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Old 01-11-2020, 09:47 PM
Dr Foster Dr Foster is offline
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Default BC Rich Brazilian Acoustics

I am new to the forum. I am hoping there are some original owners of early BC Rich acoustics built by Bernie Rico from circa 1968-1976 that could share their date of purchase and serial number. I am attempting to compile info so these early instruments can be dated with a ballpark date of build. What I have turned up so far has tended to be a mass of conflicting anecdotes. Can anyone on this forum provide anything useful? The ones I have seen have had incredibly high quality tonewoods imported from the 1930s to 1950s. Thanks!
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Old 01-11-2020, 10:56 PM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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I visited Rico a few times in the 1960's in Boyle Heights when I was looking to build some guitars myself. At that time the guitars in his shop were
mostly classical guitars and he did talk about the fine collection of woods he had collected. He was very nice and helpful. Sorry, regarding serial
numbers I have no idea. Here is a label from the 1960's

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Last edited by rick-slo; 01-11-2020 at 11:16 PM.
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Old 01-12-2020, 10:55 PM
Dr Foster Dr Foster is offline
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Default BC Rich acoustic tonewoods

One thing I am trying to sort is what the B38s made in the early early seventies were made from.
The Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide edited by Alan Greenwood, Gil Hembree on page 12 says cocobolo from 68-82, but every B38 I have ever seen online says they were of Brazilian rosewood, made with 4 pieces due to the fact that Ricos tonewoods were originally cut to make classical backs, thus had to add sections in order to get dreadnought sized backs. Still hoping some of the authors of old threads on this topic are still out there and can help.
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Old 03-09-2024, 11:34 PM
Power Power is offline
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Default Original owner BC Rich B38

I know the OP was a few years ago but I'm going to assume they still have an interest and will still get a notice of this reply.

I am the original owner of a BC Rich B38 purchased from McCabe's in Santa Monica. I purchased it sometime in 1973. Paid $625 for it. I always thought '72 or '73 was the year it was made but I came across another B38 with #306415 said to be from 1969 The serial number on mine is only two away so it is possible that '69 is the correct year. I don't know how the owner of the other guitar determined their's was 1969. It is entirely possible that mine was indeed made in 1969 but either did not make it to McCabe's until much later or even simply wasn't sold for quite a while. Several years ago I visited McCabe's and asked but they have no records from back then.

The guitar is Brazilian. Since it was made pre CITIES there is no reason to have used an alternative wood as has been suggested.

I've read that the B38 was Bernardo Rico's take on a prewar Martin D28. That I suspect is true. I've also read that BC Rich only made 300 dreads in the late 60's-early 70s and of those only 99 were sold. Where that info came from I have no idea or any thought on the truth of it. I can see 300 as a total build but only selling a third of those? I don't know. begs the question where the other 200 went.

This particular guitar has a couple of stories behind it, particularly in regards to my best friend of over 40 years who bought it from me in a moment of my desperation and madness. But he put it it's case, only took it out when I came to visit, and several years later gave it back to me. More to it than that but that's the short version.

The build is second to none as is the tone. Little known guitar but those that know ...know. It will never be sold by me, ever.
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Old 03-10-2024, 04:54 AM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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Quote:
Since it was made pre CITES there is no reason to have used an alternative wood as has been suggested.
Brazil placed an embargo on the export of Brazilian rosewood logs in 1969. That is the reason it became scarce in the 1970s. It also is the reason Martin was forced to switch to Indian rosewood in late-1969. As a result, B C Rich stands out as one of the few who continued to use Brazilian rosewood after 1969.
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