BC Rich

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BC Rich Guitars

logo
legal form Brand of the Hanser Music Group
founding 1969
Seat Orange , United States
management Brian Martin, Gary Hanser
Branch Musical instruments
Website BC Rich Guitars

BC Rich is an American brand of acoustic and electric guitars and basses, which was founded in 1969 by Bernardo Chavez Rico in Los Angeles. The instruments were played by hard rock and jazz fusion musicians in the 1970s, and the brand saw its heyday in the following decade with the popularity of the metal scene . BC Rich has been owned by the Hanser Music Group, a distribution company based in Hebron, Kentucky, since the 2000s. BC-Rich instruments are characterized by their unusual body shapes and exaggerated curves.

Customers

Slash with a mockingbird

The instruments are often played by metal bands, in particular by music groups of the styles Thrash Metal , Speed ​​Metal , Heavy Metal , Black Metal or Death Metal .

Company history

The brand originated in the 1950s in Bernardo's Guitar Shop, a workshop shop in Los Angeles, where Bernardo Chavez Rico worked as a guitar technician. BC Rich began making electrical instruments in the late 1960s and launched its first original model, the Seagull, in 1974. The brand was originally marketed by LD-Heater, a Norlin subsidiary and supplier of Gibson pickups. BC Rich later built up his own distribution and procured the pickups from Guild and DiMarzio.

Between 1975 and 1977 BC Rich introduced three new models: the Mockingbird, which was inspired by the drawings by Johnny "Go-Go" Kallas, a revised version of the Seagull called the Eagle and finally the Bich, a model designed by Neal Moser, guitar maker and Consultant at the company. The brand's products were played by musicians such as Carlos Alomar, Bill Bodine, Neil Giraldo, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford at the time. By the late 1970s, BC Rich had two workshops: BC North in Alhambra and BC South in Tijuana. The workers, mostly Mexican craftsmen, made the instruments with rudimentary tools. BC Rich was already trying to relocate part of the production to Japan. The imported guitars were marketed under the name BC Rico to distinguish them from the instruments made in the USA. However, this choice of name sparked a legal dispute with the company Rico Reeds, and the first shipment of BC Rico guitars was consequently confiscated by US customs. In order to avoid costly legal proceedings, BC Rich renounced the name BC Rico.

Lita Ford with her signature Warlock

In the 1980s, BC Rich expanded its range with twelve new designs, including the Warlock, Wave, Ironbird, Stealth and Widow. The company also continued a number of changes in its organization. In 1981 the Los Angeles workshop moved to El Monte and the following year the production of acoustic guitars ceased. With the advent of heavy metal, the brand built its popularity among a new growing audience. In 1983 BC Rich had 23 to 28 employees and produced 1,700 to 1,800 instruments annually. To meet the increased demand, BC Rich turned to the Asian instrument makers again. Rico visited various factories in Japan and introduced the NJ series (Nagoya Japan) of which production was carried out by luthiers Masan Tarada and Iida. In 1984 and 1985, respectively, Mal left Stich, Vice President of the company, and Neal Moser BC Rich. From 1986 the South Korean company Cort produced the NJ models and BC Rich developed its own pickups.

In 1987, BC Rich signed a distribution agreement with Class Ax, a Warren, New Jersey company. The latter was responsible for promoting and distributing the NJ, Platinum and Rave series and importing them a year later. Two years later, Class Ax got the rights to the name BC Rich. Headquarters and production moved to Warren and BC South was closed. In 1990, the new BC Rich leadership introduced Acrylic. However, Class Ax could not produce the handcrafted models and thus lost the trust of several dealers and musicians. In addition, poor production and poor quality control further tarnished the brand's image. The company was only able to produce the Handcrafted series from 1992. In the same year the Virgin was marketed. For his part, Rico had started a new brand of electro-acoustic and electric guitars called Bernard Mason.

In 1993 Rico returned to BC Rich as Managing Director and tried to revitalize the brand. BC South was back in operation and Rico opened a new manufacturing facility in Hesperia. The entire manufacturing process was done differently this time. BC South assembled and processed the raw materials and the workshop in Hesperia made the instruments. During these years BC Rich introduced new models: the Ignitor, V prototype, Beast and the Exclusive (Victor Smith Commemorative Model). The brand also re-launched an acoustic guitar, the B-41C, which was made entirely in California. After the death of Rico in 1999, his son Bernie Rico Jr. succeeded him.

In 2001 the sales company Hanser Holdings International acquired BC Rich with Rico Jr. to head the custom shop department. In 2003, the company introduced the Exclusive SR, a series designed by Rico Jr. in memory of his father. Although Rico Jr. had the top models produced in Hesperia, he gave part of the order to the workshop in Tijuana. However, the instruments from BC South showed defects. In addition, Rico Jr. tried to reduce production costs using inexpensive hardware components. HHI ended their collaboration with Rico Jr. and turned to Voodoo Guitar Works in Ohio. In 2004 the Virgo, a modified version of the Virgin, came out. To this day, BC Rich remains part of HHI, now renamed the Hanser Music Group. The handcrafted models are produced in Cincinnati, while the rest is made in China, South Korea and Indonesia.

The typical shape

Headstock of a BC Rich Warlock electric bass

BC Rich guitars and basses have a pointed, angular, aggressive-looking shape. Some guitarists reject BC Rich instruments because of their shape or consider them purely for show instruments.

Some of the best known and most popular shapes, such as the Warlock and Bich models , have been repeatedly copied by other manufacturers or manufactured under license. Guitarists can be conservative in choosing their guitar within the BC Rich range , as some models are based on traditional forms of electric guitar such as B. Gibson Les Paul (the BC Rich "Seagull" has similarities) or Fender Stratocaster (cf. "Gunslinger" or "SST" as Heavy Strat) are based.

The initial R (on the US models) or the curved brand logo (on the cheaper Asian instruments) on the headstock is striking on all BC-Rich instruments . An exception is the “Caliber” series from 2008, which had the R logo with a stylized Warlock guitar in the upstroke of the “R” and was manufactured in the Czech Republic.

Models (selection)

  • Asm
  • Beast
  • Bernie Rico Signature Model
  • Bich
  • Draco
  • eagle
  • Gunslinger
  • Heritage
  • Ignitor
  • Innovator
  • Ironbird
  • King V / Junior V etc.
  • Meegs (a Telecaster shape)
  • Mockingbird
  • Seagull
  • Speed ​​V
  • SST Widow
  • Stealth
  • Virgin
  • Virgo
  • Warlock
  • Wave
  • Widow
  • zombie
  • Warbeast (mixture of Warlock and Beast with the original Floyd Rose as standard)
  • Beast V (mixture of Beast and Kerry King's "V", optionally as N.-T. version with Floyd Rose tremolo)
    • various show instruments, exhibition models and special shapes according to customer requirements, including double-necked guitars.

In 2004, the Beast and Warlock models of the NJ series were offered as speed loaders. The design stands out from the others mainly because of the head without tuning pegs . Speedloader models are always with Floyd Rose - tremolo equipped.

The Mockingbird model is now hardly available as a speed loader (Mockingbird Platinum Pro series) in Germany because it is a discontinued model.

In the meantime, BC Rich has switched to equipping its NJ series with neck-thru necks and thus making the playability and sustain, which was otherwise only available to owners of custom shop models, accessible to the broader masses.

Importance and evaluation

BC Rich is a very controversial guitar brand among musicians . “Either you love them or you hate them.” Since 1974 guitars of various quality levels have been produced under the brand name BC Rich. These range from very high-quality hand-made models to the simplest designs from mass production. The same typical body shapes would be used for the different quality levels. Every assessment of these guitars must therefore be based on the individual series, time periods and production locations.

The American-made instruments by BC Rich are in the upper class and are alternatives to corresponding guitars from Paul Reed Smith , Gibson , Dean and Alembic.

The handcrafted models made in the USA, especially from the 1970s and early 1980s, are known, expensive and in demand among ambitious guitarists. The old vintage instruments (with a continuous neck construction, fine materials and other special equipment features) are popular collector's items. The BC-Rich custom shop was headed by Neal Moser at the time . Neal Moser developed a. a. the “Bich” model with its distinctive body shape, a choice of six or ten strings and the sophisticated active electronics for sound modification.

The instruments of the NJ series are made in Japan and have good workmanship, playability and sound quality in line with the price. The models from the early and mid-1980s, in particular, are of high quality and difficult to obtain.

Moser, who left BC Rich in the mid-1980s, continues the tradition of small-series production of high-quality and innovatively designed instruments with his own Moser Custom Shop (MCS) and is in direct competition with the BC-Rich custom shop. I.a. old original designs are reinterpreted or vintage guitars are restored. Moser's own models are the "Bich PMS" (small series based on the original prototype), "Moser 10", "Genesis", "Evil B" ( spin-off of the "Bich"), "Bastard V", "Wraith" , "Arachnid", "BeastMaster", "Morpheus", "Scythe" u. a.

Image gallery

  • CJ Pierce with his signature eagle

  • Matt Tuck with his Signature V

  • ICS Vortex with a Warlock bass

  • Kerry King with his signature KKV

  • Pat O'Brien with a JR V Custom Shop

  • Erik Rutan with an Ironbird

  • Paolo Gregoletto with his signature Warlock bass

  • Jake Pitts with a Mockingbird

  • Lord Ahriman with a warlock

  • Zoltan Bathory with his signature ASM

  • Max Cavalera with a Warlock

  • BC Rich Virgin

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Brian Tarquin: Guitar Encyclopedia . Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., 2014, ISBN 978-1-62153-415-0 , pp. 256 .
  2. ^ Ken Achard: The history and development of the American guitar . Bold Strummer, Westport, CT 1990, ISBN 0-933224-18-4 , pp. 163 .
  3. ↑ Joe Perry: Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith . Simon and Schuster, 2014, ISBN 1-4767-1460-6 , pp. 376 .
  4. ↑ a b c d e Joe Charupakorn: BC Rich Beginnings. In: Premier Guitar. Gearhead Communications, LLC, 2011, accessed May 14, 2016 (American English).
  5. ↑ a b c d Michael Wright: BC Rich Guitars From Flamenco to Heavy Metal. In: Vintage Guitar February '95 issue. Vintage Guitar, Inc., 1995, accessed May 14, 2016 (American English).
  6. ↑ Tom Mulhern: BC Rich Workshop Tour - High-Tech & Handcrafting . In: Guitar Player . Amsterdam January 1983, p. 60-63 .
  7. ↑ Dave Hunter: The Electric Guitar Sourcebook: How to Find the Sounds You Like . Backbeat Books, 2006, ISBN 978-1-4768-5347-5 , pp. 105 .
  8. ↑ Elizabeth Hanson: BC Rich: Origins and Evolution. In: Reverb. Reverb.com, LLC, 2014, accessed May 22, 2016 (American English).
  9. ^ Tony Bacon: The ultimate guitar sourcebook . Race Point Pub., New York 2012, ISBN 1-61058-842-8 , pp. 132 .
  10. ↑ NAMM '13 BC Rich Handcrafted Bich and Warlock Bolt-On Model. In: Premier Guitar. Gearhead Communications, LLC, 2013, accessed May 22, 2016 (American English).

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