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BC Rich Guitars are an organization specialising in pointed and extreme guitar shapes and styles appropriate for rock, hard rock and heavy metal bands. Bernardo Chavez Rico was the unlikely individual to create distinct guitars. Bernardo Rico (aka “Bernie”) was an successful Flamenco acoustic musician. From the early to mid 60s Bernie Rico exclusively constructed Flamenco guitars in Bernardo’s Guitar Shop in Los Angeles, Cal. Former Vice President, Mal Stich, explains, “When you walked into Bernardo's the very first thing you noticed was wall to wall guitars hanging from the ceiling 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 watch the guys making electric guitars. But, the coolest thing was that there were usually Flamenco and Classical musicians pickin away. I recall Flamenco musicians firing at each other with riff after riff. Bernie's father, Bernardo Mason Rico, was always sitting in his chair next to the Coca-Cola machine while friends and neighbors, even the postman, watched awestruck as they listened to the music.” We're recognizing BC Rich Guitar’s 40th Anniversary marking 1969 as the year Bernie began on his first try to manufacture electric guitars and basses. It was recorded that ten basses influenced by the Gibson EB-3 bass as well as ten matching Les Paul inspired electric guitars were hand-crafted. At present few of these musical instruments exist, it's rumored that fewer than the number above were actually completed. The time around 1972 was very propitious. The first original guitar design, the Seagull, was handcrafted in Bernardo’s shop. True to future style, the Seagull was visually distinctive as well as revolutionary. Its neck-thru design (now a hallmark of BC Rich) featured a heel-less construction – extremely rare for that time. Bernie quickly employed several proficient creative designers to compliment his incredibly talented craftsmen. Most of the distinctive shapes that emerges from this expansion had turn out to be iconic shapes associated with electric guitars. Approximately around 1976 came the Mockingbird, and then the further development of the Seagull, the Eagle emerged, and around 1978 arrived the Bich was introduced. A number of the most admired guitar players instantly took to the new direction of BC Rich. With growing success, there was a need 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. This first attempt was not successful when the Rico Reed Company sued over the usage of the brand. Regardless of the final result, the choice had already been made to use the BC Rich name on imported electric guitars. Barely a handful, perhaps 100 or so BC Rico guitars ever made it to the United States. When the early 80s arrived, the Warlock was introduced. Almost instantly the hair metal culture of the era took to the Warlock’s edgy and unique sculpt. The Warlock, though nowhere close to the newest shape developed, rounds out the primary 5 traditional BC Rich shapes and styles. The 90s and 2000s saw a new crop of nasty models even pointier than the 1980s designs. These included the Draco, Zombie, Ignitor, Beast (designed by Brian Hoffman, guitarists of death metal band Deicide), Warbeast (a mix of Beast and Warlock). BC Rich are also recognized for their endorsement deals with a number of celebrated and respected hard rock and metal musicians including Kerry King of Slayer (whose signature guitar is diabolic V-shaped axe that has intensive tribal graphic work over the guitar's body. He also has a signature guitar based mostly on the Warlock). The late Chuck Schuldiner of Death (when Schuldiner died of cancer in 2001 BC Rich Guitars launched a tribute guitar based on his preferred guitar, the BC Rich Stealth). Paul Stanley of KISS, and Paolo Gregoletto (bassist in Trivium) are also endorsed BC Rich players. If you're like me, when you think of rock and metal... you think of recognizable guitars such as BC Rich Guitars. They helped sculpt 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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