FS: Customized BC Rich Mockingbird Bass

SOLD!!!!
i'm selling one of my two customized mockingbirds. this is the transparent bleack one with chrome hardware (no longer made). I designed the Mockingbird back in December of 1975 for Bernardo Rico (BC RICH). When I drew out the body design, the deal was that he was supposed to make only ONE of them (for me), but we all know how that goes

The original prototype was all maple with two rosewood stringers. It had dual Hi-A (aka Bartolini) humbucking pickups and the prototype of the Leo Quan Bad Ass bridge. While it was a great bass, I always wished that I was more involved in the actual building process since due to the radical body shape it became very evident that they were susceptible to neck dive issues. So, after 35 years, I decided to solve those issues.

I actually like the pickups and preamp more than the original's, but the neck dive issues still remain, and the back of the body had no 'belly cut' to make it more comfortable. Those are the first two modifications that I performed on it. First, I relocated & extended the horn's strap button from the rear to the outermost part of the horn, and fabricated a steel spacer to extend it another 1/2". This helped balance it almost perfectly. I machined a much larger, longer & stronger strap mounting screw so that it would handle the load. Next, I replaced the stock machine heads (tuners) with Hipshot Ultralites (these are $130 heads). This shaved almost 3 ounces off of the headstock, and made it balance perfectly. I went with the large 'clover leaf' version since the original prototype had large Grover Titans (very heavy) and I wanted to give it a 'vintage look". The final mod for comfort was done by cutting a deep 'belly cut' on the back of the bass, so it is much more comfortable to play, either standing up with a strap, or sitting down. The area was then finished in transparent black to match the rest of the body's finish.

I never like the newer headstock's logo, and always loved the look of vintage original USA BC Rich ones, so I planed this one's headstock face .065" and laminated a .065" thick Indian rosewood overlay on it. I then cut a genuine mother of pearl 'R' inlay for it by hand, just like the originals had, and inlaid it on the top of the headstock. 12 coats of nitro lacquer were applied and then buffed to a high gloss.

I replaced the black plastic nut with one that I made from genuine bone, and to top it off, made a new single screw brass truss rod cover, signed it and sealed it with two coats of lacquer.

The neck has been adjusted perfectly straight, the frets leveled, recrowned and polished, and the action is nice and low. This bass will be packed extremely well and includes a heavy-duty padded gig bag. Please scroll down to see the pictures of it, and thanks for looking! asking $850.00 +actual fedex shipping.

here's the pics:

 

thanks guys! yeah, i'm keeping a trans red one with the same mods for myself (i don't really need two of them).

the neck is pretty even from the nut all the way up to the high registers (not alot of taper like a jazz bass). i would say it's more like a ric but a little chunkier. it's really comfy to play and the acton is like buttah.
BTW, the bass weighs 9lbs 3 oz so it's not all that heavy (like the prototype was)

 

SOLD on ebay for $899 + shipping.

 

yep. it was beotch.