Questions on my new Rogue 6 string truss rods

[nomadh]

I just got my new 6 string Rogue (ducking) and it all looks pretty good but the neck was too flat maybe even negative relief. So I went to adjust the truss and it had 2 of them. The one on the thick string side seemed normal. I loosened it until it had a touch of slack then as a kept turning counter clockwise it gained resistance and I seems to have put in a bit of relief. My worry is the other truss. It is pulled out to where an allen wrench won't go on. I can push it in like the other rod but how do I make sure there isn't a problem. Does anyone know if the 2 rods work the same way on this bass. If both rods are designed to be able to force in positive relief then how could the odd truss rod not be broken? If I can adjust in my relief and the broken one doesn't rattle then does it matter? I got a decent price of $170 I feel but I wouldn't have payed that if I was told about a truss issue. Also a question about the active electronics. How can the active(amplified) sound be quieter than the active turned off. Also it seems the 3 knobs on the bottom are hi mid and low tone but only function in active mode. This sounds like alot of complaints but honestly I've got a few hours in on it and I generally like it. I tuned it like a guitar and play chords even. Try a bass version of "under the bridge". Its very cool. I'm a guitar player mainly and bought this a project possibly to defret but it may be too nice to butcher. Much much better than firewood as mentioned many times here. A $1000 bass would certainly be wasted on me but I'm beyond a beginner and this thing works and feels good. Sometimes I hit a note and I swear it sounds like someone on a grand piano behind me. My real worry is a future prob with the truss rod. Any ideas or what my odds are?
Thanks

[CanadaMan]

I skimmed, but 2 things. 1) Amplified sounds quieter than acoustic? There's a master volume on your amp. Turn it towards the bigger number. 2) It's firewood in comparison to some more expensive basses. In it's price point (sub 200 6 string) I'm sure it's fantastic.

[nomadh]

No not acoustic, passive. It has an active electronics bypass and its alot louder in bypass than active. Thanks.

[pointbass]

Truss rod issues are, unfortunately, a somewhat common complaint on the Rogue 6's. Dual truss rods must be adjusted together to prevent twisting of the neck .... too much tension on the low side with no adjustment on the high side can (and likely will) eventually cause the neck to twist. It's possible that the nut isn't properly threaded, or also possible that the truss rod was never functional. I'd suggest taking it to a tech and having it checked out.

Regarding the active/passive volume issue, make sure the battery is new and that it has good contact points. Check the battery connection wiring and make sure it's intact .... Rogue has had some issues with corroded wiring. If all of that is okay, it's probably going to require the tech looking at it again ....

[neurotictim]

MF says these are "dual-action" truss rods, which means they can be adjusted to bow the neck either way. It could be that it was set up wrong from the factory, or that the shipping included extreme temperature changes that adversely affected the wood. I wouldn't be surprised if the wood they used for these basses wasn't properly or fully dried - it happens a lot on the lower echelon instruments - and that can also cause big problems down the line. Only a being able to actually get some hands-on time will really be able to tell you (or better yet, a tech) what's going on.

+1 to Pointbass on the battery/connections thing. Also, IIRC, the active electronics in a lot of basses (especially economy-level gear) use the bass/mids/treb, while the Vol/Vol or Vol/Tone are always on - meaning you have to be in active to use the EQ.

[nomadh]

Thanks for the help. Do you know if Rogue uses a dual-action truss rod? The working one seems to be dual action but I've never actually had to utilize one before. If these are dual action ( causing both positive and negative relief) then the problem truss will not be truly functional by just threading it, correct? Threading it will only allow pull but if it could also push it wouldn't already be riding out from under the fingerboard. I don't see how dual action could work otherwise. From what I read all dual actions use 2 rods threaded together and it looks like there is no way to come apart without stripping out or breaking. It also seems unlikely that such a cheap bass would use a dual action truss rod. It also seems unlikely that I will find anyone who who would know the details about a rogue as the bass is too cheap to pay anyone to spend time on it. I think this is where the cheapness of the current crop of cheap instruments comes into play. Its the QC and setup. 10 years ago sub $100 instruments were typically unplayable but now I see most of the $80 dean guitars play better than the new $1000 gibson firebird. Sorry to get off track there.
I will try and thread the other rod back in but if I tighten it won't that give me more back bow that I don't want.
I know this is a cheap instrument to spend time on but thats all some of us can afford. Even my main guitar is a $200 frakencaster. Its a good thing that it doesn't take $1000 investment to make music.
Thanks for your help.

[embellisher]

The type of assistance which you seek should be in good supply in our Setup forum. Moved.

[nomadh]

Thanks neurotictim and pointbass for taking some time to answer. It seems that if these are really dual action rods as rogue states then there is no way it could loosen out then be just put back in without repair and major surgery. For the price I paid I will be doing a return. I just can't trust it will be working in the future. Maybe they will offer enough of a discount that I will take my chances. Guess I should have got the SX 5 string fretless after all.
Thanks again