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Offical B.C. Rich Club!

#1,161
B-Mac said:
Educate me:
What is the connection with Warwick?
B.C. Rich
Click to expand...

In 2019 Bill Xavier who at that time was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Hanser music got two silent partners to back him and they bought the brand from Hanser Music...(after Hanser ran the brand into the ground and licensed the name B.C. Rich off to Praxis...)

As near as I can tell Warwick simply has a distribution deal in place with the new owners of B.C. Rich...they do have an extensive distribution network throughout Germany and Austria...and the do represent and distribute products from musical instrument and equipment companies from all over Europe and the United States....

I suppose one of the partners could be Warwick or perhaps has a connection to Warwick...
 
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#1,162
Lardass5000 said:
I dont own a BC but I want to. I never knew I liked them until I played one. I played a doubleP ivory covered with awesome woodwork. Holy crow! Cool bass. Now im gassin'.
Need direction...
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I really wanted an early 80's original Mockingbird. Just absolutely love the visual vibe and I knew from watching enough YouTube music videos from the 70' - 80's that I could get a great sound from one. Just had never seen/heard one in the wild and the asking prices for the originals were/are a non starter for me.

Maybe 2 - 3 years ago I found a smoking deal on a Heritage Classic model Mockingbird that I couldn't pass up. Bright translucent red with quilted top, neck through construction, double P pickups and a lot of tonal range. In a stable of 12 basses (currently...) this is one of my top three go-to's (a pre EB Stingray and a Thunderbird being the other two). Not sure it's age, can't seem to find any info on how to decipher the serial number but my best guess from what I have to work with is it's maybe a 2004.

I've read that the NJ Series basses, which to my knowledge came earlier than the Heritage Classic Series, are to be avoided but I have no knowledge as to why, just passing that along FWIW. Someone here I'm sure has more knowledge of such things than I do.

I have no way to compare it to an original but in it's own right this is an extremely well built and great sounding instrument. I hands down get more comments on it's look and sound than any of the other 's I have (and also play regularly). They're not common but they're out there. Originals seem to ask $4K-up, new ones list for $1299, likely to find one used for maybe 60%-ish of list? Here's a photo of mine below.

20200225_220607.jpg 20200225_220738.jpg
 
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#1,163
The Heritage Classic looks beautiful! :cool: :thumbsup:

FWIW, I have an NJ Warlock that my wife bought me as an anniversary gift several years ago. I don't know why people look down on them, it's probably more of a brand thing than anything else. Kind of like how people look down on LTD basses also, because they aren't a Fender P Bass. I've been totally happy with my NJ Warlock from day one. It plays great, sounds solid and I've never had a problem with it.
 
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#1,164
Regarding the Heritage basses, for the cost of what you can get a used one for they are nice basses. They aren't really the same thing as the original ones. My chief issue with the ones that I've played are the weight, thickness and meh pickups. I'm sure you can find good ones and replace pickups easily enough though.
 
#1,166
TerribleTim68 said:
I don't know why people look down on them, it's probably more of a brand thing than anything else. Kind of like how people look down on LTD basses also, because they aren't...
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Had a really nice LTD B204 that was a great bass too. Solidly built, played easy and had great tone. Sold because the neck was way too thin for my big hands but it was a quality instrument. We live in an era of well built and great sounding inexpensive instruments.
 
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#1,167
EdO. said:
Had a really nice LTD B204 that was a great bass too. Solidly built, played easy and had great tone. Sold because the neck was way too thin for my big hands but it was a quality instrument. We live in an era of well built and great sounding inexpensive instruments.
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Yeah, this is a fact. I've got the NJ Warlock, a MKII Mockingbird and actually own 3 LTD basses (2 F-104 and a B-206SM) along with 3 Ibanez basses. They are all solid players that I got for very cheap. People pass on stuff that is great just because it doesn't have a specific name brand or reputation.
 
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#1,168
9c1ny said:
The modern imports while they resemblance BCR's in shape there is nothing else about them that compares to the vintage USA
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Agreed!

About the time in the late 80’s early 90’s when the import started landing and while S El Monte was still around. I walked in and had BC Rich build an Innovator that Bernie Jr helped me spec. Pearl White, Black Hardware, Bartolini’s, Hipshot. Nice chunk of a neck and the lowest action any bass of mine ever had. Sold it like an idiot and been looking for it since. I think I paid $900 to BC Rich, Sigh…..

if anyone has seen it, I’d be a happy man

Cheers!
 
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#1,169
Raulplaysbass said:
Agreed!

About the time in the late 80’s early 90’s when the import started landing and while S El Monte was still around. I walked in and had BC Rich build an Innovator that Bernie Jr helped me spec. Pearl White, Black Hardware, Bartolini’s, Hipshot. Nice chunk of a neck and the lowest action any bass of mine ever had. Sold it like an idiot and been looking for it since. I think I paid $900 to BC Rich, Sigh…..

if anyone has seen it, I’d be a happy man

Cheers!
Click to expand...
I've seen a lot of BCRs but not that one

If you're on Facebook join over at Official B.C. Rich Unlimited

We have something like 13k members and all the movers and shakers in BCR land are there

I'd personally avoid the other large BCR page unless you prefer drama over guitars
 
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#1,170
9c1ny said:
I've seen a lot of BCRs but not that one

If you're on Facebook join over at Official B.C. Rich Unlimited

We have something like 13k members and all the movers and shakers in BCR land are there

I'd personally avoid the other large BCR page unless you prefer drama over guitars
Click to expand...
Almost tempts me to get a facebook account. Is Matt Touchard in that group? Holy crap he's given me some great historical background on my Bodine. Can't wait for his book to come out.
 
#1,171
BklynKen said:
Almost tempts me to get a facebook account. Is Matt Touchard in that group? Holy crap he's given me some great historical background on my Bodine. Can't wait for his book to come out.
Click to expand...
Only reason I have one.
Yes Matti is on there although he mostly lurks.
Neal Moser is, Mal Stitch (former plant manager) , Martyn Evans (designer of the Wave) , Bill Xavier (current BCR owner)
There's also former owners, other former employees, artists etcetera
 
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#1,172
9c1ny said:
Only reason I have one.
Yes Matti is on there although he mostly lurks.
Neal Moser is, Mal Stitch (former plant manager) , Martyn Evans (designer of the Wave) , Bill Xavier (current BCR owner)
There's also former owners, other former employees, artists etcetera
Click to expand...
Got a link? I wanna give it to my buddy. He just started working under Neal. He might get a kick out of it. :roflmao:
 
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