7string Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 (edited) Good to know that Overwater offer such services. I started doing my own setups as I don't trust anyone to look after my basses If I have to have any serious work done I'll definitely be giving Overwater a call. The quality of the instruments that they build reassures me that the quality of any work they do is of a very high standard. I was looking at this thread again and remembered that I started putting ramps on my basses in the late 1980's I had a Hohner Jack bass and I couldn't put my thumb in the right spot to play. I cut the side of a Kaolin and Morphine bottle (because it was thick plastic) and stuck it on the bass. It worked great but looked absolutely rubbish Edited May 20, 2009 by 7string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kongo Posted May 20, 2009 Author Share Posted May 20, 2009 (edited) [quote name='7string' post='493730' date='May 20 2009, 09:42 PM']I was looking at this thread again and remembered that I started putting ramps on my basses in the late 1980's I had a Hohner Jack bass and I couldn't put my thumb in the right spot to play. I cut the side of a Kaolin and Morphine bottle (because it was thick plastic) and stuck it on the bass. It worked great but looked absolutely rubbish [/quote] Function over form I guess. My "Flight Deck" looks a bit odd I think but it works a treat for what I need. LOL it's just a piece of Foamalux board cut to shape and bolted onto the pickups. I used to want an Overwater bass...I still woulod but I'd not use it in my band so...alot of money for the bedroom! That being the case, I'd like some Overwater in my basses and having them do some work would be fine by me. They certainly help keep England on the map eh? (Or the UK as your from Scotland...) Edited May 20, 2009 by Kongo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballie Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Hey, I've made a few ramps for my own basses and friends. I'm hooked on the things. Not fitted one to my jazz bass yet as the scratchplate proved a bit awkward. I play mostly 6 string so it's no loss. I made my ramps from African ebony, it has a really nice grain and once burnished, it looks sleek. Takes a while to shape it using sand paper though, Gary Willis recommends using Pine molding on his site. Just make sure you sand whichever wood you go for, then use wire wool to smooth it off. Helps keep splinters out of the equation! Keep the ramp curved with the radius of your fingerboard as it'll help keep the distance between the ramp and strings the same, giving it a much more consistant feel. I'd shape the ramp by hand as it's easier to make fine adjustments to it, I'm pretty hopeless with powertools though... If you varnish your ramp, that'll feel like shifting on a varnished neck, it gets a bit sticky. I recommend you keep a wood surface to the ramp as it'll let your fingers move across it with a lot less resistance. Again, make sure it's had wire wool used to smooth it off, and even wash the piece of wood to get any traces of wire wool and sawdust off. You don't want to be inhaling any of that stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kongo Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 [quote name='Ballie' post='500518' date='May 29 2009, 02:27 AM']Hey, I've made a few ramps for my own basses and friends. I'm hooked on the things. Not fitted one to my jazz bass yet as the scratchplate proved a bit awkward. I play mostly 6 string so it's no loss. I made my ramps from African ebony, it has a really nice grain and once burnished, it looks sleek. Takes a while to shape it using sand paper though, Gary Willis recommends using Pine molding on his site. Just make sure you sand whichever wood you go for, then use wire wool to smooth it off. Helps keep splinters out of the equation! Keep the ramp curved with the radius of your fingerboard as it'll help keep the distance between the ramp and strings the same, giving it a much more consistant feel. I'd shape the ramp by hand as it's easier to make fine adjustments to it, I'm pretty hopeless with powertools though... If you varnish your ramp, that'll feel like shifting on a varnished neck, it gets a bit sticky. I recommend you keep a wood surface to the ramp as it'll let your fingers move across it with a lot less resistance. Again, make sure it's had wire wool used to smooth it off, and even wash the piece of wood to get any traces of wire wool and sawdust off. You don't want to be inhaling any of that stuff![/quote] I'm guessing oil is not out of the question as a finish then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokl Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Oddly enough I want a ramp to sit at the end of my fingerboard. I find the gap at the end of the neck too high when popping the strings so would like to reduce the height with a small ramp (there's no pickguard on the bass). Has anybody else tried this? I have a feeling it will look a bit weird, but I feel I need to do something about it on this particular instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kongo Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 [quote name='Mokl' post='501272' date='May 29 2009, 10:10 PM']Oddly enough I want a ramp to sit at the end of my fingerboard. I find the gap at the end of the neck too high when popping the strings so would like to reduce the height with a small ramp (there's no pickguard on the bass). Has anybody else tried this? I have a feeling it will look a bit weird, but I feel I need to do something about it on this particular instrument.[/quote] Yes, people do this. You can have a small ramp about the height of a pickguard or higher if need be fitted just after the neck. I've got a book on slap bass, Ultimate Slap Bass it's called and the guy shows a "Slap ramp" in there. Put basically, if you want to put anything on your bass that you feel will help your playing, do so. It's your bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I wanted the ramp on my Sei to give me a uniform playing surface all the way from the neck to the bridge pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Golgotha Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 There's a nice pic of a Ramp on a Fodera with Jazz pickups at the thread below: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222996"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222996[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biro Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 most of you got great looking and pretty refined ramps on your basses. I don't! I made mine out of a cd box, and glued it on the pick ups. not really great looking, but it does the job pretty well. you can see it here: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df1ljlMXpLc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df1ljlMXpLc[/url] since I've got P-style pick ups I can easily match the fingerboard radius by adjusting the pick ups. nevertheless, to prevent those reckless basschatters who are about to spoil their basses this way: keep in mind that this system only works properly if your bass has a considerably flat radiused fingerboard. I don't think i would do the same with a 7.25 fender-style radius. i also did something similar on my status S-1, but in a slightly different manner. I first fitted a small piece of wood between the pick ups in order to create an even surface. then I laid down a layer of sticker paper on the newly available surface. it works, and it definitely looks better than a sanded CD box. again, don't do this on buxom fingerboards, it won't work the way you want it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Some more rampage here, [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9661&view=findpost&p=507898"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...st&p=507898[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 To go against the grain of the thread - I've had a GWB35 for about a year and, after dithering for along time, have just taken the ramp off (hardly dramatic - it's only 4 screws). Wish I'd done it ages ago - suits my style far better without !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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