Has anyone heard of a BC Rich Acoustic?

[Lhopkins57]

Model BR-65c, electric pickup.

Many thanks.

[jalbert]

Not that particular model, but if I recall correctly, user "hotraman" has a BC Rich acoustic from the early 70's. You might want to send him a PM.

[Lhopkins57]

Thanks very much for the reply. I was told only three of these guitars were made. I'll take pictues, but I don't know how to post them yet.

Thanks again.

[Crossroads]

I once had a BC Rich acoustic cutaway. can't remember if it was 30 or 60. Mine was Japanese made but there were USA made ones as well....

It was a cedar top, quite a nice guitar...

[Dr. Jazz]

I had a friend with one of the early hand-made Richs from the late 60s that had the most beautiful Brazilian I have ever seen. A fantastic sounding guitar. Lost by Air Canada in the late 70s/early 80s.

[SuperB23]

Most of the 70's BC Rich acoustic guitars were listed under the founders name as he was building them alone Bernardo Rico. I too owned one of these 70's models for a while years ago. They were very high quality and they are collectable and most are made with Brazilian Rosewood.

[Wade Hampton]

The more common BC Rich acoustics that you'll encounter were made in Japan, possibly at the Morris factory. They're pretty nice guitars for that era, solid woods (on the ones that I've seen) and perhaps a little more heavily built than what you might see in that same price bracket today.

I'm not even remotely an expert on any BC Rich guitars, though, so take this information as just a fragment or factoid, rather than as any sort of authoritative resource.


whm

[Tunes]

I've heard of them - even seen one. I think BC Rich is known more for making electric axes of a particular variety - loud and proud. As far as I know (which in minimal) - BC Rich not really known for acoustic guitars they made.

No mention at all in my Acoustic Guitar Illustrated Enclyclopedia.

[Nort]

I've owned 3 Late 60's to mid 70's BC Rich acoustics,
these were built by the owner Bernardo Rico when they were still a small shop
the name BC Rich was Bernie's first name, middle initial and the Rich was to
sound more "American" as the early guitars were "Martin" style Dreadnaughts.

The model designations were also similar to Martin, for example:
I had a B45 which was his version of Martins D45 with Brazilian/Spruce the
Abalone purfling around the edges etc. BC Rich label inside on the backstrip

I then had a B28, his version of Martin's D28, with Brazilian/Spruce Herringbone trim, White binding etc. BC Rich label on the backstrip.

Currently I still have a B20, which is somewhat the oddball, built in 1975
by Bernie, with a "Bernardo Rico" label on the backstrip with a handwritten
dedication signed Bernardo Rico
This one is Mahogany/Spruce with diamond position markers, Herrinbone trim
white binding, bound ebony fingerboard.

These early guitars, were built in the "classical guitar" fashion in that the sides
join into the neck block, the neck and "neck block" are one piece.
no dovetail joint, no adjustable truss rod.
this created a problem on quite a few of the guitars due to the tension of the steel strings, the neck would pull forward, exerting downward and forward
(toward the bridge) pressure, which would cause the top to split at each side of the fingerboard extension and the spruce would move toward the soundhole
as well as creating an unplayable condition due to the high action.

Both my B45 and the B28 had this problem,
The B20 does'nt have this problem,

Based on the model number, the guitar in question that the OP is looking at
is not one of these early models.
Whether it was built in Japan or the US would require hands on inspection.

I was at the BC Rich shop a couple of times when they were located in
So. El Monte, Ca.
Bernie was going to fix my B45 as a special project, he showed me around the
shop and there was a line of hardshell cases with the newer style steel string
acoustics in them, he pulled a couple out to show me.
Unfortunately he never got around to fixing my B45, after a year or so, I went
back to pick it up so that it did'nt get lost in the shuffle somewhere.

I'll try to post some pics of the B20 tomorrow.

[Hotraman]

Nort;
That's basically my story with my B 28.
It was built in 1973, with Bernie Rico.
I purchased it from Whittier Plaza Music, a stone's throw from El Monte.
Mine has incredible tone and sustain,
Yet it was very hard to play, especially toward the 8- 12 frets.
I went ahead and had the neck reattached (based upon Taylor's design) I know I may have devalued the guitar by doing so.
But the action is a lot lower, no issues, no split in the wood.
You don't see too many B 28, 45, etc around. Someone told me that Bernie only made 300 acoustic guitars or so, I can't verify that statement.
All I know is that its a joy to play and I get a lot of comments about how good the tone is.

[Hotraman]

Here is a link to the early B 28 acoustics. Mine is like the B 28 shown.


http://bcrich.net/history_e.html

[Lhopkins57]

This guitar was made in Hesperia, CA and now has Fishman Pickups.

[Nort]

I have'nt had a chance to take any good pics of my B 30 yet.

However, I ran across this in my files while re-reading a old Frets article on
Luthier David Santo.

[Don Lampson]

I almost bought one of Bernie's guitars back in '76, but got one of the first Taylor's instead, at Whittier Plaza Music. What an operation they were for the time, and what times they were!

My Taylor 615, has a horrible gash on it's heel by an electric drill, created by "Johnny GoGo". John did it installing a strap button. I hadn't left the store yet with my new guitar! He felt terrible about it, even when I told him I wasn't upset. I still remember John fondly, every time I pick up the guitar.....

It's been fun reading about B.C. Rich, and some of the others. Thanks for the trip down memory lane....

Don

[gbtswengineer]

I have heard of Bernardo Rico and I own one of the classical guitars that was built in his shop in 1975 while they were still located on Brooklyn Avenue in Los Angeles. The guitar I have is a classical/flamenco with on of the most incredible sets of brazilian rosewood that you will find anywhere. The sound top is cedar and definitely mastergrade with tight grain with no run-out. I acquired the guitar two years ago on eBay and it had significant damage. I took the guitar to the Blue Guitar in San Diego where it was completely restored by Pat Quinn with assistance from Yuris Zeltins.

I also made contact with Neal Moser who came to work for Bernie in 1976 and he was involved in the electronics for electric guitars for which B.C. Rich eventually became famous. He told me that all of the classical guitars were handmade in the shop and that there were very few that survived.

I also made contact with Hideoyshi Misawa who's father also worked with Bernie during that time frame. I sent him pictures of the guitar and he told me it looked like the work of Bernie's father.

Anyway, the guitar turned out incredible and is a concert powerhouse. I also know a gentleman named George Nasif who actually was a Bernies shop as a customer when the acoustics were being made. I can provide you with his contact information, if you wish.

Regards,

Virgil