the Rogue RM 100A in black (my Rogue) review ?.

[mandolin tony]

well out of the box as far as set up goes the bridge seems to me dead on spot plus the action seems to be pretty good. one thing that does not look right is the bridge, it looks like ebony not rosewood. on the down side there seems to be play in the tuners, but I guess that's what you get on a $50.00 mandolin. I already put a ebony McClung arm rest on it $50.00 plus a Morgan Monroe strap on it that was about $20.00. now the wait is on for the case sale at musicians friends, sooner or later that got to run that $29.99 sale. must say this mandolin is pretty dam good right out of the box , an as for as the price goes it is a lot of bang for the buck. as far as the tuning machines go I guess I could always put a set of Grover 309n a's on it. should be able to pick them up for about $52.00 on eBay. I guess if I were to sell it or give it away I could always take off the tuners, armrest & strap & who ever gets it would still have a nice little mandolin that plays real nice. now I have a question for all you Rouge owners. what brand & kind of strings should I use on this mandolin.

[Jim Garber]

I think that Musician's Friend should trademark the Rouge brand mandolin as well as their Rogue brand. More people misspell it than spell it correctly. In the least they should make one finished in red.

[mandolin tony]

dam I did it again, Rogue. it was sitting right besides me as I was writing this. you think it would have said something to me.

[MikeEdgerton]

I fixed the subject for you.

If you're looking to really go in style try a set of Thomastik-Infeld Precision Flat Wound Mandolin Strings. Otherwise I'm partial to D'Addario's.

[farmerjones]

i have a question for all you rouge owners. What brand & kind of strings should i use on this mandolin.

D'Addario J74

[mandolin tony]

are the J74's light gauge ?.

[James Miller]

Medium makes it bark more.

[MikeEdgerton]

No, the J74's are not light gauge. I also don't think you can buy straight J74's anymore. Aren't they EJ74's now? If you're looking for light gauge try D'Addario EJ73's. Once you get used to the mandolin you might want to try the heavier gauge strings. The sound generally changes.

[Chris Daniels]

I also don't think you can buy straight J74's anymore. Aren't they EJ74's now?

Same exact strings. The 'E' is for the 'environmental' packaging. See the last comment here: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/e...ndolin-Strings

C.

[MikeEdgerton]

I get that but if one was looking for J74's and didn't know that would they go crazy trying to find them?

[Chris Daniels]

I get that but if one was looking for J74's and didn't know that would they go crazy trying to find them?

Perhaps, though a search for 'J74 strings' returns mostly EJ74s with the occasional site (e.g. Sweetwater) still using old copy calling them J74s right below a picture of EJ74s.

Plus you can find J74's for sale, such as here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-J74-.../dp/B000EEHMXA

But as has been well documented recently, beware buying strings from Amazon!

C.

[MikeEdgerton]

My only concern is that if a new player is looking for J74's that they know they are really looking for EJ74's. When we make a suggestion it's always good to make it easy. It's easy for you because you know what you're looking for. Beyond that carry on.

[mandolin tony]

thanks Mike I hate wearing my reading glass's . also I was thinking that the RM 100a does not have a truss rod in it that's way the light strings.

[Paul Busman]

I fixed the subject for you.

If you're looking to really go in style try a set of Thomastik-Infeld Precision Flat Wound Mandolin Strings. Otherwise I'm partial to D'Addario's.

My first thought was "lipstick on a pig"...
Do what you like, but for me putting on strings that cost nearly as much as the mandolin doesn't make sense.

[MikeEdgerton]

My first thought was "lipstick on a pig"...
Do what you like, but for me putting on strings that cost nearly as much as the mandolin doesn't make sense.

From the first post:

I already put a ebony McClung arm rest on it $50.00 plus a Morgan Monroe strap on it that was about $20.00. now the wait is on for the case sale at musicians friends, sooner or later that got to run that $29.99 sale. must say this mandolin is pretty dam good right out of the box , an as for as the price goes it is a lot of bang for the buck. as far as the tuning machines go I guess I could always put a set of Grover 309n a's on it. should be able to pick them up for about $52.00 on eBay.

And you're worried about another $50.00 for strings?

[farmerjones]

A set of EJ74 strings is 7USD. Arguably the best thing other than a setup, one could do for a mandolin at the 30-50USD price point. That being said I would not, and have not done much more. I've either got two or three Rogues. I keep lending them out, and loosing track of them.

[mandolin tony]

lipstick on a pig, yes & no Paul. if it can be removed like lipstick & used on another mandolin than its not wasted lipstick. as for the Grover's 309n A's that's another story. I will more than likely live with the chrome tuners that are on it. Mr. Jones I hear you I will try J74's on it. you should know with 2 or 3 floating around. I was thinking about putting Martin strings on it. Musicians friends is having a sale on them now.

[JEStanek]

I would use the EJ74s on that mandolin. Light strings won't drive that thicker top as well. To get the TI tone (mostly) use the D'Addairo flatwound strings. They are ALMOST as nice and cost a LOT less.

Lipstick on a Rouge Pig. Indeed! I like inexpensive mandolins that intonate and hold tune. They are wonderful to gift to friends to spread the mandolin magic.

Jamie

[Hudmister]

The Rogue has single chrome tuners spaced at approx. 1" o.c. Four on a plate tuners are typically spaced at around 0.90" o.c. You have to plug the old holes and drill new ones then refinish front and back of the headstock. I have done this. See photo. I will not do this again.

[Randi Gormley]

my rogue does fine with the ej74s and I'm planning on putting a new set on shortly (if I can find the time) of medium weight elixers, I'll let you know if they sound any differently. I will say that mine plays fine but the nut was way too high. I figured it out when I tried to leave a pick in the strings (which I do with most of my instruments) and it wouldn't stay. just passing that on. I think it cost me $60 to have the nut recut and the mandolin professionally set up.

[Jess L.]

... there seems to be play in the tuners, ...

I believe that for many Rogue owners, the soft-ish plastic nut 'grabbing' the strings causes a feeling of excess play in the tuners (turn the tuner & nothing happens because the string is bound up in the nut slot).

But IMO, FWIW, I'd say that in most cases it's not the tuners' fault.

The usual advice, applying generous amounts of graphite (pencil lead) to the nut slots, helps but may not entirely cure the problem. The best solution, IMO, is to get a better-quality nut.

But, nut replacement might be something you'd want to have a luthier do, unless you're adventurous.

P.S.: I actually like the tuners on my $50 Rogue, they turn very smoothly, & they don't slip. I also like that chrome look. However, the soft plastic nut is mildly annoying & I intend to replace it someday, if I ever get around to it (procrastination is one of my specialties).

[Mandoplumb]

I have owned probably 15 to 20 mandolins over the years, from Aria to Suzucie to Flatiron to Dearstone and a few I can't remember the name. I have had many problems, some I even suspected the tuners, but I have never changed the tuners. The problem is almost never the tuners, yes some work smoother than others and the ratio is difference but on a $50 mandolin I would eliminate everything else before springing for new tuners because I'll bet that they don't solve the problem.

[Roger Moss]

(procrastination is one of my specialties).

Good solid procrastination is an art that takes a lifetime to master. I've been serving my apprenticeship most of my life. I'm just startimg to get good at it. Some people, though, are prodigies. If you are, my hat's off to you.

[mandolin tony]

ok the tuners slip a little bit. or should I say it's just one or two of them. could it be the cheap strings or the plastic nut that are making them slip ?. is there a fix for this with out spending any money. as for the armrest I had one of Dough's armrest just lying around in my parts box.

[Mandoplumb]

Are you sure the tuners slip or is the string binding in the nut? If a string goes flatt and you don't raise it does it get flatter? Are you always tuning up, from flatt to correct instead of sharp to correct ? Does the string always go flatt and to the same degree, even after correcting it? All these indicate other problems than tuner, not saying tuner could not be involved but it may not be.If the nut is binding the tuner is not slipping the nut is storing tension between it and the tuner when you play the movement of the string releases the tension. Also is ther a screw in the middle of the individual tuner that os loose?