Assassin PX3T Review

The B.C. Rich Assassin PX3, featuring a licensed Floyd Rose Tremolo and Rockfield SWV pickups, is one screaming mean Assassin!

Features:	9.5
Sound:	8
Action:	9.5
Reliability:	9
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	9.1
Users rating:	9.6
Comments:	22

overall: 9.6

Featured review by: SMK626, on may 19, 2007

Price paid: 699.99

Purchased from: MusiciansFriend.com

Features: I've always disliked B.C. Rich guitars since trying my friend's warlock. I had a online talk with Jason Hager or Years of Fire (ex-Chimaira) and he told me they were a great company and have some great guitars. Thus, he talked me into getting this. The B.C. Rich Assassin PX3T. The Assassin brings forth a well dressed "Hitman" look with 2 Rockfield Mafia pickups ass the weaponry. What shocked me about this guitar is for 700 I got all the features of a high-end guitar. The B.C. Rich Assassin PX3, featuring a licensed Floyd Rose Tremolo and Rockfield SWV pickups, is one screaming mean Assassin! A maple neck through a deeply arched, nato mahogany body with white binding, an ebony fretboard featuring 24 jumbo frets and a white, pearloid bird skull inlay are just some of the highlights of this guitar that absolutely oozes inspiration. Black hardware, revolver control knobs, ebony fretboard and a deep onyx finish top off the subdued all-business appearance. The feel resembles slightly thicker Ibanez RG (fast). The Original Floyd is a dream and compliments with the pickups with amazing sustain. The inlay is a bird skull yet you can't really tell. It mostly looks like a neat X kind of design. The finish is such a beautiful glossly black. The head stock has the B.C. Rich logo put on in a pop-out chrome color and the revolver knobs are definately a nice unique touch. All together for $699.99 it is truely one of the best deals you can find. Amazing high-end features for a great price. // 10

Sound: The sound does suit my own personal needs, mostly being Metal and Clean licks, yet not all of them. I plan on changing the pickups. Yet this is my own personal preference. I play this through my very own Peavey Triple XXX Head and Cab. It's has very little feedback without a noise gate which can very helpful to me because I tend to play without one due to I have trouble with it taking away from my tone. On clean this guitar has one of the most beautiful tones I've heard. It's clear, with plenty of warm and with a slight hint of brightness in there on the neck. It's the same on the bridge, yet with the typical treble and bass differences. Distorted, it is pretty chunky. It has a pretty heavy low end with a decent amount of bite. The chords come out clear and powerful. Leads have amazing sustain and warmth. Everything comes out clear. With the coil-split on, it's the same yet in single coil form. No too big differences. It doesn't vary too much, yet the crowd it's designed for will surely be pleased. The only problem I found is it had a bit too much low-end for me. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was absolutely perfect from factory set-up. the action was set perfect and came with the floyd evened out perfectly. The pickups were leveled perfect as well. The glossly black finish had no scratches at all. There were absolutely no flaws. This guitar literally had one of the most perfect set-ups from factory that I've ever played. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will do you great Live. I've took extra good care of it so far and I have yet to gig with it. So far the finish seems pretty durable. I have yet to get any major scratches and I tend to be clumsy so it has took some hits that have almost made me cry, and it's yet to have any huge scratches. Everything is solid and perfect. This is already set as one of my main gigging guitars. The only thing that I am expecting is the tinted black chrome hardware to soon fade. It has yet to fade yet Most all the time, hardware with any tint will fade back to it's original color. In this situation chrome. Throughout this guitar is reliable and durable. // 10

Impression: For the style of music I play, This guitar kicks ass. My only complaint was a bit too much low-end. I've spent almost my whole time playing guitar hating B.C. Rich. Since trying a few models I found them pretty terrible. Yet on my second chance with them, I was completely amazed and astonished. This was a all-out great guitar that should cost a lot more. With a $699.99 price-tag, this guitar has to be one of the most amazing any company can offer you. Everything about it is perfect. If you play lead (great upper-fret access) or rhythm you will not be let down. I highly recommend this guitar for anyone. I bought this guitar after selling my Dean Dime Razorback and I could not have been happier. Comparing the 1, 100 price-tag of a Razorback to the 700 of a Assassin and seeing that the assassin gives you all the top features including a Original Floyd and Ebony Fretboard and 24 Frets for such a little price as the Razorback refuses to even give you a Original Floyd, the pick doesn't even need thinking. If this were stolen, I would buy a new one ASAP. B.C. Rich has become one of the top brands in my book because of this. This is now my new favorite guitar. // 10

overall: 8.6

Reviewed by: Osiris_uk, on march 26, 2008

Price paid: 0

Purchased from:

Features: 2007 BC Rich Assassin PX3T, made in Korea, features neck thru body construction w/ Maple neck & Nato Mahogany wings & a deeply arched top. Smooth Black w/ pearl white bound body w/ dark chrome hardware, sleek 25 1/2" bound 24 fret Ebony fretboard, Grover tuners, Floyd Rose locking system w/ bar, 2 Rockfield ceramic humbuckers w/ a split coil tone control, 3-way toogle switch & volume pot. // 9

Sound: Solid & Sweet sounding pickups w/neck-thru-body sustain & "feel" of the sounds you make. Sounds grrreat either clean or in 'metal modes. Measa Boogie Studio 22 amp & Boss ME-50 & Klotz kables w/ Boomerang complete my basic setup. I have been playing guitar all my life, I'm 55, and it is my life, my wife as well as my business. I own over a dozen guitars, mostly flamenco negra acoustic cutaways for my solo show & an eclectic collection of tools for recording guitars & equipment. I spent alotta time researching this purchase as I was looking for a Paul Reed Smith styled guitar BUT with neck thru body construction, Ebony fretboard, & Floyd Rose, all features sadly not available from PRS, not easy to find at a reasonable price, the only feature I wanted I could not find was a Tung Oiled finish yet this finish is soooo smooooth that I Live with it's feel until I order a custom Tung Oil finished version of this model. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: This beauty was set up w/ new strings before it was mailed to me & arrived w/a extremely comfortable action & sound. it looks soooooo smooth & sleek w/ it's well finished black paint job, dark chrome hardware, bound body & neck, deeply arched/carved top as well as "Assassin" inlayed fretboard! I just admired it's presence on my guitar stand for a while before I engaged it's well-setup, well-made machine in makin' music. This solidbody exceeded all my expectations & hopes. // 9

Reliability & Durability: Every detail about this gorgeous guitar impresses me & I have worked in many retail music stores & am now a professional, full time solo guitar performer & own over a dozen guitars. So, being this impressed w/ an electric solidbody is extraordinary! The neck thru design feels totally solid & the hardware feels solidly assembled for decades of enjoyment. // 8

Impression: I would definately replace it if it was stolen as I consider it a truly classic designed guitar that represents an evolution of the Les Paul/PRS concepts & design. the BC Rich Assassin PX3T has every feature I was looking for but could not find in a dual humbucker, 24 fret, arched top solidbody guitar except in an ESP Horizon which was 3-4 times more expensive. This Assassin is an "instant classic," a true Diadem for a guitar player looking for it's unique features & design among the PRS/Les Paul styled designs. I am still in deep amazement that I could find such a well, designed & well-made solidbody for such an affordable price! I want to say I am not being paid by B.C. Rich to endorse this guitar & I did this review because I am truly impressed with what I consider to be an evolution in the design features of PRS concept. A Santana- styled guitar but w/ neck-thru sustain & feel, Ebony feel to the fretboard & Floyd Rose "divebombing" capability to capture the wildest nuances of emotional expression, features all sadly lacking from PRS & only available in much more expensive guitars which I cannot imagine being any better made than what I purchased. But in any line of mass-produced guitars, there are good & bad & average ones, I just got lucky to receive a grreat guitar, the right tool for the job for playing in a Santana tribute convention band. // 9

Comments

[stumtk]

Thank you finally for reviewing this. Im in that exact same position and i was kinda leaning towards the razorback but not i think im gonna go with the assassin. Thank you!

[Pingis_Or_Death]

So is the assasin better than your Dean Dime Razorback?

[SMK626]

Pingis_Or_Death wrote:

So is the assasin better than your Dean Dime Razorback?

Hell yeah it is!!!

btw, it's an ORIGINAL FLOYD ROSE.

not a licensed

[SMK626]

they modified my review a bit ._.

it's a original floyd. not a licensed.

[SMK626]

and it's Rockfeild Mafia ._.

[SMK626]

dammit the person who modded this ****ed with it too much x_o... its chrome black hardware, which is basically chrome with a tint of black... not black hardware... god dammit

[filthylittleboy]

BC RICH is my favorite brand of guitar... the bronze models are terrible, but their others are nothing short of spectacular. good job with the asassin, the only think i dont exactly like about this model, is that it doesnt have the body shape, of the warlock and beast and such. great review, i want another BC Rich now

[Gypsy Guitars]

i totally agree w/ SMK626 ! i own 2 of these PX3T's & it is my main axe for playin' Gypsy 'Metal... i actually love the sound of the Rockfield's for that sweet Santana sound & prefer this to several PRS's i own because of 1] the Neck-thru neck construction for better sustain, 2] the Ebony fingerboard & 3] 'da Floyd Rose... all NOT available on PRS's ! & the PRS are 3X's as expensive as this Assassin !!! anyway, i want an endorsement deal on this electric for my band from BC Rich... LOL !!!!!

[skinar]

does anyone knows if it has a coil tap on the pickups? im considering buying one

[HELLSHREDD]

Nice axe, i would consider buying one , but i have 2 much $$$$$

[Dax:]

skinar wrote:

does anyone knows if it has a coil tap on the pickups? im considering buying one

Yes, it does.
I however, have a relatively negative opinion. Ever since owning this guitar, I've had nothing but problems. The tremolo cannot hold E standard for more than three or four days, and it can't go below C standard - Giving little space for variation. Even the generally solid locking on the guitar cannot hold it in place. I have reverted back to my Mick Thomson M7 as a result.
On a good note; I do not knock it's price. I would indefinately pick it over the Razorback if I had trouble saving money for it. It's built like a beaut, and I wish they made a non-trem spec and look equivalent.

[skinar]

Thank you dax, there is a non trem version called the FX6 and it is very nice but discontinued so buy one quick (theyre about £500). but i prefer trem and i dont mind the tuning problem, i travel so much i have to re tune my guitars every day cuz of my dam gig bag...should really get a new bag before getting one of these. all ready got a mocking bird and ibanez iceman so ill use alternate tuning on them.

[creature9]

I've played this guitar and I must say that's been hard to go home without her. Although this pickups are mostly for rock style or something smoother and not for anything harder like metal. But the feeling is awesome. It's a great guitar.

[Shikari Hybryd]

can someone please tell me what an ideal guitar (preferably BC Rich) would be to play metal on? (top quality pinches etc.)

[Ibby]

Shikari Hybryd wrote:

can someone please tell me what an ideal guitar (preferably BC Rich) would be to play metal on? (top quality pinches etc.)

hmmm Iron Bird, Gunslinger Retro.

[stratdud39]

it looks sorta like a schecter

[Infamou$17]

This is the only BC Rich guitar I'd ever buy, other than the Mockingbird Special(maybe).

[BlisteringDDj]

This and the ASM Standard is the most good looking B.C. Rich guitars... Especially ASM Standard in Gun Metal! \m/

[LunchBx]

This BC Rich guitar looks... good...

[Urban1ninja]

i play bass and i want this guitar lol! its so sexy.
im using a b.c. rich bronze warlock right now.
i wish they make a bass version of this guitar.

[StraightxXxEdge]

Does anyone know if the Assassins with the natural finish are still in production? I like this guitar but I'm trying to move away from all black stuff.

[Dax:]

StraightxXxEdge wrote:

Does anyone know if the Assassins with the natural finish are still in production? I like this guitar but I'm trying to move away from all black stuff.

No they don't. Much like the FX6 which I have no interest in due to the horrid rose inlay, it looks like a tart's handbag.
On a lighter note I bought a new guitar, a discontinued Jackson King V with Duncan Designed pickups, which I've ripped out and replaced with a bridge Seymour Duncan Invader SH-8 and a neck Full Shred SH-10, and it's amazing. Bought some Revolver knobs from the BCR Assassin to put on, so it looks and plays brilliantly. Custom spray too. Hell yes.