Who owns bc rich guitars

The company briefly switched owners in the s before being acquired in the s by Hanser Music Group, a distribution company based in Hebron , Kentucky. The high-end B. Rich instruments are custom-made in the USA whereas the mid and low budget models are produced in different countries in Asia.

A somewhat odd design, ostensibly based on a toilet seat shape, this guitar was designed by Bernie Rico. Initially the pickups were Gibsons, rewired as 4 conductor and potted, later Guild pickups were treated the same way. Early in the 70s Neal Moser was brought on board to design and supervise the electronics.

His contribution was the iconic setup with coil taps, a phase switch, a Varitone and a defeatable active preamp or two in some models. This electronics package continues to this day on higher end models. The Seagull shape was uncomfortable for some to play due to the sharp upper point and the sharp lower point that dug into the leg sitting down. It was redesigned several times including a smoother lower point, a Junior version with simpler electronics and a pointless version which is quite rare.

Finally it morphed into the Eagle shape with no sharp points. Serial numbers began as a stamped 6 digit number starting with the year and ending with the number of production would be the 37th guitar built in Since more than guitars were produced many years, the numbers became increasingly inaccurate through the s, ending up about 4 years behind i.

After Class Axe took over there were a number of different serial schemes designated for the American, Asian and Bolt-on guitars. This model was made popular by Brad Whitford of Aerosmith and Neil Giraldo guitarist and also husband of Pat Benatar also played his Eagle on some of her early albums and videos. It was made popular by Joe Perry of Aerosmith. Rich guitars until , when the company began designing its own pickups.

Although it featured the same neck-through construction and wiring as the Seagull, the Mockingbird made a bolder visual statement, and it remains one of B. While the Mockingbird features sharper points than the Seagull, it at least directs them away from the player. Bernie Rico modified the design in , lengthening the cutaway horn on the treble side to improve balance. Popularized throughout its long production run by players such as Joe Perry, Slash, and Kerry King, the Mockingbird marks an important development in B.

The less stabby successor to the Seagull, the Eagle rounded out B. The body shape closely resembled that of the Seagull II, but with a more Strat-like upper horn.

The Eagle soon replaced the Seagull, and, like the Mockingbird, it remains in production today. Although B. Not only were the bodies and necks hand-carved, but the electronics were handmade as well.

The Bich adds unison D and G strings and octave B and E strings strung in the opposite direction from the other six strings, with the additional tuners arranged along a diagonal cut below the bridge.

The body shape eventually changed slightly, featuring a shallower cut where these tuners attached to allow for a Kahler tremolo. In , B. Rich began offering bolt-on neck versions of the three models currently in production: Son of a Rich a bolt-on Bich , the Nighthawk a bolt-on Eagle , and the Phoenix a bolt-on Mockingbird. Previously, hardtail bridges had been standard on all models. Kahler tremolos followed in , on both U. The introduction of the Warlock in marked the beginning of B.

For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. BC Rich is bought by 2 people. A rock star and being rebuilt from the ground up. Thread starter Yamaha Start date Feb 13, Yamaha Member. Messages 8, The Tone King said during his live feed with Philip Mcknight said his friend called him. He bought BC Rich with a rock star. He could not name the star. They are going to do a press release soon. They are going to rebuild the BC Rich company from the ground up.

How would you rebuild the brand? Pedro58 Silver Supporting Member. Messages 6, My money is on Slash Pedro58 said:. AA Member. Messages 2, Last edited: Feb 17, Rich guitar bodies always pushed the envelope of guitar design, and as the years progressed, the shapes got even more extreme. And though it was well received, the protruding point on the upper body was uncomfortable for some players because it poked into your torso at certain playing angles. Another version of the Seagull that jettisoned the sharp point was also later produced.

The guitar has unison strings for the D and G strings, and octaves for the B and high E. That model led to the 6-string Bich and the Son of a Rich, an American-made economy version with a bolt-on neck and bodies machine-made by Wayne Charvel.

By that point, B. Rich knock-offs. Bernie went into survival mode and flew to Japan with Hiro Misawa to set up the B. Rico and did not feature the NJ series designation. Trouble appeared soon after when Rico Reeds makers of saxophone and clarinet reeds sued B. Rich for patent infringement on the name. Stich with a custom-finished Mockingbird left , and with future-star Lita Ford playing a red-stained Mockingbird in right.

Rich would have been another flash-in-the-pan guitar company. Rich guitars also attracted the attention of the producers of This Is Spinal Tap. I was playing with a volume knob Larry DiMarzio gave me that went to I showed it to them and explained why it went to The Changing of the Guard In the mid s, B. Rich saw major changes that would send the company in a new direction.

A year later, Bernie licensed the Rave and Platinum names to Class Axe, which essentially took over importing, marketing, and distribution of the foreign-made lines. Soon after, complete control was turned over to Class Axe and B.

Class Axe licensed the name B. Rich in During this period, quality control nosedived and the B. Rich name suffered.

Bernie was out of the company picture for a few years, and during that time he produced Mason Bernard guitars— handmade acoustic-electrics and Strat-shaped electrics.

In , Bernie regained ownership of B. Sadly, on December 3, , he passed away from a sudden heart attack. Subsequently, the company went to his son Bernie Jr. However, he is involved with some current B. Rich custom-shop guitars. As part of its recently revamped custom operation, B. Rich also brought famed builder Grover Jackson aboard to work on the Gunslinger Handcrafted series. Rich Warlock—which is outfi tted with two splittable P-style pickups, a multitude of switching options, and a reverse headstock—at a photo shoot in Hollywood.