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Rogue Viola (VB100) Bass Club
- Thread starter Flyingfrets
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From the recent pics in this thread it looks as though the current run model has a bound neck again. Can anyone confirm if that's the case? I wasn't planning on another bass right now but I knew I'd kick myself when the price goes back up if I didn't get one now. Should have it within the week.
Hey, thanks for that! Do you have any pics of your bass? I love the one Stdjazz4 posted of his in the case. That looks great.
My VB-100 arrived yesterday and I'm very happy with the purchase. This is a great bass. No issues other than a loose jack which was an easy fix. No fret buzz, intonation is good, finish is beautiful, sound is great...no complaints. I got some flat wounds with it but will hold off on putting them on for a bit to get a feel for it with round wounds. And it's very light. I dig it.
I've been spending a lot of time with this bass and decided to put the La Bella flat wounds on it today. I'm glad I did, they're much nicer than the round wounds it came with. I wasn't able to change them a string at a time as the ball ends are too large to fit past the decorative part of the tailpiece. They fit in fine with that removed.
I had to do some adjustments with the new strings and found a new buzz I wasn't getting with the round wounds. It looks like they notched the bridge a little too deep for the D string. I was able to adjust it enough to get rid of the buzz, but will eventually replace that piece. It looks like it's just a small bit of fret wire that seats into the wooden part of the bridge and has a notch ground into it. Easy fix when I get around to it.
Most of my playing has been through an Ampeg SCR-DI with headphones and they pair up nicely. I'm looking forward to using this bass with a friend who plays piano. Should go together well.
I had to do some adjustments with the new strings and found a new buzz I wasn't getting with the round wounds. It looks like they notched the bridge a little too deep for the D string. I was able to adjust it enough to get rid of the buzz, but will eventually replace that piece. It looks like it's just a small bit of fret wire that seats into the wooden part of the bridge and has a notch ground into it. Easy fix when I get around to it.
Most of my playing has been through an Ampeg SCR-DI with headphones and they pair up nicely. I'm looking forward to using this bass with a friend who plays piano. Should go together well.
After a bit of a hiatus, here's an update on my Rogue conversion project.
I removed the Rogue logo on the front of the headstock. I was hoping it would be a waterslide decal under a thin layer of poly, but it was screen printed directly on the painted face of the headstock. Getting it off meant sanding right through the the clear-coat and some of the paint.
Sorry, I seem to be having a problem getting Photobucket to resize my photos to the size I want them.
I think a lot of glue was used to install the nut, as a big chunk of wood/finish came off when I tapped the nut off. Fortunately, I was able to glue the chip back in place and sand it flush (note the super clean routing of the truss rod channel!).
Since I'm going to have to repaint and refinish the headstock, I decided to paint a thin line of 'binding' around the headstock (as on the genuine Hofner). Taped and masked earlier today, but it's too rainy to go outside and spray, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to paint it.
I removed the Rogue logo on the front of the headstock. I was hoping it would be a waterslide decal under a thin layer of poly, but it was screen printed directly on the painted face of the headstock. Getting it off meant sanding right through the the clear-coat and some of the paint.
Sorry, I seem to be having a problem getting Photobucket to resize my photos to the size I want them.
I think a lot of glue was used to install the nut, as a big chunk of wood/finish came off when I tapped the nut off. Fortunately, I was able to glue the chip back in place and sand it flush (note the super clean routing of the truss rod channel!).
Since I'm going to have to repaint and refinish the headstock, I decided to paint a thin line of 'binding' around the headstock (as on the genuine Hofner). Taped and masked earlier today, but it's too rainy to go outside and spray, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to paint it.
Hey, this gives me an idea for a future paint job (Zakk Wylde Beatle bass?) 
@Lo-Hz I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of the Allparts pickups. Did you try them out before you started the refinish project?
I was having trouble with the bridge pickup height/volume so I made a shim to put under the ring that raises the pickup height to a usable level. I actually had to use the height adjustment screws to lower it a bit after it was raised. You don't need much, about .060 and you have wiggle room from there. I found the volume increased substantially and brought it into a useable range, but it's still not as loud as the neck pickup. When I do a major overhaul I'll pull them both out and measure their output. I've found it to be ok on its own, but it really works best when blended with the neck pickup. I ordered an Artec bridge pickup to try at some point.
I was having trouble with the bridge pickup height/volume so I made a shim to put under the ring that raises the pickup height to a usable level. I actually had to use the height adjustment screws to lower it a bit after it was raised. You don't need much, about .060 and you have wiggle room from there. I found the volume increased substantially and brought it into a useable range, but it's still not as loud as the neck pickup. When I do a major overhaul I'll pull them both out and measure their output. I've found it to be ok on its own, but it really works best when blended with the neck pickup. I ordered an Artec bridge pickup to try at some point.
I applied the points I got for buying the bass, to the case a few weeks later, after deciding to keep it!!
Nice progress everyone.
No, I was unable to try the Allparts pickups as they're smaller than the stock pups and I have to have pickup rings made that will both fit the smaller pickups and cover the holes in the body.
My experience with the stock pickups was the same as yours. The bridge pickup is weaker than the neck pup and it was already set pretty high out of the box. So much so that I didn't think raising it would balance the pickups very much (maybe lowering the neck pickup?). I don't find the tone of the bridge pickup to be very pleasant on its own, but in combination with the neck pickup, it brings focus to the tone and produces a nice upright-ish sound. I really like the sound of the stock neck pickup and I wouldn't be opposed to replacing the bridge pickup only and keeping the neck pup. It'll be fun to find out how it sounds with the Allparts pickups and I'll definitely report the results.
I also bought the Allparts pickups and am waiting patiently to see how you've installed them in your Rogue, sensei.
Heheh... sensei.
I'll be sending in a tracing for the new pickup rings to Pickguardian some time this week, then it'll take a little time for me to get the finished product (about 2 weeks) so I hope your patience can hold out until then.
Yes. Plenty of pix and tell them to save the technical drawings for the rest of us club members. Thanks @Lo-Hz
I'm interested in how the new pickups will sound, as well. I have to say, though, that you're likely to be disappointed. I have several basses besides my VB-100 that have a "weak" bridge pickup; another violin bass, 2 Rickenbackers (which are notorious for it), and, to a lesser extent, a Gretsch, 3 Danos, and an Epi EA-260. The problem isn't the pickup so much, as it is that it's so close to the bridge. The strings have to move to generate a signal, and when the pickup is only 1/2" or so from the bridge, those strings aren't moving a whole lot. And, little/no movement = little/no signal. There really is such a thing as "The Sweet Spot" on a bass, and that pickup is definitely not in it; it's not even close. The neck pickup is, though; which is why it overpowers the one up against the bridge. If you want balanced output? Other than using a really hot pickup at the bridge (and, a hot pickup there is what Rick uses - without much success) and a much weaker one at the neck, I don't think there's any real solution. Other than moving the bridge pickup forward about 2 1/2", that is...
Personally, with my violin basses - and to some extent, the other basses I mentioned - I just use the bridge pickup as a flavoring for the neck pickup, and accept it for what it is; an old design, that could have been a little better... But, I really do hope the swap out works for you. If it does, maybe I'll give it a try...
Personally, with my violin basses - and to some extent, the other basses I mentioned - I just use the bridge pickup as a flavoring for the neck pickup, and accept it for what it is; an old design, that could have been a little better... But, I really do hope the swap out works for you. If it does, maybe I'll give it a try...I'm interested in how the new pickups will sound, as well. I have to say, though, that you're likely to be disappointed. I have several basses besides my VB-100 that have a "weak" bridge pickup; another violin bass, 2 Rickenbackers (which are notorious for it), and, to a lesser extent, a Gretsch, 3 Danos, and an Epi EA-260. The problem isn't the pickup so much, as it is that it's so close to the bridge. The strings have to move to generate a signal, and when the pickup is only 1/2" or so from the bridge, those strings aren't moving a whole lot. And, little/no movement = little/no signal. There really is such a thing as "The Sweet Spot" on a bass, and that pickup is definitely not in it; it's not even close. The neck pickup is, though; which is why it overpowers the one up against the bridge. If you want balanced output? Other than using a really hot pickup at the bridge (and, a hot pickup there is what Rick uses - without much success) and a much weaker one at the neck, I don't think there's any real solution. Other than moving the bridge pickup forward about 2 1/2", that is...
I hope I'm not disappointed too, though I realize that may be a likely outcome. I used to own an Epiphone Viola and I was never happy with the pickups, but I never did anything about it (ended up selling it after a couple of years), so this time around, I feel more compelled to try to do something.
Hopefully, the Allparts pickups will sound better, but if they sound about the same, I'll still keep them, just for the look. If they sound worse, I'll have no problem putting the stock ones back in and chalking it up to tuition. The pickups were cheap and if they don't work out, I can always sell them or use them for another project. I've actually had the idea of an Epi EB-0 to EB-3 conversion project bouncing around my noggin for a long time.... I could use one of the Allparts pups for the bridge. Oh wait a minute... I was gonna use T-Bird pups in that. Hmmm.
The bridge pickup I ordered arrived a couple of days ago and I'm not sure I want to change it out now. Between raising the original bridge pickup with a shim, and dialing in the Rumble 500 and adjusting my right hand position I've come up with some tones I really like. And I really like the 2 pickups blended. I'll still probably try the new pickup just to hear it, but it's not a necessity anymore.
I'm very happy with this bass and have found that I just love the hollow body tone. I was planning to get an Epiphone EB-0 next, but ordered an Allen Woody Rumblekat instead to try another hollow. I've also got some Chrome flats on the way to put on it when it arrives. Flats and this Rogue are a great combination, should be good on the Kat too.
I'm very happy with this bass and have found that I just love the hollow body tone. I was planning to get an Epiphone EB-0 next, but ordered an Allen Woody Rumblekat instead to try another hollow. I've also got some Chrome flats on the way to put on it when it arrives. Flats and this Rogue are a great combination, should be good on the Kat too.
That's my approach, too--I generally use the bridge as sort of a tone control, adding mids and highs to the neck pickup sound. Stock Hofner-style wiring puts a .01uF capacitor in series (as a bass cut) when switching to 'Treble On.' I've rewired mine so that 'Bass On' and 'Treble On' don't turn off the other pickup; I can now use the .01uF cap cap on the bridge pickup when the neck pickup is on, and it helps the two pickups blend really well. If I want to favor/solo the neck pickup, I can switch it out of the circuit ('Treble Off').Personally, with my violin basses - and to some extent, the other basses I mentioned - I just use the bridge pickup as a flavoring for the neck pickup, and accept it for what it is; an old design, that could have been a little better... But, I really do hope the swap out works for you. If it does, maybe I'll give it a try...
