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Played one of these the other day and liked it. Some of the posts mention a "Class Axe" period for BCR. What year(s) were these in production? Also, how do you determine the date from the serial #?
Thanks guys.
Brian
Thanks guys.
Brian
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
Thanks for the info. The only thing I can remember about it was that it had a Kahler trem that was pretty identical to the licensed OFRs. I'll see it this weekend and give it a closer look. -
Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
Ooh..cool! Tell us more about the Slinger - color, etc! I love Gunslingers! Class Axe era Slingers usually didn't have an angled humbucker either. But don't get me wrong - the Class Axe Gunslinger are alright - they just don't have the same feel/mojo as the real LA series. That said, I've never played a "bad" Gunslinger - even the Class Axe one I used to own. But Jaime's right - the less on the headstock the better - the good ones usually just read "BC Rich - made in USA" - no other markings. My serial #'s are all over the board - don't bother trying to rely on them. I don't think BC Rich is much help in trying to verify by Ser# either - they didn't keep very good logs unlike Jackson.
[ February 27, 2003, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: chris_olson ]Comment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey Jamie -Originally posted by jamie:
i believe class axe was from 89-95. you cant really date BCRich bolt ons from the serial # but B9XXX is about when classaxe BCRichs start. there are a few givaways to PRE-CLass axe guitars. NO TM or ® on logo also the headstock - neck section is much bigger on classaxe era guitars. also pre-class axe guitars should have tophat knobs, Dimarzios, & an OFR or Ibanez edge trem, BCRich lic trems were classaxe era.
if you like Gunslingers, I have an ST-3 for sale its almost the same as a gunslinger but 1 hum 2 singles, NOT a reverse headstock, & slightly thicker horns, more strat like, mine is also Pre-classaxe & has one of the thinnest BCRich necks ive had & ive had many bcr's
be aware there are a # of fake ones & bolt on Serial#s can NOT be verified
My Gunslingers have an angled cutaway where the neckplate screws down (in other words, the plate tilts in towrds the treble side of the neck - the screws there are shorter), but my ST-III doesn't - it is just a normal flush-mount neckplate like most guitars. Does your ST-III have that angled in plate or is it also flat-mount like mine?
One other thing - the new ST-3 I got has the THICKEST neck I've seen on a Rich - and it's maple/maple. It's also got a THICK finish on it - I think it was probably done non-factory because first off, I've never seen one like that, and second, it looks like the frets had been covered too - I'm thinking it was dip-coated and then "cleaned up". It's like a heavy Fender clear finish, ya know? But it also has a Floyd nut, but unlike all the others I have, the nut doesn't have the two screws going through the back of the neck. It the weirdest thing...but the guitar is all original - there hasn't even been a solder touched on it. Very clean guitar, but the weirdest neck I've seen. See the pics of the eBay guitar listed in my earlier thread http://www.jcfonline.com/ubb/noncgi/...;f=16;t=000232
[ February 27, 2003, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: chris_olson ]Comment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
chris mine has the standard flush neck plate not the angled easy access plate. also the straight hum gunslingers I believe were custom ordered , i have seen classaxe era Gunslinger with both angled & straight hums. also remember there was an outlaw, assassin & a couple of other model names BCRich used for strat type guitars. BCRich also kept VERY GOOD records but only on there 5 digit stamped into the headstock serial#s. they can be verified thru Bernie Jr. NOT BCRich i guess when he left bcrich he decided to take or keep the logs. a Buddy of mine who is a Collector gets all his stuff verified out of fear of a buying a Roman.
Chris
I have also seen a few ST-3 /strat type boltons with the heavy thick finish on the neck but the ones ive seen were all very very low serial#s one of them was actually one of the first bolton strats BCRich made. as for the nut it may be a factory replaced neck, those early necks were very prone to cracking at the OFR mounting holes & BCRich was very good back then about replacing parts. but like you said it looks dipped which doesnt sound factory to me.
MY biggest problem with these guitars are people bought Necks, bodies & neckplates when BCRich was changing hands. many of these parts are now turning up as guitars. a store on Long Island actually got in 2 bolton USA Richs both were Romans. & both were very expensive because they had graphics & all the right options.Comment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
Jamie-
The serial number on my ST-3 is B41XX, (my others - B46XX, BC13XXX, and BC14XXX - but they all look about the same vintage - any thoughts?) so it sounds like it's definitely an older one. I think the neck is origianl though, because the rest of the guitar is SOO clean - the wear level is about the same. The reason I think the neck may be a refin is because of some polish arounfd the fret edges on the board, the thickness of the finish, and the fact that the frets are "in" the finish - not on top. I could be wrong. It's just different from any other Rich I've played - but keep in mind, this is only the 2nd ST-3 I've laid hands on - otherwise mostly Gunslingers. I always wonder if the serial #'s would actually match anything. They did it alot different than USA Jacksons and Charvels - but they had their demons as well! Id there any particular contact to try to find out about the bolt-on stuff? I guess like any bolt-on - the plates travel around too...
Just so you know - I got the pics of your ST-3, and I'm really thinking about it, but I don't know how big of a hurry you're in. I'd like to buy it, but I don't know if I could swing it all at once due to my recent buying spree! I'll email you off-line and we can talk about it. I'd like to try work something out though. If you can shoot me a couple more pics of the "problem" spots, that would be cool. Thanks for the pics and thanks for the above info!!Comment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
The more I read about these, the more confused I become.
Ok, my slinger just has "BC Rich" "Made in USA" on the headstock.
No trade mark.
However, it has a rich licensed floyd.
Serial # 9142.
[img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yours also has a single coil in the neck too, right? I sometimes wonder if it isn't an Assassin... [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] It has all the attributes of a Gunslinger except for that single coil in the neck. But I'm pretty sure yous is a pre-Class Axe model. I remember it pretty well, and it was by NO means a newer model - it seemed like a dinosaur among superstrats - and that's not a bad thing! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] The key thing is - DO YOU LIKE THE GUITAR? If the answer is yes, then it really shouldn't matter. I've even played a couple import Rich's that were pretty decent. I wouldn't even mind getting a hold of one of the NJ Neck-thru Mockingbirds. But the best thing about USA BC Rich bolt-ons is that they can still be had fairly easily under $500 - can't say that for Jackson/Charvel stuff, although the prices are going down a bit - weird...Originally posted by A.Pulverizer:
The more I read about these, the more confused I become.
Ok, my slinger just has "BC Rich" "Made in USA" on the headstock.
No trade mark.
However, it has a rich licensed floyd.
Serial # 9142.
[img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]Comment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
i believe class axe was from 89-95. you cant really date BCRich bolt ons from the serial # but B9XXX is about when classaxe BCRichs start. there are a few givaways to PRE-CLass axe guitars. NO TM or ® on logo also the headstock - neck section is much bigger on classaxe era guitars. also pre-class axe guitars should have tophat knobs, Dimarzios, & an OFR or Ibanez edge trem, BCRich lic trems were classaxe era.
if you like Gunslingers, I have an ST-3 for sale its almost the same as a gunslinger but 1 hum 2 singles, NOT a reverse headstock, & slightly thicker horns, more strat like, mine is also Pre-classaxe & has one of the thinnest BCRich necks ive had & ive had many bcr's
be aware there are a # of fake ones & bolt on Serial#s can NOT be verifiedComment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
if its any help this is an assassin
the serial numbers f99000440 which i think means it was made in '99 and was the 440th guitar made that year, but i think this guitars a koeran made one so i might be wrong but i think that is how the serial numbers work on the american ones at least (this ones a nj neck thru series)
DavidComment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
is there a letter in front of the 4 #sComment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's definitely a USA guitar. I've seen and played it. It's just like a Gunslinger, but it has a single coil in the neck. It's factory too, near as I could tell. From the look and vibe, I thought it was a pre-Class Axe guitar. I'm pretty sure it was an LA guitar.Originally posted by jamie:
is there a letter in front of the 4 #sComment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
Sorry.
My mistake.
B 9146 LA California U.S.A.
No ID on the pickups apart from a white sticker on the humbucker with "AP".
The heel of the neck has "LBH" in black marker.
The flat part of the neck has 538 2195 (I think) stamped in blue ink on it.
If that's too much info for you, you can have a look at it here.
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/a_pulv...uitars&.view=l
Thanks, and sorry for hijacking this thread.
Thay are great players anyways.Comment
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Re: Considering a BC Rich Gunslinger
thats sweet...couldnt tell ya what it is but its COOL. i was never a fan of slanted pickps thoComment
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