B.C. Rich Warlock

The B.C. Rich Warlock is both an electric guitar and bass guitar made by B.C. Rich. It features a distinct jagged shape and two humbucker pickups. It was designed by company founder Bernie Rico in 1969: “This was the only guitar I ever designed at a drafting table, using straight-edges and French curves. It was lots of curves going into straight lines. At first I thought it was the ugliest guitar I’d ever designed."[1] The design wasn't built until local guitarist Spencer Sercombe of Shark Island, prompted Bernie to do so[1] but once it was it soon found favor in the emerging heavy metal scene.[2] "The introduction of the Warlock in 1981 marked the beginning of B.C. Rich’s rise to iconic status in heavy metal. [...] The confluence of B.C. Rich’s far-out designs and the emerging hair metal culture of the late '70s and early '80s helped cement the brand’s place in the market".[3]

B.C. Rich Warlock
ManufacturerB.C. Rich Guitars
Period1981 - Present
Construction
Body typeSolid
Neck jointBolt-on or neck-through
Woods
BodyMahogany
NeckMaple
FretboardRosewood
Hardware
BridgeFixed or vibrato
Pickup(s)H-H or H
Colors available
Black, White, Black cherry, Purple, Red

Over the years since its introduction the Warlock has become a de facto image of a heavy metal guitar, so much so that in 2015 it was selected to represent Metal in the exhibition Medieval to Metal: The Art & Evolution of the Guitar at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.[4]

There are many variations of the Warlock. In ascending order of price, they are:

Electric Guitars:

  • B.C. Rich Bronze Series Electric Guitar
  • B.C. Rich Revenge Warlock
  • B.C. Rich Red Bevel Warlock Guitar and Amp Pack
  • B.C. Rich Metal Master Warlock
  • B.C. Rich Warlock IT Electric Guitar
  • B.C. Rich Kerry King Warlock with Kahler Tremolo
  • B.C. Rich NJ Deluxe Warlock Electric Guitar
  • B.C. Rich Deluxe Series Warlock (Rare, only 200 made exclusively for Guitar Center)

Electric Bass Guitars:

  • B.C. Rich Revenge Warlock Electric Bass Guitar
  • B.C. Rich Bronze Warlock Bass Electric Guitar
  • B.C. Rich Paolo Gregoletto Signature Warlock Bass
  • B.C. Rich Warlock NJ Deluxe 4-String Bass
  • B.C. Rich NJ Deluxe Warlock 5-String Bass

Notable users

See also

References

  1. Wright, Michael (22 December 2017). "B.C. Rich Guitars - From Flamenco to Heavy Metal". Vintage Guitar Magazine.
  2. Konow, David (2002). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press. p. 198.
  3. Hanson, Elisabeth (16 May 2014). "B.C. Rich: Origins and Evolution". Reverb.
  4. Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum (28 February 2015). "Medieval to Metal: The Art & Evolution of the Guitar". Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.


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