B. C. Rich
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| Private | |
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1969 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Bernardo Chavez Rico |
| Headquarters | Hebron, Kentucky, United States |
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Area served
|
Worldwide |
| Products |
Electric guitars Bass guitars |
| Parent | Praxis Musical Instruments |
| Website | Bcrich.com |
B.C. Rich is an American brand of acoustic and electric (bass) guitars founded by Bernardo Chavez Rico in 1969. The company started to make electric guitars in the 1970s that were notable for their atypical body shapes. In the following decade B.C. Rich gained a broader exposure with the popularity of heavy metal and has since often been linked to that music scene. The company briefly switched owners in the 1990s before being acquired in the 2000s by Hanser Music Group, a distribution company based in Hebron, Kentucky. B.C Rich has since been acquired by Praxis Musical based in Orange, California. The high-end B.C. Rich instruments are custom-made in the USA whereas the mid- and low-budget models are produced in different countries in Asia.
A somewhat odd design, ostensibly based on a toilet seat shape, this guitar was designed by Bernie Rico. It was a stage favorite of guitarist Dick Wagner, who played the lead guitar work on Aerosmith's remake of "Train Kept A Rollin" and "Dream On".
Initially the pickups were Gibsons, rewired as 4 conductor and potted, later Guild pickups were treated the same way. In 1974-1975, some custom guitar models, and from 1975-1982, many production bass guitars, were fitted with innovative, adjustable pole, humbuckers pickups, designed by Sergio Zuñica of Pacific Palisades, California. In 1975 DiMarzio agreed to build wax-potted, 4 conductor pickups for BC Rich and they were used until BCR began designing their own in the late 80s. Early in the 70s Neal Moser was brought on board to design and supervise the electronics. His contribution was the iconic setup with coil taps, a phase switch, a Varitone and a defeatable active preamp (or two in some models). This electronics package continues to this day on higher end models.
The Seagull shape was uncomfortable for some to play due to the sharp upper point and the sharp lower point that dug into the leg sitting down. It was redesigned several times including a smoother lower point, a Junior version with simpler electronics and a pointless version which is quite rare. Finally it morphed into the Eagle shape with no sharp points.
Serial numbers began as a stamped 6 digit number starting with the year and ending with the number of production (500037 would be the 37th guitar built in 1975). Most references to BCR serialization miss this point. Beginning in 1976, the numbers started with the year then the number of production (YYXXX). Since more than 1000 guitars were produced many years, the numbers became increasingly inaccurate through the 1980s, ending up about 4 years behind (i.e. a 88xxx serial number guitar would have been built in 1984). After the company was purchased by Class Axe in 1989 production of the hand-made, neck-through models was halted for several years, although GMW (Neal Moser) supplied some stock made from rejected then repaired bodies handbuilt through the years. After Class Axe took over there were a number of different serial schemes designated for the American, Asian and Bolt-on guitars.
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Wikipedia