Current BC Rich Thread

[Andromalia]

Well, a brand designed by a touring musician has more chances of having a product people actually want. Evertune bridges still aren't very common from mainstream brands and he jumped on that.

 

[jonsick]

The BC Rich headstocks did look great without the tuners, I will give them that. Does it affect the string changing time significantly when you add tuners? I mean to the level of a normal FR.

Well string changing time on a Speedloader is literal seconds. Pop up, pop the old string out, new one in, pop down, done and it's already in tune. Well 99% of the time. So yes, the Speedloader does live up to its name.

The problem is of course string availability. You can order them from Floyd Rose themselves still, but they just are not generally available. And contrary to common demands, you can absolutely use lower tunings with the Speedloader; my Beast was in C for all the time I had it.

But if you can't get the strings for them easily, it's better to simply do the conversion to a standard Floyd Rose. For what it's worth, I can restring a standard 6-string in 7 or 8 minutes if I am really in a hurry. Usually I take my time with it and generally do my changes with something on in the background.

 

[777timesgod]

Wich is pretty sad because it could've gone completely different. Solar guitars is a good example btw. They've been around for 3 years and are doing a whole lot better than BCR was the last 30 years.

Well, its still early to pass a verdict on the brand as the hype is still strong and only a few years have passed. Ola did piggyback Washburn though on his way to Solar so the guitars did not start from scratch. Lets see how he does in the future. BC Rich is such a low benchmark that you need to dig a hole to not go over it.

Well string changing time on a Speedloader is literal seconds. Pop up, pop the old string out, new one in, pop down, done and it's already in tune. Well 99% of the time. So yes, the Speedloader does live up to its name.

The problem is of course string availability. You can order them from Floyd Rose themselves still, but they just are not generally available. And contrary to common demands, you can absolutely use lower tunings with the Speedloader; my Beast was in C for all the time I had it.

But if you can't get the strings for them easily, it's better to simply do the conversion to a standard Floyd Rose. For what it's worth, I can restring a standard 6-string in 7 or 8 minutes if I am really in a hurry. Usually I take my time with it and generally do my changes with something on in the background.

Agreed, I like to dismantle each FR part when the string change time comes and I make sure it is on a free afternoon with music in the back, not necessarily metal as well. Could be the Tiger Lillies or Classical, something to soothe the nerves as I go through the process. BTW post a pic of the Beast when you find time.

 

[DCG1269]

I have no idea what's going on with the current company, but I'm pretty sure that even the vintage BC Riches that were really great were assembled and finished in California from body blanks made in Mexico, so if that's what the new outfit is doing, it shouldn't be shocking.

But that quote seems to say that the body blanks simply "look" like the ones by Jr. that were made in Mexico and finished in the US. I don't know his expertise or what other info he has, but generally a vague pic of an unfinished body blank done by someone is going to look like... an unfinished body blank done by anyone else?

I ran the wood shop at B.C. Rich in El Monte, CA and none of the vintage guitars were made from blanks made in Mexico. I personally made up to 40 bolt on bodies a day from 87’ to 89’. All blanks were prepped and glued up in the wood shop in El Monte. We even made the neck thru cores for the “Hombres” that hand carved them in the room next to the main wood shop.

 

[cardinal]

I ran the wood shop at B.C. Rich in El Monte, CA and none of the vintage guitars were made from blanks made in Mexico. I personally made up to 40 bolt on bodies a day from 87’ to 89’. All blanks were prepped and glued up in the wood shop in El Monte. We even made the neck thru cores for the “Hombres” that hand carved them in the room next to the main wood shop.

Awesome. Thanks for the info! You guys did incredible work!

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I ran the wood shop at B.C. Rich in El Monte, CA and none of the vintage guitars were made from blanks made in Mexico. I personally made up to 40 bolt on bodies a day from 87’ to 89’. All blanks were prepped and glued up in the wood shop in El Monte. We even made the neck thru cores for the “Hombres” that hand carved them in the room next to the main wood shop.

Is this Mal?

 

[twguitar]

That’s just not true David there are so many sources (Neal, Mal, Matt T) with proof that ‘golden era’ blanks were made in TJ then brought into the states. The Rico’s did this through the 2nd era and BRJ too.

 

[DCG1269]

That’s just not true David there are so many sources (Neal, Mal, Matt T) with proof that ‘golden era’ blanks were made in TJ then brought into the states. The Rico’s did this through the 2nd era and BRJ too.

It is true, from 1987 to 1989 I don’t care what Mal or (with respect) Neal or anyone else has to say about it. I was the wood shop Forman, I ran the wood shop and none of the people you mentioned were working there at that time. So they did not see the daily operations nor did they know my skill level which I assure you is as high as anyone on the planet. Very few (5) Americans were employed as a designer/master builder for Yamaha Corp. I was one of them. I also worked at Fender’s Custom Shop. Qualifications aside, You were not there, so your “facts” are hearsay at best. Thank you.

 

[twguitar]

It is true, from 1987 to 1989 I don’t care what Mal or (with respect) Neal or anyone else has to say about it. I was the wood shop Forman, I ran the wood shop and none of the people you mentioned were working there at that time. So they did not see the daily operations nor did they know my skill level which I assure you is as high as anyone on the planet. Very few (5) Americans were employed as a designer/master builder for Yamaha Corp. I was one of them. I also worked at Fender’s Custom Shop. Qualifications aside, You were not there, so your “facts” are hearsay at best. Thank you.

I’m not denying your abilities, I respect you as a luthier very much so. But to deny that BC Rich ever made blanks on Mexico is wrong. They didn’t while you were there, fine but in other eras is was common practice.

 

[DCG1269]

It is true, from 1987 to 1989 I don’t care what Mal or (with respect) Neal or anyone else has to say about it. I was the wood shop Forman, I ran the wood shop and none of the people you mentioned were working there at that time. So they did not see the daily operations nor did they know my skill level which I assure you is as high as anyone on the planet. Very few (5) Americans were employed as a designer/master builder for Yamaha Corp. I was one of them. I also worked at Fender’s Custom Shop. Qualifications aside, You were not there, so your “facts” are hearsay at best. Thank you.

If you truly want the truth from someone other than myself, please feel free to contact the men that were actually there, the guys I worked with.
(I hold no ill will, I just want you to know the truth of this two year era).
Ron Estrada was my second in command in the wood shop, he was my right hand man. We, (B.C. Rich) as a company would not have created instruments at the level we achieved without Ron Estrada, Dan Lawrence, Karl Sandoval, Bob Smith, Greg Georgeson and all the other guys I had the greatest pleasure to be working with. Ask any of them, because they were there from 87’ to 89’.
Thank you

 

[DCG1269]

I’m not denying your abilities, I respect you as a luthier very much so. But to deny that BC Rich ever made blanks on Mexico is wrong. They didn’t while you were there, fine but in other eras is was common practice.

I am not denying anything. Now the line of reasoning has changed. I always said from 87’ through 89’ respectively. I never mentioned any other era. Yes, of course Bernie Jr. had his production done in Mexico, that is common knowledge. I cannot speak for any time other than 87’-89’ because I was not there. If you have proof, thats fine, you’ll get no argument from me. I am only saying that there is no proof from 1987 to 1989 because no proof exists. If anyone claims to have any proof during that era, it is false and fabricated.
Thank you

 

[zappatton2]

So for the BCR experts out there, does anyone know anything about the acoustic Ironbird that was at NAMM a couple of years back? I've never heard soundclips or seen anything of it aside from a couple of pictures at NAMM. That thing was just to gorgeous to keep under wraps, and I'm curious to see/hear more of it.

Sort of back to topic, I feel like if the BCR custom shop website had an up-to-date gallery of everything coming out of the custom shop, that alone could do wonders for demand. I guess it's subjective, but everything that pops up on the FB site looks like gold to me, I'm sure there are more than a few slipping under the radar.

 

[DCG1269]

So for the BCR experts out there, does anyone know anything about the acoustic Ironbird that was at NAMM a couple of years back? I've never heard soundclips or seen anything of it aside from a couple of pictures at NAMM. That thing was just to gorgeous to keep under wraps, and I'm curious to see/hear more of it.

Sort of back to topic, I feel like if the BCR custom shop website had an up-to-date gallery of everything coming out of the custom shop, that alone could do wonders for demand. I guess it's subjective, but everything that pops up on the FB site looks like gold to me, I'm sure there are more than a few slipping under the radar.

I made that Ironbird, all Koa. There’s a few clips of me on instagram and Facebook (DCG David Cervantes Guitars) check in videos. Carlos Humberto Llanos Gutierrez playing it on Facebook too. My Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/p/BPZQ00EDrL_/?igshid=1eob9rdnush1r
If you’d like to see it being played.
I caught a lot of unnecessary negative comments on it because it was not exactly the same shape as the electric version. Everyone should know that this was not done to upset anyone. I did make several mock ups to test for resonance and tone quality. Being a completely new instrument, I felt that how it sounds is just as important as how it looks. So, I modified the original Ironbird shape until it worked to my satisfaction as an acoustic instrument. The modifications were made for no other reason than sound quality. I did receive many favorable comments on the guitar. Kerry King liked it. Chris Poland liked it. I have photos to prove that. Many other great guitar players, electric and acoustic guys at NAMM 2017 really loved it. I did my best to honor the acoustic building history of B.C. Rich with this guitar. Yes, I agree with you regarding the custom shop. Ron Estrada is doing his best, although as you all know, the brand has had more than it’s share of mismanagement and controversy. Various ownership changes and lack of motivation to properly promote the brand, quality and distribution have also contributed to the current state of B.C. Rich. Ron knows what he doing. There is no doubt in my mind that B.C. Rich matters more to him than anyone. Unfortunately, Ron, myself and everyone at the Custom Shop are not in control of anything. As things change with the new ownership, we can only hope for the best.
Thank you,
Dave

 

[zappatton2]

I made that Ironbird, all Koa. There’s a few clips of me on instagram and Facebook (DCG David Cervantes Guitars) check in videos. Carlos Humberto Llanos Gutierrez playing it on Facebook too. My Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/p/BPZQ00EDrL_/?igshid=1eob9rdnush1r
If you’d like to see it being played.
I caught a lot of unnecessary negative comments on it because it was not exactly the same shape as the electric version. Everyone should know that this was not done to upset anyone. I did make several mock ups to test for resonance and tone quality. Being a completely new instrument, I felt that how it sounds is just as important as how it looks. So, I modified the original Ironbird shape until it worked to my satisfaction as an acoustic instrument. The modifications were made for no other reason than sound quality. I did receive many favorable comments on the guitar. Kerry King liked it. Chris Poland liked it. I have photos to prove that. Many other great guitar players, electric and acoustic guys at NAMM 2017 really loved it. I did my best to honor the acoustic building history of B.C. Rich with this guitar. Yes, I agree with you regarding the custom shop. Ron Estrada is doing his best, although as you all know, the brand has had more than it’s share of mismanagement and controversy. Various ownership changes and lack of motivation to properly promote the brand, quality and distribution have also contributed to the current state of B.C. Rich. Ron knows what he doing. There is no doubt in my mind that B.C. Rich matters more to him than anyone. Unfortunately, Ron, myself and everyone at the Custom Shop are not in control of anything. As things change with the new ownership, we can only hope for the best.
Thank you,
Dave

Thank you so much for the info!!! Not to mention that link, I think that thing is bloody gorgeous, and sounds amazing!! You absolutely made the right call modifying for tone, that was the very reason I wanted to hear it played. I always wondered which shapes would be the best for resonance, and which would be simply unusable as an acoustic. I'm guessing the Draco is right out, haha!!

 

[DCG1269]

Thank you so much for the info!!! Not to mention that link, I think that thing is bloody gorgeous, and sounds amazing!! You absolutely made the right call modifying for tone, that was the very reason I wanted to hear it played. I always wondered which shapes would be the best for resonance, and which would be simply unusable as an acoustic. I'm guessing the Draco is right out, haha!!

You’re very welcome. Yes, I think it sounds pretty darn good. For me, it was the most difficult acoustic build yet. Yeah, I personally would not attempt a Draco.

 

[Dawn of the Shred]

Upgrades almost done with this one. Now if BCR could get out of the dumpster and take some notes

 

[Mathemagician]

Upgrades almost done with this one. Now if BCR could get out of the dumpster and take some notes
View attachment 70594

*cartman voice*

Omg sweet.

 

[twguitar]

Keep an eye on the site, the relaunch is coming soon....

http://bcrich.com

 

[Merrekof]

Dammit, been following and commenting on this thread..now I'm starting to get hyped!
I sincerely hope BCRich crawls out of the hole it got itself in.

 

[Evil Chuck]

Upgrades almost done with this one. Now if BCR could get out of the dumpster and take some notes
View attachment 70594

I love these. What upgrades have you done? I'm looking to replace the tuners on my Jr.V with some locking tuners, but not sure what would be the best fit wise.