Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

[Number Of The Priest]

Has anybody thought of building some sort of thumb-ramp on the back of a bolt-on neck guitar so that your thumb can smoothly glide up the neck and back behind the body (neck plate) when playing at the higher frets? Keeping my thumb on the neck beside the neck joint doesn't even give my small hands enough reach to the 24th fret most times.

[Ace]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

Do you mean an actual "ramp" glued to the neck that goes from the back of the fretboard to the neckplate? If so, I've never seen one. If you really have a problem reaching the 24th fret of your guitar, just break your thumb free from the back of the neck. Proper technique is for the birds anyways.

[jackson1]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

I would think such a ramp would hurt your reach problem even more. It would make a smooth transition, i agree, but add even more material for your thumb to rest on = less reach.

Of course i probably have misunderstood the whole shabang and if that's the case, ignore my stupid post [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

Get way shorter neck bolts and cut the neck pocket in half lengthwise, making it thinner.

Newc

[Budman68]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

<font color="aqua">Cut your thumb completely off? [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

....sorry, weird mood this morning... </font>

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

Basically I'm talking about wood carved to act like a ramp on the back of the neck in order to resemble the appearance of a set-neck, but will allow your thumb to glide up to the neckplate. The red area is the block of wood you could glue to the back of the neck to make the ramp:




Yes, I am crazy. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[jackson1]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

Do you have more pics of that guitar, notp? I think that might be an early Ontario Strat with the infamous two-nails bolt on... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Izegrim]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-access?

What use is your thumb that high up the neck? I bet you won't play full barre's hehe. You don't really need your thumb up that high man. Just flip it out of the way man and it'll be just fine if you get used to it.

[delt]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-acce

If you want awesome playability on a bolt-on, the ibanez style heels (rounded off) are awesome. i did the same on my "razorback rhoads" (: (: sanded off just enough wood so that the bottom left screw is still covered, makes an amazing difference.

now if the neck could stay flat all the way up to the bolt-on joint......... i mean this area ---&gt;

[delt]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-acce

oh - i thought of that heel modification (and did it) before i noticed it on any (ibanez) guitar [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-acce

Delt's drawing is SIGNIFICANTLY more artistic than mine. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Yes, that's my infamous "San Dumas" (pronounced "San DUMBASS") custom. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-acce

NOTP, you SERIOUSLY need a re-fret!! You can make that "ramp" if you like, or find someone who'll make you one. I've managed to adapt my style to where the neckplate doesn't stop me from playing way up on the teeny frets where you mash your fingers together and go meedley meedley meedley meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-acce

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

So where's your left thumb during all of this? On top of the neckplate? Beside your index finger? On the back of the neck up beside the neck joint? Perhaps I need to revamp my playing when playing higher up. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-acce

Either on the neckplate, on the back of the neck against the body, floating out in space, wrapped around and fretting the low strings, down some girl's pants... it's got a mind of it's own. Usually I leave it on the back of the neck and just reach around.

[delt]

Re: Making a thumb-ramp for a bolt-on for all-acce

&gt; down some girl's pants...

hahahaha.... .i also have 10 fingers that somehow have that same tendency, no idea why (: (: [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

oh and my strap-button-through-the-neck-plate idea works very very well (see above post) the git has much better balance. and my ibanez-style rounded heel gives way better playability on the tiny meedley-meedley-meeeee frets (: no idea why all bolt-on's aren't built like this (: