Ray in a Box

Thank you for your purchase of a Boscoe Music Ray in a Box!

The Ray in a Box takes the vintage 2-band preamp circuit used in late-1970s Music Man StingRay basses and places it in an external pedal enclosure. It is designed to give passive-bass players access to the character, response, and wide EQ range of the original StingRay electronics without modifying the instrument.

The circuit is a faithful reproduction of the original design, including the now-discontinued LM4250CN opamp, and each pedal is individually tested before shipping.

Unlike most effects pedals, the Ray in a Box is intended to function as an always-on preamp and does not have a bypass footswitch.

Controls

The Ray in a Box has three controls:

VOLUME

Controls the output level of the pedal.

Use the Volume control to balance the output level with the rest of your signal chain or to provide additional level to downstream pedals, an amplifier, or other equipment.

BASS

Provides the bass boost and cut of the original StingRay 2-band preamp.

The circuit provides approximately +14dB / -7dB at 40Hz.

TREBLE

Provides the treble boost and cut of the original StingRay 2-band preamp.

The circuit provides approximately +20dB / -16dB at 10kHz.

The Bass and Treble controls have a wide range. Small adjustments may produce a significant change in sound, particularly when boosting.

There is no requirement to keep the controls in any particular position. Start near the middle of their travel and adjust by ear for the instrument, amplifier, cabinet, and playing style being used.

Power

The Ray in a Box requires a 9V DC, center-negative power supply.

Use a properly regulated pedal power supply with the correct polarity.

Use 9V power only. Do not connect the Ray in a Box to an 18V supply.

The Ray in a Box has an extremely low current requirement of approximately 100µA, due largely to the low-power LM4250CN opamp used in the original StingRay circuit.

Although its current requirement is very small, the quality of the power supply can still affect noise performance. If you experience hum, buzz, or other unwanted noise, try a known-good regulated or isolated pedal power supply.

Connecting the Ray in a Box

Connect your bass to the INPUT of the Ray in a Box.

Connect the OUTPUT to the next pedal in your signal chain or directly to your amplifier, DI, audio interface, or other appropriate instrument input.

A simple setup is:

BASS → RAY IN A BOX → AMPLIFIER

For a pedalboard:

BASS → RAY IN A BOX → OTHER PEDALS → AMPLIFIER / DI

The Ray in a Box can be used in other positions in a pedalboard, but for the most authentic vintage StingRay response, it should normally be the first active device in the signal chain.

Why First in the Signal Chain?

The original StingRay electronics were unusual because the preamp and pickup were designed as parts of the same electrical system.

A passive magnetic pickup is not simply a source of audio. Its resistance and inductance interact with the electrical load connected to it, including the instrument controls, cable capacitance, and preamp input. This interaction helps determine the pickup's resonant response and therefore its overall tone.

The original StingRay preamp was designed to operate directly from a passive Music Man humbucker. The Ray in a Box reproduces that circuit, so the closest approximation of the original system occurs when the pedal is connected directly to the passive bass.

For this reason, the recommended signal path is:

PASSIVE BASS → RAY IN A BOX → EVERYTHING ELSE

Placing a buffered pedal, active electronic device, or wireless receiver between the bass and Ray in a Box changes the electrical load seen by the pickup. The Ray in a Box will still operate normally, but the characteristic pickup/preamp interaction is reduced.

The most noticeable difference is usually in the high-frequency response. The sound may become somewhat darker or have a different resonant character.

This does not mean that the pedal must always be first in the chain. It means that first position provides the closest approximation of the electrical relationship found inside a vintage StingRay.

Why Is There No Bypass Switch?

The Ray in a Box is intended to operate more like an external onboard preamp than a conventional effect that is switched on and off during a performance.

The original StingRay preamp is always part of the instrument's active signal path. The Ray in a Box follows the same philosophy.

The pedal therefore has no built-in bypass footswitch and, importantly, no input buffer placed ahead of the vintage preamp circuit.

This allows a passive pickup connected directly to the Ray in a Box to interact with the preamp in the intended way.

If you need to switch the Ray in a Box in and out of your signal path, an external true-bypass loop switcher can be used. For the closest vintage response, use one that does not place a buffer between the passive bass and Ray in a Box while the loop is engaged.

Using the Ray in a Box With a Passive StingRay-Style Bass

This is the application for which the Ray in a Box is particularly well suited.

The original late-1970s StingRay used an Alnico V humbucker with its two coils wired in parallel, with approximately 1750–1950Ω DC resistance and approximately 700mH inductance.

A passive bass using a similar Music Man-style humbucker, connected directly to the Ray in a Box, provides the closest approximation of the original pickup/preamp system.

Examples of passive StingRay-style basses include models such as:

• Ernie Ball Music Man Joe Dart Signature

• Ernie Ball Music Man Short Scale StingRay

• Ernie Ball Music Man Tim Commerford Passive Signature

• Sterling by Music Man Intro Series Ray2

• Sterling by Music Man Joe Dart Signature

• Sterling by Music Man Pete Wentz Signature

• Sterling by Music Man Short Scale StingRay

Pickup specifications and wiring vary between models and production years, so two passive StingRay-style basses may still interact somewhat differently with the pedal.

Using the Ray in a Box With Other Passive Basses

The Ray in a Box is not limited to StingRay-style instruments.

It can be used with passive P-Basses, J-Basses, humbucker-equipped basses, and many other passive instruments.

The Bass and Treble controls retain their wide adjustment range, and the pedal can be used simply as a vintage-flavored 2-band preamp and EQ.

However, the pickup is an important part of the sound of any instrument. Installing or using a StingRay preamp does not by itself make a different pickup arrangement electrically identical to a StingRay.

Higher-inductance or higher-impedance pickups may produce a lower resonant peak and somewhat less of the characteristic bright StingRay "sizzle."

That is normal.

Use the controls by ear rather than trying to compensate for a different pickup by automatically maximizing the Treble control.

Using the Ray in a Box With an Active Bass

The Ray in a Box will also work with active basses.

An active bass already contains electronics between its pickups and the Ray in a Box, however, so the pedal  will not interact directly with the pickup in the same way that it does with a passive StingRay-style instrument.

In this application, think of the Ray in a Box primarily as an additional 2-band preamp and tone-shaping stage.

A good starting point is to set the bass's onboard EQ to a neutral or moderate setting and make your primary adjustments with the Ray in a Box.

Active basses can also produce considerably more output than passive instruments. If you experience unwanted distortion or clipping, reduce the output level or EQ boost from the bass before increasing levels elsewhere in the signal chain.

There is no harm in experimenting. The correct settings are the ones that work best with your instrument and equipment.

Buffers, Tuners, and Other Pedals Before the Ray in a Box

Many modern pedals have a buffered input even when the effect itself is switched off.

A buffer is normally a very useful feature in a pedalboard because it prevents signal loss through long cables and multiple effects. In this particular application, however, it changes the electrical relationship between a passive pickup and the Ray in a Box.

If the goal is the closest possible vintage StingRay response, avoid placing buffered devices before the pedal.

This can include:

• buffered tuners

• buffered bypass pedals

• preamps

• compressors

• EQ pedals

• active volume pedals

• wireless systems

• other active electronics

A true-bypass pedal ahead of the Ray in a Box generally presents much less of an issue while bypassed, provided that it does not contain an always-active input buffer.

If you are unsure whether a pedal is true bypass or buffered, consult the manufacturer's documentation.

Wireless Systems

A wireless system necessarily places electronics between the bass pickup and the Ray in a Box.

The transmitter presents its own input load to the bass, and the receiver provides an electronically buffered output to the pedal.

The Ray in a Box will still work normally with a wireless system, but the direct passive-pickup interaction will no longer be present.

This is not a fault and does not mean that a wireless system should not be used. It simply means that the resulting response may differ somewhat from a passive bass connected directly to the pedal with an instrument cable.

Impedance-Sensitive Fuzz and Other Vintage Pedals

Some vintage-style fuzz pedals and other effects also sound different when connected directly to a passive pickup.

If both the Ray in a Box and another impedance-sensitive pedal prefer to be first in the signal chain, there is no single universally correct order.

Try both arrangements:

BASS → RAY IN A BOX → FUZZ

and

BASS → FUZZ → RAY IN A BOX

Choose the arrangement that provides the response you prefer.

This is one of the cases where experimentation is more useful than following a fixed pedalboard rule.

Setting Levels and Avoiding Clipping

The original StingRay EQ has a substantial amount of available boost, particularly in the treble range.

Boosting frequencies also increases signal level.

A large EQ boost combined with a high Volume setting can overload the input of:

• another pedal

• a compressor

• a distortion or overdrive

• a DI

• an audio interface

• or an amplifier

If the sound becomes unexpectedly harsh, compressed, or distorted, first reduce the Ray in a Box Volume control and/or reduce the amount of Bass or Treble boost.

If the distortion disappears as the level is reduced, the problem was most likely gain staging rather than a fault in the pedal.

The same consideration applies when using an active bass with the Ray in a Box.

Using the Ray in a Box With Compressors

A compressor may be placed either before or after many preamp pedals, but the recommended position with the Ray in a Box is to place the compressor after when you want to preserve the passive pickup interaction.

For example:

BASS → RAY IN A BOX → COMPRESSOR → OTHER PEDALS

Putting the compressor after the Ray in a Box also means the compressor responds to the tone and level produced by the StingRay preamp circuit.

A compressor before the Ray in a Box can still sound excellent, but if it has a buffered or active output it will no longer be directly loaded by the passive pickup.

Using the Ray in a Box With Overdrive and Distortion

Both orders are useful.

RAY IN A BOX → DRIVE

lets the StingRay EQ shape the signal being sent into the overdrive or distortion. Increasing Bass, Treble, or Volume can make the drive respond more aggressively.

DRIVE → RAY IN A BOX

allows the Ray in a Box to EQ the already-distorted signal.

For the closest vintage StingRay pickup/preamp interaction, keep the Ray in a Box first. For creative pedalboard use, experiment with both arrangements.

Be aware that large Bass or Treble boosts before a distortion pedal can significantly increase the amount and character of distortion.

Noise and Power-Supply Considerations

The Ray in a Box itself has a very low current requirement, but pedalboard noise can come from many other sources.

If you hear hum, buzz, whine, or other unexpected noise:

• Try the Ray in a Box by itself with only the bass and amplifier connected.

• Use a known-good instrument cable.

• Try a different regulated 9V power supply.

• If using a multi-output supply, try an isolated output.

• Temporarily disconnect other pedals.

• Keep audio cables away from AC adapters and power cables when practical.

• Check whether the noise changes when another pedal or USB-connected device is added.

A pedal that operates properly by itself but becomes noisy on a complete pedalboard is often experiencing a power, grounding, or interaction problem elsewhere in the system.

Recommended Initial Setup

If you are using the Ray in a Box for the first time:

1. Connect the bass directly to the Ray in a Box.

2. Connect it directly to your amplifier.

3. Set the amplifier to a clean, moderate volume.

4. Start with the Ray in a Box's Bass and Treble controls near the middle of their travel.

5. Start with the Volume at a moderate setting.

6. Play the bass and adjust Volume to a comfortable output level.

7. Explore the Bass and Treble controls individually.

8. Once you are familiar with the pedal by itself, add the rest of your pedalboard.

Testing the pedal by itself first makes it much easier to understand its normal sound and identify problems caused by another device later in the signal chain.

Troubleshooting

No Sound

Check the basic signal path first.

Verify:

• the Ray in a Box is receiving the correct 9V center-negative power,

• the bass is connected to INPUT,

• OUTPUT is connected to the next device or amplifier,

• the Volume control is turned up,

• and both instrument cables are known to work.

Try connecting:

BASS → RAY IN A BOX → AMPLIFIER

with all other pedals removed.

If the pedal works in this configuration, reconnect the other pedals one at a time.

Pedal Has Power but the Signal Is Very Quiet

Check the Ray in a Box Volume control.

Try another bass and another pair of instrument cables if available.

Remove other pedals from the signal chain.

If using an active bass, verify that its battery is good and its onboard controls are set normally.

If the problem occurs only when another pedal is connected, check the input/output orientation and settings of that pedal.

Sound Is Darker Than Expected

If you are trying to reproduce the vintage StingRay response, check what is connected between the bass and Ray in a Box.

Look for:

• buffered pedal,

• active tuner,

• wireless system,

• onboard preamp,

• or other active device

If any of these are ahead of the Ray in a Box it can alter the passive pickup interaction.

Try connecting a passive bass directly to the Ray in a Box.

Also remember that P-style, J-style, series-wired humbuckers, and other pickups will naturally produce a different response from a vintage-style parallel StingRay humbucker.

Sound Is Distorted or Harsh

Reduce the Ray in a Box Volume setting.

Also reduce large Bass or Treble boosts.

If using an active bass, reduce its output or onboard EQ boost.

If the distortion disappears when the signal level is reduced, a downstream device was probably being overloaded.

Try connecting the pedal directly to the amplifier to determine whether the clipping is occurring in the pedal or somewhere later in the signal chain.

Excessive Hiss

Treble boost naturally raises high-frequency content, including any noise already present in the signal.

Try reducing the Treble control.

If a compressor, overdrive, distortion, or high-gain amplifier is placed after the pedal, it may further amplify this noise.

Test the pedal directly into a clean amplifier to establish the baseline noise level.

Hum or Buzz

Try a different power supply and instrument cables.

If using a daisy-chain power supply, try powering the Ray in a Box from an isolated output.

Disconnect other pedals and reconnect them one at a time.

Noise that appears only when a particular device is added often indicates a power or grounding interaction rather than a problem with the Ray in a Box.

A Pedal Before the Ray in a Box Changes Its Sound Even When That Pedal Is Off

The other pedal may use buffered bypass.

A buffered pedal remains electronically connected to the signal even while the effect is switched off.

Move the Ray in a Box ahead of that pedal and compare the sound.

Ray in a Box Sounds Different With a Wireless System

This is expected.

A wireless system buffers the signal before it reaches the Ray in a Box, so the passive pickup is no longer interacting directly with the StingRay preamp circuit.

The pedal remains fully usable, but the resonant response may differ somewhat from a direct cable connection.

Another Pedal Clips When the Ray in a Box Is Turned Up

The Ray in a Box can provide substantial EQ and output-level boost.

Reduce Volume, Bass boost, or Treble boost until the downstream pedal has sufficient headroom.

This is especially common with compressors, vintage-style effects, and pedals designed around relatively low passive-instrument signal levels.

The Ray in a Box Works by Itself but Not on My Pedalboard

Build the signal chain again one pedal at a time:

BASS → RAY → AMP

then:

BASS → RAY → PEDAL 1 → AMP

then add the next pedal.

This makes it much easier to identify the connection, power supply, pedal, or interaction causing the problem.

Care and Use

The Ray in a Box is designed for normal pedalboard use.

Avoid exposing it to:

• water or other liquids,

• excessive heat,

• severe impact,

• or an incorrect power supply.

Do not connect an 18V power supply.

When connecting or rearranging pedalboard power, verify the supply voltage and polarity before plugging it into the Ray in a Box.

Specifications

Circuit: Late-1970s Music Man StingRay-style 2-band preamp

Opamp: LM4250CN

Controls: Volume, Bass, Treble

Bass response: Approximately +14dB / -7dB at 40Hz

Treble response: Approximately +20dB / -16dB at 10kHz

Power: 9V DC, center-negative

Current draw: Approximately 100µA

Bypass: None — designed as an always-on preamp

Recommended placement: First active device after a passive bass for the closest vintage StingRay response

Need More Help?

If you experience a problem, first try the simplest possible setup:

PASSIVE BASS → RAY IN A BOX → AMPLIFIER

using known-good cables and a known-good 9V center-negative power supply.

If the pedal operates normally in this configuration, add the remaining equipment one device at a time.

If you still have questions or problems, please contact us!