Any love for Rogue basses?

[Pilgrim]

I got one of the Rogue Beatles basses years ago, probably not long after they came out. Horrible tone. There are way better cheap basses out there, IMO.

With the factory strings, yes. But that was the horrible, nasty STRINGS, not the bass. Mine is a very nice bass and a set of Labella Hofner flats sound great on it. The Rogue VB-100 is a decent bass and worth looking at.

My only experience with Rogue is their VB100 viola bass which I found to be a very pleasant surprise--same bass as the Epiphone viola but $100 cheaper and with the more Hofner accurate headstock shape and control plate. It's been a solid player for me now for several years.

That's my experience as well. Mine is 3-4 years old.

 

[ME Friss]

I have one of the older VB100 models and I must have gotten lucky because it is a great bass. Compared it to an actual Hofner and it definitely held it's own. Slightly different but very comparable in the tone dept. Used it in an 80's band,(Echo & Bunnymen, A-Ha etc..) and frequently got compliments on it's tone. No issues with tuning or electronics. For me it is a really solid instrument. Of course it needed a setup when I first got it, but what instrument doesn't. I'm not embarrassed when I play it, it sounds good, looks good and does what I need it to do. Can't speak for the quality of the newer ones but mine was an excellent purchase.

 

[gary m]

Same here. My VB100 was an awesome player after the installation of some flatwound strings. Never had a problem with it.

 

[Flyingfrets]

Beginning to sound like the charter meeting of the "VB100 Club!"

Ooh...I got dibs on # 1

 

[ggvicviper]

Generally with store's private label instruments, the instrument is created without much consideration to quality or even an original design. They're mostly created to earn a little extra cash and compete with lower price point brands. Carlo Robelli, Rogue, Laguna, Brownsville, etc.

I've owned two of these brands. My Carlo Robelli USB895 was an interesting specimen, as a Soundgear copy. Pickups ok, not great, and the tuners are cheap. Still it was my first bass that was MINE, so I loved it, and used it like crazy until I got my own first Fender, when I started seeing the flaws. Eventually the neck began to warp. By the time I got the Rogue many years later, I knew what to expect from a decent instrument. Rogue didn't meet those requirements, but I really wanted it to...

 

[pjmuck]

Another +1 for the VB100. A perfectly respectable Hofner clone for hundreds less and don't let a Hofner fanatic tell you otherwise. I own a VB100 and a Hofner Club. I prefer the tone of the VB100.

 

[tabdog]

I got the entry level Rogue bass for free.

Mine played terrible. Mine was a total disaster,
but it was free. The only nice thing is that it
has a high mass bridge and it's light weight.
(6lb 10oz)

It even had a twisted neck!!!

It is real nice now though.

Here is a list of upgrades;

Defretted neck
Filled slots with wood filler
Reshaped headstock
Painted bass and matching headstock (black paint, $6)
Changed neck radius (12” to 9&#8221
Reduced neck width (1 5/8” to 1 7/16&#8221
Reduced neck thickness (2/3” to 7/16&#8221
Removed twist in neck while removing neck material
Applied Tru-Oil to neck and fingerboard
Installed nut ($3)
Installed new wiring
Installed new pots
Installed MIM split pole P bass pickup
Installed shielding to body cavities
Repaired numerous stripped out screw holes

Total investment $11,

Tabdog

 

[JxBass]

When my two sons were interested in playing bass I started them with $79 Rogues. I was impressed with the overall quality for the money, especially after doing a minor setup and putting on a decent set of strings.

I showed it to a friend who bought one and has continued to use it for one set per gig to give his back a rest from his Fender Jazz. After 5+ years at 120+ gigs per year the $79 Rogue is still going strong.

 

[Rocker949]

I wish I liked the Rogue Beatle bass I have but I don't. Reading these comments reminds me of something I just found about JFK. He had sent two people to Viet Nam to observe the situation. They came back and offered him totally conflicting advice. I'm paraphrasing JFK, but he said something to the effect--"Are you sure you two guys went to the same country?"

 

[ggvicviper]

Investigation - time to read between the lines!

A common theme throughout the thread with the people who are happy with their cheaper Rogues are that they upgrade them extensively.

Another common theme is how the people who were just play happy with their Rogues usually got an LX400 series, or the Violin bass. Some are event talking about older Rogues, before the Series II (or Series III) switch.

Could it be where the bass is made? Earlier, someone mentioned the old LX400 are very similar to the Rondo instruments. I also know they were made in Korea originally, now they are made in China.

Maybe there is a common theme. Can we all list our models, what series, what year, and our problems if we had any/sold it? My LX200BF was a Series II, made in China. I bought it with a small slice of my tax refund in 2009. Pots were a little scratchy, intonation was impossible to get right now matter how the neck/saddles were set, the pickups were hummy and the tuners were slippy. I sold it later in 2009.

 

[tabdog]

Investigation - time to read between the lines!

A common theme throughout the thread with the people who are happy with their cheaper Rogues are that they upgrade them extensively.

Another common theme is how the people who were just play happy with their Rogues usually got an LX400 series, or the Violin bass. Some are event talking about older Rogues, before the Series II (or Series III) switch.

Could it be where the bass is made? Earlier, someone mentioned the old LX400 are very similar to the Rondo instruments. I also know they were made in Korea originally, now they are made in China.

Maybe there is a common theme. Can we all list our models, what series, what year, and our problems if we had any/sold it? My LX200BF was a Series II, made in China. I bought it with a small slice of my tax refund in 2009. Pots were a little scratchy, intonation was impossible to get right now matter how the neck/saddles were set, the pickups were hummy and the tuners were slippy. I sold it later in 2009.

You have a gift of observation far beyond mine.

Thanks for the insight,

Tabdog

 

[Diogenes]

... Total investment $11,
Tabdog

So then you paid more in upgrades than you did for the bass? Some here would call that false economy.


I own a VB100... it's a very nice bass and enjoy it for what it is. If it were a Hofner I wouldn't enjoy it to any greater extent. As for other Rogues I've played they're pretty typical... the least expensive in the lineup have the most issues whereas the more expensive ones are suprisingly good and well worth owning. I've picked up really good used basses for the price of a new Rogue and feel that's the best way to go.

 

[N.F.A.]

My Rogue VB100 was from the original series. It sounded awful with the original strings. Once I slapped flats on there and gave it a bit of a tweak , it was a good bass. I think I paid 130.00 for it out the door. Gigged it for two years with zero problems. (70's folk rock type band.)

 

[Tin Cadillac]

I got the entry level Rogue bass for free.

Mine played terrible. Mine was a total disaster,
but it was free. The only nice thing is that it
has a high mass bridge and it's light weight.
(6lb 10oz)

It even had a twisted neck!!!

It is real nice now though.

Here is a list of upgrades;

Defretted neck
Filled slots with wood filler
Reshaped headstock
Painted bass and matching headstock (black paint, $6)
Changed neck radius (12” to 9”)
Reduced neck width (1 5/8” to 1 7/16”)
Reduced neck thickness (2/3” to 7/16”)
Removed twist in neck while removing neck material
Applied Tru-Oil to neck and fingerboard
Installed nut ($3)
Installed new wiring
Installed new pots
Installed MIM split pole P bass pickup
Installed shielding to body cavities
Repaired numerous stripped out screw holes

Total investment $11,

Tabdog

Bought that one for my oldest son off of Ebay a few years ago. Paid all of $40 for it. From what I remember, it was way cheaper than my first bass (an equally crappy "Audition" I paid $70 for when I was younger than he was). I think the headstock was actually heavier than that "balsa wood" body!

 

[fenderhutz]

I have a Rogue 304 acoustic/electric bass that was given to me.

After a good set up it was well worth the money.

 

[ggvicviper]

You have a gift of observation far beyond mine.

Thanks for the insight,

Tabdog

Yay, someone finally sees my gifts

 

[klejst]

They make for ok beginners basses at less price. However if I was just starting out I would look more into a modern Squier, perhaps their VM series. Great basses for great price as well. Heck even many veteran players love the VM Squier's.

 

[JxBass]

They make for ok beginners basses at less price. However if I was just starting out I would look more into a modern Squier, perhaps their VM series. Great basses for great price as well. Heck even many veteran players love the VM Squier's.

I agree that the Squier is a definite step up from a Rogue and was I initially going to say the same thing, that given the option I'd go Squier (I owned and liked the VM very much). Then I thought of how a Squier Affinity is about 2x the cost of a low end Rogue and didn't think it was a fair apples-to-apples comparison. Just MHO.

 

[Flyingfrets]

Bought my VB100 in May of 2007 (used) - $145 shipped. Korean built. Series? I have no idea. Deep "iced tea" looking 'burst. Don't care for the newer ones I've seen. Sort of a butterscotch color .

I liked it just fine as it was, but I as time goes by, I usually start tinkering with most of my guitars/basses. I'm not a luthier, but gutting a guitar and replacing everything doesn't scare me either. I do my own set ups (fret level & dressing too).

Even with all the mods I did (posted elsewhere in this thread), I've still got well under $300 invested in it. I wouldn't say they changed the character of the bass...they just made what I liked about it more prominent & consistent.

But the point is that I liked it to begin with or I wouldn't have bothered with the mods.

Speaking of observations, I've noticed that there's such a disparity between most opinions of the VB100 & Rogue's other basses, I've often wondered if they didn't outsource the VB.

Most of they guys who've played/owned them say that aside from the control layout (the VB100 has the Hofner style dual volume/3 switch plate) the Epiphone, Douglas, Brice & Rogue are all essentially the same bass. Hmm...

 

[Barcode31]

I started out with a Harmony four string my dad found at a pawn shop for 60 bucks and a crate 1x15 combo amp. The bass was sad at best it had flatwound strings which I changed and the action sucked even after setup. It sounded bad and played bad. Then I bought a Ibanez SR300. Things looked up. This has been my working bass for 12 years now.

I was looking for another bass. I wanted something in a 5 string. I went to a small recording studio on the edge of town to jam with some friends and the owner had a Rogue LX405. I ordered one today. For the price it was really well built, easy to play and had a decent sound. They aren't as smooth on the edges as I would like but the overall look isn't bad. They aren't too heavy and the action was nice. I was slappin, tappin and pluckin all over this thing. Sounded great when we played Hanger 11 too lol