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.

Standard features, left handed, with nut and bridge switched to play right handed. nice little bass for the price

It sounds great, I wanted a bass just to have around for studio work, I play guitar and wanted something for low end, and rhythm work on tracks. its great for blues, some funk, and art rock stuff. I'm giving it a 10 for the sound to amount paid ratio.

The set up was okay, the bridge kid of sucks, you have to re-fret it to adjust position, but it wasn't too hard and the nut was easy to replace. not the best but I just wanted something cheap.

I don't normally play bass out, I just use it in the studio for sound re-inforcement. The finish has lasted so far and with moving and weather changes the neck hasn't warped. some modifications to the hardware are probably in the works, but that's for another day.

haven't needed it.

after deciding I needed a cheap bass for studio work, and just playing around on, I had ordered a different less expensive bass from a catalog and after paying through the nose for next day air was rather upset for not getting it the next day, I called the supplier 2 times and they said that my bass was on it's way, 4 days later this lefty bass (at about 3 times the cost) arrived at my house. After waiting as long as I had, and not wanting to go through the hassle I kept it, and converted it to right handed playing. I had always wanted a viola bass and I got it. So it's a great bass for it's value. If it was lost or stolen, I probably would get a fender P-bass or something else, but I can't beat what I got it for, and it sounds great too.

i won't go into all the details as everyone has already read about them....but i will say that this hofner copy is a great instrument...i does come with some cheap roundwound strings that i replaced with some rotosound flat wounds..i also replaced the cheap bridge with a hofner bridge and the volume knobs with hofner's...

this bass is a gem all the way around

i have had no problems with musician's friend

i've been playing since 1970 and have owned everything from a fender telecaster bass all the way up to a ric 4001...sold my gear upon graduation from college..something i have regretted to this day...the rogue vb100 was purchased by myself 2 years ago because i wanted to get back into playing.

2002 Rogue Violin Beatle Bass. Beautiful flame maple top and back in sunburst finish. Accessories include: cheap pearloid pickguard, body binding and sunburst extending through the neck to the back of the headstock. Electronics include: two volume controls and three switches (two on/off swtiches for treble and bass pickups, and one for "solo/rhythm"). Two pickups. Wooden tune-o-matic bridge. Trapeze tailpiece. The neck is a short scale HOWEVER...the trapeze adds twp inches to the string length, so short scale strings won't work. More on this later, I found out the hard way...All in all a very nicely appointed bass with a wonderful look.

Now for the string part. Obviously, strings that this bass came with are crap. I did some research and found out the type of string that Paul used in the Beatle days. He used a Rotosound Trubass set, coated with black nylon, from "Revolver" to the end of the Beatles. Because I figured this bass was short-scale, I bought short scale strings...they didn't fit. But when I finally got the long ones, BOY WHAT A SOUND!!! It comes booming out of the amp like an upright bass on steroids. It has a wonderful dark sound and you can almost hear Paul when you do the slide work from "Come Together." Strangely enough though, I didn't really buy this bass to do Beatle covers; I got it to play in a rock band. it handles it quite well. I wouldn't think it capable of Metallica covers, but it'll work well for the most part. And since the band I'm in plays mostly original music, we just work with the bass rather than against it. I do beautiful ringing chord-type stuff on one string that just BOOOOOMS!!!

The action was surprisingly good out of the box; all I had to do was heighten the bridge a smidgen. Once I did that, the bass really intonated beautifully and the pickups ring very, very well. Nothing else to say but pretty good stuff here...

Although this bass is a semi-hollow body, it feels quite sturdy. The neck is very well joined to the body, the pickups are very well saddled, the trapeze is well jointed. The knobs and switches seem on the chinsy side; I would think of replacing them or just being careful. Also, the bridge has a history, I've read, of breaking during shipping. I imagine this is also true during gigging. Be careful! This is a tank-ish Squier or Ibanez...it's a bit more delicate than that. But you shouldn't be afraid of using it.

Unknown, so I will not try to comment.

Overall a good bass for the price range. Not for every style, but if you play light to moderate rock it will fit the bill nicely. Not to mention any Beatles' covers you maybe doing!

2002 Rogue Violin Beatle knock-off (VB-100). Made in Korea. 22 Frets. Solid maple top and back. Passive electronics. Flamed top and back, vintage sunburst color. Tuners are chrome butterfly. The controls are replicas of the original Hofner basses, which featured volume controls for each pickup as well as on/off switches and a "rhythm/solo" switch (still figuring this out). Trapeze bridge with wood tune-o-matic. Rosewood fretboard with thin frets. FRICKIN' GORGEOUS!!!

This bass BOOMS out of the amp. For some strange reason, I have a feeling Rogue switched my controls around, because when I turn on my treble pickup and shut the bass off, I get a throaty deep sound and when I do vice versa, a cutting trebly sound. But at least both sounds are there. And, boy, are they ever. I believe this bass came with roundwound strings which are much easier on the hands. The sound of this bass likens incredibly with The Beatles' style. I've read some other reviews that this bass is not good with any other styles...well, it's a BASS. I mean, bottom end is usually bottom end, to my ears. I haven't been playing bass for all that long, being a guitar player first and foremost, but I love the sound on this bass. It makes sure I am heard above the din. I play mostly rock and hard rock. Some metal, some punk...I play everything. I even used this for drop-D. Aside from some string rattling when I got too nuts, it sounded fine for that.

This is what REALLY impressed me about this bass. For something I paid around $250 for, this is incredibly nice looking. The flame top is just gorgeous. There is creme binding on the body and it adds a touch of distinction. One of the best things is this bass is going to turn heads. No matter where you are, if you strap this thing on, you get glances. It's damned nice. I bought this bass "scratch and dent" from Musician's Friend. Myself and friends have both tried to find what exactly the blemish is. I cannot find it. I even removed the pickguard and looked under there. Nothing. But if I had known this bass was this nice, I would have definitely paid the full $300 for it. The action was beautiful right out of the box (which really, REALLY surprised me). Nice and low and straight all the way down the neck.

Despite it being semi-hollow body and a ROGUE, this bass feels exceptionally well put together. I usually do a cursory check of a few things when I first take it out of the box, like tugging on this and that, such as the pickups, to make sure everything is tightly put together. Everything checked out nicely. The lightness of this bass is wonderful as well, meaning less back strain. But it does not feel like a toy. It feels real and gets great response and harmonic. The only thing I may question is the electronics. There are two humbucker "style" pickups, which I believe are actually single coils. They seem fine. But the switches and knobs seem flimsy to say the least. During live playing, you may have to train yourself to be careful with them if you're constantly switching (easier said than done, I know), but upon normal, humane use they should be fine.

This is where I tell everyone about Musician's Friend and how great they are. I have never placed an order with them that has taken longer than 4 or 5 days to arrive at my doorstep. I'm not sure what I do for "support" in case the bass broke, or something, because Rogue itself is not very reachable. So I guess I'll just take my chances...

This bass is not overrated from what I've seen so far. It can rock and roll, and has a beautiful sound. The Beatles are my favorite band, so obviously that had a hand in my buying this, but I was pleasantly surprised that it capable of so much more. And this thing is so damned beautiful, you want to put it on your wall and frame it. Worth every penny.

You all know all of this by now.
However, I did not know if this bass was 30" scale or 30.5".
So...I went to a Hofner website and found that they are 30.5"
More on this later.
It has all the features as advertised.

I am not a bass player. I bought this bass cause I like the looks and needed a bass around for impromtu jams.
However...I play it a lot!
I like it alot better now with the Pyramid Flatwounds.
Sounds big and round through the Behringer amp I got for it.

The truss rod was not engaged into its nut. Pretty easy to fix.
The action was ok for the strings it came with.
The intonation was pretty far off.
As mentioned earlier, I set the scale to 30.5" and moved the bridge saddles to the appropriate grooves. The intonation is now within 2 cents.
Pretty good for a guitar of this type.
Also...the bridge did not sit flush with the top of the axe.
So I taped some fine sandpaper to the top of the bass (where the bridge sits) and lightly moved the bridge back and forth until the curvature of the bridge matched the curvature of the body.
Now the bridge sits perfectly on top. This improves the transference of string vibrations to the body.
The rest of the axe is great bang for the buck.

So far so good.

Great bang for the buck IMHO.

Just an up date to my previous post.

I fanally got around to putting flat wounds (Fender 9050M, .055-.105) on my Rogue. I thought this baby BOOMED before? That was nothing. It sounds absolutely fantastic now. And with the heavier strings I was able to lower the action a bit as well. How the heck can they sell such a superb axe for so little bucks?

(Pssst. Hey MF...if your listening. Upgrade the chinsy knobs and pick guard, put some decent strings on it and charge a grand. It's worth it.)

Just got it from MF and I assume it is a 2002 issue. It has all of the features you have come to expect from a Hofner copy. Back in 1966 when I was first learning bass I owned a Univox Copy of a Beatle Bass.
It played well but did not really approach the aesthetics of the Hofner. I have played Hofners (friend's basses not mine) and I recall them being "delicate". The Rogue (probably SAMICK) is not delicate. It is well made and very aesthetically close to the Hofner basic issue model. I like this bass. No buzzes on the neck. I did lower the action and I put GHS light guage flatwounds (not because this is a retro bass but because I hate roundwounds on any bass!!!)
I had to adjust the position of the floating bridge and ironically it looks arranged the same way McCartney's bass appears in the photo in Ulatimate Guitars (the hard cover photo book)that is, the treble end is angled further away from the neck than is the bass end of the bridge.) However, the finish on this bass is the plasticky polyeurathane (but what do you expect for a bass that sells for anywhere from $400 to $200 new....I paid $199 on a MF special deal)
I would have paid a bit more for it especially when compared to an actual Hofner. I love short scale basses not only because I have smallish "girly" hands...but I do rather like the bassier and deeper sound more...

as for the sound...well it has a mellow tone and it sounds like a bass...but before I would invest in replacement pickups (I won't)...after all some of my favorite players used a washtub bass to good avail (The Jim Kweskin Jug Band, for example)I would just buy a good DI/preamp for tone manipulation...simple as that...

it was set up nicely from the shipper..but as I said I did lower it a bit action wise....and re-intonated the bridge, which is fine as long as it lasts...you can easily replace this with a high quality ebony bridge if you like...
take the pickguard off...it is tacky....
it looks better without one anyway...if this were still the 1960's and I were still playing in DREAMLAND CHOO CHOO (go to the "My First Band" website and look up DCC)I would leave it on for the "mod" look..but not now...

nothing lasts forever...(even the 1960's...darn...)but it will hold up to most responsible playing...if you do a "Who thing" and smash your equipment...well, then no...but under normal conditions...it will age gracefully....I put a straplock system on it...and I have to tell you...when I unscrewed the old screws..wood dust did not fall out...as it does on so many NAME BRAND instruements...go figure...

MF seems fair for the first 45 days..after that you are on your own...

I like this instrument...I would have preferred a nitrocellulose finish...but not for $199,right? It looks the part and it sounds close enough....maybe a little different but not inferior to a Hofner.
It is not photogravure as some reviewers have stated...it is just a film thin veneer of flamed maple..but what do you want for $200....????
the wood construction is solid and it sounds good...what more do you want...besides don't you all agree that guitar prices are completely out of the realm of reality today.....??? I can no longer afford the class of instruments I used to readily buy back in the 60's and 70's....way too much inflation...some is expected but this is ridiculous....

Great features on this bass.. 4 strings..violin shaped..although made in Korea, very well put together. Nice neck and easily accesible higher frets. Read other reviews for the technical mumbojumbo. Came with a allen wrench and a cord.

I play only Beatles!! This bass is a Beatle fan's dream. The neck pickup roars with McCartney bass and sound. This bass provides great, powerful bass when needed and more trembley bass when asked for. I love it! Runs circles around my Ibanez bass.

The action on this bass was low (the way I like it). No humming or feedback occured at all. The finish is a dream and to someone who isn't obsessed with the Beatles (like me), is a dead ringer to Paul McCartney's. Everything seems to be great on this bass! The finish is glossy and a real eye catcher. I can't seem to keep my eyes off of this new bass.

Haven't took it outside yet, although I wish I could take it everywhere (to show my pride as a Beatles fan).... this bass is just beautiful!

I like dealing with Musiciansfriend.. although some of their operators on the phone can tend to be a bit rude like you're wasting their time. Not all of them though. I saw it advertised in one of their catalogs for sheaper than their online price.. they refunded the difference with no problem. I reccommend them.

I have been playing bass for about 2 years now. I have been playing guitar for about 8 and drums for 3. I have no regret in buying this bass. Great looks and superior tone make this Hofner knock-off an excellent buy. Great vintage tone for 60's Invasion music.. please don't disgrace this guitar and buy it for metal music.

Ya'll know the features by now. Mine ain't no different. The construction is supurb. The finish flawless. The only reason it doesn't get a 10 is due to the chinsy looking knobs and the fact that the switch combinations seem to be backwards, or something. Not logical anyway. Or maybe I'm just dense.

I have no problem giving it a 10 here. This baby get exactly the tone I've been looking for. Neck pickup, played with fingers right over the end of the neck....BOOM. And this is with the stock, round wound strings. Can't wait to try flat wounds on it.

Tons of volume too.

Oh, and you can get brighter tone by using the bridge pickup, or a combination of both pickups, but that ain't what I was going for, so I ain't played around at that end much.

9 hear folks. Only 'cause I get a little fret buzz sometimes. The action is exactly where I like it. I may try adjusting the neck to get rid of the buzz. After I change the strings.

As I said before, the finish is flawless, and the frets are dressed well. The pickgaurd is a little cheap looking but I don't notice it that much. I've also had no problem with the bridge. And I was able to get nearly perfect intonation by just "twisting" it a bit. I moved the E string side towards the neck about 1/16" and there is was.

hard to say. Haven't had it that long. But it seems well built. So I not to concerned right now. Maybe in 20 years I will be.

As I understand it Rogue is Musician's Friend's house brand. And I haven't had the best of relations with MF. They've messed up a number of orders, and even mis advertised a product and refused to make good on it.

I've been playing bass since 1972. Back then I was doing gigs, now it's just at home for my own enjoyment.

I also have a Washburn AB-10 acoustic/electric bass, which took some work (the action was atrocious when I got it). For guitars I have a Fender AmStd Strat, Epiphone Riviera, Washburn D17CQE acoustic/electric, Ibanez Concord acoustic (made in '76) and an Epiphone AJ15 acoustic. All my amps are practice amps. A Peavey MicroBass, Park G15 and an Epiphone EP1000 bass.

I'd love to have a Hofner (played one back in the mid 70's, loved it) but I'm ain't willing to spend that much for living room concerts. Maybe if I was still gigging.

I looked at a number of short scale basses before choosing this one. I didn't much care for the Epi EB-3 & Viola and the Rivoli cost too much. Thought about a Squire Bronco but decided against it. The Rogue suits me very well. It's light, feels good in the hands and sounds terrific. If it was stolen I'd buy another, then hunt down the dog and shoot 'im.

Hofner violin Beatle bass copy made overseas somewhere. Made of plywood... nice finish though. Has 2 p/u's, one volume per p/u, switches for either or both p/u's, and a rhythm/solo switch which seems to cut the highs at the rhythm setting. All passive electronics, with nice closed-back chrome tuners (better than hofner tuners), rosewood fretboard and floating bridge, short scale 30" hollowbody... yada yada...

This bass is really nice for plunky real old skool rock and soul tone. Pickups are nice and quiet. I set it on Bass-ON, Treble-OFF, and SOLO, which I believe is the way Paul McCartney sets his, by the way. I use some cheap light gauge short scale flatwounds on it and run it through an Ampeg B100R combo and it kicks pretty good. The intonation is never really perfect, especially up the neck, but that's all in the design. I would NOT recommend this for modern or heavy music, period.

I bought it used and I set it up myself as far as neck relief, string height, intonation, etc. It is cheaply built, and it has those typical cheap bass quirks, like slightly missaligned hardware and sloppy fretwork... but with some 0000 superfine steel wool and just a little elbow grease, you can work the fretboard and frets pretty smooth.

It's a cheap lightweight bass, and I wouldn't use it on my 4-5 hour club gigs without a backup, ever. But for what it is, it seems pretty reliable.

I've been playing bass/acoustic guitar for 15 years, and my mainstay bass is a Fender Am PBass. If this bass were stolen, I probably wouldn't buy one again. It's just a cheap, fun, little novelty bass that's cool because it looks like Sir Macca's bass, at a tenth of the price of the real deal!!

Purchased in 2001 from Musician's Friend. Won't go into a lot of the features... already covered by most of the other reviews. I can say it is truly very similar to the Hofner, which I have owned as well. I bought my Hofner while in Germany for 200DM ($50), all the money I could scrape together at age 16 in 1966... from a music shop in Munich where I was attending High School. I sold my Hofner about 8 years ago because I was offered an embarrassing amount, as the buyer had to have it and I could resist his offers no longer... (this was in the early 90's, in the days of eBay's infancy which has since really taken off and has made the market for originals and reissues very available and relatively inexpensive). However, I missed having it to play so decided to try one of the clones.

The sound is excellent and I can not tell any difference the Rogue sound that is produced vs my old Hofner. The neck pickup has a nice warm sound, but it (like the Hofner) sounds best in the Solo, and both pickups on mode. There is very little hum (unlike the Hofner which had some unless you grounded out the bridge pickup with your hand). So, I would have to say overall, it really sounds better. I play through a Peavey 60W KB60. So, comparing with the original, it sounds better, therefore very high marks.

Action is good, the bridge is cheap looking, but functional. Didn't care for the strings. I like the Nickle flat wound like my Hofner originally came with... flat wound produces less buzz too. I was very pleased with the finish...very nice workmanship.. I did not care for the pick guard's quality or the quality of the switch panel. The Hofner was OK, but this is a little worse than that. The tone switches are flimsy indeed. I think I will switch out the knobs with original Hofner as well (I have an extra set).

My Hofner was a work horse and very durable. I played it for many years, toting it around in a bag I made myself out of old ticking. The tuners are much better than Hofner. My sense is the switch won't hold up as well and will probably require repair or replacement in the years to come. I have used this bass several times since it's purchase and I feel very confident in its durability so far. Be very careful with the switches though.

have never dealt with Rogue, but have always been satisfied with my dealing with Musician Friend.

Have played on and off since the early 60's, Have another Hofner (strat style) bass, as well as a Framus 335 type guitar I also bought used in Germany, a Mosrite Ventures guitar that I had shipped to me in Germany in 67, more recently a LesPaul, a Fender Stat, and a Yamaha single cutaway acoustic electric. I used to play the surf/beatles/stones/yardbirds stuff when it was just being released. I still do, for my own pleasure, and use this bass in a little blues group I sometimes play in. It produces some very nice blues sounds. I recommend a hard shell case for this guitar, wish I had gotten one for my Hofner way back when. I would definitely replace it if it were lost or stolen. For the price it is actually better than my old Hofner.

Hofner Beatle bass knock off. Two pickup hollowbody with a set neck. Flamed maple top and back. Nice solid feel to the tuners very smooth. Two volume controls, no tone controls at all. An on/off switch for each pickup and one that's marked solo/rhythm that seems to drop the volume controls out of the circuit. 30" scale, very slim very playable neck. Korean made I think (no country of origin sticker)

Very ROUND on the neck pickup Bridge pickup is a little tinny but then again I think that about all bass neck pickups. It's quite quiet not a hum to be heard. I had a Hofner back in 1965 and I really think this sounds better, the Hofner staple pickups were very weak. For the genre I play 60's and blues it sounds perfect. I don't miss the tone controls at all. Punchy with both pickups and the Solo switch engaged. As stated in other reviews put .050 - .100 round wound strings on right after you get it out of the box.

Finish is almost flawless. I bought this as a blem and could not find a blem anywhere. Until I took off the bridge to remove the packing foam, there was a hole in the finish directly under the bridge. Sunburst is very well done and the gloss is smooth and even. I can't believe I paid less than $200 for this guitar. Factory setup was non existant since you have to remove the bridge to remove the little piece of foam that protects the body during shipping. I had to raise the bridge to get rid of a little 12th fret buzz. Intonation was not a problem it's within 3 cents at the 12th. The bridge is a bit cheesy looking and I will probably make a new one out of ebony. As stated in other reviews the pickguard is a really cheap piece of plastic and the knobs appear to be off a Chinese toy radio. A piece of nice pearloid from StewMac and a little time will fix the pickguard, and replacement knobs are cheap.

It feels very solid and if doesn't get used as a canoe paddle or cricket bat it should last a good long time.

I've bought a lot of stuff from Musicians Friend over the years and have always had very good service. They took back stuff that was crap even though it was on closeout without so much as a whimper. All and all very nice people.

Overall I give it an 8, 8 1/2. It sounds good, very playable, finish is beautiful. I've been playing almost 40 years and have owned a lot of basses. This one is a real value. I am amazed at the quality that can be purchased now.

Well, you know the features by now... mainly it is small made for GIRLIE hands!

What a wimpy guitar. Get a Fender Bass. The only bass is the Fender Bass!

My HUGE manly fingers cover like 4 frets at once... this would be more playable for a GIRLIE man!

This bass will stand up fine if you treat it like you treat dinner when you cook it for the man coming home like the girl you are. But if you are a big MAN like me, you will wish you bought THE Fender Bass

They were okay for a second, but they seemed too woosie to me so I got REALLY super pissed and hung up. What a bunch of SISSIES!

This bass is for people who want to get in touch with their feminine side. It is fun, true, but I am truly too manly for it. i heard to get the full effect of this bass you need to shave your legs and wear pantyhose and high heels like a real panzie girl. STUPID!

If you've read the previous reviews, then you'll know the features. Like every previous review, MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE STRINGS! I'd like a better bridge, and I can't say I'm a fan of the big tuners. But it DOES stay in tune, which is the important thing, right?

A nice, warm, round tone. I have a GK 410RB head with a Line 6 Bass Pod. My cabs are GK 4x12 & 1x15. It sounded great live, and it also records great. It sounds both GEAR and FAB.

The bass was set up pretty well. The action is great, and the neck is very playable. The finish is beautiful. I get a very slight buzzing at the 4th fret, but adjusting the bridge, or getting a new one, will take care of that. I took off the pick-guard, but only because I wanted to.

It seems pretty reliable and durable. I mean, I haven't dropped it yet. But I haven't done that with any of my other basses either. If you take reasonable care of it, I don't see why it won't stand up for years to come.

This is the 4th guitar (the others a Guild acoustic/Epiphone Casino/Danelectro 58 Longhorn) that I've bought from Musician's Friend. I've never had a problem with them. The only problem -- if you call it that -- was the gig bag was on backorder. I got it about a week later.

I've been playing for about 27 years, and the past 19 in the same band. I've sported a few basses...my most recent a Rick 4001, and a Danelectro 58 Longhorn reissue. Until further notice, this will be my stage bass with the Dan as my back-up. I'm a huge fan of the short scale neck, and the tone is warmer than the Dan. For the price and features, this is really a nice value. And yes, when I strapped on the bass, I stood in front of the mirror. It IS cool looking, and let's face it, and probably one of the reasons we all bought it. If you're in a band that does a lot of KISS covers, this probably isn't the bass for you. But if you're doing stuff in the Beatles/XTC/NRBQ vein, then this is a nice find.

Really nicely finished bass. 4 string made in Korea. Laminated body. Passive p/u's. Violin bass

The tone is killer... but here's the catch: The particular bass that I had would not intonate correctly despite all of my efforts and considerable know-how. I was very dissapointed with it in that reguard. I know, it's a Hofner copy and Hofners aren't known for dead-on intonation, but I play in a cover band 2-3 nights a week with some crackerjack players and I don't need a bass that sounds like it's always out of tune. It's great for Beatle tone, however.

The action and finish was very good. I had to slide the bridge up on the body in my attempts at intonating it but it really was a looker!!!

This really is a primo bass as far as hardware, tuners, etc. The rosewood bridge is kind of soft but this isn't a bass to be played like a wild man either.

Distributed through musician's friend. Despite many bad reports, I've always had good experiences with the company.

I've been playing bass for 15 yrs. I own several nice acoustic guitars and a '95 American standard P-bass. Classic ampeg svt amp, etc.
I should note that I returned this bass for a refund for the reason stated above. If you can stand a cool retro vibe Beatle bass that sounds like it's all out of tune, this may be your ticket. Not for me though.

I am not quite sure about the year on this bass, for I bought it used. Probably 2000 or 2001. It is made in Korea. It seems that in order to get a nice, cool bass that doesn't cost your left nut, it probably needs to be Korean or Japanese made and stuff. This bass has Hofner - style electronics, which aren't that great, but if you have an amp that doesn't totally suck as far as EQ settings and such go, this shouldn't matter. There is a movable bridge. Also, roundwound strings came with these, and it sounded pretty good... but I switched to flatwounds because the sound would be more authentic and hey - you won't slap and pop on this thing anyway, because it would break in half. It is a beautiful instrument. The pickguard is cheap, but, in way, it adds to the character of the instrument. Hell, if you really want, you can buy Hofner parts to replace a lot of the cheap stuff on it, but I don't care... it looks and feels great! oh yeah - rosewood finger board, and if you keep roundwounds on, they will dig into the fingerboard like a knife... I give it an 8 because it looks so trippy.

I play in a Madison band which plays original guitar rock... the music is very 70's-ish. I also like to play in the same style as James Jamerson, the great Motown bassist, and this bass really punches on our music. BOOM!!! It thumps! It sounds well when played high or low... I recently recorded a CD with it, and its presence was better than my Peavey Fury 2 bass. Great sound!

I don't know how the factory set this up - yeah, it's used. The setup was fine... I just changed the strings and raised the bridge so the buzzing on the frets would stop. So, if it buzzes, try raising the bridge... it worked for me!

I've played this bass for the past 3 months. I rehearse with my band twice a week for 2 hours at a time. Also, our gigs last around 2 hours too, and it's held up so far. I need to get a hard case for it. I like this thing so much I don't want to break it!! I use a cool-ass beaded wooden strap that probably weighs more than the axe, so the guitar is very light and easy to carry. I use my Peavey for the slap-pop stuff we do, so I already have a backup if the thing breaks or not... So far, though, it is a very reliable axe.

Geez.... I don't even know if there is a number or email for this place(Rogue???)... I guess Musicians Friend is the Nationwide distributor for this, so if something wack happens, I call them, I guess.

I've been playing for 5 years, and I am self-taught. I hold a degree in Music Ed, and I am working on another degree. So, I know a lot about instruments and what's good (or what's not). I own a peavey Fury2 bass, which is a good bass for a good price, an ESP LTD fretless bass, which is huge and fun to play, and I have a Fender Geddy Jazz on it's way to me, just so I can have a durable Fender in my Arsenal (all bassists should!!). I play on a 70's peavey 115bw combo amp that weighs about 40000 pounds (its got wheels on it!!). I tired out the Hofner reissue. I like this one better. It feels better and sounds just as good. Also, I don't have to worry about accidentally breaking a 1500 dollar Hofner, because it is just as fragile as my Rogue! I would probably try to get another one if it was stolen or lost. It is sweet!! I love how small the scale is, and the action is awesome. It looks totally cool, and I identify with this bass. I really don't have anything I hate about it. it feels better than the rest of my basses, but hey - they all feel good. You see, I own cheaper basses. You might think that I have them because I am cheap. However, I could by a more "professional" bass..... but why? I pick the ones that feel good and look good...and SOUND good! This has it all!

The Rogue VB100 Violin Bass is a really nice ( for any amount of money) 2001 Korean made instrument. It is simply amazing to see the fine quality instruments coming out of Korea and China for very economical prices. The VB100 is not an exact copy of the Hofner Beatle Bass. The bridge, tailpiece, pickups, control console (upside down compared to Hofner) and head stock (doesn't say Hofner) are noticably different. But it looks pretty close to the real thing,anyway. A beautiful sun burst finish - no flaws that I can see on mine. Really nice neck,easy low action. The short scale is great for mainly guitar players like myself.

I am primarily a guitar player, but to me the Rogue sounds great and pretty much spot on for early Beatles stuff (when they had the best sound!). I can't imagine anyone buying this bass who hates the Beatles. On the low strings it does sound like a grand piano. I like the sound best in solo position with the treble switch off. Another good feature is you can put it on standby by turning the treble and bass switches both off. You know, I don't see that the round wound strings are bad. It still sounds like Pauls's sound to me. Again I am a guitar player and don't have a lot of bass experience. I have been using it through a custom (made by me) cabinet with a Peavy Black Widow 15" speaker and a solid state Mark III Peavy bass head. Really easy to play - the short scale allows similar fingering to guitar -not so much stretching as on a Fender bass. I use a pick which Paul primarily did, too.

There was a foam piece (shipping protection) below the bridge that you should remove. But then you need to reset and intonate the instrument. I found I had to move the bridge about 1/2" closer to the rear pickup to intonate proerly. But the factory setup is low, and it does buzz a little if you play hard. But no big deal. I didn't touch the pickup heights. Again no flaws of any kind that I have seen yet.

I don't gigg with a bass, so I can't speak as to durability. But this violin bass probably will not work in a bar fight as well as a Fender bass. So keep that in mind. If one uses a small amount of common sense and care, this instrument will hold up. It is somewhat fragile and light, but that is the nature of the beast. If you can't take care of it don't take it out where it could get hurt. Just about everyone says that they feel the Rogue is as good or better than the real Hofner. If the Hofner can take it, so can the Rogue. But it is light so I give it an 8.

Never dealt with Musician Friend for any probelms, so I have no idea if they are good or not so good on service.

Been playing for 35 years. Used to be in bands but now am a serious guitar hobbyist. Again I am amazed how good imported instruments have become in the low and moderate price levels. And I am utterly amazed and astonished at how poorly finished most Gibson instruments (accoustic and electric) are these days. It is a crime what Gibson charges for inferior finished instruments. I am opininated for sure. But I have played and seen a lot of different brands. For what it is worth Rickenbacker never went sour on quality. If you are a guitar or bass player and a fan of the Beatles(and Paul) this Rogue is as close to a Hofner as you can get. If you have the money get a Hofner, but for less than $300 this Rogue is pretty close. I have Fender Jazz bass, and I like the Rogue better. I could rattle on for days on guitars and guitarmaker. Get a Rogue VB100 and you won't be sorry. And you don't need flatwound strings to have it sound good.

Bought this Bass in 2002. Violin shape Hofner copy. Does NOT have a tone control, just two volume controls and switches, like the Hofner. I suggest adding an external tone adjust or a bass equalizer for best sound.

Excellent sound. I was surprised. In order to get the good sound you have to do the following:

Remove the strings and throw them away
Buy Flatwounds - D'Addario, Pyramid or similar.
Purchase a real Hofner bridge and bring it to a qualified guitar repair person for modification, if you are not good with this stuff, as mentioned in previous reviews. The bridge makes a difference. It is made from ebony wood whereas the one that comes with the bass is rosewood and is flimsy. The ebony probably conducts the vibrations to the body better.

The Action, fit and finish on the bass was quite good except the bridge was cracked, most likely in shipping. The bass was purchased from musicians friend and they have a very weak shipping department. The people who work in shipping do not understand how to pack electronic or acoustic equipment so make sure you are very firm with the sales people on the phone about packing your stuff well.

The neck is excellent. You can play fast walking bass lines quite easily with this instrument.

Looks like it will hold up OK. Nothing loose. Get a hard case.

Musicians friend, the importer of this fine instrument, has many very friendly and helpful sales people but their technical support is just about non-existant. The best you can hope for is to exchange something that doesn't work or you are not happy with. This they will do for you without issue. If you are looking for any real technical info, forget it, go to a local shop or look it up on-line yourself.

This bass, despite the bridge and crappy strings is a very good, well playing instrument if you like the '60s beatles sound and is not limited to just that. You can get kind of a twangy sound out of it if you have an amp with good tone adjustments.

For the price, you can't go wrong. Just insist on proper packing of the box, buy new flatwound strings, Get Hofner bridge and have it modified and for about $300 bucks you will have a really nice Bass.

The features are exceptional. Even the rhythm/solo switch is cool. There are, however, 3 areas needing attention. The strings should be replaced with stainless flatwounds in my opinion. I use LaBella's. The pickguard looks ok but like plastic mother of pearl. I replaced it with a beautiful 3 ply white pearloid pickguard made for me at Precision Guitar in Phoenix ($25). http://www.precisionguitar.net/ for anyone interested. The third area needing attention is the control knobs. It would have been nice to have the old style teacup knobs or resemblance.

I've had 2 Hofners, this has more punch and depth in my opinion.

Never was able to get my Hofners with as low action. I did have to lower the action from the factory set up, no problem as you will probably want to change the strings anyway. The split top finish on mine did not match that well but with the pickguard on it isn't noticable.

I have no reason to believe this is not built as good or better than a Hofner.

Musicians Friend always has been good to me.

Perfectly happy with this bass. I'd replace it if stolen. The price is superb!

I have owned a Ric 4001, Fender Telecaster bass, Gibson EBO and a Fender P-bass but the Rogue VB-100 that I own now is my favorite. But for the life of me I can't understand why they are shipped with those terrible round wound strings. The bridge scares me somewhat but if a person wants to he can purchase a Hofner ebony bridge for around $50.00.

I love playing old Beatle songs and this bass is great for doing just that. I mostly play around the house or with friends so I don't need a monster amp. I use a small 30 watt amp with one 10" speaker. It suits me. I have no problems with this bass other than the two mentioned above.

I had to move the bridge up against the back pick-up which raised the strings just enough to get rid of some fret buzz on the E string. The action is very fast and smooth and if you play McCartney style you know that's important. The finish is beautiful and not at all like the picture on Musician's Friend's web site. All the controls work fine.

I would hope this bass could stand up to live gigs. I'm not an expert when it comes to truss rods so I don't know much about them. I do know a good bass when I play one and this is one.

Musician's Friend seems to be a decent company. I haven't had a problem with them in any of my dealings so far. Don't know about warranty because the bass arrived without any paperwork.

I have been playing on and off for 30 years. At this time this bass and a small amp is all I own. As I stated earlier I have owned a number of basses and amps but for some stupid reason(college graduation) I sold everything in order to krrp from starving while I looked for a job. I do love this bass although I wish I still had my old Ric 4001. If it were stolen I would buy another. This bass has a rich sound that will be even better when I put a set of flat wound strings on it.

I own two 2000 Rogue VB100's violin Beatle bass copys. They have 22 frets set in a rosewood fretboard. The bodys,sides,tops and bottoms are Gravure Mapel. They have a set neck. They use Mini Humbucker pickups with one volume and one tone controll with individual pickup selector and rythem/solo switches. Both finishs are Vintage Sunburst. They are a 30"scale bass. Adjustable bridge,mother of pearl pickguard and controll panel,chrome butterfly tuners,chrome trapeze tailpiece. One of them i purchased with a Rogue Hardshell case, the other one came with a Gig bag.

I play all McCartney's walking bass lines in all the Beatles songs, along with the albums or with friends. I also have a reissue 63 Hofner 500/1, 97 Epiphone Viola, and several vintage 60's and 70's Beatle bass copys. The Hofner of course when played along with the Beatles albums has the exact vintage sound that only a Hofner can deliver,espically all their old classics untill McCartney started playing Fender along with some other basses. BUT BEWARE----the Rogue VB100 does very, very well, when played along with the Beatles music!!The Rogue does just as good wether you're on stage or in the studio. The only BAD downfall is the strings that comes on these basses-------solution-----put on a GOOD set of stainless steel flatwounds, makes the Rogue VB100 come to life like you wouldn't believe !!!!!!!!! The amp i'm using for the basses is a vintage 1970 Fender Bassman 135 piggy-back.

These Rogue VB100 bases are pretty well set up ready to play from factory (with the exception of the string change!!!),i didn't have to adjust the pickup settings, but i did lower the bridge a bit(just above fret buzz),as i like a low action. All the frets are set perfectly in the fretboard, there were no flaws in the body,neck, frets,hardware,pickups,tuners or controlls,finish,etc.

I play both my Rogues as much as i play the Hofner or Viola, and it will withstand live playing, or anything type playing you may do. All the hardware i would say in my opinion, is just as good as whats on the Hofner and the Viola. This is one Beatle bass copy that you can depend on, either one of mine has ever had to have the neck reset,or any other type adjustments. I wouldn't worry about using either of my VB100's by themselves without a backup bass, YOU DON'T AND WON'T NEED A BACKUP !!!!!!

Never had to deal with the company, as i've never had any kind of problems from either bass !!!!!!!!!!! Can't remember about warranty, as i've never needed it !!!!!!!!!

I've been playing 30+years. Along with the two 2000 Rogue VB100's, 63 Hofner 500/1, 97 Epiphone Viola also have in the beatle bass copys a 60's green Greco w/F holes,60's Univox Lectra, 70's Crestwood. Six string guitars are 97 Epiphone Dot 335 in sunburst, 99 Epiphone Less Paul in sunburst, 65 Rocket Harmony 335 3 pickup in red, 99 Crestline 335 in maroon, 2001 Johnson accoustic in blueburst, vintage 1968 Fender Bandmaster piggy-back. I first purchased the Rogue because of its looks as to the Hofner, i like the Rogues well enough that one of them went through a complete look change, i used all 63 reissue Hofner 500/1 parts on it, perloid pickguard (trimmed a little to fit pickups),complete prewired perloid controll panel w/teacup knobs, tailpiece, bridge (had to shave 1/4" off height), white strap buttons, perloid tuning keys, necknut, truss rod cover, repainted head black and used large Hofner gold decal logo, pinstriped simulated head binding, put on a set of LaBella Deep Talkin Hofner Beatle bass strings and a 60's Beatle bass style strap. The other Rogue only got perloid tuning keys, teacup knobs and a set of the LaBella strings and the strap. I wouldn't sell either of my Rogue VB100's as i would my Hofner !!! As far as compairing it to other basses, i've got all the other basses worth compairing it to !!!!!!! JUST AS WELL MADE !!!!!!! SOUNDS JUST AS GOOD !!!!!!!

This is a 2001 Hofner clone made in Korea and sold exclusively by Musician's Friend (though I've seen an identical instrument sold by Jay Turser for much more money. I haven't counted the frets, but I think there are 21. It has a laminated spruce top with flame maple veneer. 2 pickups of unknown origin. Set neck and rosewood fingerbiard. Short (30") Scale. Has nice tuners that are easy to use -- much better than the tiny tuners on a real Hofner. It comes with roundwound strings that are terrible. It has the traditional Hofner layout with the volume controls swapped (i.e., the bridge pickup on the left and the neck on the right), on/off switches for each pickup and the "solo" switch treble boost switch.

If you're playing Beatles music, this is the only bass to use, unless you can afford a real Hofner. The roundwound strings that are supplied with it don't suit it at all. Others here have said that one must replace them with flatwounds. I'll go even further: you must replace them with the Pyramid brand strings made for the Hofner bass. If you do that, you willsound very very close to the real thing. Of course, at $65 a set, you'll be paying nearly 1/4 of the price of the bass just for new strings, but I think that its worth it. The Hofner bass has its own unique sound and with the right strings, this copy reproduces it very well. If you're not looking for that sound, you will be disapointed, because it isn't too versatile. But if you are, you won't find it anywhere else except Hofner.

The bass was set up reasonably well. The floating bridge had this piece of foam plastic underneath it that was hard to remove until I took all the strings off (not something I'd ever do ordinarily). The fit and finish is not bad: it has well applied binding and a nice paint job. The bookmatched maple veneer didn't line up in the center, which is ugly and stupid, but at this price, I'm not complaining (too much). I hated the volume and tone knobs, which are tiny, and originally replaced them with some stock Gibson knobs, but one day I came across a pair of vintage Hofner knobs and bought them. Another $30 sunk into this baby, and now the costs are starting to mount (but still much less than a vintage instrument). One thing that is a bit dificult about this instrument is setting the intonation. As supplied, the floating bridge was crooked, and as I said, had to be moved to remove the foam they put underneath it. You set the intonation by moving these metal bridge pieces that are set into the wood and also by moving the bridge itself forward and back. I tried this for a while trying to find the place where the intonation was best and I never could find the right spot, and also the bridge moves around anyway after you adjust it. So to prevent that, I moved it forward so that it rests right up against the bridge pickup and only used the inserts to adjust the intonation. This actually worked pretty well.

This instrument is pretty light-weight, so one can't tell how long it will last, but so what. At $240, you can always just buy another.

OK, this area is a problem. Musician's Friend customer service is great if all you are doing is buying or returning. But they know nothing about anything they sell. I've had numerous experiences asking them questions about studd I bought, and theynever know anything. In this instance, I asked to tell me (1) the gauge of the supplied strings and (2) where the correct position of the bridge is. As to the former, they were clueless and as to the latter, they implied that my instrument was broken because the bridge wasn't attached (worse than clueless).

I've been playing since 1968, bass, guitar and keyboards. I have 5 guitars of various brands, and one other bass (Rickenbacker). If it were stolen or lost, I'd get it again, as I play a lot of Beatle music, and this is the only way to get that sound at a reasonable price.

This Bass was purchased in Nov. of 1999 for $275 which included the hardshell case made by TKL and S&H from, you guessed it, Musicians Friend. Get the Hardcase if you can afford it 'cuz this ain?t no Tank.... More like a Bicycle! I can't add much to the reviews below or above-Short Scale Bass made of plywood with bookcased flamed Maple laminate on the top and back of the instrument. Much truer copy than Epiphones. About the same quality as the Jay Turser/Galvestons. Probably the same company. The controls, like the Hofner, are kinda goofy. The left switch is for the bridge pickup and the right switch is for the neck pickup (wish it was the other way around) with the right most switch being the Solo/Rhythm switch that gives you a signal boost in the Solo setting. 2 volume knobs for each P/U sitting on either side of the aforementioned switches. Not a perfect copy but, a darn good one.

I love this bass. I wish I had gotten a short scale when I started playing over 25 years ago. It fits my small "white boy" hands just perfectly. Some of the reviews say this thing sounds just like the Real McCoy with flatwounds......If you dampen the roundwound strings at the bridge with the side of your hand whilst picking you can still get that same Tuba Bass sound McCartney is famous for without the expense of flatwounds.....has a nice hollowish sound that none of my other Basses have. Good low end. Great for every kind of music except maybe Punk/HeavyMetal hard picking type of style.

The setup from the factory was ok but, I had to adjust the truss rod to remove some of the back bow and straighten out the neck some. I adjusted the bridge to bring the string height to about 2/32s above the 12th fret on the G and to 3/32 above the same fret on the E . Set the P/U heights and with the bridge at the scale length this Bass's intonation is just about perfect! A little flat on the E, but so little that I am leaving the bridge saddle just where it is. If you don't have the knowledge or tools to set your bass up, I would obtain it/them. It?s fun and easy to learn. If not, pay someone to do it for you. It really can make a difference. Oh, and that Rosewood bridge is very fragile. I recommend putting lemon oil on it and the fingerboard as well. The finish is pretty good. A few errant stain marks here and there. 1 small flaw in the binding. Extra glob of finish on the butt of the finger board. Front bookcase is not perfectly centered. Fingerboard position markers not perfectly centered all the way up and down the neck.....Etc., etc., etc. Typical of a bass at this price point. This stuff is very minor however, and only someone as "anal" as me would probably notice. As a side note-I had a music shop bring in 4 brand new Hofner 501's during the mid 80's. They ALL had things wrong with them so I ended up not buying one! For $250 I am very happy. I too took off the dorky pickguard off as soon as I got the Bass.

As long as you?re careful this Bass is great for gigging. As I stated before, this is a different kind of instrument than a solid body so you have to treat it a bit differently. The light weight really shines during long gigs or long recording sessions-No sore shoulder! The only thing showing wear on mine is the first 4-5 frets. Maybe I should pop for some flatwounds??.....Hmmm!!!!???

Musician?s Friend CS is alright....... Dealing directly with a manufacturer is always better but, it's not an option on these Rogues.

25+ plus years and still going. If you wanna do your McCartney thing for under $300, this is the Bass for you! If you want a light easy to play bass, then get this Bass! I would definitely get another if I had to. I like the short scale so much I just popped for a new Hamer Slammer solid body bass. Just might get an old Musicmaster and or EB-0 as well to even out my short scale collection.

this is rogue's version of the hofner beatle bass with updated features .the headstock is shaped like the old hofner only it has rogue name on it ,i like the way they applied the painted name instead of the cheap plastic glued on name of the hofners.
also the tuners are great the larger size helps give tork power in tuning,hofner should have thought of making larger tuners instead of the guitar size small tuners they sport.
i read past reviews that say it has 21 frets but i count twenty two 22 frets.
this bass represents the 62-63 hofner bass and features.
the wood appears to be maple the body has binding on sides.
it has two humbucker pickups.
it has a switch for each pickup on or off ,a rythm or solo switch
two volum knobs.
the bridge is wood.tail piece is metal.

i own a gibson g3 bass,62 hofner bass,a reissue jazz bass,a mexican jazz bass and other violin copy basses.
if i had only one bass i was allowed to play this would be the one this is by far the best sounding bass guitar ever made ,maby it's the hollow body and pickups but it gets a rich deep slightly doinky sound that i love it resonates like a grand piano only deeper it suits my style which is oldies,blues,classic rock. perfectly.
if you play slap style you should get a fender jazz bass .
this bass can't play all style's especially if it involves being rough or striking it due to the delicate wood bridge.
it doesn't make alot of noises or buzzes and would make a good recording bass.
if you gig i would take a backup bass and be carefull with this bass and handle with care it's a piece of art and as such is delicate, if your mean to your bass get a solid body bass to abuse.

the action was set good from factory but you absolutely need to take the strings off and set the intonation of the bridge which is a bear to set ,if your unfamiliar with guitar set ups take it to a pro because it involves pulling fret like material out of the wood bridge and resetting in different location and the wood bridge is fragile and involves carefull surgery.
if you buy strings you need to get short scale strings like the fender mustang bass strings which is what i put on it and they work fine.
everything is assembled well the only flaw in workmanship is one of the side dots is a little offset also the pickgaurd is a little thick and very hard plastic that might crack if struck.
the finish is absolutely the best part when i first seen the bass my jaw dropped and my eyes widened this bass is beatiful to say the least
it looks like a thousand dollar guitar or more it should have sold for $1100.00 in my oppinion this is one time i feel a company didnt ripp me off in profit,my question is how is rogue selling this great guitar so cheap.

i had this guitar since 07/05/00 with the case which is a very nice case the durability is better than it looks .
it appears to be fragile but is proving to be otherwise but i need more time to tell.
i feel that this guitar will last a lifetime like the hofner basses and probably two or three lifetimes with care.

musicians freinds backup their products but i cant find any info on rogue , but with the fine products rogue makes they will be well known in the future and could be collectible guitars.
look on ebay no one wants to sell their vb 100 bases but you'll find alot of jay turner violin basses.
i havent had a problem with the bass so i cant rate the support in whole.

ive been playing 25 years and have played alot of basses,guitars,amps
if it was stolen or lost in an acident or fire i would buy again in fact i will buy another one to save for my son which is 31/2yrs
i love this bass just how it is and wouldnt and will not change any thing about it it's a dream bass it plays so easy i can see why paul mccartney played a hofner and i believe he would approve of the rogue as a good copy of the hofner.
if you like vintage 60's style music this is your bass get it before cost go up on it soon.

This is the standard "McCartney" style Rogue VB100, made in Korea. It includes the old-fashioned sound controls, including the weird solo/rhythm switch. For a bass of its price, it is a very beautiful-looking instrument. The wood coloration and matching is really well-done. So far the questionable bridge is serving well, although it had to be centered right away. I llike the lightness of the instrument, and it "fits" me really well. There was only one flaw I could find, a bit of a glue glob under the neck. For the price I (and the questionable value of the style), I feel I did very well.

I am pretty much a living-room hacker, so it suits my "style" (such as it is) very well. I'm putting it through a small Traynor bass amp. The sound is very 60s, which is to my liking. I find it very warm, definately not techno-sounding. I can get some very piano-sounding notes out of the bottom end, which pleases me very much. There is a lot of adjustment available on the bass controls, but I am sure I will always leave it in the "solo" position. I love it.

My instrument is a lefty, well-done. The neck was spot-on. The bridge was not centered, but it had to come off anyway because they ship it with a strip of foam under it. I find the neck much easier to play than my previous Ibanez. The strings seem to hold their tune for a long time BUT the original ones were junk. I now have flatwounds. I find the neck a bit noisy - especially the first fret on all 4 strings. My music store is going to adjust the nut. Fit and finish were great.

It's hard to tell. After a solid-body that would have knocked down trees this feels very fragile. Everything seems to be of good quality so I'm hopeful it's just an adjustment on my part. The strap buttons haven't been used yet. I don't gig, so I can't speak to that - but the Hofner that McCartney used took a heck of a beating and kept on ticking, and this is supposed to be a good copy. Fingers crossed.

The purchase experience was a nightmare. At one point I switched the order to another type of instrument; at another point I cancelled the thing altogether. Another order showed up with only 1 of the 2 items in the bag and they won't talk to me about it. Luckily it was only $20. Everybody was friendly and helpful; it just seemed that the thing wasn't going to happen. I think I would order minor items in the future, but nothing this important. Incidentally, 3 weeks after the bass arrived I got a backorder notice for one month's time. Arrgh.

I just picked up again after 25 years off. So, I'm mainly getting the fret hand working again (my pinkie hurts!). I would replace the instrument with the same kind, at least right now that its new. It's the first instrument I ever had that I like to sit and look at, so I guess that's a "good thing". As a 60s guy, Canadian version, the combination of the "Beatle" bass and the Traynor amp is very nostalgic and does my little heart good. I'm very happy to have music back in my life, and very happy that I have this particular bass to play on. For my needs and wants, this is a perfect match.