging in too hard when playing fingerstyle. Something about getting your fingers tangled up in the strings, losing your footing, falling off stage and landing on the Mayor's wife just as he was judging the sandcastle competition, or something. Ah, noon! Time for my meds. Thank you, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 This is what Gary Willis has to say about it. http://www.garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassmanual/theramp.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 (edited) If you play more-or-less straight fingered, your plucking fingers can go too far into the strings and slow you dow. On rare occasion this can have catastrophic results, as described by Discreet above. As I play with curved fingers (rather like a pianist), the thumb of my plucking hand prevents my other fingers from doing this. I can then mock ramp-users for being unable to play without artificial assistance. EDIT: Afterthought - it must be a bit like an upright bass player plucking over the end of the fingerboard. Edited January 17, 2015 by JapanAxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Well, that would be something you would definitely want to avoid. I guess I am lucky I haven't done any gigs for the mayor yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 I am trying to build up speed in my picking hand at the moment, as I noticed in songs like 'Hit me with your rhythm stick' and Hysteria when it comes to playing at full speed I start losing synchronisation with my fingers, and they aren't quite fast enough, whereas if I do it with just 'one finger like a plectrum' I can do it fine, but want to do it with two fingers. I do play with curved fingers, although they do dig in more the faster I get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1421495844' post='2661945'] This is what Gary Willis has to say about it. [url="http://www.garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassmanual/theramp.html"]http://www.garywilli...al/theramp.html[/url] [/quote] Very interesting what he has to say about playing hard, attack and dynamics. I had recently come to this conclusion independently. It only took me about forty years to figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 It does make sense, although I would imagine it would take a lot of practice to get comfortable. One of the things I had a problem with on the dingwall is that where the pickups are at an angle, there isn't a consistent place you could put your hand where it was either over a pickup or not. Like if you put your thumb on the pickup (as I do - and as Mr Willis seems to be referring to), you have 3 strings where you are over the pickup, and two where you are not, and it is a bit of a weird thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1421495912' post='2661949']I can then mock ramp-users for being unable to play without artificial assistance. [/quote] Pretty much this. If "digging in" is bad, don't do it. Learn how to play with control and you can still use as many dynamics as before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I found a ramp to be a good practice tool in learning a lighter touch. It wasn't for me, I am now rampless and playing heavier than ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I always thought it gave you far more area on which to rest your thumb, as opposed to just using the pickup covers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I get almost all of a 1.0mm Dunlop pick right through the string gaps when playing town called mallice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1421558135' post='2662677'] I always thought it gave you far more area on which to rest your thumb, as opposed to just using the pickup covers. [/quote] Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UglyDog Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1421540649' post='2662632'] Pretty much this. If "digging in" is bad, don't do it. Learn how to play with control and you can still use as many dynamics as before. [/quote] I would imagine Gary Willis has 'learned to play' fairly well by now the way I see it, if it's good enough for him it's certainly good enough for me and it has revolutionised my playing. But thanks for the tip, I consider myself duly mocked and will go away and learn how to play properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1421578805' post='2662788'] I would imagine Gary Willis has 'learned to play' fairly well by now the way I see it, if it's good enough for him it's certainly good enough for me and it has revolutionised my playing. But thanks for the tip, I consider myself duly mocked and will go away and learn how to play properly. [/quote] I wondered that about Gary Willis.. well sort of, TBH honest I have no idea who he is, but lots of people seem to like him and he has his own custom bass so he must be doing ok But really I would like to know (hence the thread), what exactly it has revolutionised? Is it just the sound / speed or is it something else? Why do I need to do it to help my playing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 UD, I'm glad it worked for you. But as Gary Willis was selling them at the time, pushing the ramp idea looks more like a marketing opportunity to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 To me it looks like a solution in search of a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1421580044' post='2662806'] UD, I'm glad it worked for you. But as Gary Willis was selling them at the time, pushing the ramp idea looks more like a marketing opportunity to me. [/quote] Here http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2014/03/the-evolution-of-bass-ramps/ Gary Willis says that it wasn't patented because he didn't want to be a patent troll and there is no profit involved due to the different size of pickups etc, so it seems unlikely it is anything to do with marketing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1421495912' post='2661949'] ... it must be a bit like an upright bass player plucking over the end of the fingerboard. [/quote] I often pluck over the end of the fingerboard on an electric too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 If you think a ramp will help you then try one. If it works for you, fine. If it doesn't, you tried it so move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1421566644' post='2662686'] I get almost all of a 1.0mm Dunlop pick right through the string gaps when playing town called mallice [/quote] Er, so... you break a few strings, then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I like them. I only have 1 bass set up that way, but I'd be happy to have more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UglyDog Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1421579813' post='2662802'] But really I would like to know (hence the thread), what exactly it has revolutionised? Is it just the sound / speed or is it something else? Why do I need to do it to help my playing? [/quote] You don't [i]need[/i] it as such. In my case, I read about it and thought I'd give it a try -- experimented with a piece of wood carpet-taped to the front of my bass -- and essentially it's stayed there ever since. As has been said, it gives the same feel as playing over the pickup but without playing over the pickup, stops me from digging in too much, means that I get a more even tone across strings and so on. But what the heck -- I'm not going to justify my decision because TBH I don't feel the need to. All I will say is if you're curious and think it might work for you, try a temporary one like I did. The worst that can happen is that you'll take it off again. It might be the best thing you've ever done, it might be the most pointless. Who knows? Up to you at day's end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1421584261' post='2662869'] Er, so... you break a few strings, then? [/quote] Just one about ten years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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