Rogue VB100 Violin Bass

This is a 2001 Rogue Violin Bass. I believe it was made in Korea with 21 frets i think and has a beautiful flame veneer top. Of course it is laminated,but what do you expect for under $250? You can get many tones out of this baby. It's unbelivable. And as far as looks go, i think this beats the crap out of the old Hofner 500/1 bass. Don't get me wrong. Hofner is the real deal here,but let's face it,not everyone has $1500 bucks to blow. This even has something the old Hofner doesn't have. That's great tuners. I've seen people replace them with the old Hofner tuners. I have no idea why. I've had this bass a couple months now and only have had to tune it a couple times. I love the Gotoh tuners. Definatley a plus. This bass doesn't have that many features,but who cares? It sounds great,looks great, and is a dead on knockoff of the Hofner. Oh yea,it came with a cheap patch cable.

Well, if you are looking for a bass that has deep tones,and plays like a dream,this is your bass man. It sounds more like a Hofner more than any other violin bass I've ever played before. Of course this is really only made for certain types of music. Mainly oldies of course,classic rock,and other styles. Not recommended to play heavy metal on this thing. Remember,this is a hollow bass,and you do have to be very delicate with it. You can get so many sounds on this I can't even specify just one type. I mainly go with the treble off,solo,and bass only settings as did McCartney. It gives it a great lil punch one the a and d strings ecspecially. I can't really say if it'd be better for the stage or studio. I'd use it for both. When I play live,I probably wont use a backup because I dont play that many gigs and they aren't really that hectic. However, if your the kind of person who plays about 10-15 times a month,I would definatley consider maybe buying two of these things. Ecspecially since this is so delicate. I'd hate to see what would happen if it came unstrapped,or someone dropped it,etc. Of course,if you play 10-15 times a month,you would probably use a backup no matter what kind of bass you have. You never know what even the wiring can go bad or anything. What do I love about this bass? Everything. What do I hate about it? Absolutley Nothing.

When I got this bass the only thing I had to do to it was tune it,and I was ready to jam. It fit my needs. However,if the action is too high or low,you'd have to fix it of course. It suited my needs perfect though. As far as the finish goes,it's freaking beautiful. Like I said before,it is laminated,but is gorgeous. No one belives me that I paid under 600 for it. There isn't really any flaws besides there is a couple of foggy spots in the finish. You can't really see them though unless you inspecting it in the light like I was. I'm sure after time,they'll go away. I can't believe myself I paid under 600 bucks for it. The picture in Musicians Friend looks nothing like the real thing. I was shocked when I got it to actually see how beautiful it is. As far as the hardware goes,it's all perfect. No loose controls,the saddle fir perfect,no loose tuning pegs.

This bass was definatley made for gigging. However,if you gig alot,definatley buy two of these babys. For the price, I'm sure everyone can afford two. I think if it's in the right owner's hand (someone who knows how to take care of their instruments and doesn't just throw them around or have a sudden urge to smash it on stage) this will last a lifetime. I think the finish will last as well. I havent heard of any complaints of the finish peeling,or wearing off so it should last a long time. The strap buttons are solid enough to withstand playing live. Another thing that's a plus is that it doesnt feel like a ton after playing an hour or two. That's what I love so much about. After playing a Fender P-Bass,it feels like your playing for days. This violin bass is lighter than any guitar and is also capable of reaching those deep notes better than any other bass.

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I give this beautiful piece of work a 10. Mainly cause of the fact that it was only $240. I'd pay up past 500 bucks for this if I had to. It's very beautiful,has a deep rich sound like a Hofner,and McCartney is my role-model. I've been listening to The Beatles since I was 6 or 7. And man,this bass really sounds like the real thing. And as for looks,man oh man a Hofner doesn't even compare to the looks on this. Why pay up to $2000 bucks for a Hofner when for a fraction of that price,you can get the next best thing. In my opinion, I'd rather have one of these than the old Hofners. I'd never play it if I had one because I'd be so worried of scratching it,dropping it,etc. I don't really care if I do anything to this baby cause I could always just buy a new one for $240. If you want that nice Hofner sound and looks,buy this baby. Or if your just a Beatles fanatic like me and like to pretend your Paul McCartney. You could play this at a gig,and no one would know it's not the real thing. Besides the big Rogue label on the headstock. But hey,I'm proud to sport the rogue label. They've never let me down,and I dont think they ever will.

VB-100 Rogue Violin Shaped 4 string made in Korea I think. 2 pickups and pickup off and on switches. individual pickup volumes and a solo switch that boosts highs and gains about 5 decibels. both pickups are passive and the strings attach thru a tailpiece across a non adjustable bridge.

Doesn,t sound to swift of many styles but it has a unique barrel tone that can be varied with the pickup adjustments. Low string sorta dead. I can't accomplish my Fender sounds with it, but if you play up on the neck you can get some cool honk sounds.

Have not adjusted the neck or bridge, and it seems to play pretty good. It looks like a higher priced instrument as far as the paint is concerned. The knobs and switches are rinky dink looking. I get a click noise whenever I turn the switch off or on.

I have only had this for 8 months but it still works the same as it did when I got it. I'm not sure I'd take it out to play on a gig as my only guitar though. I'm afraid of anything this cheap in price.

I started playing after I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in 1964 like so many did. I own a recording studio and have performed on 9 Albums by regional artists. I own about 10 other basses (2Fenders, 1Gibson, 1 Carvin, 1 Musicman Stingray, an Ibanez, an old Univox and a Rickenbaker. I also have a 6 string bass from Tate/Crosby and a five string Jackson. This bass is a good value at under 300 dollars

1998 ROGUE (HOFNER COPY)VIOLIN BASS / SAMICK MADE, 21 FRET, 4 STRING SHORT SCALE NECK, PASSIVE PICKUPS ARE A BIT NOISY LIKE ALL SINGLE COIL TYPES ARE. IT STAYS IN TUNE RATHER WELL BUT THE BRIDGE DOES NOT ALLOW FINE INTONATION ADJUSTMENTS. VERY FAITHFUL TO THE ORIGINAL.
I'VE USED IT ONSTAGE AND RECORDED WITH IT AS WELL. I'VE OWNED 6 OTHER BASSES THROUGH THE YEARS AND IT HAS A SOUND NONE OF THE OTHERS CAN MATCH, MAINLY BECAUSE OF IT'S ACOUSTIC (HOLLOW BODY)DESIGN. IT LOOKS GOOD AND PLAYS GOOD ALTHOUGH IT'S A BIT NECK HEAVY.

I HAVE USED IT WITH MY AMPEG SVT PRO 3 AMP AND A 15 CABINET, BUT IT SOUNDS BEST THROUGH 10" SPEAKERS. I GET PLENTY OF PUNCH ON THE A,D AND G STRINGS BUT THE PICKUPS DON'T REPRODUCE THE E STRING VERY WELL I PLAY IN A LATE 60'S BRITISH INVASION COVER GROUP WITH THIS BASS AND IT WORKS WELL ON ZOMBIES,ANIMALS,BEATLES AND ROLLING STONES STYLE SONGS. NOT TOO WELL SUITED FOR R&B, FUNK OR COUNTRY.

I HAD TO ADJUST THE INTONATION A BIT WHEN I FIRST GOT IT. ADJUSTMENT ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE 1 OF 4 SLOTS IN A FLOATING BRIDGE FOR EACH STRING. THE FINNISH IS VERY GOOD AND I LIKE THE FLAMED VENEER. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE NECK AND BODY LOOKS A BIT SLOPPY AND CHEAP. THE HARDWARE LOOKS SORT OF CHEAP TOO BUT YOU SEE THAT ON ALL GUITARS COSTING UNDER $500.

I HAVE LEFT THIS INSTRUMENT IN A GIG BAG IN MY CAR IN THE EXTREME HEAT AND IT HAS HELD TUNE AND SHOWN NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE. ALTHOUGH I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS INSTRUMENT FOR 3 YEARS, IT HAS HELD UP WELL AND NOT SHOWN ANY SIGNS OF FALLING APART.

30 YEARS OF PLAYING HAS ENABLED ME TO BUY DRUMS, 5 AMPLIFIERS, 4 ELECTRIC GUITARS, 3 KEYBOARDS PLUS MUCH RECORDING AND PROCESSING GEAR.
i'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BEATLES FAN AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING A BEATLE STYLE BASS GUITAR AMONG MY INSTRUMENTS.

No use repeating all the other submissions...21 frets, short scale, hollow body. just what you need.

I couldn't believe it. some flatwound strings and it sounds JUST like a Hofner, especially with the Bass pickup only. Just an amazing tone.

Some minor things, but what can you expect for $299. One of the pickups was a bit crooked and the Bass/Treble swithces seem to be wired backwards. All in all though, a top notch job. The finish is beautiful and the flame top/back looks great. Obviously, this is a laminated instrument, but so were some of the Hofners. No finish flaws anywhere.

with a delicate instrument you really need to be careful, so take care of it and it will last a very long time. Seems to be just as sturdy as any Hofner I have owned. The tuners are actually better than Hofner (but do not look vintage). They have large pegs (Gotoh style).

Bought from Musicians Friend. Got it right when they said I would. No complaints. The Bass was ready to play right out of the box (once I put Flatwounds on).

Once again, I can not believe you can get this much Bass for so little. I have owned 4 Hofner Basses, and this plays as well as any of them. The neck is more like the "Cavern" style...a bit thicker than the '63 re-issues. I like that because there is more room to work with.

OK, I was not able to pick up on this from other reviews, so here goes:
Those switches at the bottom "corner" by the output jack are labeled "Bass ON," "Treble ON"; "Rhythm/Solo:", plus the two Knobs for the bridge and neck pickups. If the Bass and Treble switches are both Off, you won't get any sound out of the bass. The "Rhythm/Solo" switch allows you to make a huge difference in volume;i.e., if switch is in Rhythm, you won't get near as much volume as "Solo"
Neck small compared to a P-bass.
Action very easy. Some rattling of the strings. I haven't been able to discern which fret is buzzing, HOWEVER, the buzz does not transmit to the amp.
I like the Treble On and Bass ON switches. You can put them in the off position and leave the pickup knobs in the best possible position, then put the guitar in the stand and walk away for awhile (just played mine in church today, and this was really convenient).

Very nice, ringing tone. I like it better than the old P-bass. Several other reviewers have compared it to a grand piano. I agree. You can set the knobs to make it sound like a piano.
The setting can be changed from dark to bright. However, so far I have not noticed it being as dark (or as muffled) as a P-bass at its darkest.

I thought the setup was good right out of the box. Have not noticed any flaws.
Finish is beautiful. (For the price) I can't believe the job the artisans have done "bookmatching" the wood on the back!
To those of us who have spent 30 years playing a P-Bass: the pickups stick up from the body quite a bit. I played some runs today and found that my fingers were hitting the pickups (which slowed me down a little). I figure this is something I need to adjust to .
Action was very easy on the fret board. My perception is that it's designed for guitarists who switch to bass guitar (as did Sir Paul)as opposed to those of us who started off on string bass and switched to bass guitar.
Noticed no pickup problems, definitely pleased with how the frets were dressed, all knobs and switches OK for now.
PS am still using the original strings. Will switch soon to see if the local buzzing improves, based on other reviews.

definitely does not feel as sturdy as a "slab."
Can't tell on hardware yet. Finish looks sturdy. Strap buttons OK.
I used it on a gig this weekend and did not use a backup.
Other reviewers have noted that this guitar is "neck heavy" In fact the neck is heavier than the body. However, it's so much lighter than a P-bass, that I refuse to complain.

Since other reviewers have commented likewise, I "axed" Musiciansfriend.com if they were in fact the only company representing "Rogue." They said that they are.

The service from Musiciansfriend was very good.
So far no repairs.

Started playing bass when i was 13 and I'm 43 now. Own a P-bass and a (vintage 1974) Peavey 400 series bass amp.
Was torn between this bass and the Epi Thunderbird. This bass got slightly better reviews than the T bird. T-bird plays a lot more like a P-bass, so it would have been more of the same. This was a good choice.
Love the sound. Hope I adjust to my fingers hitting the pickups. don't hate anything about it.
Funny story: a 14 yr old girl in our church is learning to play bass. I asked her if she'd like to try playing the Rogue. She looked at it and said "It looks kind of weird." Kids. They don't know that us old farts would have given up body parts to have a bass that looks this cool. (and sounds this good)
ABSOLUTELY A VERY GOOD VALUE!!!!

it SUCKED!!!!!!!only an idiot would but this piece of trailer parked trash! the bridge broke as soon as i got it!!

hate it it picks up am radio stations while you are playing dont ask how it even can

itb was ok but i got it scratched once and the paint started to peal after that

SUCKED!!!!!!!!thats all i have to say

they are very unfriendly and they have a right to since they sell pieces of junk to people for less than $100.who would but a bass less than that anyway?

ive made my point

This is my second Rogue VB 100 bass. I bought my first one a couple years ago, then sold it when I bought my Hofner...and I've regretted selling it ever since. So I recently bought another, mainly so I don't beat up my Hofner. (I play in a local Beatles tribute band in Northeastern California.) I love the Rogue, especially when you figure it only costs about a fourth of what a Hofner runs. It has a beautiful finish. The top and back are laminated, but have a wonderful flame maple veneer. The sides are sawn plywood with a black finish. The tuners are real nice...I have to say they are much better than my Hofner. The neck is nice and straight, and the action (after a little tweeking) is real nice. One minor complaint I have is that the bass heavy on the neck end; not real balanced. The rosewood fingerboard is nice, and (unlike my Hofner) it has dots on the side of the neck so I can tell where the heck I'm playing. The pickups, while not expensive, have a great sound. The strings that came with the bass were really awful, so I put some nice flatwounds on it, and now it really has the Hofner sound, but with more sustain. Also has controls much like the Hofner (a volume knob for each pickup,with a switch for bass, treble, and rhythm/solo). Overall, electronics seem pretty good, especially considering the price.

As I just mentioned, the sound is great. I can get a nice warm sound with a deep bass, but it's capable of producing a wide variety of sounds. I use it mainly at rehearsals, but I really love the sound. I rate it a "10" with flatwounds, and a "5" with the original strings.

Now for the down side. I got the bass from Musician's Friend, along with a Musician's Friend bass case. Teh bass didn't really fit in the case. When they shipped it, they had to force the lid down on the case, and consequently cracked the bottom part of the bridge. I really didn't want another bass, since the action and finish were great, and they couldn't get me a replacement bridge. I ended up making my own replacement bridge, and it turned out nice. I'm planning on getting a Hofner bridge for it anyway. The pickups were also not installed correctly. The front pickup rocked back and forth. But I swapped the front and back pickup adjustment springs, and that took care of the problem. I like to tweek with things, so this was all OK for me, but the average person probably would have sent the bass back. The overall appearance of the bass is just great. Every time I look at it, I'm amazed that it only cost $249.

For a semi-hollow body bass, it's pretty sturdy. Like I said earlier, it's fairly heavy, especially on the neck end, but it's also pretty well-made. I keep comparing it to my Hofner. The Hofner is the real McCoy, but let's face it: If it hadn't been for Paul McCartney, no one would even know they exist. The Hofner was a cheap guitar when McCartney bought his first one, because that's all he could afford. The quality of this inexpensive bass (aside from the problems I listed above) is in many ways better than my Hofner, and because it wasn't expensive, I won't freak if I scratch it.

Rogue is made for Musician's Friend, so I dealt with them. I wasn't happy that they couldn't just send me a replacement bridge. I asked them for a credit toward the purchase of another bridge, and they wouldn't do that either. But they offered to replace the bass, and I decided not to. I do a lot of business with Musician's Friend, and this was the only time I wasn't really thrilled. But I'm still very happy with the bass.

I have played bass for about 25 years. I own a Hofner, a Rickenbacker, and a custom-made 5-string fretless. In spite of a few problems, I really think it's a great bass, expecially for the price. I would definately replace it if it got stolen. "It's not a Hofner, but an amazing re-creation."

Short scale hollow body violin bass ( you probably know this ). Beautiful top finish considering it is a $279 guitar. Looks just like a Hofner. Same style control panel with two volume controls, treble on, bass on, rythym/solo switches. Two chrome mini humbuckers. Wood bridge (more later). Nice neck shape somewhere between my jazz and precision. Came with a cheap cable.

Has a very distinct tone. It can be real bassy or mellow. Haven't noticed any noise. I am playing a gig next weekend so the test will be then. The strings it came with are awful. Flatwounds are going on tonight.

Was not set up at all from Musicians Friend. After adjusting bridge it played a lot better. The kneck appears to be adjusted okay. I had to raise the neck pickup several turns and the tone improved greatly. Strings are trash. For an inexpensive guitar though, it was pretty decent overall.

I was going to buy a Hofner but I thought I would always worry about scratching or dinging it. I did not want a museum piece so I thought I would give this a try. I appears to be fairly well mad and should prove reliable with reasonable care. I know I will carry a backup a while just in case.

When the UPS guy threw the box off the truck I knew things weren't going to be good. After unpacking the boxes the bridge was completely broken in two and the face was scratched. I called Musicians Friend and they shipped a replacement as soon as UPS picked up the broken one. Pretty good customer service.

I have been playing 30 years and have a Precision and a Precision Lyte Deluxe (nice). I love the look and sound but don't like the big ROGUE label on the headstock. I am pleased with everything about the bass except the strings (a $20 fix). It is kind of scary buying a bass sight unseen but these reviews helped. I would replace it if it was lost or stolen. No information at all came with the bass so I guess the manufacturer is a secret (made in Korea). Overall a good buy for the money to get that look and sound (I play in a classic rock band, heavy on the Betles).

This is a 2000 model I got from Musician's Friend. It's the best Beatle-bass copy I have ever seen. Kicks the crap out of the Epiphone model. I like the flametop this baby sports. Looks as though it has the same features as the Hofner Beatle Bass.

I think the sound is a little more punchy than the orignal muddy sounding Hofner.

The action on this is quite comfy. For a $239 bass I didn't see any flaws.

I only had this bass for 3 months. Everything seems fine for now.

I seen paperwork that Rogue is made by Squier. Wish this guitar had some sort of paperwork. But I didn't get any. I tried to order a hard case from Musician's Friend, even though it is listed on their website they claim I have to call Rogue for one.

It's a great bass for the price. I had a Hofner Beatle bass, it wasn't that great. I like this one. I would recommend to buy this one instead of a $1500 Hofner.

Other reviews pretty well cover the features ... Korean made Hofner Beatle bass copy, hollow body, two pickups, pickguard, trapeze tailpiece, two separate volume controls and three switches (rhythm/solo, bass pickup on/off, treble pickup on/off). I bought mine as a "scratch & dent" item from Musician's Friend, so I got zero paperwork with it. I don't know whether it normally comes with any documentation or specs or anything.

This is my first bass, so I went into this kind of blind. But my style is Beatlesque pop, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. And I could not be happier with this bass. I've tried it through my Line 6 Pod (not a Bass Pod) on the "tweed blues" setting and it sounds wonderful -- bright and clean but with deep, resonant low end. It also sounds great through my Tech 21 SansAmp pedal. Played with a pick, it's bouncy and clear as a bell. Played with fingers, it almost sounds like an upright bass, the tone is so rich and resonant.

I was frankly amazed at how nice this bass guitar is, given what I paid for it ($223). It is really a beautiful instrument. Of course, it's a ripoff of the much more expensive Hofner, so it ought to be nice-looking. The finish is gorgeous, and the overall look is very authentic.

Even though mine was supposedly a "scratch & dent" item, I could not find a thing wrong with it cosmetically. The volume control for the bridge pickup may be a little loose, but I rarely play through that pickup anyway so I haven't really fiddled with it much.

The action seems quite playable from the factory. I will probably take it in for professional setup at some point, just because there is occasional fret buzz if I'm not careful, but that could be my own lack of skill coming through.

I don't play live, so this bass will probably last me forever. However, they don't call it a violin bass for nothing -- the body is hollow and the wood seems comparatively thin. I would not like to see what would happen to this bass if somebody sat on it or dropped a microphone stand on it. If I ever do need to take it somewhere, I will probably buy a hard case for it.

Only time will tell how durable the finish is, but for $223 I really can't see how it could let me down.

I was very pleased with the experience of buying from Musician's Friend, but I don't expect to ever have any contact with Rogue, whoever they are. I got no contact information with the bass, there is no Rogue web site, and as far as I can tell the company doesn't exist.

I have been playing guitar for more than a decade, but have only been serious about it for the last year or so. Until I got this bass I had been recording fake bass parts using a keyboard bass patch. I now use the Rogue along with my Les Paul for recording, and I am delighted with it. Of course what first attracted me to the Rogue was the Beatles look, but I am extremely pleased that the sound is so good as well. If I lost this one I would buy another, no question. I have gotten almost as much satisfaction from this $200 bass as I have gotten from my $1500 Les Paul.