Rogue VB100 Violin Bass

I have the 'made In China' Series II and once owned the Korea model , they play about the same, A little intonation problems with the floating bridge, but not too bad. Has a great rock sound, 2 humbucker pickups.

I can hear this good without an amp, good for pratice.

I seem to always come to this bass when I lay down demo recordings, it is very light and small. to me thats a plus, I love the smaller scale, it's closer to the neck of a guitar...

I tried flats on the Korea made model, i did not like my fingers slipping on the strings...

this is my go to bass and i love it...

Love the size and scale of neck, I also like round wound strings over flat wound.

Action was good, had to do a bit of setup for my playing style. Great finish, this bass cost me $133 as a scratch and dent special with free shipping, no scratches nor dents bought from MF.

No problems... Look and feel is great

I think Musicians Freinds hadles customer support center handles this, their customer service reps stink!! So, from past experiance...BAD

Great for what I paid... I also got a good deal on a case...around $200 for both.

Ok this yet another beatles bass copy. I bought this bass new from musicians friend. I have played out with this bass now for eight years, and let me tell you this thing is sturdy for a hollow body.

It has all the features as the Hofner violin bass same style controls, but i hear it's a bit heaver than a hofner.

I play mostly beatles and oldies and this bass is perfect for what I do. It has a deep hollow sound to it almost like a standup bass.
it has a rhythm and a solo switch which is pretty cool so when you switch it to solo this thing gets loud! Most people put Flatwound strings on there violin bass i just use light gauge strings on mine.
But if your looking for a McCartney sound this thing has it!

The bass was set up prety good from the factory. I only had to make minor adjustments to the action. other than that the bass was fine.

The hardware is really good on this thing except for the strap buttons, replace them as soon as you can. They will get loose on you.
the finish is real good but the binding turned kind of yellow over the years. Over all this is in my opinion a very well made bass guitar. and I have giged with it a lot.

never used it, never had to!

I have been playing over 10 years and had a few bass guitars I sold them all and kept the rogue! If it were stolen i would buy another one. It's just a good bass.

Copy of Hofner Beatles bass (500/1 or something like that) made famous by Paul McCartney in the Beatles musical combo. Mine was made in Korea (the Series II currently selling at Musician's Friend is made in China). Very nicely finished, silky smooth frets, fret ends are beautful; body is glossy and perfect. Really nice. Looks great; flamed maple body.

Pickups are silent, with no hum; sound is vintage Beatles, 62-66. Great big thumpy, round tone, especially if controls are set like Paul had them: Treble OFF, Bass ON, Solo ON.

Got it second hand, set up is good. Easy to play.

The bass is a solid instrument. I think gigging with it would be fine, and at the price it goes for, no great loss if it ends up trashed somehow. but I don't think it's any more frail than the original Hofner, which was quite light in build. And that is still kicking, having traveled the world with Paul for 45 years and counting...

No info on that--second-hand buy, and no need to repair it so far.

I've alkways woanted one of these (or maybe always wanted the original Hofner...) And this is a great guitar; get one, you'll love it. It's a blast. I bought mine on eBay, complete with a hardshell case, for about 175 USD. Great deal...

Nicely built and finished instrument. Very close match to the Hofner body dimensions, but not perfect. Probably the best I have seen, though. Really nice flamed wood finish. No buzz on frets. I got mine today used and need to do a couple of things to get it just right. Not happy with the electronics at this point and would appreciate some help from veterans on this thread. I can be reached at jphayek@aol.com. Want to replace the pots, tuner knobs.

The actual instrument looks and plays very nicely, with the characteristic thumpy early-to-mid Beatle sound.

The electronics are another story...read on

There is a lot lacking in the volume pots and I want to replace them, but don't know what to buy or were to get them. They only attenuate on the last 10% of the knob range, and are scratchy. Therefore, the sound has pretty much one color. The "lead" position switch just makes it louder, but adds a hum.

I need to find a cover plate for the truss rod opening, as the previous owner removed and lost it.

Also the tuner knobs are completely out of place for Hofner copy. Who knows what knob mode to replace them with? I heard banjo tuner knobs would work, but what model?

I took some fine sandpaper to the upper edge of the cheezy pickguard to smooth it out with a slight bevel. Be careful not to scratch the front of it or touch the back at all. Feels better to the touch now.

I think it would be fine for a gig, but I would not use it for every genre of music. The Fender P-bass suits me much better for most material. I would not call this a versatile bass, but it seems well made and would hold up fine...once the electronic noise is fixed.

No info here

I play a Fender P bass and a Gibson 1974 Ripper, so the short scale feels really small to me. I have a Crate 100 watt combo amp. Play classic rock and Beatles/Stones mostly, and also like to play funk which this bass does not have the feel for. I am more excited about just having a "Beatle bass" in the arsenal than playing it exclusively. Paul is one of my all-time fave bass players.

It looks very nice and the physical body and pickups seem identical to the Epiphone; the elctronics and headstock are different, though.

2006, Korean made knock-off of Hohner 4-string viola bass made famous by Paul McCartney. Came with fairly protective hardshell case.

It looks, sounds, and plays a lot like the vintage 1960s Hoffner viola bass for a beginning to intermediate bass player. If you're really good, and you're looking for the authentic 60's sound, you need the quality of the actual Hofner. This is a very affordable bass guitar, and for some reason, is made better than the other Rogues. This was my first bass, (I'm primarily a horn player, this is a second instrument for me), and it's a good bass to learn on. It remains my choice for classic rock 'n roll, and other music where I'm looking for the warm, woody sound of a semi-hollow body.

The bass was not well set up coming from the factory, but was perfect after a professional set up at my favorite local guitar-music store. It came with some cheap strings, upgrading to high quality flatwounds resulted in further improvement.

I would never go on any gig with only one instrument, I think in life, in general, it's a good idea to always have at least one back-up plan ready to go. This is a surprisingly well made bass for the price.

I have not had to deal with Rogue.

I briefly wondered if I should have gotten a better, used, actual vintage 1960's viola bass, but this is actually cheaper. Would I get another if I lost this one? Hard to say, I've been playing less than a year, but I've been a musician for decades (horn player). This was a great bass to get started on, and I'll continue using it for classic rock. If and when something happens to it, I expect to be a much better bass player by then, and I'm not sure I would come back to the Rogue, but then maybe I will. You know how it is to try and forget your first... whatever.

Arched flamed maple top
Hollowbody
Pearloid pickguard
Front and back body binding
Custom trapeze
Traditional 31" scale length

I went along with the majority of everyone else and put the flat wounds on this bass. I'm glad I did. I get a serious thump that I don't get with any of the other of my 8 electric basses. I play a lot of bluegrass, so the sound I get is just right for that. I haven't recorded with it yet, but that's coming. I'm lovin' this "new" sound so much I find it hard to put the bass down.

The bridge on the bass needed to be raised which was an easy task. The bass is certainly a beauty. The binding on the body is a very nice touch. Love the glossy finish and overall look.

I've only had the bass for about a week, but I have sure put it to the task playing it so much this week. Everything seems to be very solid to me. I'd take it without a back-up.

Musician's Friend......for the most part they are easy to deal with.

I have been playing now for over 40 years. I own so many fretted instruments I've lost count. I own 10 basses counting my upright. I am so very pleased with this bass and would replace it if it were stolen. I love the sound I get with the flatwounds and the visual appeal. The short scale is fast and fun and is one of my favorite features. I only compared prices since I ordered it without playing it first. I chose the Rogue because of the price and my experience with other Rogue products.

I'll leave this one blank as everybody else has provided a lot of detail on all the features.

I play some jazz/blues/R&B styled originals, and this is perfect for some of my material. Yeah, my J bass is better for some stff, but this gives me some great tones. It can do the Macca sound, and a lot more. I swapped the standard round wound strings out for some nylon tapewounds. I've also installed a K&K piezo pickup intended for acoustic bass guitars under the soundboard from more tonal options, and am really pleased with how it came out. By blending this w/ the magnetic pickups I can get close to upright bass territory, or a pretty good rock tone, or anywhere in between.

Fit and finish were great - Exactly the same as an Epi Viola bass I played in a local music store the day before my Rogue arrived. Bookmatching was a little off, but not noticeable from a few feet away. Body seams, binding, fretwork, etc. were nice and clean. I spent some time inside the thing installing the piezo pickup and everything looked good in there too. The action/setup needed a little tweaking out of the box, but every instrument does. It's not hard to dial a new instrument in to your playing style, and if you don't know how, this is a great guitar to learn on.

No problem so far, but I just got it. The build quality seems good inside and out, so I expect it to last a lifetime with proper care.

N/A - I'm sure I voided the warranty the day I got it by doing some modifications, but I'm comfortable fixing it if something goes wrong.

Great product - I'd buy it again for twice the price. Highly recommended.

All the same features as described 1000x before on this thread. make in Korea, sold by MF as house brand. Purchased used / with Rogue HS case for $199. It cannot be more than 1 year old as the guitar looks and plays wonderful. Pick ups sound nice and electronics make it possible to customize sound. Finish is awesome, although made of plywood with veneer.

Nice, warm sound I suspect is due to the hollow body design.Just replaced the strings from roundwound to flatwound.

Bass was purchased used on Long island from a retail guitar shop. The tech gave it a once over before I purchased it and it seems fine. For the money paid, I feel as though I got an exceptional buy.

Have not had long, I purchased this for my 11 year old who just started a band and is learning. From the look and feel of it, with proper care, it should be around for a while.

Guitar was missing a pickguard as the former owner took it off or broke it. Called MF looking for a replacement. No response to 2 e-mails. Got fed up and sent them a nasty one and told them to call me asap on my cell - they did. Told me no good on replacement parts - the guitar is made in Korea and I was told they could not tell me who the mfg was because they didn't know. Was also told that they probably do not speak English. I think they just wanted to blow me off and not bother. I have been searching for a replacement and was told probably best to buy a Hohfner guard which might need modification.

I have been playing for over 25 years - Rickenbacker exclusively. When my 11 year old told me he was starting a band I was so excited for him. I rushed out to get him something small and light so as to not turn him off to it. Guitar is very light and the short scale is much easier on his smaller hands. I actually like playing this bass - it feels good, fun to play and sounds good. He loves it to. I'd give a higher rating overall were it not for no replacement parts being available. That to me is unexcusable and downright stupid.

New 2004 model. The features have been pretty much covered by everyone else.

Like the original Hofner, this is a one-tone bass- but it's a great tone. Even though it's made of plywood there's a great tubby, woody sound- especialy if you play it with a pick. I put Rotosound medium scale flts on mine, following the advice of an earlier revier.

Fit and finish is mostly great. Binding is flawless. The only things I can fault are the pickguard control plate, which have unfinished edges, the cheesy control knobs, and the bridge, which needed a little sanding for a better fit to the top.

The fretting job is the best I've ever seen on an inexpensive bass. Fret ends are perfectly smooth- better than I've seen on a lot of expensive instruments.

This is a solid, giggable instrument, although if I planned to use it regulalry I think I might replace the jack with a Switchcraft, and perhaps the pots, too. The slide switches are an unknown quantity, but being soldered in they'd be a bit more trouble to replace.

I adjusted the truss rod once, after changing strings, and it seems to be solid.

Musicians' Friend has always given me great after-the-sale service.

Been playing a very long time ;-) I have two other bass guitars that cost a lot more than this puppy (as well as a couple of uprights) but I find myself spending a lot of time playing the Rogue, usually with a list of Beatles tunes and other 60s tunes in front of me. It's just a fun instrument. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a first instrument, except perhaps to someone who really liked that 60s sound.

I love the tone, the look, the lightness and the playability. I don't care for the crummy pots and the so-so slideswitches. (I wish I could find a beat up one cheap for a project I have in mind.)

I think a friend of mine who plays Sadowskys and similar instruments put it best when, after playing it for a while, said "That's a lot of bass for two hundred dollars."

Mine is a 2005 model. I won't go into the details as they've been well covered elsewhere.

I bought this almost on a whim. I've always wanted a Hofner, and from what I've heard and read, these are as good or better at a tenth the price.

This is not a bass with a hge palatte of sounds. What it does do well is that classic 60s bass sound. There's no tone control, just two pickups and a set of cheap volume pots with a pretty non-linear response.

But for what it does, it's great. This little bass has more low-end boom than my 70s Japanese Fender P-bass, and a nice woody tone besides.

Set up was very good. I only tweaked the truss rod a fraction after replacing the strings. FInish and trim is absolutely perfect- not a flaw in it. It's better than a lot of far more expensive guitars. The binding puts a lot of Gibsons to shame. The pickguard and switchplate are kind of cheesy, but they're easily replaced.

Everything about this bass says reliable EXCEPT the volume pots and pickup switches. I plan to replace them, and the jack, with good Switchcraft parts asap. I'll probably replace those cheesy knobs with something larger and grabbier, too, and turn the LEAD/RHYTHM switch into a tone control as others have described. I replaced the strings with flatwound Rotosound RS 77Ms- not the best choice, as they're just a hair too long, but they work well enough. Even with the stock strings it sounds great.

Been playing for 30+ years- everything with strings. I love the light weight, conpact neck, and deep tone. It's a pretty little thing, too. And even at the regular price it's a bargain.

I had a 1969 Hofner. Yea, I sold it sorry to say. This is not a Hofner, but it's darn close! Did a cpl of things to make it work for me. 1st thing I did was get rid of the cheap looking pic guard. Gives the bass a whole new look.
The metal butterfly tuners make the bass look funky. Replaced them with ivory banjo type tuner knobs. Was VERY easy!
Next, the black small volume knobs dont look very good. Replaced them with original Hofner knobs. Im leaving the electronics alone because it sounds great! Last thing, I put a set of Rotosound Black Nylon string on. Gives it that upright sound!

I go right into my board, this bass will pretty much give you the sound you want. I don't play out anymore so this is just a studio bass for me. Use the neck pup mostly, gets me the sound I want.

Had to raise the bridge a bit after the new strings, but that was no prob. Neck is straight & intonation is there from the start. One thing dont go any higher than 115 on the low string. Rotosound sells a 135, but it's too big.

Finish is not bad for a $200 Bass. Looks pretty good in my opinion.
Since im not going to play it out, the bass should last, least I hope so?
Don't waste your time with the gig bag. Spend the $79 for the case. It fits great!

Musicians Friend has a good CS dept. They seem to be happy to support any problems you have with your purchase

Im pretty much a guitar player & havent owned a bass since 1973. This is my last bass I will ever buy. Really fills out my collection.
For the $300 I spent on the bass and upgrades, I would buy this again in a heartbeat. If anyone needs info on the upgrades I did, feel free to email me.

Others have described the features many times. It looks great, sounds great (once you replace the strings). The vollume pots are crappy... it goes from off to a little louder to a lot louder with no in between, but this doesn't bother me because I play with an acoustic piano and horn, so any volume adjustments I need can be done with technique.

I ordered the optional gig bag, just to get some more protection during shipping. The bab is a throw-away, offering no more protection than a paper sack. Would rate the guitar higher if they shipped with a decent case.

I use this bass for jazz gigs in small restaurants. It complements an acoustic piano beautifully. It sounds more like an upright bass than an electric bass. I only use the neck pickup, and don't adjust the sound or volume while playing. Every note sounds beautiful. Even response. I get a great sound just playing thru my Polytone with a 12" speaker, and if space is really crowded I even use my Polytone with an 8" speaker or my Crate with an 8". I don't have to play loud, so it is wonderful to carry a small rig on the subways and in taxis.

Set up required a change of strings, repositioning the bridge a little bit, and raising the action a little. Pickup adjustment was fine (I only use the neck pup). Everything else was great. This is a gorgeous guitar!

I've only been using the bass for about three months. I only worry about dependability because others have mentioned it. I myself have not seen any reason for alarm. I get around by taxi and subway, so there is not an option of having a backup guitar or amp, so I'm used to having that anxiety anyway. Seems solid and reliable, but I haven't been using it very long.

I've been playing guitar for over 40 years, bass is my second and occasional instrument. I keep a simple amp setup. Playing only jazz (now) My two Polytones (mini-brute and mega brute) and my crate-30 are all I need for both bass and guitar. This is the only bass I own now. Guitars are a Fender D'Aquisto Elite, PRS Cedar hollowbody, Foster 7-string tele, Rick Turner Renaissance nylon string.

I would get this bass again without any hesitation or reservation. I love it's sound, it's appearance, and it's llight weight..,very important when carrying all your equipment by hand.

I won't bother here with all the details. You know them already or you wouldn't be here. This is an update to my original post some four plus years ago when i first bought the VB100 Beatle bass copy.
I have never regretted this purchase to this date. It has held up well, and, with a few mods it has performed like the champ that it is. I cannot say how current production models are but this one was made excellent without flaws. The Rogue has played, performed and held up to daily playing in the normal mode all to my satisfaction without reservations. This is a great little bass ! not a Hofner, but then, it was never meant to be either. At this point, for what they want for those.. they can keep them. I purchased this instrument because it was lite, looked great ! and still does, it is not daft looking left handed like some would be played upside down and, was a great value.

Here is where i made some mods to the original setup. First off i had Lindy Fralin rewind and repot the original Epiphone pickups that came with the instrument even though they sounded just fine. I then had the instrument re-wired with better wiring than what it came with to improve reliability and durability as well. I left the original switch plate but installed Switchcraft switches replacing the cheap electronics that it came with even though once again..they worked fine. I also at this time installed the nylon taped Rotosound strings on the bass which made it a dream to play and looked great with the black nylon strings on the instrument. I would say at this point that i did NOT try and make this look like the Hofner. I didn't set out to do that. You guys out there have to take pride in how and what you play. Stop looking at whats on the headstock and buy and or modify for playability. Either you got it.. or you don't A Gibson or Fender name on the headstock is strictly for ego food. Can you play? or do you just wish you could?..
At any rate the pots were replaced with better pots and that was that.

This doesn't need much here. The action and finish were fantastic when i received this bass. But, Musicans Friend could have done a better job of protecting the thing other than shipping it in nothing other than a cardboard box. That was funky, but it did arrive alright despite their shipping methods. I found not a flaw on the instrument anywhere and never have to date. The binding, finish and all were as good as it gets and it is a working instrument. I use this thing allot. I did however purchase an Epiphone case that was made for their version of the same thing. It fit like a GLOVE in that case! way more protection considering that the Hofner comes in a bullet case that is not form fit and it can move around in there. I don't like that. I want that sucker a tight fit and padded and protected which this does for me. That was a good $100.00 investment for this dinky little bass.

The only thing i can say here is that this bass has held up to playing at home, out and everything else. It seems durbale considering that i have had it now for four plus years. I do tend to take care of my stuff. Maybe more so than the next guy but then.. i cannot afford to purchase stuff twice. I own several nice stringed instruments besifes this including a real left handed Hofner that i have had since about 1965. This Rogue is a more sturdy bass than the original. It is i believe stronger in the neck joint area. This will last if you take care of it like anything.

I don't know. They may be good.. they may be bad. If they're bad it won't matter as i will seek stuff somewhere else. All a company has to offer is customer service. Lots of places have "stuff". But the ones that do give good follow up or general customer service deserve your business.. otherwise?... they can bite me really. I have money to spend sometimes. It could be them.. or, it could be somebody else.

I've been playing for 40 plus years. I have owned some of most everything. I don't like to read here about people's stuff like they own this..they own that. none of your business what i have or don't have. What i do have is the ability to play at will anything i chose. I have been doing this for awhile now. i have enough stuff that i could throw a grenade into my music room and straighten it up a bit. I think the important thing here is that after four plus years of playing this little bass that it has stood the test of time and as i can see it will continue to do so. Take a backup along?..I use to set my Hofner up behind me when i played out until i figured out that it was my ego not the need for a back up that caused that. I would play this thing out without a backup because i know before i leave for a gig that it is going to last the night. Break a string?..if you did on bass you should probably leave the booze alone for the rest of the night. Once again, this little bass is a gem. Now.. i have read the good and the bad about this little dude. The ones that don't like it are worried about whats on the headstock or, they didn't think it through and didn't get what they expected or wanted it to do. If you are living in the past as far as music goes then this will do it all no matter what. If you are a head banger or whatever it won't. If you are a walking bassman such as i then this thing really sounds and looks great and i would recommend it to anyone looking for a light weight little bass with a big sound. Not a "heavy" sound but a good general bass. Can you record with it?..sure. If you know how to get sound and how to process it properly..you bet! I generally use about 4 to 1 compression, a very small amount of reverb and again, the smallest amount of delay and i get a great sound. I also usually go direct into the board but i have good results splitting the signal with the live amp sound and a direct signal as well.
I can say that i am still very happy with this little Hofner knockoff.

I think the features of this bass have been covered over and over here, so I'll just say that I love the look and feel.

I just recently ordered my Rogue bass from musiciansfriend.com and after reading reviews posted here, I immediately replaced the strings with Fender flats and the sound is just terrific.
It has a round boomy tone with no buzz at all.
I get plenty of volume from it, so this bass would be suitable for any playing I have to do.

The set up was perfect right out of the box, the only thing I had to do was replace the strings, as I stated earlier, and the finish is gorgeous.
This bass is a really beautiful piece of work, except for the big tuning buttons that came on it.
I saw a review on the Jay Turser Beatle bass where a guy said that he didn't like the look of the tuners but didn't want to go to the expense and trouble of replacing them with Hofners, so he ordered some banjo buttons from stewmac.com and replaced just the big butterfly buttons that were on it, just like on the Rogue.
He got the look he wanted at just 67? per button.
I thought that was a good idea, so I also ordered the pearloid banjo buttons from stewmac.com and replaced the ones on the rogue with them, they fit like a glove and they look great.
They give a much more vintage appearance and seem to go better with the rest of the bass than those huge shiney things that came on it.

This bass seems rock-solid to me, but just like any fine piece of equipment it'll take some care and proper handling to keep it nice.
It'll stand up plenty well to normal play and I have no plans to kick it down the stairs or anything like that.

The bass was well packaged and arrived at my house promptly and in excellent condition, so I've had no need to contact musiciansfriend.com further.

I've been playing for about 4 years now, mostly guitar, but I've decided to concentrate on bass a bit more now.
Besides this bass, I own a strat and a couple acoustic guitars.
I love the look, feel and sound of this bass, and if anything were to happen to it I'd definitely buy another one.
I looked around at a lot of other basses, but the look of this one really drew me in as I've been a Beatles fan ever since seeing them on the Ed Sullivan Show when I was 5 years old.
If you can't afford a Hofner, like most of us, I'd recommend getting the Rogue instead.
It has the sound to carry off thos McCartney bass lines.

This has been sufficiently covered by everyone already

Thanks for the info on the strings...once I changed them it was like a brand new guitar! Really the strings (Fender flats .50-.100)make this instrument sound like a ten

I had to mess with mine...some say they didn't but I'll bet they all buzzed some...the set up across the board seems very weak

Everything is adequate

Musicians Friend is unusual...if you're persistent they will do what you say or ask them to...but if you don't speak up they run over you just like every other company will...when it's your money screaming and whining is acceptable! Plus...Fed ex it...UPS is extremely unreliable because they do so much volume and MF doesn't pack it so good all the time. As a matter of fact MF has a deal with Fed ex...all their returns are done through them even though the ship is done UPS

Been playing since a teenager am 54 now...have a Ric 4003, a Hohner acoustic and a Fender standard Jazz fretless...each of these has such a different and unique sound...I got the Rogue because my first bass was a Japanese Hofner knock (Ayar)for $125...it was really terrible in the long run...bad unfixable action etc...but it was made in the late sixties...got rid of it and then couldn't decide on the Turser from Music 123 or the Rogue...but the Rogue was $76 less and Hofner actually does make a honey colored sunburst like the Rogue so I went with it and was extremely pleased. I mess with all the guitars even the Ric so factory set up doesn't weigh big with me...I get it the way I like it to feel and sound and then go...the hardshell case is available with the Turser for $56, I think, I've never known the Rogue to have one...could be wrong...just have a heavy-duty gig bag for mine....and because it's a replacement for the old one I am pretty attached to it. It is small comparatively but is just so much fun to play...and sounds ...well, like everyone is saying, the Hofner...best quote.."80% of the Hofner sound for 10% of the cost and that's the truth!

Okay, this is a $200.00 Bass, so what. So what is.... I have been a professional musician for 35 years on stage and in studio. I have played with some big names and on some big stages, and simply, I LIKE THIS BASS! I have played everything from an original Hofner to a Ric, and frankly, though no Rickenbacker, this Hoffy knockoff is the best available... It sounds and is finished better than the Epiphone knockoff, and yes, some things are cheap... but FYI, the electronics and wiring are IDENTICAL to the 63 McCartney Model! Of course it doesn't sound like a new style bass! It sounds and plays very similar to the original. Sorry, but I like that. It fits in sonically with my 65 Rickenbacker 12 string! Hats off to Musicians Friend and the Korean craftsmen who managed to make it for about 200.00!

It is perfect for classic rock, not a metal machine, but neither was the original. It works well with most amps. At first it is a bit buzzy, but with better strings and some tweaking, perfect. The sound is rich and warm with good variety. Simply, I like it.

Set-up was good when I opened it, the pickups fine. No obvious flaws. In fact the finish is really nice for a hollow plywood body. A Ten for the price.

Musician's Friend (Rogue Parent company) is always great to work with.

Short and simple...I had one of these a few years ago and it was okay..but I got rid of it......it wasn't a Hofner...so, what the hey.
Well, cut to the chase...it is two years later and I bought another one...simply because I could not muster up the money for a Hofner. So, I bit the bullet and ordered another one from MF catalog. WELL....THEY MUST HAVE DONE SOME PERFECTING HERE...COS THIS ONE NOT ONLY LOOKS MORE LIKE THE REAL DEAL...BUT FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT....
THE HONEY SUNBURST IS MUCH MORE LUSTROUS.....THE GRAIN ON THIS ONE IS SUPERB...WITH BEAUTIFUL VERTICAL GRAINING AS WELL AS GORGEOUS QUILTING.....THIS IS SO MUCH MORE AUTHENTIC THAN THE JAY TURSER. FOR ONE THING THE ROGUE HAS THE BODY
DIMENSIONS MORE CORRECT. THE WAIST PINCH ON THE ROGUE IS ALMOST AS DEEP AS THE HOFNER AND THE ROUGE HAS THE POINTIER BENDS ON THE CUT....THE TURSER IS TOO DULL AND ROUNDED.....
ADD TO THIS THE SOUND SEEMS SO MUCH BETTER THAN BEFORE (DEEP,MELLOW AND THERE).....THE NECK IS SO MUCH MORE PLAYABLE ON THIS VERSION....
BUZZ-FREE ACTION AND A WELL POLISHED FRET EDGING...NO SHARP SNAGS THERE..THIS IS A GREAT BASS PERIOD.....I SWITCHED TO
FLATWOUNDS AND PUT ON A HOFNER ISSUE TAILPIECE....VIRTUAL HOFNER, BABY......VIRTUALLY THE REAL DEAL....GET ONE NOW....I have been playing bass since 1966......and I like this bass.......they should make them in colors....and get jiggy with it...

First off I know this was built in the same factory as the Epiphone Violin bass because it is scarily similar.
New 2004 Korean made copy of a Hofner 500/1. 21 frets and 4 strings. Lets face it it looks kinda cool but when you look closer it's not so much. It is made out of plywood. Granted for what I paid I don't expect engleman spruce and flamed maple like a real Hofner.

It has a decent feeling neck, a nice finish and has typical Hofer appointments(MOP pickguard and control plate, 2 vol, 2 on offs and a rythm/solo switch. Unlike a Hofner it does not have a zero fret or spruce top.
The tuners are of decent quality. Sort of a cheaper Gotoh look and feel. The wooden bridge and trapeeze tailpiece are similar to the Hofner
It is a 31 inch scale which is either really comfortable for some of totaly odd. It feels like your playing a guitar more so than a bass. My other basses are 34 and 35 inch scale although I did have a 32 inch scale Alembic for a while but it felt much longer than the Rogue.

What makes it stand out is it's look. From 5 feet away It looks great. I have even fooled a few people for a couple of minutes thinking it was a real Hofner.

It really does not suit my daily musical style but I bought it because it was cheap and thought it would be fun to screw around with. I am fond of hollow body basses as well as guitars so I was looking forward to a warm woody roundness. It does sounds cool by itself playing picked and slightly muted (think McCartney).
I brought it out the other night to play with a jam band and the sound was lost in the mix. I fiddled with my amp's tone and gain (GK RB1001 through a 4x10) but never got it to a happening point.
The pickups were quiet enough not to cause any concerns. I found myself playing with both pickups on and on the solo switch.

This may be fun to play at home or maybe in an acoustic gig but it just doesn't have enough tone to rip it up. Again it was cheap!

The set up absolutly blew!!!!!! It was obnoxiously buzzy and the intonation was practically a 1/2 step out. I set it up immediatly and it was much better.

From what I can see there are no glaring flaws with it although there is some slight ply lines in the sides (again plywood body).

The neck does have a substantial feel to it. It feels strong and is decently finished despite some polish and filler in the fretboard grain and in the truss rod cavity.
Again it was cheap!

I can not play this live. As stated before maybe in a quiet acoustic setting it might me ok but loud stage volume it does not cut it. The bass seems well enough made that it will last a long time. I'm sure I'll find it in my attic 20 years from now and say "Wow! I forgot I had this."

Again it was cheap!

Well Rogue, as a company, I have never heard of. It is a house brand for Musicians Friend. My experiences with them have been good so I figure the same but I don't know. I can't offer an opinion yet.

I have been playing bass for roughly 20 years. I own a large collection of basses for various gigs, recording and some just because.
Currently I have a Peavey GV, Peavey TL5, 85 Yamaha BB3000, 84 Yamaha BB1200s, 78 Fender Jazz, 75 Fender P, 77 Rickenbacker 4001, 87 Steinberger, 94 Schecter Custom Jazz 5, 99 Schecter custom Baron 5, 98 Schecter Custom Baron 4, 84 BC Rich Mockingbird, 01 Gibson Blackbird, 93 Fodera Emperor Elite, 02 Musicman Stingray and an Epiphone Jack Casady (nice hollow body for the money). Amps I have are Trace Elliot AH350, Ampeg SVT, Ampeg SVP and/or Bass Pod through Crown power amp, Galien Kruger RB1001 and an SWR Super Redhead plus various 4x10,1x15,1x18 2x12 and 2x10 cabinets.

Musicians Friend had these on sale for $199. I have seen them in the catalogs and have read good reviews on them so I was curious. For a $200 bass I guess I can't complain. You get what you pay for. Maybe a bit more in this case but it is not a professional instrument. I sprung an extra $20 for the fitted gig bag and it is laughingly bad. It offers no protection for the bass except maybe keeping dust off.
Perhaps I have been spoiled by better basses but I feel this is a fun toy or a beginners bass only. Don't be misled but others saying it is just like a Hofner. I have played real Hofners and this is not one! Hofners have a very distinctive tone feel and oddball quality. I'd say this Rogue hints at it but certainly does not nail it.

Again it was cheap!

New 2004 Hofner copy, made in Korea. I must admit, most of my inputs are initial impressions -- not having had it very long. But after waiting over a year before ordering, a lower sale price plus knowing what to expect (thanks to all of you previous reviewers) allowed me to take the plunge. 4-string, 22-fret, etc., as described elsewhere. As has been pointed out, the passive mini-humbucking pickups and chrome mini-tuners are very nice. And the flamed maple archtop, light sunburst finish looks more attractive than the darker finish on other violin basses. The passive electronics/switches are only OK, but then again I knew what to expect for the money. I too removed the plasticky pickguard -- looks too cheap compared to the rest of the instrument. Not a lot of features, but a lot of bass for the money, honey.....

I play a lot of Christian and light-rock music, few if any effects. So thrash is not my style. As others do, I just set both pickups on -- plus keep the "solo/rhythmn" switch to solo -- then just let our soundman control the rest "out there". Has sweet bottom and definition, but better strings will help. And do make sure you get light-gauge sets only. Not a lot of different sounds, but it has the sound I like and want -- and doesn't sound cheap.

Very nice fit and finish for the price, better than I expected. And it is a very pretty design overall. But I agree that weak points include the fragile-looking tailpiece and bridge, along with cheapie original strings. Having been forewarned, I adjusted the treble pickup and also ordered Fender light gauge strings for quick replacement. The neck is narrow and the action is very low, but fortunately mine does not have the string buzz experienced by some others. As for flaws, I'm being nitpicky here: a couple of pinhead-sized blemishes on the fretboard, and a few very tiny dark marks on the binding. Otherwise a real looker, and with fit/finish as good as other, more expensive basses I've seen.

Treat this bass as you would an acoustic guitar, enuf said! After all, we're not talking rugged Fender P-bass here. With that in mind, I too replaced the standard strap buttons with Schaller strap-locks to prevent future "dropsies".

Haven't had to deal with Musician's Friend other than just ordering from them, but via website it was a customer-friendly process. After reading some horror stories about sloppy shipment, I was concerned. Fortunately (though my case was back-ordered, rats!) my bass arrived well-packaged in a box with plenty of packing and in fine condition. So I will rate them "very good" for ordering and packaging, but I have had no real warranty issues as of this time.

Not the one and only bass for everyone (especially if you are a heavy-metal thrasher), but a nice one to have if you want more than one OR are on a budget. A great value for sure, don't know why anyone wanting a violin-style bass would pay top dollar for a Hofner after trying this one on for size.
I've played Gibson EB-OL, Rickenbacker, Carvin AC-40, Washburn XB-200 on & off over 20 years. This one is the cheapest I've ever bought, but a very nice bass for the money. Looks and sounds like I paid 2-3 times more for it.
Again, thanks to all you other reviewers -- your comments were dead-on and are truly appreciated!

this is rogue's copy of the famous beetle bass, picked this up cheap thank goodness. the fit and finish is not to bad but electronics are a joke, like a lot of cheap equipment. I would never buy this bass again. I bought this to play in a bluegrass band next time ill get an ephiphone. I also had to change the turners right off-it would not stay in tune with the junk ones they had on there.

I'm playing this on a fender rumble 100 good amp but the pickups are crap. if they were changed I might hang on to it.

this bass guitar is thowed together at the factory. This guitar might make a good first guitar no pro would go for this guitar. the pickups are noisy the voulme control is almost non-exisant.

used this for a few gigs not to dependable, lost the sound a few times because of the cheapass plugin in the guitar it had to be changed also. the finish is not bad the only thing its got going for it.

no customer support bought used.

bass player for 20 years. If stolen I would not miss it. i'll steer away from rogue from now on.

No need to go over this in detail again. Covered in other posts. The bridge design is a drawback. The position of the strap peg behind the neck makes the bass roll down away from you. It's neck heavy, but that ain't saying much on an instrument this light. I like the little switches that let you turn the pickups on and off. It's very handy to turn both the pickups off when you want to set the bass down for a moment. You don't lose your volume settings.

The sound is very woody and warm. I put Hofner strings on it and they really make this instrument come alive. For me, this is a one sound bass, just the neck pickup with my amp set just so. That one sound is very acoustic, very live and responsive. It records great direct. I ran it through a PODxt using the tube preamp setting, notched the mids a bit, boosted the bass a hair, and got a wonderful tone.

Very well made, one minor cosmetic flaw. You have to wrestle with the intonation, like everyone here says, but it didn't take as long as I expected and it turned out spot on well up past the 12th fret. I expected it to take all day to get it right but was done in a couple hours.

It's a solid instrument, I don't fear it falling apart, but the tuning is sensitive to temperature change. For me, that made it unacceptable for outdoor gigs.

I've been playing for about 20 years, all told. If it were lost or stolen, I would buy another one as soon as I could spare the cash. This isn't my main bass; I'm using an Epiphone Allen Woody because I like the sound even more (that's saying a lot), it holds tune better when the mercury is on the move, it's more comfortable on a strap, and it looks even cooler. But this bass, the Rogue, is my second favorite instrument, and I would especially miss it in the studio. On some songs, not even my Allen Woody sounds so sweet.

Its a Korean hollow beatle bass (no F holes), 2 passive humbucking pickups, 3 switches (cheap quality,) two volume knobs (cheap quality), flamed laminated top (reasonably matched....actually looks quite good), 4 cheap-o strings you won't want to keep (when you order the bass, order new strings along with it), a cheap quality rosewood bridge (seems easily breakable to me), and pretty good tuners that seem to hold a tune quite securely). I'll give it an "8" because I think you get what you pay for, and a price to quality comparison would rate very favorably on this model. The bridge worries me....it'll need TLC to last.

Others have stated it sounds way better with different strings. They are right. It sounds waaaaaaaayyyy better. I ordered good quality flatwounds for it and I'm REALLY happy with the sound now. Another bass player played it at church today and said he never had more fun....and he loves the sound as well. Its round and boomy if thats what you're into. Others said this bass is no good for slapping. I caught him slapping all over the place and it sounded good to me. I don't slap so I don't care about that. I love oldies rock (60's and 70's) and this bass shines on that kind of stuff. I play through a Kustom 100 watt 15" combo using the speaker for a monitor and the amp's line out straight into the PA. I reach for a dark, warm, round sound and this bass does that easily. It is naturally boomy. I actually had to turn down the bass knob on the amp to about 11 o'clock. With every other bass I own I have to turn the bass up to about 2 or 3 o'clock to get the sound I want. This bass is naturally boomy. I expected crummy pickups because its a Rogue. I was going to take some fabulous staple pickups I have from an old 60's department store catalog Beatle bass I have (a Conrad) and I was going to replace them right away. Totally not necessary! These pickups sound real good. It sounded good on the recording I made today as well...VERY good actually. I use a compressor to balance string volumes. The A string was louder than the others. With the compressor it was perfect. I'm real happy. I'll give it a "9" because it isn't near as bright as, say, any active bass would be. It isn't super bright and trebly at all. The bridge pickup is softer than the neck pickup. But it beats the daylights out of a set of EMG Hz's I have in my Dean 5 string. These pickups have character. The EMG's are flat and boring.

Some people struggle with getting the intonation set. It took me 15 minutes. I did it as I was changing out the crummy strings. It wasn't near the headache some have described in their reviews. The finish was great. The neck is somewhat thin and VERY fast and comfortable. The action was a little low out of the box and I simply raised the bridge before setting the intonation. It buzzed much worse with the crummy strings than the flatwounds I installed (due to a little more tension). Don't buy anything larger than a .95 string for the E string or it might not fit. Light flatwounds work great. Its true as others have stated, that short scale strings will be too short to fit this bass. See if you can find Mediums. The bridge pickup is angled toward the bridge. They didn't compensate for the angle of the arched top when they set the pickups in the body. I suppose someone could shim something inside and correct the angle. I don't care much about that and probably never will.

I play live with it without much concern. The hardware is nice. The finish is more than acceptable and I believe it will last. The strap buttons are solid enough. The neck is straight as an arrow. I would never play without a backup.....not because I don't trust the body, neck or duability of manufacturing....I just have learned not to trust jacks and switches. You never know when they'll mess up on you....and these are cheap ones. Others have said to replace the bridge with an ebony one. Yeah....I'd have to say "Amen!"

Musician's Friend has not done me wrong.....in fact the other day I discovered something I had ordered 63 days ago that I forgot to return and, after some pleading (and whining), they took it back anyway. Their return policy only allowed for 45 days. That was big of them. I ordered this bass about a year ago.....got a badly matched flame maple top and returned it. They have always been good to deal with. They don't hassle me at all if I'm not happy. I think they have integrity and I trust them. The person who packed my bass for shipping could stand a few lessons, though. It barely survived the trip.

I'm 46. Ive been playing the bass since I was 14. I've owned a Rick 4001, a Fender American Precision, a Dean 5 string, a Fernandes Vertigo, a Conrad Jazz Bass knock-off, an Electra Active 4 string from the 80's (blew the Fender and Rick out of the water sound-wise), a DeArmond Starfire bass (weak pickups but cool looking) and the Conrad Beatle Bass from the 60's (which was my favorite). This bass is a great buy for the money. If I had all the basses I've ever owned in one room I'd go for this one and the Conrad Beatle Bass most often I'm sure. I have scoliosis of the spine and heavy basses hurt after only 15 minutes....this bass weighs only 5 1/2 to barely 6 pounds and its easy on the spine. If it were stolen or damaged I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. I would like to see Rogue put a better bridge on it and a thumb rest just above the neck pickup. Unless you really want wwwaaaaaaayyyyy more than you're willing to pay for, I think you'll really like this bass ....unless you're exclusively into pop and slap funky stuff.

Rogue VB100-L, Left-handed 4-string Violin Bass, 2003 (presumably), Korean made. Has a laminated arch-top, flamed maple with a high gloss finish with a basic perloid pick guard. Standard rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets, fragile-looking rosewood bridge (which I would recommend changing to a Hofner ebony bridge) and two mini humbucker pick-ups. The controls are simply two volume controls, a bass and treble switch, and a rhythm/solo switch, much like the '63 Hofner Beatle Bass. The strings that came with it are cheap and tinny - although I understand that they are or, rather *were* made by Gibson.

Once you change the strings, it's amazing how this bass sounds. I had wanted to change to a set of Rotosound TruBass RS88LDs but opted for Fender 9120 flatwound black nylons for budgetary reasons. The E string (.110) is a tight squeeze in the saddle, but the sound difference from the original strings is astounding. Instead of sounding like a banjo, it sounds like a bass: a nice deep, dark rumble, even through the Behringer Ultrabass BX300 I'm using. Honestly, I can't play with the volume past three without rattling the windows. I haven't played the bass out yet, but I can't wait. The sound is just fantastic.

I was initially disappointed that the strings buzzed so badly that you couldn't play a note without wincing. The bridge wasn't set quite right and the action was far too low. I adjusted the truss rod a bit and raised the action, plus the string change (which I just can't recommend enough) and now there are no problems. The controls are as basic as they get, so I set it to treble off/bass on/solo and haven't toyed with them any more. The pick-ups seem fine, though I believe the bridge pick-up could be raised. Maybe I'm asking too much, but I'd like to buy a guitar and play it, not spend hours fiddling with it, but that's just me.

Overall, the hardware seems solid - except for the bridge. I'm afraid it's going to snap. Of course this isn't the kind of bass made for a lot of slapping and popping, so I imagine the bridge will hold out just fine. It just seems so damned fragile. I don't throw my guitars around so I'm certain the finish will last. It's really gorgeous - far more impressive than the picture of it on Musician's Friend web site - and looks as professional as it gets. The neck is thin and comfortable and the frets are nicely configured for smaller hands. I have trouble reaching on some basses, but this fits my hands perfectly - no finger-dislocating struggle to reach anything, no missed notes or buzz from just barely making it to a fret, no looking down to see if you're anywhere near where you wanted to play. You can run the fingerboard with absolute ease.

I had no problems with Musician's Friend. Their customer support is top-notch and the delivery times are astonishingly fast for an internet site. This is the fifth time I've purchased items from them and will continue to do so. To be fair, I had ordered this bass from them, got it in two days, couldn't get it to play worth a damn no matter what I tried to do, called them, voiced my concerns, sent it back, and two days later got a replacement that was everything the first one wasn't. They had no qualms about replacing what I considered to be an errant "bad apple."

I had wanted this bass, drooled over it, for months until the price came down from $319 to $249. Ages ago I had a Hofner copy which didn't survive a move in one piece (or many) and when I found this I couldn't wait to have it. I've been playing off and on for about twenty years and, apart from 6 and 12 string acoustics, have a Yamaha 5-string bass that's okay, but this bass blows it away. They're worlds apart and really made for entirely different styles of playing, but I love the sounds from this Rogue. If it got destroyed in another move or stolen I would replace it in a heartbeat. It would have been nice to play it or at least see it in person before buying it - because I'm just anal about wanting to test things before I buy them - but I don't think you could go wrong with this bass. Just change the strings. Really. The set that come with it are such utter crap that you could just weep...

Hofner "Beatle Bass" copy. Tuners are better than the ones on a Hofner. Korean made. Came with a cheap cord, and a truss rod wrench..
The electronics function well,(after a solder joint clean up)but the wooden style tune-o-matic bridge sucks. Also needs better strings, as the ones that come with it are not that good.
For 249.00 this is an excellent bass.

This bass sounds great for that "Beatle" sound.
Nice tones from the "hollow body".

Out of the box, this bass needed some serious set up.
I adjusted the bridge to 30.5 inches, and backed off the truss rod a bit to eliminate some string buzz. Stays in tune. Good action, very easy to play!

Hollow body, so be careful....The switches are cheap, they may not last long with constant abuse...Set it and forget it!
The finish is outstanding, I was really impressed.
This bass looks very cool!

Never had a problem.....

If lost or stolen, I would get another one. Outstanding bass for the money. Hofners are a bit pricey, but the VB100 for the money is a a good way to go.

I believe this is a 2001 make from Korea, as it has a label indiciating so on the back of the headstock. The VB-100 has a beautiful laminated top, with no defects found. True to a Hofner 500 Cavern bass, the control panel contains two volume controls, a rhythm/Solo and bass and treble switches.
Two very clean and non-cheap looking single coil humbucker pickups are placed cleanly in the guitar body. I can't emphasize the beauty of the flamed top, back and neck of this well constructed instrument.

The bridge is the only downfall of this bass. It looks cheap and is cheap. I am awfully afraid of adjusting the hight as I might crack the rosewood it is constructed from. PURCHASE A REAL HOFNER EBONY MADE BRIDGE. They run approx. $50 US.

The tuners although deviating from the Hofner style, have a style of their own and very easy to use due to the extra leverage.

The scale of this instrument is 30.5, with a fairly thin neck. I have very long fingers, but find this instrument a breeze to play. The neck made of Rosewood is perfectly aligned. The inlays were in the proper place, contrary to other reviews that I have read here.

Included accessories: A cheap cable.

What would one expect for $249.00 plus shipping?

The sound booms and is clean, very much like the grand piano sounds that I have read here. I am using a Peavey bedroom amp, and would just once like to connect it to a real amp to really appreciate the sound of this quality instrument.

The bass came in perfect condition when it was shipped. As mentioned in other reviews, the strings are NOT good, and removed the piece of foam material under the bridge, and removed the plastic covering the pickups when I changed to strings to good set.

The bass provides hum free playing with no scratchiness in the volume and switch controls.

I find the bass to be very sturdy, except for the above mentioned bridge. I doubt I would pound on it and I use a pick to play. It seems the natural thing to do with this guitar, use a pick.

I have never needed support from Musicians Friend, so I cannot really say.

I have been playing the guitar for 20 years, off and on. I was hesitant when I ordered this instrument, as I did not read any reviews prior to purchasing. This is odd, because I always research before I buy. I was sold on this bass from the sheer beauty of it.
I would buy another if it was stolen or lost, for sure.