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Rogue is a brand that is currently making a lot of noise in the affordable range of bass guitars. Their models are consistent, good quality instruments that get the job done without resorting to gimmicks or flashy details. Rogue LX200B Series III is a good example of their policy at the moment.
It's a no-nonsense bass guitar that offers good tone and good build quality at a more than reasonable price. Because of that, it's among the most recommended beginner bass guitars on out short list. If you are just starting out and you are on a rather tight budget, this is the go-to bass right here.
The body shape of the Rogue LX200B Series III is your average double cutaway design. Tonewood of choice Rouge used for this model is basswood, which is not unreasonable considering the price this thing goes for. When it comes to finishes, you have some options, but most of them are going to be standard single color solutions. The neck is a maple design with a rosewood fretboard. Overall, the design of Rogue LX200B Series III is pretty average, but decent.
Rouge decided to take a different route compared to most brands who produce entry level bass guitars. Instead of installing a standard vintage style bridge, Rouge went with a high mass design that comes with four adjustable saddles. While it's certainly not as good as top tier bridges of this type, having a high mass bridge like this one still improves sustain to a certain degree. Tuning machines come in form of regular die cast units, which do a decent job at retaining the tuning.
The pickup choice, their quality and appearance are something worth a compliment in this case. Rouge went with the P/J configuration that is covered. Pickups are controlled by two sets of volume and tone knobs, which isn”t something you see that often in this price range. Overall, there's a lot of versatility packed in this simple setup.
In terms of sound, Rogue LX200B Series III does a decent job. That is mostly thanks to a bit more flexible controls, which allow you to be creative with tone shaping. Out of the box, there is enough definition and clarity although you might experience some noise from the single coils. That's expected and definitely not a deal breaker. You can get that muddy sound with ease, while going for the high treble sharp tone is possible as well. The output is decent enough for gigging, but definitely more than good for practicing at home.
For more info about the Rogue LX200B Series III, click here.
For the Best Beginner Bass Guitars, click here.
Mark A George says
I need to know the size of the dot inlays, to replace one. Nobody seems to know.
Robt says
I have a Rogue Series III fretless bass. When I first got it, it would not tune properly. It has an adjustable neck! I tweeked it and it plays as nicely as any Bass I’ve ever had, Nice, inexpensive bass guitar