• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Rogue violin bass (musicians friend)?

D

dukeofmuffins

Nov 2, 2004
3
0
#1
I can only find one posted review on this bass, so i hope someone here has used one of these before.

I'm still not anywhere near the the skill level i hope to be as a bassist, but I'm considering requesting a second bass for christmas. This beautiful instrument has caught my eye in numerous sale papers and magazines, and i'm really tempted to get one (at only $199 it would really have to suck to make me upset).

So my question is simply: has anyone here ever handled one of these before, what do you think, and what styles of music is it appropriate for? note: i'm joining my school jazz band next year, so i'd like to know if this bass would be a good choice, even if i have to change the strings.
 
#3
i currenly own a rogue 200bx 4 string, and i haven't been disappointed by it yet. i've read some of the supposed "horror stories" myself, and i think they're often exagerated and not very widespread. i recognize rogue as a "beginners equipment" manufacturer and i accept the opinions of pros who have golden ears. i really dont have thousands to spend on a so-called excellent guitar.

(i hope i didnt sound upset or nuthin)
 
#8
I have tried both a real Hofner and a copy recently.

The used Hofner was had a tag price of about 2300 (way over-priced at this particular store). The finish was perfect, construction was solid and the tone killed in a low-sustain/high thump kind of way.

The Jay Turser tag said 200. The finish was decent, as was the construction. The tone paled in comparsion though.


Keep in mind their design will limit versatility. Great design if you dig thumpy, low sustain tones; not good for much else. I will get a real Hofner one day when I have money to burn, but there are many better, more versatile instruments for your money.
 
#10
it does look strikingly similar. i think i'll check my local shops to see if they have one i can try, rogue or not, since they look identical to me. If the Brice is really that much better, then i'm in luck, since an extra $25 bucks isnt much of of a risk.

thanks for everyones help! this is my first post on this forum, and i think i'll continue to post here.

Further comments on the above issue are still appreciated, however, especially if you have first hand experience with a violin-bass.
 
#11
Last year I picked up a Turser violin bass as a novelty instrument. I always wanted one, but I wasn't about to spend $2K+ for an instrument that would spend most of its time in the closet. Anyway, it came in good shape. Straight neck, no dead spots, a nice black finish with an excellent binding job and a limited lifetime warranty - for $200. Can't beat that with a stick. It is what it is and comparing to a real Hofner is neither fair nor realistic. Plywood vs spruce etc...But I will say this. I threw a set of Pyramids on there and am continually impressed at how close the tone is to a real one. Close enough for me, and my bandmates always comment about it.

It sounds great IMO (switch out the crappy strings right away), it's a lot of fun to play and it looks pretty neat in black and gold. I think a decent one (as opposed to the clams that are bound to come out from time to time) is an excellent value. I'm not sorry I got it at all.
 
#12
I bought a Rogue Violin bass about a year ago and have been happy with it. The stock strings were indeed crap, so I bought the LaBella Beatle Bass strings, which sound great.

I tried playing this bass live with my reggae band, and while the tone was good, I had some feedback trouble. I always tinker with my basses, so I carved a new saddle out of bocote, installed EMG Select humbuckers (the single coils were noisy when soloed) and epoxied a square piece of wood inside the body between the pickups to cut down on feedback. I have yet to try it live, but will do so tonight.

This kind of bass by its nature is limited in what it can do; I can't imagine spending 2 grand on the real thing, when this cheapie looks good and comes close enough for me.
 
#13
I too have a Turser - for a year and a half by now - and it's become my first choice bass. Changing the strings to Rotosound flats made a world of difference, but I loved the look and the feel of the bass even before that. It's pretty much a one-sound bass, but it's a sound I've recently fallen in love with. The build quality was excellent but I was forewarned by a fellow lefty Turser Beatle owner about the electronics. There's sometimes cold solder joints in the controls, but a touch with a hot iron fixed all that instantly.

Funny you should mention the Rogue version though: I was just thinking about getting a backup Beatle and Roque came to mind. The Brice did too, but Rondo only has the black ones now (I love bursts), so I'm thinking of giving 'another' brand a try; to see how different two basses can be, coming from pretty much the same company. I mean, if you can tweak little things here and there like most of us can, it's no problem getting one of these cheapies playable, and it seems to me that these basses give you a lot to work with in the first place.

I'd say just get the Rogue. There's a real neat vibe with a shortscale of any kind, but, I dunno, the violin shape is just attractive to me. My first-ever bass was a Sears Beatle bass, so that may have a lot to do with it.
 
#15
I bought a Rogue as a toy but have been really impressed with it. Its a hell of a lot of fun to play, and I've played a lot of basses that were a lot more expensive and a lot worse. The Rogue VB is limited in its utility (you aren't going to sound like Pastorius playing Teentown on the 8:30 Weather Report album), but it does whatits supposed to do very well. This will never be my main bass, since I play a lot of Jaco style jazz, but its a good buy nonetheless. For most rock, which is generally (not always) pretty simple, it does a good job---especially good on Police bass lines. If you play punk, hard repetitive root notes, you'll break this in about five minutes. Its well worth the $200 for most genres.
 
#16
Get one! Absolutely.

I have been playing the Rogue for about a year. Upon receiving, I inmediately changed the strings to Thomastik-Infeld flats (tried the LaBella Beatle Bass strings, but they have way too much tension). Action is low and comfy, and everything else is perfect.

The Rogue has been nothing but joy. I play it 2-3 nights a week alongside my Sadowsky! It feels like a delicate instrument, and it is, just like an acoustic guitar.

For the price, all these Hofner copies, Rogue, Brice, and Jay Turser, are equally good, and definitely a bargain.

But like stated before, it is good for old-school rock, motown, reggae, latin, and jazz. It is awesome reproducing the sound of an upright amplified, think Ampeg upright bass. With the right amplification, it really brings the house down.

There is nothing like a hollowbody. Each note has so much "tone" to it. If you solo the bridge pickup, you get a nice "Jaco" sound, and the bass is very responsive to your technique and where you pluck. Lots of tones.

I'm also saving for a real Hofner, but in the meantime, these things are just amazing.

So, get one! Absolutely.
 
#18
mulepods said:
Uh, this thread is from 2004. I'm pretty sure the guy has already either bought the Rogue or bought something else.
Click to expand...

:hmm: Geez . . . I guess I have to start checking thread dates before saying something. . .

Well, hopefully somebody can use the info; not like it hasn't been discussed to death already. :o
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back