Rory
New member
yup, didn't like the ones i found with search, so i'm making my own! as the topic says, this is the appreciation thread. haters need not apply! *wink*
now anyone who knows me well enough, knows that i've loved BC Rich guitars. ever since i saw Max Cavelera play one. of course it was the shape and the attitude i fell in love with first, but anyone who's read up on the history of the company and the comments from owners of vintage handmade Rich birds, also knows that these guitars are much better than most ppl give them credit for. they get dismissed because of their wild looks, and therefore were quickly adopted by metal guitarists. but they're so much more than that.
unfortunately, we don't get to play any of the handmades here in Singapore so no one knows their true quality. all we know is the crap that is the bronze and platinum series. the closest we get to a real Rich is the NJ series and even that you have to import yourself. the handful of players that have done so i believe, will attest to their quality. personally i'd take an NJ over a Strat or LP anyday. now they've introduced a new Calibre series that will sit between the NJs and handmades and i can't wait to try one. here's the specs from their website:
from one of the stores on eBay, it appears these are Czech made and list for US$1,900 but are around US$1,300 street price. the neck through NJs are around US$600 street. so for US$600 more, you get - original Floyd Rose trem and 24.75" scale neck (warlock), Rockfield Mafia pickups, Schaller tuners and hardware, 10.77mm thick AAAA quilted maple cap /w matching headstock (mock/bich), neck and headstock binding, white pearl inlays and European craftsmanship! worth it? and oh yes, that oh-so desirable "R" logo on the headstock, once reserved only for US handmades. now you can fool your friends for only half the price of a real one!
out of the 3 i'd only go for the Warlock so the AAAA maple cap is irrelevant. i've never tried the mafia pickups and i'd rather drop in some BL XL500s anyway. i've never experienced european 'craftsmanship', Czech or not, so i can't put a value on that. so for me really, i'd only be paying for the binding, original FR and 24.75" scale neck (and yeah, the "R" !!) thus, i await reviews on this series that will confirm if it's really worth paying US$300-400 more coz it's made in Europe. it's sure looks like it is though!
now anyone who knows me well enough, knows that i've loved BC Rich guitars. ever since i saw Max Cavelera play one. of course it was the shape and the attitude i fell in love with first, but anyone who's read up on the history of the company and the comments from owners of vintage handmade Rich birds, also knows that these guitars are much better than most ppl give them credit for. they get dismissed because of their wild looks, and therefore were quickly adopted by metal guitarists. but they're so much more than that.
unfortunately, we don't get to play any of the handmades here in Singapore so no one knows their true quality. all we know is the crap that is the bronze and platinum series. the closest we get to a real Rich is the NJ series and even that you have to import yourself. the handful of players that have done so i believe, will attest to their quality. personally i'd take an NJ over a Strat or LP anyday. now they've introduced a new Calibre series that will sit between the NJs and handmades and i can't wait to try one. here's the specs from their website:
Construction: neck through
Body wood: nato (eastern mahogany)
Body thickness: 45mm
Top style: beveled
Body binding: no
Headstock style: Widow
Headstock color: onyx
Headstock binding: white one ply
Tuners: Schaller
Neck wood: maple
Back of neck: onyx
Neck binding: white one ply
Fretboard: ebony
Inlay: large white pearl diamonds
Frets: 24 jumbo 2.7mm
Factory strings: 9 – 42
Nut: 43mm locking
Scale: 24 5/8”
Bridge / Tailpiece: Floyd Rose original tremolo
Pickups: 2 black Rockfield mafia humbuckers
Controls: 2 volumes, 1 three-way toggle and 1 tone
Hardware: black
Special features: ALL Schaller hardware, special white pearl guitar shaped R logo
Finish: painted glossy
Color: onyx
In response to volumes of player requests and high market demand B.C. Rich introduces the Calibre line of instruments. With the Calibre guitars a new high-end option has been created that will extend the dream of owning a handcrafted BC Rich to even more discriminating players! The Warlock Calibre is meticulously handcrafted in Europe with very specific tolerances and specifications that closely mimic USA handcrafted features, quality and playability. The Warlock Calibre offers up a level of quality at a value that fits in between our amazing imported models and our original admired and treasured Custom Shop Handcrafted models. See, feel and hear for yourself how special our “old world” craftsmanship European Master guitars are!
from one of the stores on eBay, it appears these are Czech made and list for US$1,900 but are around US$1,300 street price. the neck through NJs are around US$600 street. so for US$600 more, you get - original Floyd Rose trem and 24.75" scale neck (warlock), Rockfield Mafia pickups, Schaller tuners and hardware, 10.77mm thick AAAA quilted maple cap /w matching headstock (mock/bich), neck and headstock binding, white pearl inlays and European craftsmanship! worth it? and oh yes, that oh-so desirable "R" logo on the headstock, once reserved only for US handmades. now you can fool your friends for only half the price of a real one!
out of the 3 i'd only go for the Warlock so the AAAA maple cap is irrelevant. i've never tried the mafia pickups and i'd rather drop in some BL XL500s anyway. i've never experienced european 'craftsmanship', Czech or not, so i can't put a value on that. so for me really, i'd only be paying for the binding, original FR and 24.75" scale neck (and yeah, the "R" !!) thus, i await reviews on this series that will confirm if it's really worth paying US$300-400 more coz it's made in Europe. it's sure looks like it is though!
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