Allan Speers Posted May 12, 2003 Share Posted May 12, 2003 Dating a BC rich ? -I know, don't forget to bring flowers, but seriously: I just picked up a BC-Rich eagle, ser. # 1930. Does anyone know how to date this, and/or how to find particulars on the construction? -thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Lyons Posted May 12, 2003 Share Posted May 12, 2003 Never dated an Eagle, but I have dated a Bich \m/ Timothy Lyons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 Originally posted by Timothy Lyons: Never dated an Eagle, but I have dated a Bich Like this one? BC Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 How's this? http://www.vguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=58 "Dating Dating B.C. Rich neck-through guitars is relatively easy, although slightly imprecise by the 80s. The first B.C. Rich guitar was stamped Proto, beginning in 1972, and subsequent guitars were consecutively numbered beginning 001, 002, etc. These consecutive numbers probably ran up to around 340 or 360, as Rico recalls. This system was used for the guitars distributed by L.D. Heater. When distribution came back to B.C. Rich in 1974, the system was changed to begin with the year of manufacture and three consecutively numbered digits, or XXYYY, with XX being the year (e.g., 78) and YYY the number of guitar. Thus, the first guitar of 1974 would have been numbered 74000, followed by 74001, etc. Throughout the 70s, production numbers were low enough that the serial numbers pretty much reflect the year of manufacture. In the late 70s as production grew, and the serial numbers begin to get ahead of themselves, since only 1000 numbers were available in a series. By 1980 the serial numbers had gotten to about two to three years ahead. A bass documented to have been purchased (not necessarily made) in 1980 bore the serial number 82595. Even though neck-through production never surpassed about 2200 guitars a year, as the 80s progressed the serial numbers continued to get ahead of the actual year. By 1981 the numbers were about four years ahead, and this gap remained fairly constant until Rico stopped making B.C. Riches. The one-pickup Eagle shown here is 85366 from between late 1980 to sometime in 1981. The white Mockingbird shown here is 87688 from 1983. Bolt-neck guitars are less precise for the usual reasons. The serial number is stamped on a neck plate, and like every other company, when the guitar was being finished, someone grabbed a plate out of the box and put it on. These still follow the same XXYYY dating scheme, but there was no particular order to thier application. If a guitar has a number of 89321, for example, it was probably built in 1987, but it could be a bit earlier or later." Hope this helps. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Speers Posted May 13, 2003 Author Share Posted May 13, 2003 wraub, you da' man! This is a great forum. In the guitar and keyboard forums, all they do is talk about sports! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 No prob, Allan. Anytime! Bass playing is my sport! (Oh, and reference searching...) Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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