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BC RIch Mockingbird

ericmonster_tm

ericmonster_tm

Sep 29, 2006
239
2
Oklahoma City
#1
Cant find any info on them.

Looks like they come in set-neck, bolt-on and maybe the OG basses were neck-through?

I only see spares mentioning of them here and it mainly has to do with Trivium (ewww!).

I only see one review on Harmony central and it looks like they may not be sure which models they have.


I like the fact it has 4 pick-ups. =D
 
#5
TrooperFarva said:
4 pickups? The ones I've seen have 2 P-style split single coils, if that's what you're talking about.

I played one in Guitar Center today. The neck was huge, and it played terribly. Sounded bad too. IMHO.
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I played the Heritage model with the Red sides.. the neck was great and the sound was INCREDIBLE. One of the coolest sounding basses i've ever had. If I had 500$ it would be mine right now. The double P pickup layout is great!
 
#6
I just got my B.C. Rich Heritage Classic Mockingbird Bass in trans red yesterday, and here's my initial reactions (background: I play mid paced thrash/death metal):

The bass looks wicked and beautiful, even the back of it is cool!
Very unusual old school look for a mockingbird really, love the headstock.
Nice finish and bevelled edges as well.

Face it, you'd be getting this bass for the look not the straight playability; the question is whether it's playable for ya. I think enough so.

Out of the box the bass has some serious fret buzz on the E and A strings. It also has an adjustable bridge so I raised the E and A saddles a bit which got rid of most of the fret buzz, and replaced the stock strings with some med light GHS boomers. Still a bit of buzz on the A when I pluck hard though. The action is also VERY low to the strings, but not dull. This bass seems suited for speed playing to me, you barely have to touch the frets, which will take some getting used to compared to my main bass, an old Jackson Charvel jazz p-bass that I bang the hell out of!

In regards to the neck, it is very wide, which suits my large hands nicely, and seems good quality. I'm trying to get used to the cloud inlays though. I think they on older BC riches, hence 'heritage classic.'
Strings might be too far apart for a lot of folks though.

Main problems:
-Some fret buzz, especially the A string.
-This neck falls forward when you're not holding, and I mean badly!!!
All BC Rich basses do this, and always have as far as I know, but this one is especially bad due to the large 24 fret neck on the thing. This will be a deal breaker for alot of folks, I'm thinking.
-Weight. The bass is also very very heavy compared to my other basses, I'm 6'3" so I was worried the bass would be too small/light for me. It isn't! But again, some folks will be worn down by this thing!

-Alex
 
#9
BCRs are not all show... i love my beast. It all depends on preference (i will NOT play a warwick! Just preference) i like how BCRs feel, reminds me of a Jazz with a finished neck. the one mockingbird i played in GC i didnt really like, but it just needed a setup.

The tone of them, however, is incredible. The 2 p's give a really nice, growly, versatile tone. they arent metal at all really, you can play everything withe them, jazz, rock, metal, you name it! (i even marched with it lol)

I say go for it! its a nice, relatively cheap, versatile bass. the mockingbird is one of the better, more conventional bodies. that way, if you get bored with any one type of music you can play other stuff too.

for more info check out the BCR mega-thread... i think theres at least one review there
 
#10
I picked up a white '86 NJ Mockingbird the other day - I sorted the neck dive in about 5 minutes by moving the rear strap button a few inches up the rear curve and moving the other one to the neck heel. Balances fine now.

Mine has the full varitone electronics with the preamp boost, phase and series/parallel switches. Most of the combinations produce unusable tones but there are some nice ones to be found. Very thumpy bass, wouldnt say growly, more dark fat thump - its kind of like a Thunderbird.

I've strung it BEAD as my band tune down to D and my main axe is a 5 string, and there is a fair bit of buzz I need to sort out - don't have an allen key small enough to adjust the action at the moment though!
 
#12
thumbin said:
I would stear clear of bcriches... IMO theyre all show...
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Understood. That is your opinion and definately not mine!

if even that, the material used on them is pretty crappy.
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I disagree. My NJ 'Bird has sweet pickups. I know some people don't like them but I really do. That;s the case with any brand of pickups though. I don't ever plan to swap them out. The tuners are just Gotoh copies. They work well and haven't given be any reliability problems and they hold tune. The bridge is a nice heavy unit that I really like. Overall, I love it.

And theyre not worth the way over charging price. I wouldnt waste my $$$ on one... Put out a little bit more and get a passive bubinga warwick corvette :)
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That there my friend, is another opinion, not fact. It is one that I also do not agree with. :cool:

HotTubesGrooves said:
I picked up a white '86 NJ Mockingbird the other day - I sorted the neck dive in about 5 minutes by moving the rear strap button a few inches up the rear curve and moving the other one to the neck heel. Balances fine now.
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+1 These basses can be made to balance fairly easily. However, I don't see the problem like some. My 24 fret 'Bird will dive if I totally let it go and move around but it has never made me feel like I ws holding it up while playing.
 

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