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I've heard lots of mixed feelings about these axes. Everything from quot;they SUCKquot; to quot;best guitars for metal everquot;...what do you guys think? are they good for metal but not anything else? or are they not good for anything?

This guitar is what brought this on. I find it real purrty.

You can get a good B.C. if you cherry pick.IMHO-the original Japanese NJ series was the best outside of the handmade American stuff.

It is really pretty. I'm a big fan of the old style Rich guitars, prior to Jackson making them. I found them to be extremely playable, comfortable and nice sounding, albeit expensive, instruments. After Jackson started making them (quot;NJ seriesquot; stands for quot;New Jackson seriesquot;) in the early 90s, they seemed to lose something. The platinum series however, seem to be a fairly well made guitar.

NJ never stood for new Jackson Series. It's for nagoja Japan ,where the first NJs were made. The new models are well built guitar but could be cheaper(bu hey,where else do you get a warlock or a beast?) and you can never go wrong with a USA handcrafted Rich. B.C Rich is more a matter of personal taste than anything else,the only real bad thing about them are the stock pickups on imported models.

i hear that bc rich has gone downhill since bernie rico(founding father) died.
people do say they suck. but i love my nj warlock. and im not really into metal that much anymore. i get good classic rock, grunge, and alternative metal tunes with it. i think they advertize their guitars wrong. because most people arent into metal, and they advertize as a 100% metal guitar.

but anywho, i really like the way mine feels. i also wanna check out the new nj classic eagle. it looks hot.

i saw meatloaf over the summer (yes i know, u can laugh), well, 2 summers ago. the lead guitarist (whom i looked up, named paul cook (i think that was his last name)) who is actually a pretty well known metal player was using a custom mockingbird. one of the most beautiful guitars ive ever seen (i was 2nd row). the sound was just sick.

The US-made ones are brilliant.

The only imports I've really played were a couple of neck-thru Mockingbirds. I found them to be somewhat disappointing. Even the anniversary models failed to impress.


Originally Posted by Loserchief...the only real bad thing about them are the stock pickups on imported models.

There's something scary about the chesswood bodies, too...

My favorite guitar is the Mockingbird. I think that you have to be careful about what guitar you pick from the lot of BC Richs. They arent very consistant on quality, especially on the lower models. Its just a matter of finding one that you like and changing the pickups(Ive never played a BC Rich pickup I liked and I play just about everything). Also, BC Richs are definitly not quot;Metal-onlyquot; guitars. The pickups that come stock in them are(they arent good for metal even IMO). I have various mockingbirds that I have set up for different things and they all do the job(whatever it may be) right. It really just depends what one you happen to pick up.

I've had several Mockingbirds and they were ALL great. I've never had any trouble with BC Rich.

My warlock is ok sounding, but im sure it could come to life with a pup change


Originally Posted by JB_From_HellThere's something scary about the chesswood bodies, too...

you're right about that but not every imported has a chesswood body. The platinum and Platinum pro series are agathis and the NJ now is made of Mahagony so i don't really know where it's used at the moment
As for Custom Riches: They Rule !!!!!
Also Riches are as versetaille as any other guitar after upgrading the Pups(I have a triple of EMGs on my custom which mybe be weird but with the splitable 89 in the middle it has great variety)


Originally Posted by HellionIt is really pretty. I'm a big fan of the old style Rich guitars, prior to Jackson making them. I found them to be extremely playable, comfortable and nice sounding, albeit expensive, instruments. After Jackson started making them (quot;NJ seriesquot; stands for quot;New Jackson seriesquot;) in the early 90s, they seemed to lose something. The platinum series however, seem to be a fairly well made guitar.

I have NO idea who told you that Jackson / Charvel ever produced BC Rich guitars, but he was severely misinformed.

quot;NJquot; stands for quot;Nagoya, Japanquot;, where the first run of BCR Imports was ever produced. These were great, but from there on it went downhill with the Imports IMO. The first run of platinums with their MickeyMouse-Floyd wannabes and noisy pickups were made of better woods, but in all other aspects just a low end/ low quality as the Platinum and Bronze series today. And this never changed, at least not so that I´ve noticed. (Agathis = pine = Better suited to RC-planes or chopsticks than guitars)

The few Neckthru Imports that I´ve played in the last 2 years or so were all mich metter guitars, but they didn´t really quot;do itquot; for me, something was missing that I couldn´t specify. Or more, there were multiplel minute things that bothered me, and they amassed into quot;not for mequot;. Others may feel different, but I was left with the feeling that other companies make better Imports for less

A USA BC Rich on the other hand is on par with Jackson, PRS, Hamer....all the quot;higher endquot; / quot;Quality is our prime directivequot; companies, beautiful and wonderful sounding axes with great playability for the most part.Originally Posted by xerxesi saw meatloaf over the summer (yes i know, u can laugh), well, 2 summers ago. the lead guitarist (whom i looked up, named paul cook (i think that was his last name)) who is actually a pretty well known metal player was using a custom mockingbird. one of the most beautiful guitars ive ever seen (i was 2nd row). the sound was just sick.Paul CROOK

OK, here is the lowdown on BC Rich:

1.ANY USA BC Rich built from 1974 to 1985 is the epitome of a beautiful, great playing handmade guitar.

2.Avoid the Class Axe era built from 1989 to 1993, subpar at best.

3.Most USA BC Riches bult from 1993 to 1999 (before Berni Sr. died) were really good, but don’t have the same feel as the older BC Riches (That’s my 99 Mock in my avatar). The neck profile from that era is closer to a Jackson.

4.AVOID the new USA BC Riches!!!!! HHI (The company that owns BC Rich now) doesn’t even have a custom shop, the guitars are “ghost built” and HHI will not say who is building the guitars. They took the custom work from Bernie Jr. due to “quality issues” and the quality has been spotty at best ever since. In addition to that they are shipping with loose truss rods, flawed paint and bad fret work, etc. HHI may know imports but they can’t run a custom shop to save their lives. They have basically killed BC Rich.

So, stick with the 74 to 85 or 93 to 99 era of USA BC Rich and you should be able to find an excellent guitar.

Cheers,

CJ