Plunge into the Darkness with the DarkRay Bass
When bass players at Sweetwater first saw the Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay bass, they could tell that this was one brutal instrument. Decked out with a shadowy finish, blacked-out steel hardware and a light-consuming ebony fingerboard, the DarkRay appears as if it emerged from the farthest depths of the Mariana Trench. Buried in its select hardwood body is a custom Darkglass active preamp with two ferocious built-in distortion circuits, each with a distinct but equally devasting growl. A contoured body, comfortable roasted maple neck, and premium hardware package let you harness the DarkRay’s primordial intensity with ease. If you yearn for a bass guitar with a bit of a mean streak, then plunge into the darkness with the DarkRay Bass from Ernie Ball Music Man.
Custom Darkglass electronics with built-in distortion
Beyond its sleek suboceanic look, the DarkRay takes its brooding name from a custom Darkglass 3-band active preamp that features two distinct built-in distortion circuits — Alpha or Omega — which take your tone from clean to crunchy to full-on heavy metal fury with the flick of a switch! A color-shifting LED on the gain knob glows menacingly when the distortion is engaged, either blue or red, depending on which circuit you choose. Plus, onboard volume, gain, blend, treble, and bass knobs make dialed-in tones easy to nail using this super-versatile bass.
Premium maple neck plays like a dream
Ernie Ball Music Man put a ton of work into developing a neck that would provide you with the perfect balance of comfort, speed, and stability. The DarkRay’s premium roasted maple neck is smoky, ultra-stable, and polished with a blend of special wax and gunstock oil, so it feels amazing to play and behold. Capping the roasted maple is an ebony fretboard with a smooth, fast feel and extra sonic attack. Plus, with its 5-point attachment, this bolt-on neck delivers stability that easily surpasses most set necks.
Loaded with StingRay style, sound, and innovation
The DarkRay, like the rest of Ernie Ball Music Man's StingRay bass lineup, claims roots that run back to the 1970s, when Ernie Ball Music Man was founded. Armed with fat and punchy humbuckers, active electronics, and a delightfully chunky neck, it's no wonder the StingRay became a standard for such bass players as Guy Pratt, Cliff Williams, and Flea. The DarkRay is the latest spin on this renowned bass formula, and it’s a truly unique instrument you won’t want to miss!
Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay Bass Guitar Features:
- A performance-built bass any serious player can appreciate
- 22 stainless steel frets provide exceptionally long fret life and excellent tone
- Single active humbucking pickup with neodymium magnets for hot output
- Custom Darkglass 3-band preamp with built-in Alpha and Omega distortion circuits churns out devastating tones
- Controls: 3-way preamp selector, 2-band EQ, pickup gain, volume, and blend
- Contoured hardwood body and premium roasted maple neck deliver amazing comfort and sustain
- Black-plated steel hardware for a bold look
- Easy-access truss rod adjustment wheel