More than a production bass. Less than a full custom. Exactly what you need.
The DS Series gives every musician access to a truly personal instrument — without the full Custom Shop timeline or investment. You choose the specifications that matter most, and we build it from scratch in the same workshop, by the same hands, with the same uncompromising standards.
This is not a production bass with your name on it. Every DS is made to order. When it arrives, it will feel like something more — because it is.
1.5" nut on DS4 · 1.75" nut on DS5 · Bone Unbleached nut on all DS · RKM Medium Profile neck on all DS · For Thin or Full neck profiles, see Custom Shop
Every DS build starts in our Bass Builder — our online configurator where you can spec your instrument and submit your order directly.
Every choice multiplies against the others. No two DS have to be alike — and yours does not have to look like anyone else's.
Every DS ships with the same premium components used in our Custom Shop builds. The price point changes. The standard doesn't.
All DS instruments use EMG active pickups paired with the EMG BTS System — a 2-band active preamp trusted on the world's biggest stages. Low and High are always active Boost/Cut, giving you surgical tonal control at any volume.
Vol · Tone · Low · High
Dual pickup — controlsVol · Blend · Low · High
We use Badass bridges for maximum sustain transfer and precise intonation, paired with OGT Mini tuners for rock-solid tuning stability with minimal headstock mass. Both sourced exclusively through our partner Allparts.
Allparts
Most brands ship your bass and leave you to figure out protection on your own. We include a MONO Sleeve 2.0 — one of the best padded bass cases on the market — with every single DS (or an equivalent model, depending on availability). Your instrument deserves to arrive protected, and stay that way on the road.
~$150 USD — Included
Fully set up and inspected. Ready to play from the first minute.
Premium padded gig bag built for touring, included (or an equivalent model, depending on availability). No one else does this at this price.
Action, intonation, truss rod, and electronics dialed in by the same hands that built it.
Professionally packed, fully insured, with complete tracking from Monterrey to your door.
Precision-routed cavity on the back body for an Apple AirTag. Track your bass anywhere. Zero rattle, zero signal interference. Standard on every build.
Fixed price per model. The only options with a surcharge: left-handed +$100 and fretless +$300. Shipping is quoted separately. The payment link for shipping is sent once the instrument has been paid in full.
Shipping is quoted separately. The payment link for shipping is sent once the instrument has been paid in full.
Order DS4Shipping is quoted separately. The payment link for shipping is sent once the instrument has been paid in full.
Order DS5Your DS costs the same whether you're in Tokyo, São Paulo, London, or Monterrey — no regional pricing, no hidden fees. México and the USA: no import duties apply under current rules, and RKM pays the customs broker charges. All other countries, including Canada: import duties, taxes, customs fees and customs broker charges are the buyer's responsibility. We're always transparent about this upfront.
Your order is confirmed with a fixed $2,000 USD deposit. The price shown is a fixed price for the specification quoted and only changes if you request a specification change. It is based on the prices published in the Bass Builder at rkmbasses.com. If you use a discount code, it is deducted from the deposit. When your instrument is completed we email you photos and an invoice for the balance, payable within 30 days. Shipping is quoted separately. The payment link for shipping is sent once the instrument has been paid in full.
Once your instrument is complete and final payment confirmed, shipping happens within 3 weeks. Full tracking from our workshop to your door, worldwide.
All specifications are confirmed in writing before production begins. No changes can be accommodated once the build starts. We take all the time needed upfront to make sure you're 100% confident.
Every DS is built in about 4 months, counted from your deposit (production starts 7 days after your order). This is a good-faith estimate: build times may vary due to supplier or customs situations, and if anything changes we will tell you right away with a new date.
Limited Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for no less than 90 days from delivery, or longer where the law requires. RKM pays for the warranty repair; shipping to our workshop and back to you is at your expense, except where a mandatory legal right provides otherwise. Your mandatory legal rights are not limited.
Changed your mind? Cancel within 5 business days of paying the deposit and get 100% of the deposit you paid back. After that the deposit is non-refundable, except where a mandatory legal right applies.
Every DS is handcrafted in Monterrey with the same obsessive attention to detail as our Custom Shop instruments.
Configure it in the Bass Builder and reserve your build slot with a $2,000 USD deposit. Questions first? Write to us — we respond within 24–48 hours.
