player opinions

B.C. Rich NJ Series Bich

B.C. Rich NJ Series Bich

  1. Name: Doug

  2. Model Year: 1987?

  3. Price Paid: $350

  4. Performance

  5. I bought this guitar when I was 16 or 17, so I've had it for 10 years now. It was a little beat up. It still is. I just started playing it again because my Fender is in the shop. But it still works fairly well. It could use an overhaul of the hardware and electronics though, just from age. Does it do what it promises? Well I think back when this was made, the NJ series was mass produced for kids and stuff. But, even though, it is still a quality guitar compared to a lot of BC Rich guitars I have seen. The metallic cherry red finish is real sharp. And the body is cut differently than the new biches — it's real sharp looking and the edges are much pointer than a newer bich. The headstock is more like a Strat style, I think they only made that kind for a couple years. The neck isn't very quick because of the 15 gallons of paint on this thing to get the real deep color; but, the neck is pretty thin, and the fingerboard is kinda flat and is really comfy for soloing; however, it needs new frets. Anyway, as for the performance I can't really say, all I can say is it still works ok, but this thing is 14 years old and is still real nice looking and playable.

  6. Performance Rating: 8

  7. Sound Quality

  8. Well, it doesn't sound as well as it should, because of wear and tear. I'm going to replace basically every part on this thing except the wood, then we'll see. It should kick butt then. Back in my death metal days, I rigged it up with a Seymour Duncan Screamin Demon at the bridge. Big improvement over the stock pickups which just used to buzz and squeal. Now it still buzzes and squeals but with much more gain, haha. Playing clean sounds like crap with that pickup though. The neck pickup is OK, I don't know if it is stock or what. It sounded better than the old bridge one. The Kahler is great but needs to be overhauled, the wheels on it don't move anymore or anything. It just needs to be greased up and cleaned and new springs. Anyway when I make it nice it should sound great. For a BC Rich, it actually has decent wood on it. I don't know what kind it is but it is much more resonant than other BC riches I have seen. My buddy had a Platinum series Warlock brand new from like 1996, mine was definately much more quality than that. I'm thinking that this is one of the few NJ series ones that were really made in the US instead of Japan or Korea or wherever they had them mass produced. But I'm not sure. Giving it a midrange sound quality rating but it definately has the potential to sound much better.

  9. Sound Quality Rating: 7

  10. Construction

  11. This thing has been dropped, stepped on, slid across the floor all that and it is still solid. I only had the neck adjusted once and it is still quite true. Only had to do that because we tuned down to B and dropped to super thick gauge strings. Now everyone is doing that stuff. Shoot, Fender even makes a Strat tuned to B. I did it back in like 1995 after listening to Carcass haha, but that's another story. Anyway, the guitar is 14 years old hasn't been pampered like as if it were a vintage guitar and it is still solid. Scraped on the edges and stuff but it is still great. BUT and this is a BIG but: BC Rich no longer makes guitars like this, As far as I know, they aren't owned by the original owners anymore. They DO make USA guitars again now but the best BC Rich guitars are from the 1970's and early 80's before they were mass produced. Yeah they have wild shapes and have death written all over them but, BC rich came BEFORE death metal. They had no idea that teenage punks would catch on to the shapes and put stickers all over them and slam them around on stage. They were top quality guitars, ask anyone who has one. You can still get them but they are wayyy expensive. One other thing I don't like about my guitar is that it is neck heavy you have to hold it the whole time or else it drops to the floor. That is kind of annoying but oh well. And the pegs for the strap, they are mounted on the BACK of the body instead of on the edges. I guess this was done so they could make the edges real sharp and pointy but sometimes the strap will come off because of this. Anyway, despite it's flaws and wear and tear it is truly a great guitar and probably worth a few bucks more than it was when I bought it.

  12. Construction Rating: 8

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  1. Average Ratings
  2. Performance: 8
  3. Sound Quality: 7
  4. Construction: 8
  5. Ratings Key
  6. 10: Excellent
  7. 0: Useless
  8. Company
  9. B.C. Rich

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