Rogue LX405 Pro Bass Guitar Review
The 5-string Rogue LX405 Series III Pro Bass Guitar is fashioned with a quilted maple top on a basswood body with a matching veneer on the headstock. The neck is Canadian hard maple deeply set in the body with 6 bolts for sustain approaching that of a neck-thru bass.
For stability the neck is fitted with a 2-way truss rod. The bass guitar’s fretboard is highest-grade Indian rosewood. Genuine blue abalone position markers and a graphite nut grace the fingerboard. Satin chrome die-cast tuners and bridge are eye-catching details.
The bass guitar’s strings can be anchored through body or bridge to suit your preference. The Rogue 5-string is armed with an MM-style humbucker at the bridge and a single-coil up front with active EQ. Controls include volume, blend, bass boost/cut, and treble boost/cut. You can bypass the active electronics with the pull-out volume knob in case your battery dies. The Rogue LX405 Series III is a wonderfully light and well balanced 5-string bass, and its low price makes it a must-have for every bassist.
Note: The Rogue LX405 Series III is the newer model of the LX405, which is slightly better in quality and hardware. You can still get the older version if you prefer, but the new version is better and is the same price.
Rogue LX405 Series III Pro 5-String Electric Bass Guitar Features:
- Basswood body with quilted maple top and matching veneer on headstock
- Canadian hard maple neck deeply set into the body and fastened with 6 bolts, giving the sustain of a thru-body neck design
- 2-way truss rod
- Highest-grade Indian rosewood fingerboard
- Real blue abalone position markers
- Graphite nut
- Satin chrome die-cast tuners
- Satin chrome die-cast bridge
- Strings can anchor thru body or thru bridge
- MM-style humbucker at the bridge and single-coil up front with active EQ
- Active circuit can be bypassed with pull-out volume knob switch if your battery fails
- Controls include volume, blend, treble boost/cut, and bass boost/cut
- Very light and well balanced
- Click here for more info on this bass guitar
Pictures and Color Options:
Videos of the Rogue LX405 Bass Guitar:
There aren’t lots of videos on the LX405 yet, so this next video is of the Rogue LX406, which is very similar but has 6 strings instead of 5.
Bottom Line:
Overall, this is a great 5 string bass for the price! Since it is only around $200, it obviously won’t compare with high end basses, but for the price you really do get a lot. Most basses in this price range don’t have active electronics, but the Rogue LX405 Pro has active EQ without a pullout knob to switch from active to passive mode. For a $200 bass, it sounds really good and looks pretty nice too, although there are some people that think the thin maple top looks a little cheesy.
The newest version of the LX405 has improved hardware and is better quality than the original. If you want to learn to play the 5 string bass but don’t have a big budget, this is a great choice for a bass. Again, there are definitely better basses out there if you can spend a bit more money, but this is a pretty sweet deal if you don’t want to spend much. I even plan on buying one for myself soon, since I am a 4 string guy but want to try out a fiver without breaking the bank.
Latest Price… Only $219 with free shipping at Musiciansfriend.
Veneers may not look good for everyone, just look at Hilary Duff.”~’
You may be right, lol. Some people have said the veneer top on the Rogue’s looks a bit cheap or kind of cheesy…but hey, it is cheap. For the price, it is a decent bass that plays and sounds ok. At 200 bucks, you can’t expect it to have a 3/4″ high figured maple top like a PRS. It’s always best to see a guitar in person before buying anything, so you don’t get something you think looks stupid later on.