The Master Effects Manta Ray 3-Band is a bass preamp pedal from Master Effects, a builder based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Master Effects describes the Manta Ray line as "The classic 2-band and 3-band preamps based on the circuits found in the EBMM Stingray basses," meaning the pedal puts the onboard EQ circuit of the Music Man Stingray bass into a stompbox1. For a player, that makes it a way to add Stingray-style tone shaping to any bass, whether or not the instrument already carries that preamp.
What it does
The Manta Ray 3-Band takes the preamp circuit Master Effects associates with the EBMM Stingray basses and offers it as a pedal. The Stingray's onboard preamp is a well-known bass tone circuit, and the Manta Ray line exists to reproduce it outside the instrument. The 3-Band is the fuller version of the two, with three bands of EQ; the company also builds the Manta Ray 2-Band, which carries the same idea with two bands1.
"The classic 2-band and 3-band preamps based on the circuits found in the EBMM Stingray basses"
The two versions side by side:
| Manta Ray 3-Band | Manta Ray 2-Band | |
|---|---|---|
| EQ bands | Three | Two |
| Circuit basis | EBMM Stingray basses | EBMM Stingray basses |
| Bypass | Relay True Bypass | Relay True Bypass |
| Enclosure | 125B die cast aluminum | 125B die cast aluminum |
Build and construction
Master Effects specifies the following for the Manta Ray line1:
- Professional high quality FR4 PCB
- 125B die cast aluminum enclosures
- Relay True Bypass switching, which uses a relay to route the signal directly when the pedal is off
- Hand assembly in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- 1 year warranty on parts and labor
The 125B is a compact enclosure size common in boutique pedal building, and die cast aluminum is the standard housing material for effects pedals.
Price and availability
Master Effects lists the 3-Band model at $129 USD on its product page1. The Manta Ray 3-Band sits in the wider Master Effects bass range alongside pedals like the Super Eight Hundred Plus, the Super Two Hundred, and the Monorail, as well as the Thespian Valve Preamp for players looking at tube-based preamps.
Videos
Bass Stuff
Sources (1)
- Manta Ray 2 & 3 Band, mastereffects
