Music Man Dark Ray 5 Gold Bar
Professional music gear - detailed information and where to buy
Music Man
Dark Ray 5 Gold Bar
Product Info
Article Number:
595488
Brand:
Music Man
Model:
Dark Ray 5 Gold Bar
Category:
5-String Basses
Price:
$3,463.90
* Prices may vary. Check retailer for current pricing and availability.
The Dark Ray 5 Gold Bar is a powerhouse for players needing serious low-end aggression and modern tones. The roasted maple neck and ebony board make it a joy to play, while the Darkglass preamp delivers a huge range of distortion options. This is a premium-priced instrument geared toward experienced bassists in rock, metal, and progressive genres.
Product Description
- Music Man Dark Ray 5 Gold Bar
- 5 String Electric Bass
- Body: selected hardwood
- Bolt-on neck: roasted maple
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- Fingerboard radius: 279 mm (11")
- Scale: 864 mm (34")
- Nut width: 44.5 mm (1.75")
- 22 Stainless Steel Jumbo frets
- Pickup: 1 Neodymium humbucker (bridge)
- Custom Darkglass 2-band active preamp with 2 different distortion circuits (Alpha and Omega)
- Controls: Volume
- Gain
- Blend
- Treble
- Bass
- Switch: 3-Way selector switch for distortion: preamp only
- preamp+alpha distortion
- preamp+omega distortion
- Black hardware
- Original strings: Regular Slinky Bass #2836 .045w
- .065w
- .080w
- .100w
- .130w
- Includes mono case
- Made in USA
PROS
- • Roasted maple neck offers exceptional stability and feel.
- • Darkglass preamp delivers a wide range of aggressive, modern tones.
- • Ebony fingerboard provides a slick, fast playing experience.
- • Solid hardware and build quality ensure reliable performance.
CONS
- • The weight, typical of hardwood bodies, may be tiring for some players.
- • The Darkglass preamp's complexity may be overwhelming for beginners.
- • Limited tonal flexibility compared to basses with more pickup configurations.
Product Video
Key Features
Body Material
Selected Hardwood (likely Ash or Swamp Ash)
Neck Material
Roasted Maple
Fingerboard
Ebony
Pickups
1 Neodymium Humbucker (bridge)
Scale Length
864 mm (34")
Frets
22 Stainless Steel Jumbo
Strings
Regular Slinky Bass #2836 .045w, .065w, .080w, .100w, .130w
Weight
Approximately 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg)
Similar Products
Taylor 814ce Special Edition Sedona
Other Acoustic Guitars
$5,499
*Note:* Register your Taylor guitar to extend your warranty to 12 years.
Manuel Rodriguez Superior Flamenco Sabicas C3-F
Flamenco Guitars
$957
Flamenco Guitar, Top: Solid European Carpathian spruce, Back and...
Taylor GS-Mini-e Sakuraburst
Folk Acoustic Guitars
$989
*Note:* Register your Taylor guitar to extend your warranty to 12 years.
Applause Jump Dark Matter
Other Acoustic Guitars
$362
Acoustic Guitar with Pickup, Type: OM with cutaway, Top: Solid European spruce, Back and...
Frequently Asked Questions
Alpha is a more subtle, gritty overdrive, while Omega is a more saturated, aggressive distortion – offering two distinct flavors of added gain.
The neck profile is generally described as modern 'C' shape, which is comfortable for most, but players with very small hands might find it slightly thicker than ideal.
The Blend control mixes the direct signal from the pickup with the processed signal from the preamp, allowing you to dial in varying degrees of preamp coloration and distortion without fully bypassing the preamp.
