B.C. Rich Bich

To address Tom's concern about the tone of the guitar, It may lack warmth solely on a hard finish that deadens the wood's tonal quality. Mine likey has a hard acrylic type finish, even coming from the Hisperia California plant. Mine is determined to be made in June 87, I found that our via the BCRICH website before HHI took over all aspects. I concur that with EMG (81 and 85!) added to this BICH, the tone and attack are narrowly distinctive. If you crave a wider range, the original "BCR" pickups in Neal Moser's circuit are DiMarzio originals...passive. The EMGs run on a particular active circuit. I plan to run different electronics in my re-wired NJ neck thru BCR Ironbird. My Class Axe Bich I commented on in 2002 was recently lost to a pawn shop at Christmas time this year, I regret it but I missed a needed payment, they pulled it and it sold. Lost my Guild Songbird and Washburn HM-20V as well. I couldn't afford to bail them out for good. I lost my job after 16 years. I can't even restore the guitars I have left while searching for some new income means.

The sound does suit a heavy- bass attack, and for the BCR bass guitars, I hear they are just that, as reviewed in Circus magazine in 1983. Back then there was a Who's Who of endorsing players. I've seen a number of people who inspired me, none more then Joe Perry and Paul Chapman of Lonestar/UFO fame. He's commented to me on his former website that he still loves the Bich but plays a custom these days. I lost my POD and DigiTech to the pawn shops as well, so I changed my sound with a used Marshall MG mini combo!

The guitars in the BC Rich stable are normally neck-heavy, the Bich feels light on that end due to the large wing design. Neal Moser actually scaled the wings down to fit the wood he was working with!! I love the horns and cutaways as well as the rear bout that makes way for the additional tuners. With a tremolo or standard 6 setup, the bout is just part of the shape, but I always point out it was always designed by Neal to support the additional tuners. Only a few chips have plagued me from the start, and the worst aspect is not owning locking strap nuts to begin with, The locking portion of the Schaller system mates directly to the body's posts as assembled from Hespiria.
The neck is thin on this Bich too, the action is with 9 guage and just recently set professionally, cost about $130 to do this, and they will correct anything after the fact, with little fuss

I want to hold onto this first BC RIch BICH I bought, after the headstock broke clean off twice, I had it signed TWICE! Dave Mustaine I met in person with Megadeth and Marty Friedman (in Japan now) and Dave signed it first, then met Michael Schenker after a local MSG tour, thankfully he stuck around at an indoor table meet and great!!!
The pic of the git is on Photobucket

If you can get them, they will help you out, speaking from finding the serials, I was in the right place at the right time!! They had found the recorded records and went online to ask anyone if they had serials to cross-reference, hense I know that serial 90248 is June 1987!

Hardware makes a big difference, I know some of you only bother with the pickups, no doubt that's a big part, but the electronics and the nut/bridge are also imparting a hold on your strings!!

1980, 24 frets, solid- top, 3 nob (volume, volume and a tone), 3 way selector, two pickup/humbuckers, NJ Series, all mahogany, satin finish, jumbo fret... everything!

I play alot of metal in my band and the BC Rich Bich servse perfectly. It sounds alot like the Gibson SG but with a unique twist in the distortion capabilities. I run it through a Laney TFX3H and it sounds beautiful. It's very versatile guitar. It holds it's own up in high distortion but can also play a nice clean drive.

When the guitar first came out of the factory I had to tweek the action to my liking but either than that it was perfect. ver time I put stra locks on it, although it doesn't have locking tuners... I still love it.

I've played hundreds of concerts with this thing. I thrown it across the stage and everything and it won't break! Will last a life time.

Never had to deal with it...

This guitar is amazing and to all the peole who are reading this and are into hardcore metal like Slipknot and Lamb of God, this guitar will satisfy all your guitaring needs.

80's bich
24 fret
black finish
vol, tone, 5 way
steve vai dimarzio
roland midi setup ( tracking sometimes lags on certain sounds told that it is the floyd rose doing that)
floyd rose

with the new steve vai pickups in it i cannot find a fault with the sound.

had major drama with the g string, took it to 5 luthiers and in the end i discovered it was the nut. now holds tune well but was a huge head fuk with everyone telling me the harmonics and intination was all wrong. put 10 to 52's and lowered action now plays great.

i have a ibanez custom agent, a us strat and a custom warlock but use my bich for all my gigging.

never dealt with bc rich but australian distributors should be stripped of their rights to sell and maintain these guitars.

2005 special edition of the famous Bich. Basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. 1 Vol knob, 2 Tones. Bla Bla, check their website.

I got this amazing guitar for this year Christmas (2005) from my girlfriend. It is an amazing guitar with great sound and look. At first, the factory setup was not guite my type...its too high! But after adjusting the bridge...there ya go...a perfect guitar. Another thing, the music shop placed 0.008 strings on to it,
so i got rid of them and place the 0.11.

The sound that comes out from this Bich is superb, much much better than other guitar that cost twice
as much. Tight bottoms, rocket highs, and great mids, also incredible sustains. The stock pickups are great...
really boost up the signal..work likely as the EMG Hz...though i will most probably change it into Active EMGs (60, 81) soon.

The finish is Onyx (gloss black). Looks really really good...
The action was too high for me, but adjusting it was easy...
Pickups is fine enough...
Its a great guitar...

So far so good! Nothing seems to make this guitar unreliable...strong and probably will last for ages ahah

If u live in Thailand...Music Collection is a great store. Good service attitude...but they always stand there and look at what u play when u test the guitars....i hate that..hha

I've been playing guitars for 7 years and been using numbers of guitar...but my all time favorite are ESP and BC Rich...I own a ESP LTD
Viper and this BC Rich SE Bich...and thats enough for me.
Its is definitely made for metal...great neck, sleek body...I would recomemd this Bich for those who are
insearch for a guitar to play metal.

its the import model korea,its the new one piece classic 2005 just came out,a very solid guitar,its not the bolt on model,the brand new one with the HARD ROCK MAPLE NECK!!!
the neck reminds me of a les paul 60's neck,24 fret,2 volumes and one tone,3 way switch,flawless flame top,lespaul style tail piece,alot of mahogany wood,shunk strips,a thick tone,i have installed sperzel locking tuners,graphic nut,
changed the pick-ups to the dimarzio X2N,and the Paf Pro in the neck,and redone the wiring,its just a personel thing,i like certain things,and them things are what i do

inspiried by the great Joe perry and Brad Whitford,i have always wanted to try out a 10 bich,this is the one,a bargain,did'nt care for the factory PU's and the tuners,did some changes,this guitar is a BEAST!!with all this wood,why could it not be!i play everything from Blues,old acid rock,70's,80's,and the new stuff{alot of Aerosmith/ACDC,Nugent etc}i play thru mig 100 sovtek with genz benz g-flex,the combination of the two,is nothing but AWSOME!!lows that will kill worms in the ground,highs to drop birds from the sky,its the fix for the tone addict

well most guitars go accross a set-up table at most guitar shops,they try to set-up to the middle of the road,i have alway feel you need to personelly tweak you own guitar,set it for what works for you,and i do,that means knowing what you are doing,and why you are doing this to get what you want it to do,in short know how to work on your guitar,or learn how to work on your guitar,enuff said,this guitar was the easist to set-up,plays like butter,the paint,the shunk strips perfect,the flame top,breath taking,especially for import,put a big R on the headstock,don't think you would know the difference

if like to dance on stage,this is your dance partner,its a little heavy,make sure you have GOOD STRAPLOKS!!!i've hit this against my amp,mic stands,my other guitarist,and hit my singer in the head,it has some dents,nothing has gone to the wood,must be alot of paint there,and who needs a back-up guitar,if a fight breaks out,i'm the last guitarist you want to mess with,the bich is like a battle axe,you get the point,this is a great investment

BC Rich is a great company,they are so helpful,any questions,are answered,and they love hear'in from,at least that what they make me feel like,they offer ideas,they really work with you,bottom line

i'm very picky on what guitar i walk out on stage with,this guitar is the easist thing to play,it rocks hard,i've been playing since 73,i own alot of different guitars,this is one my top prize pieces,i could own a custom built,just happen to pick this one up,fell in love with it,everybody trys to buy-it,because of the way i got it set-up,that is the key to it,the way i have it set-up,anyone could do the same,but they don't want to spend the time tweaking it,it pays off trust me,like with any guitar,play it,if it does'nt feel right don't buy it,find the one thats for you,and fits you,color name brand shape is the last thing to even think about in buying a guitar,but with this guitar,its my opinion i got everything-looks-playabilty-sound,if it was stolen,i would find the person and rip off there arms and stuff them down his/hers neck,or it would be replaced with the same withoout a doubt

I have the third review below.. It is the Bich with the hot rod flames. I am writing again, because I have owned this guitar for almost 2 years now, and I am a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE THIS GUITAR, but I can't get it to sound right. I have had 4 different pickups in this thing, and it still sounds thin. The first time I reviewed it, I only owned it for about 2 weeks, and have since bought other high end guitars that simply kill this thing. I have 2 PRS 24 fretters that sound great, and I don't play the Bich anymore. This is not meant to be a slam, becuase I want this to be my main guitar, but the harsh sound makes me put it down within minutes. Anyone have any ideas on how I can warm this thing up??

I have a 1982 white Bich. Made in the U.S.A. Maple neck with Koa sides. It has the full active electronics, Badass bridge, gold Grover tuners and hardware. Rosewood fretboard with cloud inlays.
All original. I have had it for two years now and have virtually abandoned my Gibson.

I play mostly Zeppelin, Van Halen, Rush type of music. I can get so many sounds out of the thing, but I rarely use all of the features the electronics have to offer. I play it through a '77 Marshall Plexi half stack. I have a ton of effects but am currently using an older POD 2.0. I love the sound from the guitar. The pickups don't have a lot of gain unless you use the preamps...then watch out! Nice sounding guitar.

The action on this guitar is incredible! It is the reason that this is my main guitar now. The strings are very low yet I still am able to bend them without ever losing the note. The fit and finish is excellent as well.

Since the guitar is over 20 years old, I would say it has stood the test of time. Although, I have had to solder some of the wires in the electronics once. It had two small chips of paint missing on the back of the guitar next to the strap button. But all in all, it still looks brand new.

The only time I called B.C. Rich was to date the guitar and get the type of wood. They were very helpful.

This is a great guitar. I also own a Gibson Explorer and I just can't compare the playability of the two. I have to admit that the Gibson has an excellent sound, but the Bich just melts in my hands. It is such a shame that B.C. Rich has gotten such a bad reputation because of their Japanese line and their shapes, the handmade ones are really superior guitars.

I now own two Rich Bichs, both made in the USA. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the BC Rich company, for some reason Bernie Rico never fully got the attention his guitars command. Now, soon, the story will have a bit more light, thanks mostly to the man behind the Rich Bich (very aptly named axe). Neal Moser who came upon the need and idea for a ten string guitar following the 12 string tuning pattern but only on the top four strings, is taking on the needed task of writing a book on his years with BC Rich. It should open up much that is not known. Since most players opt for a six string (some 7s are available in this day and age), the ten string was offered in different bodies for tremolo, non trem and ten string.

The guitars were handmade in California up until the early 1990s. In 1988-89 Bernie Rico retired for a respite. He allowed Class Axe to license the company, starting with imports and then USA made guitars. I've determined that the guitar reviewed prior, on this page points to a Class Axe USA model, circa 1992.

How would I know that? Because I happen to own one, bought early 2002. I had to do some research, only to find all the info about it was etched on the electronics bay lid! Neal Moser designed the Rich Bich to follow a Strat style, so it feels conventional, aside from the very large rear wing profile. The necks on genuine Richs are rather thin, and preferred by me, and I've found the Class Axes are more akin to Gibson necks. (Having owned a Gib V)

The classic and current (Bernie Rico Sr. returned to his company in 1993, but, sadly, passed away in December 1999) BC Rich guitars are available with full electronics package, and Neal says not to call these active, as they're more preamp boost, running active as well. The full package uses two 9 volt batteries and a variation on a Gibson switch called the VariTone.

I personally love these guitars... they play well and look like the work of art they are. More people like the Warlock it seems, but that model came after the Bich...debuting in 1978 and played by Aerosmith in those days (both JOE and BRAD!)

Bill S.

I cover all styles, and any guitar that fits you physically ... with the right effects, amp, strings...what have you, can perform in ANY style.
A guitar does not determine the music you play... it does, however, inspire you to play the dang thing!!

The USA Class Axe I got has some poor finishing touches on the fret board, but outside of that, of which I'm told is common...the guitar is almost mint, with few of the sharp corners chipped.
My first Rich Bich was date stamped 90xxx, so it's most likely an '86 or '87 made USA axe. It has a Floyd/Fender style Kahler fulcrum trem, which struck me as odd, even with as little info I had at the time. It also had only dot inlays (pearl). My Class Axe is gloss black w/ rosewood fingerboard and abalone cloud inlays (debut circa 1975, and NOT on the Bich, even though they found a home there)
One thing to note, is without Neal on board (at BC Rich), his personal touches on Rich Bichs may not be found, some may be off from his original design. Still I have great effection for mine that were made after he left. I plan to buy older Bichs still.

A funny thing about this is I'm told some players are a bit afraid to use them on stage....outside of theft, you can sustain many things the road subjects an instrument!

The top notch BC Rich guitars are a beautiful thing, but they are made to be played. I'm not discussing the import line as I stayed away from them....for obvious reasons ;:~)

Nope, Guitar repair shop nearby, and trusted.
I got a recommendation from a local musician on where he goes for axe work.

We're all learning...life is a never ending lesson, just hope to shed some needed light here, myself.
Neal Moser's book is not available yet, but it should be required reading for all those curious and die hard BCR fans as well
I've started playing...dunno, but bought first electric axe in 1984
My gear mostly changes, but I use split ADA stereo cabs 2x12 and POD (early version), and Digitech Twin Tube GFX-1

I hope to collect a laundry list of Rich Bichs...to me they are works of art... my eyes never get tired! hehe

USA, neck through, with six-on-a-side headstock, two duncan '59 PAF humbuckers (which I installed), a two piece gibson style bridge, and one volume, and two tone knobs. It has custom paint (black, with hot rod flames), and gold hardware, and sperzel locking tuners. The neck is small (width of fretboard), but thick, and has abalone cloud inlays.

I play mostly blues, so this does not get much stage time. I pulled the EMG's (which were stock, and I thought that they sounded terrible) out, and put in Duncan '59 PAF's in it. I am sure that the EMG's are fine for a Heavy Metal sound, but I was looking for a Les Paul type of sound. It does sound like a nice Les Paul.. Not quite as good, but the body thickness is VERY different between the two, so I can not fault it here.

Did not buy it new, but it felt good when I bought it. The finish sucks, but I have a feeling that it is a refin. It plays fantastic.

Seems durable. I have not owned it for very long, but no complaints. I have gigged with it, but it is not my main guitar. I would say that you probably would not need a backup if this was your main guitar.

Never used their customer support.

For this style of guitar, the only other thing I own that could be considered similar, is a Les Paul, and a Jackson Soloist. I believe that the BC Rich is not quite as full sounding as the Les Paul, but, like I mentioned earlier, that is unfair to say, considering the thickness of the body of the Les Paul. For the most part, the two are fairly interchangable, and the BC Rich looks WAY cooler. It definately grabs everyone's attention when I bring it out.

It was made in 2000 has full active electronics,flame top maple, two humbuckers neck through, 24 fret and a floyd rose.

I play 80' hard rock some blues and alittle southern rock. I'm playing it through a mesa boogie recto-verb and it sounds great. With the full electronics it has a lot of tonal options. These guitars do not get the recognition they should.

It came set up perfectlly. Quality is outstanding. I can't believe anyone would pay 1500.00 for a Les paul or Strat when they can get a basic B.C Rich for the same money. Mine isn't basic but come on Gibson and Fender are chargeing premium prices for Guitars that costs 500.00 to biuld. Hell they even use fake mother of pearl fret markers. I think the biggest problem is idoits like the guy after me and most of the people who comented on B.C. Rich here. I'm mean this guy is braggig about a plastic bich thats made in the shape of a mockingbird. How stupid is that? If it's made in the shape of a mockingbird It can't very well be a bich can it. I have owned three mockingbirds and two bich's and everyone of them has been a work of art. It is to bad that mostly the metal crowd uses them because it takes away their credabillty as an great all around guitar. Remarks like "this bad boy", and "freaken wicked" doen't inspire confidence in their opinion on anything but vidio games. Oh well.

Having played these guitars since th early 80's the only bad thing I can say is the full active electrinics can get finicky over time and need some repair or replacement. So I would have to give it a 9 because of that.

Have never needed them.

I've been playing for twenty years. I only own B.C. Rich, but not becouse there aren't any other guitars worth haveing it just seems like a waste of money to pay the same price for an lesser product (Fender/Gibson) when I can get an american hand built for the same price. Oh ya, and this bad boy is freakin wicked. What ever.