Old BC Rich question

[Jim Shine]

The other day a friend bought a BC Rich bass I had my eye on buying. Oh well. I may be able to get it though. I am trying to figure out exactly what model it is. It looks like the model called a "Wave". The difference is that the "points" on the cutaways don't have the lumps on them like all the pics I have seen. I also think the cutout on the bottom is smaller than most I have seen in the pics. The head is 4x4 with the inlaid "R" in a rosewood veneer and is neckthrough. The pickups are stock Dimarzios (they have Dimarzio in the pickup cover). The serial number is inked on (I am awaiting a return phone call to find out what the number is).

Any ideas on if this is maybe an early variation of the Wave model, or something else?

[ October 10, 2003, 05:34 PM: Message edited by: Jim Shine ]

[Jim Shine]

Old BC Rich question

The other day a friend bought a BC Rich bass I had my eye on buying. Oh well. I may be able to get it though. I am trying to figure out exactly what model it is. It looks like the model called a "Wave". The difference is that the "points" on the cutaways don't have the lumps on them like all the pics I have seen. I also think the cutout on the bottom is smaller than most I have seen in the pics. The head is 4x4 with the inlaid "R" in a rosewood veneer and is neckthrough. The pickups are stock Dimarzios (they have Dimarzio in the pickup cover). The serial number is inked on (I am awaiting a return phone call to find out what the number is).

Any ideas on if this is maybe an early variation of the Wave model, or something else?

[ October 10, 2003, 05:34 PM: Message edited by: Jim Shine ]

[jr73]

Re: Old BC Rich question

Jim an inked serial# is first or second year import. it probably doesnt say NJ as most of the OLD imports do not. the imports had a slightly thinner veneer on the headstock & a different route for the truss rod, otherwise they are nearly identical to USA models. they are excellent guitars/ basses & ones from that era use high end hardware just like the USA's. & as far as shape, there are a few varitations of all the early BCRich shapes i dont know much about waves because MOST are imports & i wasnt really into that shape. Jim if you can email or post a pic or 2 that would be great. anything specific you an tell me about the routes or hardware would also help. most import the routes were much smoother because of the machinery. that one has plastic truss rod cover,& control cover , does it have actives & grovers.

[jr73]

Re: Old BC Rich question

Jim an inked serial# is first or second year import. it probably doesnt say NJ as most of the OLD imports do not. the imports had a slightly thinner veneer on the headstock & a different route for the truss rod, otherwise they are nearly identical to USA models. they are excellent guitars/ basses & ones from that era use high end hardware just like the USA's. & as far as shape, there are a few varitations of all the early BCRich shapes i dont know much about waves because MOST are imports & i wasnt really into that shape. Jim if you can email or post a pic or 2 that would be great. anything specific you an tell me about the routes or hardware would also help. most import the routes were much smoother because of the machinery. that one has plastic truss rod cover,& control cover , does it have actives & grovers.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Old BC Rich question

Thanks for the info! I am waiting to get some pics of it. I can't remember what the tuners were, I just remember they were good quality. I remember it had some controls other than the basics, but it wasn't as 'loaded' as many basses I have seen. I remember it having a plastic truss rod cover and I believe the headstock face was finished in a satin finish, not gloss. There definately was no import designation on it anywhere. There was only this sticker with a number stuck over most of the serial number, but I know its inked as I could see the first couple of digits. This is all based on my memory of seeing it briefly almost 6 months ago.

Oh, I should also mention that the guy who had it when I saw it said it was called a "Son of a Bich", looking around I never seen such a shape, the closest shape I saw was a Wave.

[ October 10, 2003, 07:09 PM: Message edited by: Jim Shine ]

[Jim Shine]

Re: Old BC Rich question

Thanks for the info! I am waiting to get some pics of it. I can't remember what the tuners were, I just remember they were good quality. I remember it had some controls other than the basics, but it wasn't as 'loaded' as many basses I have seen. I remember it having a plastic truss rod cover and I believe the headstock face was finished in a satin finish, not gloss. There definately was no import designation on it anywhere. There was only this sticker with a number stuck over most of the serial number, but I know its inked as I could see the first couple of digits. This is all based on my memory of seeing it briefly almost 6 months ago.

Oh, I should also mention that the guy who had it when I saw it said it was called a "Son of a Bich", looking around I never seen such a shape, the closest shape I saw was a Wave.

[ October 10, 2003, 07:09 PM: Message edited by: Jim Shine ]

[straycat]

Re: Old BC Rich question

A lot of the early imports will have inked numbers.I don't know for sure when they went to the thick stickers.I had an early stealth that had an inked serial number but a metal truss rod cover and control cover.It had a reversed headstock (non pointy)with rosewood veneer and "R"logo. Crown head tuners with the "R" logo. It did not have NJ on the headstock but did have the "R" logo in pearl.P.S. It was a bolt on.
That was a weird one for sure.

[straycat]

Re: Old BC Rich question

A lot of the early imports will have inked numbers.I don't know for sure when they went to the thick stickers.I had an early stealth that had an inked serial number but a metal truss rod cover and control cover.It had a reversed headstock (non pointy)with rosewood veneer and "R"logo. Crown head tuners with the "R" logo. It did not have NJ on the headstock but did have the "R" logo in pearl.P.S. It was a bolt on.
That was a weird one for sure.

[jr73]

Re: Old BC Rich question

Jim a Son of a Bich was a Bolton USA Bich, they also made a pheonix & something else, those were eagle & mockingbird shapes of the USA bolton series that was very short lived. they were made from the lates 70's (78-79) - the early 80's. they all were bolt on necks with a skunk stripe, NON tilt headstock, & used the OLD guitar R logo. BTW the necks & bodies were made in the glendora C/J factory & finished & assembled by Rich.

a neck thru with an ink'd serial # is an import they did this prior to using stickers with the #. also any neckthru with a letter PREFIX is an import. that is probably an R then 4 digits. the only imports with stamped #s were Customs of the later era mid 80's & they used a U prefix & 4 or 5 digits.

[jr73]

Re: Old BC Rich question

Jim a Son of a Bich was a Bolton USA Bich, they also made a pheonix & something else, those were eagle & mockingbird shapes of the USA bolton series that was very short lived. they were made from the lates 70's (78-79) - the early 80's. they all were bolt on necks with a skunk stripe, NON tilt headstock, & used the OLD guitar R logo. BTW the necks & bodies were made in the glendora C/J factory & finished & assembled by Rich.

a neck thru with an ink'd serial # is an import they did this prior to using stickers with the #. also any neckthru with a letter PREFIX is an import. that is probably an R then 4 digits. the only imports with stamped #s were Customs of the later era mid 80's & they used a U prefix & 4 or 5 digits.

[erik]

Re: Old BC Rich question

WOW a wave you don't see them very much.
Even a NJ. Those NJ's were the best imports
Anything after that was cool but don't have the old school feel . I have a 84 NJ Eagle & love it
I'm trying to find some other old NJ from that time period. Then start selling off the newer ones. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
erik

[erik]

Re: Old BC Rich question

WOW a wave you don't see them very much.
Even a NJ. Those NJ's were the best imports
Anything after that was cool but don't have the old school feel . I have a 84 NJ Eagle & love it
I'm trying to find some other old NJ from that time period. Then start selling off the newer ones. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
erik

[Jim Shine]

Re: Old BC Rich question

The guy sold it this past weekend. He wanted too much for it in my opinion, so he moved it to someone who was willing to pay the bucks.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Old BC Rich question

The guy sold it this past weekend. He wanted too much for it in my opinion, so he moved it to someone who was willing to pay the bucks.