Gary Willis has arguably done more to refine and advance the language of modern bass playing than any other bassist playing today. Famous for a unique three-finger picking style and an effortlessly light touch, Gary is also a self-confessed ‘hacker’ when it comes to guitar mods. “I expect that I’m one of the most particular players around when it comes to how a bass guitar sets up and plays,” he told BP. “So I’ve always happily made modifications to my basses, including a finger ramp I developed that sits under the strings.”
A finger ramp, which is a feature on Gary’s Ibanez signature model, is a block of wood shaped to fit between the pickups and provide a uniform feel as you shift your playing position. “It’s really designed to eliminate the possibility of grabbing too much string and playing too hard," said Gary. "It also provides a comfortable place for your thumb. On the fretted bass we call it the slap stopper!”
