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BC Rich Guitars are a company specialising in pointed and extreme electric guitar shapes appropriate for rock, hard rock and heavy metal music. Bernardo Chavez Rico was the unlikely person to build distinctive guitars. Bernardo Rico (aka “Bernie”) was an accomplished Flamenco acoustic musician. From the early to mid 60s Bernie Rico exclusively constructed Flamenco guitars in Bernardo’s Guitar Store in Los Angeles, California. Previous Vice President, Mal Stich, remarks, “When you walked into Bernardo's the very first thing you noticed was wall to wall guitars hanging from the wall like birthday celebration balloons. There was a glass counter with picks, strings, guitar parts and accessories. Behind the counter was a window and you could actually watch the guys building electric guitars. And, the best thing was there were usually Classical and Flamenco musicians pickin away. I recall Flamenco players firing at one another with riff after riff. Bernie's father, Bernardo Mason Rico, was usually sitting in his chair next to the Coca-Cola machine while buddies and neighbors, even the postman, watched spellbound as they listened to the music.” We are recognizing BC Rich’s 40th Anniversary marking 1969 as the year Bernie embarked on his first try to manufacture electric guitars and basses. It has been recorded that 10 basses influenced by the Gibson EB-3 electric bass in addition to ten matching Les Paul inspired guitars were all hand-crafted. Today few of those guitars exist, and it’s thought that less than the number listed above had been actually completed. The time around 1972 was exceptionally auspicious. The first original electric guitar design, the Seagull, was handcrafted in Bernardo’s shop. True to future shape, the Seagull guitar was visually unique along with revolutionary. Its neck-through design (now a memento of BC Rich Guitars) featuring a heel-less construction – very uncommon for that era. Bernie quickly employed a number of talented designers to compliment his extremely talented builders. Most of the distinct shapes and styles that emerges from this expansion have grown to become iconic shapes associated with electric guitars. Around 1976 arrived the Mockingbird, and then the further development of the Seagull, the Eagle was born, and around 1978 arrived the Bich. Some of the most well-regarded guitarists immediately took to the revolutionary direction of BC Rich. With rising achievement, there was a desire for a inexpensive mass-produced BC Rich guitar. Nearly around 1978 Bernie developed the BC Rico mark to designate electric guitars that would be imported from Japan. The first attempt was less than successful when the Rico Reed Company sued over using the brand. Despite the outcome, the choice had already been made to use the BC Rich name on imported guitars. Only a small portion, perhaps a hundred or so BC Rico guitars ever made it to the US. When the early 80s arrived, the Warlock was born. Almost immediately the hair metal culture of the time slaved to the Warlock’s edgy and distinctive shape. The Warlock, though nowhere close to the latest style created, rounds out the first 5 classic BC Rich shapes and styles. The 1990s and 2000s witnessed a new crop of threateningly-named models even pointier than the 1980s designs. These included the Zombie, Draco, Ignitor, Beast (brainstormed by Brian Hoffman, guitarists of death metal band Deicide), Warbeast (a mix of Beast and Warlock). BC Rich guitars are also known for their endorsement deals with several essential and revered hard rock and metal guitarists including Kerry King of Slayer (whose signature guitar is diabolic V-shaped axe that has extensive tribal graphic work over the guitar's body. He also has a signature guitar based on the Warlock). The deceased guitarists, Chuck Schuldiner of Death (when Schuldiner died of cancer in 2001 BC Rich Guitars released a tribute model based on his number one guitar, the BC Rich Stealth). Paul Stanley of KISS, and Paolo Gregoletto (bassist of Trivium) are also endorsed BC Rich players. If you are like me, when you think of hard rock and metal... you think of iconic guitars like BC Rich. They helped shape rock and roll.
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Steve is a passionate music lover and guitar player who has been playing guitar for over 25 years. One of his favorite websites he uses for his guitar related resources is Gear-Vault.com, the best guitar review websites on the entire internet. Resource to History of B.C. Rich Guitars
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