B.C.Rich History

B.C. Rich is a brand known for its wide range of so-called "unconventional" guitar models, including iconic designs like the Mockingbird and Warlock, which feature unique and unconventional shapes. Today, it is one of the guitar brands favored by artists who use heavy distortion and deep overdrive.

Personally, I used to view B.C. Rich as a brand of “guitars meant to be distorted” or “guitars used by metal guitarists.”

I wanted more people to discover B.C. Rich, which is why I decided to write this column.

So, starting here, we’ll trace the history ofB.C. Rich.

In 1972, Rico completed the first guitar he designed, the Seagull, and Bass. The Seagull featured a single-cutaway design witha heel-less neck jointand a through-neck construction. However, the body was thin like an SG, with the cutaway on the G-string side extending outward and the area around the toggle switch on the D-string side tapering to a point, giving it an unconventional shape.

While the heel-less neck joint is now adopted by many brands, the Seagull was one of the earliest models in electric guitar history to incorporate this design. Regarding the through-neck construction, it is said that Rich shared information with builders such as Rick Turner ofAllen-Bick at the time. As a result, the through-neck construction and heel-less joint became synonymous with B.C. Rich and were carried over to subsequent models.

Around the same time, they also developed a model called the Bich. The Bich had an even more eccentric shape than the previously released models and was designed by Neil Moser, who had worked on the Seagull’s controls. I think the most eye-catching feature of the Bich is the design where a large section of the body end has been cut away. Why such an unconventional design? The reason is that it was designed with a 10-string guitar in mind, featuring four auxiliary strings on the body end. The cutout is positioned precisely so that tuning pegs for the auxiliary strings can be mounted directly under the bridge, and the wood in that area is thinned to accommodate the pegs.

On 12-string guitars and other instruments that use auxiliary strings, the tuning pegs are naturally placed at the headstock, but this has the structural drawback of making it difficult to turn the pegs. However, by placing the pegs on the body, the Bich eliminates this inconvenience. Additionally, since the weight isn’t overly concentrated at the headstock, the body balance isn’t as bad as it might look; despite its unconventional design, it’s built with playability in mind. Some models feature two preamp boosters based on Seagull controls.

In 1981, about five years after Bich’s debut, the Warlock model was released. This was the first model Rico designed on a drafting table, featuring a sharp, angular design with distinct contours—a stark contrast to the smooth curves of previous models. Additionally, while B.C. Rich had previously used 3:3 tuners, the Warlock was the first to adopt single-row tuners. Apparently, Bernardo himself wasn’t particularly fond of the Warlock’s design when he first created it, but Spencer Therkom, the guitarist for the band Shark Island, loved it, and production moved forward. Later, it was used by renowned artists such as Rita Ford and Nikki Sixx, gaining explosive popularity.

Joe Perry used the Bich, but I personally believe that the fact the Warlock was used by HR/HM artists has had a significant influence on the current image of B.C. Rich.

Later, in 1982, they released the Ironbird, featuring a lightning-bolt design. In 1983, they released the Wave and the Stealth. The Wave, true to its name, features a body shape that undulates like a wave, making it another highly distinctive model. The Stealth features a body shape that appears to be a slimmer version of the Gibson Explorer, combined with a reverse headstock; it is said to have been designed by Rick Derringer.

In 1984, the company began selling the NJ Series, which was manufactured in Nagoya. However, due to the strong yen, production was moved to South Korea, and the company began producing more affordable series. In 1995, the company expanded into acoustic guitars and explored various other avenues, but in 1999, Rico tragically passed away from a heart attack. In 2001, the company was acquired by the Hanser Music Group, and it remains under their ownership today.

While B.C. Rich continues to release affordable series today, you can still get a sense of the era through their Custom Shop offerings and certain models featuring 1970s-style controls.

On a side note, when I previously wrote a column about the Aria Pro II, I mentioned that there was a history of Aria creating a B.C. Rich copy model and then using that as the basis for their own original model. The MK, a Mockingbird copy model of the Aria Pro II, went on sale in the late 1970s. The fact that they released a copy model so soon after the Mockingbird’s debut in 1976 speaks to Japan’s underlying strength, as well as its admiration and passion for artists. Additionally, B.C. Rich copy models were released under Burny , a brand under Fernandes , further demonstrating the immeasurable influence B.C. Rich has had on Japan.

As I mentioned at the beginning, there aren’t many guitars that leave such a lasting impression—one that changes so dramatically before and after you’ve actually played them.