BCRich History

BC RichThis brand has many models of so-called unconventional guitars, and its representative models includeMockingbirdorWarlockMany models feature unconventional shapes. In modern times, it's one of the guitar brands favored by artists who use heavy distortion effects.

I myself had the image of BC Rich as "a guitar that's all about distortion" and "a guitar used by metal guitarists."

We wanted to introduce BC Rich to more people, and that's why we decided to create this column.

So, from hereBC RichHistoryWe will follow this path.

and1972yearThis was the first design that Rico created.SeagullAndBassWe will complete it. SeagullHeel-less neck jointofRecruitdidThrough-neck constructionIt had a single-cut design, but the body was thin like an SG, with the cutaway on the 1st string side protruding outwards, and the area above the toggle switch on the 6th string side was pointed.Unconventional shapesI had it.

Many brands nowadaysRecruitThe heel-less neck joint is a feature that Seagull has developed throughout the history of electric guitars.Heel-less at a very early stageRecruitModelThat's how it is. Also, regarding the through-neck construction, at the timeRick AlembicTurnerThey apparently shared information with producers such as [names omitted]. Thus, the through-neck construction and heel-less joint became one of BC Rich's innovations.pronounThis name also came to be used, and it was carried over to subsequent models.

Around the same timeBichWe will also develop a model called Bich. Bich has an even more unconventional shape than the models released earlier, and it is designed by the same person who worked on the Seagull controls.NeilMoserIt was designed by [designer's name]. The most striking feature of the Bich is,The body end is cut out in a large section.I think so. Why does it have such an unusual design? The reason isThe secondary string is located at the end of the body.4The real deal10Assuming stringsThat's why. The area directly below the bridge is cut out to accommodate the tuning pegs for the secondary strings, and some of the wood is thinned to allow for the pegs to be attached.

Guitars that use extra strings, such as 12-string guitars, naturally have the tuning pegs on the headstock, but this has the disadvantage of making the pegs difficult to turn due to their structure. However, Bich guitars have the tuning pegs on the body side, thus avoiding this problem.Eliminate the hassleIt is possible to do this. Also, because the weight is not too heavily concentrated towards the head, the body balance is not as bad as it looks, and despite the unconventional design,playThe design was conceived with this in mind. The controls are based on those of Seagull, and some units even have two preamp boosters.

About five years after the birth of Bich, in 1981WarlockWe will be releasing this model.Rico designed on a drafting table for the first time.This model featured a sharp, well-defined design that contrasted sharply with the smooth curves of previous models. Also, while previous BC Rich guitars used a 3:3 tuner configuration, the Warlock was the first to feature this.Single-row pegofRecruitInitially, Bernardo himself wasn't particularly fond of the Warlock design, but Spencer Sarcombe, the guitarist for the band Shark Island, liked it and continued production. Subsequently, famous artists such as Lita Ford and Nikki Sixx used it, and it became incredibly popular.

Bich was used by Joe Perry, but perhaps Warlock was used by HR/HM artists.This greatly influences the current perception of BC Rich.I personally think that's what's happening.

Later, in 1982, they created a design resembling lightning.IronbirdThey released it. In 1983WaveandStealthWe will be releasing Wave.A body shape that sways like wavesThis is another unique model that has [something]. Stealth isA body shape that's even slimmer than a Gibson Explorer, with a reverse headstock.ofRecruitThis model is said to have been designed by Rick Derringer.

In 1984, they began selling the NJ series, which was produced in Nagoya. However, due to the strong yen, they moved their factory to South Korea and began producing a lower-priced series. In 1995, they started selling acoustic guitars and tried various other approaches, but in 1999, Rico sadly passed away from a heart attack. In 2001, they were acquired by Hanser Music Group, and that's where they are today.

BC Rich still sells affordable series, but they also have a Custom Shop line and some models feature controls from the 70s.The atmosphere at the timeYou can also feel that.

This is a digression, but when I previously wrote a column about Aria Pro II, I mentioned their history of creating BC Rich copy models and then using those as a basis for creating original models. Aria Pro II's Mockingbird copy model, the MK, was released in the late 1970s, and the fact that they released a copy model so soon after the Mockingbird was released in 1976 shows the resilience of Japanese craftsmanship and their admiration and passion for artists. There's also the development of Fernandes...brand,Burny even released a copy of the BC Rich model, demonstrating the immeasurable influence BC Rich had on Japan.

As I mentioned at the beginning, there aren't many guitars that change your impression of them so drastically before and after playing them.

one thing:The experience of handling a 1970s Seagull, which was the impetus for writing this column for BC Rich, was truly shocking.
I can still vividly remember the emotions I felt at that time, and it's rare for a model and brand to change my impression so drastically from "before I knew about it" to "after I knew about it."
And I think there are probably quite a few people who have the same image of the BC Rich brand as I did in the past.
I wanted to share the true appeal of BC Rich with those people as well. That's why I decided to write this column.
I would be happy if even one person who reads this column becomes interested in BC Rich.

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