Music Man DarkRay II Bass Guitar in Showtime

The Music Man DarkRay II bass takes the original DarkRay concept and supercharges it with fully integrated octave up and down effects, giving you an outrageously versatile modern bass platform. Built around a powerful neodymium humbucker and custom Darkglass preamp, it moves effortlessly from tight, articulate clean tones to colossal synth-like textures, with instant visual feedback from the illuminated LED control rings.

Classic Music Man feel, modern DarkRay power

Retaining the trusted feel and build quality of a classic Music Man, the DarkRay II pairs an Ash body with a roasted Maple neck and stainless steel frets for rock-solid stability and years of reliable performance. With intuitive controls, three-way switching and push/push functions for both distortion and octave effects, it's designed to let you shape complex, layered sounds on the fly without losing focus or low-end punch.

Darkglass distortion with octave effects

At the heart of the DarkRay II is a custom Darkglass two-band active preamp featuring two distinct distortion circuits: Alpha and Omega. Music Man have also added a versatile octave section with selectable octave up and octave down modes, giving you everything from subtle thickening to full-blown synth bass sounds. The result is an instrument that can handle modern rock, metal, electronic and experimental styles without the need for a pedalboard full of extra effects!

Performance-ready controls

A master volume, bass and treble EQ, dedicated distortion control and dedicated octave control put your core sound at your fingertips. Both the distortion and octave controls feature push/push switching, letting you choose between Alpha and Omega distortion voices and octave up or down modes respectively. A three-way lever switch allows you to select between preamp only, preamp plus octave, or preamp plus octave and distortion too.

Premium feel and playability

The Music Man DarkRay II looks every bit as modern as it sounds. Its Ash body, roasted Maple neck, Ebony fingerboard, 11-inch fingerboard radius and 22 stainless steel frets deliver a fast, smooth playing experience with exceptional durability. A sculpted five-bolt neck joint, lightweight custom tuners and vintage-style top-loaded bridge complete a bass that feels every bit as refined and responsive as its impressive tonal palette.

• Darkglass preamp with dual distortion voices: Selectable via the gain control's push function, letting you move from tight, focused drive to huge, saturated grind tailored for modern rock and metal.
• Built-in octave up/down effects: Unlock synth-like sub-bass, organ-style upper textures and massive layered tones without needing a single external pedal.
• Roasted Maple neck: Fast, smooth and incredibly stable, with excellent resistance to changes in temperature and humidity. Once you've played a roasted neck, it's hard to go back.
• Stainless steel frets: Deliver crystal‑clear note definition and years of durability. They’ll take anything you throw at them and keep on shining.
• Neodymium humbucker: Packs all the punch, clarity and attitude you'd expect from a ‘Ray-inspired design, with huge lows and crisp highs.
• Vintage Music Man top loaded bridge: Dishes out that unmistakable StingRay thump while keeping things simple, stable and easy to restring.
• Custom Music Man lightweight tuners: Help keep the bass perfectly balanced on the strap while maintaining rock-solid tuning stability. No neck dive, no drama!
• Music Man/Mono case included: Features custom-moulded foam, impact-resistant rubber feet and a plush interior to keep your DarkRay II protected wherever it goes.

Body

• Body Material: Ash
• Body Finish: High Gloss Polyester

Neck

• Neck Material: Roasted Maple
• Neck Profile: “C”
• Neck Finish: Gunstock Oil & Hand-Rubbed Special Wax Blend
• Neck Joint: 5-Bolt Sculpted
• Fingerboard Material: Ebony
• Fingerboard Radius: 11" (279 mm)
• Fingerboard Inlays: Dots
• Side Markers: Dots
• Frets: 22, Stainless Steel
• Nut Material: Melamine (Compensated for Accurate Intonation)
• Nut Width: 1-11/16” (43 mm)
• Scale Length: 34" (864 mm)
• Truss Rod: Adjustable

Hardware

• Bridge: Vintage Music Man Top Loaded (Black-Plated, Steel Bridge Plate with Vintage Black-Plated Steel Saddles)
• Tuning Machines: Custom Music Man (Lightweight with Tapered String Posts & Ergonomic Clover Design)
• Pickguard: Black
• Knobs: Knurled Dome Top
• Hardware Colour: Black

Electronics

• Bridge Pickup: Neodymium Humbucker
• Preamp: Custom Darkglass 2-Band Active Preamp with Two Distortion Circuits (Alpha & Omega)
• Controls: Volume, Gain (Push to Toggle Alpha or Omega Circuits), Octave (Push to Toggle Octave Up or Down), Treble, Bass
• Electronics Type: Active

Miscellaneous

• Strings: 45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834)
• Case: Music Man/Mono (Included)
• Country of Origin: USA