NBD: Rogue VB100 Violin Beatle Bass

[SamHan]

I have been learning to play the bass for about a month now ... I have 2 or 3 lines down sofar .. I got my Rogue VB100 at Christmas. The first thing I did was put some La Bella Deep Talking FRs on ... The factory round wounds just didn't have the right sound... Give me a year or so and I'll be right where I want to be !!! Wish me luck !

I'm in the exact same place as you (got mine for Xmas as well..) but feeling like an idiot because I must be missing something obvious regarding changing the strings. The ball end of the La Bellas seem too large to send under the trapeze tailpiece.. any chance you can tell me what I'm missing? Should I be taking hardware off to change the strings?

Thanks..

 

[Scooter Johnson]

I'm in the exact same place as you (got mine for Xmas as well..) but feeling like an idiot because I must be missing something obvious regarding changing the strings. The ball end of the La Bellas seem too large to send under the trapeze tailpiece.. any chance you can tell me what I'm missing? Should I be taking hardware off to change the strings?

Thanks..

I didn't have that problem on my Rogue but I did have an issue on my Hofner Ignition. I put tape wound strings on the Hoffy and the E string was to thick for the nut... I ended up filing the nut just a bit ... on the rogue I just fed the string under the bridge until they slipped in the slots ...

Make sure you have the short scale strings made for the beatles bass

 

[John Stephen]

Score!

Williethump, now that it's been a year, do you still like the Rogue violin? I saw one in GC today and played it and I was stunned at how light it is and how good it sounded. For the price (I think $179) I almost bought it then and there, but didn't (due only to concerns about wife's reaction).

Do you still like yours? How is it playing with a strap, given the odd location of the strap button on the back of the bass near the neck?

 

[Williethump]

Johnstephen
Like you I was impressed with the rich and woody thump and light weight of the Rogue.
Fit and finish were finer than I expected at $150usd (floor model but you'd never know it).
The Labella flats I had put on were sweet!
But I sold it, losing little $ because cheap!
Reasons were twofold. My arthritis made playing it painful after a few minutes. It was fine played standing but I can't handle that either. Bad neck dive, despite or because of the light weight.
Second, the intonation was slightly off at the 12th fret. It gave it an old Delta blues sound but that's not always what I wanted.
AFAIK intonation can't be adjusted on a set-neck. I just sold my pretty uke contrabass for the same reason.
I can't abide weak intonation- if my war-damaged ear can hear a sour note played up the neck then everyone else can too. It might not bother others but it did me.
Lovely bass with good overall tone and playability. But buying mail order is always going to be a crap shoot on intonation. I was lucky the Rogue had fair intonation but I want more.
I bought a Godin 4-string and an OLP 5-string with some of the money so I'm happy about the Rogue Beatle bass experience. Not for me but a fine tone if you get lucky.
I'd hesitate lately buying a set-neck bass even if intonation is perfect because when it wears, and everything wears out, it is too labor intensive and expensive to repair compared to a Leo Fender type screw-on neck-always erroneously referred to for reasons lost to history, as a 'bolt-on' neck.
No bolts have ever been used to fasten a neck to a bass or guitar body, because you'd break your fingers on the bolt heads if you played at the heel.
Thanks for asking about the VB100!

 

[Williethump]

Johnstephen
Like you I was impressed with the rich and woody thump and light weight of the Rogue.
Fit and finish were finer than I expected at $150usd (floor model but you'd never know it).
The Labella flats I had put on were sweet!
But I sold it, losing little $ because cheap!
Reasons were twofold. My arthritis made playing it painful after a few minutes. It was fine played standing but I can't handle that either. Bad neck dive, despite or because of the light weight.
Second, the intonation was slightly off at the 12th fret. It gave it an old Delta blues sound but that's not always what I wanted.
AFAIK intonation can't be adjusted on a set-neck. I just sold my pretty uke contrabass for the same reason.
I can't abide weak intonation- if my war-damaged ear can hear a sour note played up the neck then everyone else can too. It might not bother others but it did me.
Lovely bass with good overall tone and playability. But buying mail order is always going to be a crap shoot on intonation. I was lucky the Rogue had fair intonation but I want more.
I bought a Godin 4-string and an OLP 5-string with some of the money so I'm happy about the Rogue Beatle bass experience. Not for me but a fine tone if you get lucky.
I'd hesitate lately buying a set-neck bass even if intonation is perfect because when it wears, and everything wears out, it is too labor intensive and expensive to repair compared to a Leo Fender type screw-on neck-always erroneously referred to for reasons lost to history, as a 'bolt-on' neck.
No bolts have ever been used to fasten a neck to a bass or guitar body, because you'd break your fingers on the bolt heads if you played at the heel.
Thanks for asking about the VB100!

 

[Williethump]

Johnstephen
Like you I was impressed with the rich and woody thump and light weight of the Rogue.
Fit and finish were finer than I expected at $150usd (floor model but you'd never know it).
The Labella flats I had put on were sweet!
But I sold it, losing little $ because cheap!
Reasons were twofold. My arthritis made playing it painful after a few minutes. It was fine played standing but I can't handle that either. Bad neck dive, despite or because of the light weight.
Second, the intonation was slightly off at the 12th fret. It gave it an old Delta blues sound but that's not always what I wanted.
AFAIK intonation can't be adjusted on a set-neck. I just sold my pretty uke contrabass for the same reason.
I can't abide weak intonation- if my war-damaged ear can hear a sour note played up the neck then everyone else can too. It might not bother others but it did me.
Lovely bass with good overall tone and playability. But buying mail order is always going to be a crap shoot on intonation. I was lucky the Rogue had fair intonation but I want more.
I bought a Godin 4-string and an OLP 5-string with some of the money so I'm happy about the Rogue Beatle bass experience. Not for me but a fine tone if you get lucky.
I'd hesitate lately buying a set-neck bass even if intonation is perfect because when it wears, and everything wears out, it is too labor intensive and expensive to repair compared to a Leo Fender type screw-on neck-always erroneously referred to for reasons lost to history, as a 'bolt-on' neck.
No bolts have ever been used to fasten a neck to a bass or guitar body, because you'd break your fingers on the bolt heads if you played at the heel.
Thanks for asking about the VB100!

 

[John Stephen]

Thank you for that very helpful information, Williethump. It's all good to know. I have wondered about the neck dive (I could feel it when I played it on my lap in the shop). If I buy one, I'll buy one in the shop so i can check the intonation, etc., before purchasing. I appreciate your review of it. Thanks again.

 

[Williethump]

I don't what happened but this posted thrice. How do I delete two?

 

[John Stephen]

I don't know. Maybe someone else here (or the Moderator) can delete the extra two.