What's The Deal ?????
 

I am on this site only on occasion. What I have noticed is that there are many on here that are extremely helpful when someone asks a question or for advice. Some are very diplomatic, while others do not care to sugar coat their responses. There are some that are novice and others that have decades of experience. I have read about the love or dislike of entry level basses as well as top tier basses costing thousands of dollars. That all said, I rarely see any mention (pro or con) about B.C.Rich Basses. For the record, like many on here, I own several different Basses, one being a 1979 B.C. Rich Mockingbird. I absolutely love this Bass, but I am puzzled as to why there are so few threads,comments or discussions about these Basses. Is there something I am not getting or don't know about regarding B.C. Rich Basses, specifically a Mockingbird (circa 1979)? So I ask those of you with an opinion, ...What's the Deal?

Not very popular, even compared to a 80's Peavey or cheapo SX.

I appreciate the feedback, but I have seen the same make, model and year selling for over $2000.00 on multiple sites (when they are available). It does seem obvious that within this community, they are not that popular (hence my creating the thread), but to compare them to an 80's Peavey just doesn't seem right. I realize it's all ones opinion.
Have you ever played a Mockingbird from the late 70's? I'm just curious if you have had any personal experience playing one, or if your opinion is based more on what you have read and heard.

Well here is more on my opinion. People like playing the Peaveys and that they are cheap is a bonus. People don't like playing Mockingbirds, but those of that age are not common so there is collector interest in them that keeps the price up. Now if people liked playing them as well the collector value would be more than $2000.

Seems most basses talked about here are in the following categories:
Vintage Fender (not a Mockingbird)
Inexpensive but good (not a Mockingbird)
Boutique or Semi-boutique (not a Mockingbird)
Higher-end Fenderish basses (not a Mockingbird)
Things your average working musician would play (probably not a Mockingbird, esp. Vintage)
Basses of historical interest (probably not much BC Rich)

So of that, you can see where a vintage bass not especially known for standing out in any way made by a small and less than popular builder won't come up much. It doesn't mean it is not a good bass, just one not too many people have interest in outside BC Rich collectors.

But if you like it no one is gonna hate on you for it. I've never played one, because I can't say one even exists in the Twin Cities. Therein comes the higher value, scarcity. The few who want one have to pay more because there just aren't many out there. If they were coveted by a lot of players, they would cost ten times what they do.

That's about right.

They're cool basses, but nobody mods them, and they have a rather "specific" appeal. They're not bargain priced, nor uber-expensive. (There's a lot of makes in the same boat.)

So, just not much to talk about.

There are hundreds and hundreds of nondescript basses, and anything that has a non-standard shape is by nature not a popular bass.. You can get a mockingbird for $350 new, so its hardly a remarkable instrument other than its shape and so there is absolutely no discernable reason why anyone here would ever recommend a Mockingbird bass unless someone asked about their options for odd looking bass guitars


edit: this is simply another way of saying what fourbanger did a few posts earlier.

Along with the reasons already mentioned, I'd like to add that B.C Rich basses (and guitars) seem to only attract metal players so they don't often show up in threads that aren't metal oriented.

FWIW, in 1979 I went to see my favorite 3 piece cover band of that time. The lead singer/guitarist of that group wound up fronting one of the most famous rock bands of all time, but that's another story... Anyhow, the bassist of that band traded in his jazz for a mockingbird, and even though I was learning guitar at the time, I fell in love with that bass. I left an incredible impression, was crisp and clear and I loved everything about it. Never played one and I would imagine it now to sound old school, but back then it had more zing than any bass I had ever heard. Could have been a new set of strings, too. Bottom line is the bass left an incredible impression on me at an early age. No idea why there's such a lack of love for them. Probably because they're a bit hard to come by.

Just a sidenote to the metal aspect of these basses, there are videos of Maceo Parker 's band in which the bassist (Jerome something?) KILLS it on a Mockingbird. Damn, that bass sits so nicely in the big funk band mix.

As Mystic38 points out, unconventional shapes tend to be a lot less popular than more familiar ones.

BC Rich basses, especially those from that era, are excellent instruments and I think most of us here at TB recognize that, but because of the "love it or hate it" aesthetics of BC Rich basses they just get less attention.

That's my take on it, anyway....

+1

I love the Mockingbird shape, but it's not exactly "me"

However, if I had a chance to get an old neck through model at a good price I'd definitely snag it.

People talk about BC Rich basses all the time. If you want to see the frequency of conversation, type " site:talkbass.com b c rich talkbass" into Google.




My 2 BC Rich basses:

People like playing BC Rich's plenty. You can spend over $2,000 on a vintage BC Rich very easily. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find any US-made BC Rich going for less than $1,200. Prices on most vintage BC Rich basses exceed the prices asked for their US contemporaries.

US-made BC Rich's are considered one of the best made basses of their day. The build quality is superb, and the materials and hardware were the best available.

In 1979, I bought a beautiful brand new BC Rich Mockingbird. I don't remember exactly, but I think it cost me around $900. It was birdseye maple, and one of the most striking BC Riches I've ever seen. It's interesting to note that the 1979s have differently shaped horns than other years.

At the time, I was gigging 5 to 7 nights per week. I would bring the Rich, and my Fender Precision. The Rich felt really heavy compared to my relatively light weight P bass. And, it had pretty bad neck dive. So, I was using it for a set, and then going to the P bass. I eventually just started leaving it at home.

The guy playing bass in my roomate's band fell in love with the Rich, and offered me what I paid for it. That was a lot of money at the time, so I sold it to him. I heard several years later that he had a lot of problems with the neck. I've wondered if it was from Rotosound strings.

I know a guy who has a plain maple Mockingbird he bought a couple years before I bought mine. He still has it, and plays it regularly. It's his main, if not only, bass; and he loves it. He's never had any kind of trouble with it.

The early BC Riches were beautiful, hand made instruments. Sometimes I wish I still had mine.

&
Kudos to
johnk_10

The people who own them like playing them. BUT, what they're getting at is that MOST PEOPLE do not.
They're well crafted & play nicely, but nobody wants them because the shapes are genre associated.

Walk into a country gig with a mockingbird & it won't matter what your playing is like. They're going to ask you if you have something else you can play. Image is a BIG thing in performing & BC Rich is VERY metal with most of their models.

Nothing like bashing a bass to get people talking. You are welcome.

Personally I hate most BC Rich basses and guitars, way too "metal" looking for my tastes. Their old stuff looks pretty nice though, far more tame. Would love to play one but they are far from common in my neck of the woods. The cheap-o ones are a dime a dozen though.

On a side note they are pretty good to their artists, I know a guy who a signature axe with them.