Beast V Review

I play Metal, so obviously a B.C. Rich is made for Metal and is a good match. The Beast sounds very good, if slightly metallic-sounding. The sound is pretty deep, and sounds heavy as hell.

Features:	8
Sound:	8
Action:	7
Reliability:	8
Impression:	8
Overall rating:	6.3
Reviewer rating:	7.8
Users rating:	4.8
Votes:	20

overall: 7.8

Reviewed by: Tomayo88, on january 31, 2012

Price paid: £ 180.99

Purchased from: Thomann.de

Features: - CONSTRUCTION: Bolt-On
- BODY WOOD: Nato
- TOP STYLE: Beveled
- HEADSTOCK STYLE: Beast
- HEADSTOCK COLOR: Black
- TUNERS: B.C. Rich Diecast
- NECK WOOD: Maple
- FRETBOARD: Rosewood
- INLAY: Dots
- FRETS: 24 jumbo
- SCALE: 25.5"
- BRIDGE TYPE: Tune o matic
- PICKUPS: B.C. Rich B.S.D.M.
- CONTROLS: 1 volume, 1 tone, 1 three-way toggle
- HARDWARE: Chrome // 8

Sound: I play Blues, Rock and Metal. I'm using it with a Marshall 15W practice amp, a Dime Distortion and a Cry Baby Original Wah. The guitar suits Metal more than anything, but is good for Rock and okay for blues. The sound is pretty deep, and sounds heavy as hell. The guitar, as mentioned before, is very good for Metal. It could do with being a bit less metallic-sounding, though. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was out of tune, but this was to be expected as it came from Germany. The action was a bit high when arrived, but everything from the hardware, the bridge, the pickups, tuners, nut, fretboard etc. Was fine. The guitar wasn't flawed, minus the high action. // 7

Reliability & Durability: The guitar is built pretty well, and I think it will last. I don't know if it will be suitable for live situations as I haven't tried it yet. The hardware is very good. The finish is also good quality and is set to last, I believe. // 8

Impression: I play Metal, so obviously a B.C. Rich is made for Metal and is a good match. The Beast sounds very good, if slightly metallic-sounding. I've been playing for around 5 and a half years and own a Dean Razorback DB Biomechanical, a Fender Strat, a Valencia Acoustic, a Cry Baby Original and a Dime Distortion box.

If this guitar was stolen, I'd get another, or perhaps the B.C. Rich Virgo as that is also a very nice guitar and is about the same price range for me. I love how heavy it sounds. I wish it had a tremolo system, though. // 8

Comments

[EpiExplorer]

Love the shape, but I'm always skeptical of sound and build quality.

[Soundservant]

I have a metal guitar as well, an ESP AX-50 and it really is only suited for metal. I always feel silly playing blues and such on it though.

[Air_Stryker]

I've never played a B.C Rich south of £500 that feels and sounds good. I love pretty much all of the designs of them, but they can't make a good low-end guitar.

[rob904]

Air_Stryker wrote:

I've never played a B.C Rich south of £500 that feels and sounds good. I love pretty much all of the designs of them, but they can't make a good low-end guitar.

this, and even the NJ BC Rich guitars are inconsistent.

[Von II]

Soundservant wrote:

I have a metal guitar as well, an ESP AX-50 and it really is only suited for metal. I always feel silly playing blues and such on it though.

I play an AX104 bass, and have played the 1xx version of the AX guitar (don't remember the exact number), and it can play blues and such, but you just look stupid.

It's like Dimmu Borgir going on stage with an ukelele, but the other way around.

[JoranvandenPoll]

Sorry BC. Rich

Dont like it!

[shredftw]

you cannot get a good idea for the sound. you're playing through a cheap solid state practice amp with a ridiculous distortion pedal, so i would take that part of the review out completely.

its one of the cheapest BC Richs out there, so it will play and sound like crap. i'm sorry but it will, that is a fact. for a beginner tho who wants to look badass in his bedroom its perfect but there is no real world use for this guitar in any way shape or form

[Insanepickz]

Well yeah for that price you really shouldn't expect a guitar to suit your needs perfectly.

[Tomayo88]

shredftw, I use this as a practice guitar... if i go out and play i use other equipment and as i can't afford one of those many hundreds of pounds amp heads/stacks, the practice amp has to make do, and it sounds good.

[Von II]

Since when has having expensive equipment become a requirement for reviewing something?

[GazzaCee]

Von II wrote:

Since when has having expensive equipment become a requirement for reviewing something?

Never. Having good sounding equipment, however, always has. If you're playing a PRS through a 10W Marshall MG, it will sound as shit as any another guitar through a 10W Marshall. Through a 100W Mesa Boogie, or any other high-end amp, it will sound great.

[Semperfidelis23]

I agree with gazzacee. You could buy a $10,000 guitar and play it through a $50 practice amp, and it will sound terrible, for example, I made the mistake of replacing my starter squire strat before my 7 watt peavey audition, and I was extremely disappointed. then I got a better amp, and that made all the difference.

[Masterofpirates]

The guitar was out of tune, but this was to be expected as it came from Germany.

Haha, I didn't even know about that stereotype.

[Sparky-MMA]

Masterofpirates wrote:

The guitar was out of tune, but this was to be expected as it came from Germany.
Haha, I didn't even know about that stereotype.

not a stereotype, they detune the strings in order to keep the guitars neck in a good shape while its transported, constant temp changes screws it up, and Thomann ship via air and it gets really cold up there, in tune strings would constrict, warping the neck or snapping the strings, detuning the strings allows the wood to naturally react to the temperature and maintain a playable form

[JustStayDown90]

"I play Metal, so obviously a B.C. Rich is made for Metal."
Woah, now that's a nice argument.

I guess the guitar is margninally OK for its price. But it's way too cheap-ass and low quality to waste anything over $250 for it. People need to stop buying guitars according to looks and start looking into the actually important features such as what wood they're made of, how many frets they have, their neck radius etc.

[Tomayo88]

JustStayDown90, I've said before that I'm on a budget... I don't judge on looks whether I like the guitar, I play it beforehand to see whether my hand can reach the strings comfortably etc. I know it's a cheap wood, but I was looking for something to practice with.

[EpiExplorer]

Sparky-MMA wrote:

Masterofpirates wrote:

The guitar was out of tune, but this was to be expected as it came from Germany.
Haha, I didn't even know about that stereotype.


not a stereotype, they detune the strings in order to keep the guitars neck in a good shape while its transported, constant temp changes screws it up, and Thomann ship via air and it gets really cold up there, in tune strings would constrict, warping the neck or snapping the strings, detuning the strings allows the wood to naturally react to the temperature and maintain a playable form

It could also have been due to Germany tuning all their music to a 432hz reference point, whereas everywhere else in the world does 440hz. I tune to 432hz because it feels nicer on my brain, and I want to practice more when I play.

[postmortem2006]

That's one of the most horrendous body shapes I've seen in years!

[ErdelyW]

Nice review! B.C. is love'em or hate'em. Anyways I like the shape, played one and it felt comfortable. Why? The shape isn't nice, so why do it this way? I place ANY guitar on my left leg, rather then the right, since I'm a lefty, and self taught to add. It's weird, but playing strats this way made me feel more comfortable with weird shaped guitars, especially V's. I don't like the shape,don't like a lot of things about this guitar, but it fits. Being one who held this guitar, this score is pretty OK. It's a good guitar, not exceptional, but nor is the price. However, I would like to warn anybody living in one of the fine Countries at East Europe: the stores charge big for these at order---more than the actual worth.

[Zan595]

Granted low end B.C Rich's are always just 'meh' in quality, I'd bet money that half the people who rated this just saw it was a B.C Rich and gave it a 1 immediately.

[Tomayo88]

ErdelyW, cheers. I hate sitting with this guitar, ha. It's better to stand anyway, as playing a gig or jamming with your band you're not gonna be sitting down. And the price was low at Thomann, less than everywhere else I looked.

[Sparda93]

I love BC:RICH, hate this guitar.