What case are the Rogue VB100 owners using? Does it fit into a Hofner hardcase?
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Rogue Viola (VB100) Bass Club
- Thread starter Flyingfrets
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Don't know about the Hofner case, but, MF has a hard shell case at a reasonable price and they work great.
THANKS FOR GETTING BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was hoping to get a ABS case. That's a wood case, isn't it?
Please sign me up... a birthday present to myself, bought used from the local Sam Ash after I saw it posted on Reverb.
With the "Summer Savings" coupon and a little talking, It cost me less than a case for it probably will.
VB100L. Zero info on age or pedigree. A "Made in China" sticker on the neck, and that's it.
It needs a little TLC - a couple sharp fret ends, a rough spot on the neck finish next to the board that looks like an abrasion... And a new set of strings as whoever installed these cut them way too short, and installed them wrong. Two strings were slipping and would not hold tune - possibly why it was for sale so cheap.
Mainly, it was quite dirty and needs a little adjustment, is all.
Even with new strings (on order now, arriving tonight) Less than $200 in and it's my first short-scale experience.
So much fun potential it's just crazy.
With the "Summer Savings" coupon and a little talking, It cost me less than a case for it probably will.
VB100L. Zero info on age or pedigree. A "Made in China" sticker on the neck, and that's it.
It needs a little TLC - a couple sharp fret ends, a rough spot on the neck finish next to the board that looks like an abrasion... And a new set of strings as whoever installed these cut them way too short, and installed them wrong. Two strings were slipping and would not hold tune - possibly why it was for sale so cheap.
Mainly, it was quite dirty and needs a little adjustment, is all.
Even with new strings (on order now, arriving tonight) Less than $200 in and it's my first short-scale experience.
So much fun potential it's just crazy.
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A little on dates. The first ones I had, were black on the sides as they were basically cut from a block of wood. If you looked in the control cavity, you could see that the sides were approximately 3/4 inch thick. The side of that was much easier to finish in black. Then I noticed in the MF catalogue that the sides were curly maple the same as the top and back. I then got one which is what you have. I believe that change was in about 2010. If you look in your control cavity, you will see that the sides are now about 3/16 inch thick like the top and back, much more acoustic than the earlier version. I installed a German tailpiece and white perl tuner knobs from Stewart Macdonald. If you use a black Sharpie on the edges of the pick guard and control board, you'll be very happy with the results. I had 2 German 500/1s in the 60's. One new in '66 and a used one in '68. In my opinion, these later model Rogues will serve you extremely well.
What do you think about the Rogues from the past several years?
I have to admit that I bought mine because of my attraction to the 50s Gibsons...ones that got me into playing bass in the 60s but could not now afford to buy vintage. I bought mine as a wall-hanger and as a reminder. Granted the Rogue has two pups and the Gibson had one but it is still a violin bass.
Could the neck pup cop the sound of a Gibson?
There may not be any other pu that sounds like that big Gibson. Not to mention the weight of that thing.
My Rogue is about a '12. I don't know if they have changed since then, but I'm very happy with mine. Having the two German Hofners back in the day, I have the one Rogue and a Hofner ignition Club now, I am very happy with both!
My Rogue is about a '12. I don't know if they have changed since then, but I'm very happy with mine. Having the two German Hofners back in the day, I have the one Rogue and a Hofner ignition Club now, I am very happy with both!
Is it just me (or this one) or do the VB100 controls work differently from the traditional Hofner schematic?
The Bass On - Treble On switches seem to be all-or-nothing pickup cuts, rather than the Cut-and-add-filter-cap behavior I've seen described.
Looking at the inside of the control board, definitely fewer components than the Hofner schematic describes. Only one cap, and one fixed resistor for the Solo-Rhythm switch.
I've looked in vain for a VB100-specific manual or user instructions. As mine came used, no clues.
The Bass On - Treble On switches seem to be all-or-nothing pickup cuts, rather than the Cut-and-add-filter-cap behavior I've seen described.
Looking at the inside of the control board, definitely fewer components than the Hofner schematic describes. Only one cap, and one fixed resistor for the Solo-Rhythm switch.
I've looked in vain for a VB100-specific manual or user instructions. As mine came used, no clues.
I've never seen any docs for the Rogues and the wiring is different from Hofner. I think their intention was to appear like a Hofner. You just have to learn their pattern.
Your sides do match the top and back?
Your sides do match the top and back?
Yes, the sides are patterned maple, not carved ply, and are burst finished
There is however no interior reinforcement for the sides...
Neck block, bridge block, tail block was all I could see.
And my jack has no jack plate as seen on the current ads on MF. Round hole, washer, hex nut only.
There is however no interior reinforcement for the sides...
Neck block, bridge block, tail block was all I could see.
And my jack has no jack plate as seen on the current ads on MF. Round hole, washer, hex nut only.
I got my new strings today. Im going to do a full disassemble so I can polish it properly, clean and polish frets, file the couple of sharp ends, oil the board, etc.. Get rid of those interior splinters around the pickup cuts, and so on.
Maybe clean up some blobby solder too.
Maybe clean up some blobby solder too.
I see that there have been at least one change. Mine has kerfing all around the interior side joints. My Hofner igniton does not, which I believe indicates that they've determined it's strong enough without them. I think you'll be happy with it. Good luck!
Howdy, neighbor! I am very happy with mine but wonder how yours sounds compared to your Hofner? Also, do you think upgrading the pups and changing the controls to VVT would make any improvement?
I initially bought my Rogue as a wall hanger because it reminded me of the old Gibsons back in the 50s. I put LB Flats on and it offers an interesting, different tone from my Jag and Fender P.
Probably the flat strings will be the best thing you can do to sound quality. Spending a lot on other things won't make that much difference. There are those here that say going VVT is the way to go, but it changes the looks to looking like an Epiphone and that's (imo) not as good a bass. One nice touch, rather that change the pg and control plate is to go around them with a black sharpie, makes them stand out with out spending a bunch of money.
Thanks for the info @Roger Ford! Did you find any difference between the sound of Hofner and the Rogue?
I had a Rogue with Hofner ignition pickups installed. It sounded very close to my Hofner ignition.
Stripped it completely apart to the last screw.
Cleaned up all the splintering around the various holes' interiors. Vacuumed out all the shrapnel.
Cleaned the fretboard, polished the frets, sanded and filed the ends; no more sharp ones.
Oiled the fretboard w/ F-One.
Checked the relief and the fret flatness - nothing needed doing there.
Cleaned up some wonky soldering, cleaned and polished the pickups.
Put a PureTone jack in it as I had a spare.
Polished the whole thing with a waxless mirror glaze compound, finally got the oily yuk off of it (furniture polish maybe?) from the previous owner
Realized the nut was set notably off-center. Popped it off, cleaned up the slot, reinstalled.
Put it all back together, with new LaBella flats, and learned a few things about intonating floating bridges.
Lowered the action quite a bit, and still plays cleanly, no buzzing.
Got a vintage skinny strap (with a shoulder pad) for it. helped with the neck dive.
Sounds marvelous, feels like a million bucks.
All in all a fun day's project and my lil used bass looks and plays like new.
Cleaned up all the splintering around the various holes' interiors. Vacuumed out all the shrapnel.
Cleaned the fretboard, polished the frets, sanded and filed the ends; no more sharp ones.
Oiled the fretboard w/ F-One.
Checked the relief and the fret flatness - nothing needed doing there.
Cleaned up some wonky soldering, cleaned and polished the pickups.
Put a PureTone jack in it as I had a spare.
Polished the whole thing with a waxless mirror glaze compound, finally got the oily yuk off of it (furniture polish maybe?) from the previous owner
Realized the nut was set notably off-center. Popped it off, cleaned up the slot, reinstalled.
Put it all back together, with new LaBella flats, and learned a few things about intonating floating bridges.
Lowered the action quite a bit, and still plays cleanly, no buzzing.
Got a vintage skinny strap (with a shoulder pad) for it. helped with the neck dive.
Sounds marvelous, feels like a million bucks.
All in all a fun day's project and my lil used bass looks and plays like new.
Teacups arrived today.
Been playing at Animals songs all day. Tone thru my Studio 40 in "TV Bassman" mode is perfect for it.
Current condition:
Been playing at Animals songs all day. Tone thru my Studio 40 in "TV Bassman" mode is perfect for it.
Current condition:
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