Reviewed by:
unregistered, on june 24, 2009
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Price paid: $ 700
Features: Construction: neck through
Body wood: nato (eastern mahogany)
Body thickness: 45mm
Top style: extremely beveled
Body binding: no
Headstock style: SOB Beast
Headstock color: onyx
Headstock binding: no
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic
Neck wood: maple
Back of neck: onyx
Neck binding: black
Fretboard: ebony
Inlay: white pearloid vertebrae
Frets: 24 jumbo 2.7mm
Factory strings: 9 - 42
Nut: 43mm
Scale: 25 1/2'
Bridge: tune o matic
Tailpiece: string through the body
Pickups: 1 Rockfield Fat Ass humbucker (bridge) and 1 twin rail (neck)
Controls: 1 volume (volume is a push pull to change pickups)
Hardware: black chrome
Special features: output jack is located on the upper wing in the back for comfort and style
Finish: painted glossy
Color: onyx
That's directly from the company website and it's all true, however what they don't say is that the push pull configuration only gives you bridge OR neck pickup..not both together. For some that might be a problem but for me it's perfect I'll explain why below. And I'd also suggest you actually try one in person before giving a vote. Pictures make it look unbalanced and stupid, but in reality it's a rather tall guitar that's just not as wide as a normal V. It's also rather deep. It's a bit deeper and a bit taller than normal V's it seems, at least the Gibson styled ones. It's heavier than it looks too, but not uncomfortably so. It has the weight you'd expect out of a guitar despite it's looks. // 10
Sound: Now here's the fun part. I'm running this through a Peavey triple xxx (badass amp) as for effects a reverb and BBE sonic maximizer's running through the effects loop and a noise suppressor's in the front. Now in case you couldn't figure it out from the amp and choice of guitar, I play extreme metal, death, black, thrash type stuff and this suits it perfectly. Unplugged it has a loud thick sound that has a bit of a snappy brightness to it, I like it. Of course this ain't no Acoustic..so onto the good part shall we? Now as mentioned the pickup configuration is a single in the neck and a humbucker at the bridge, and it's single knobbed push/pull configuration doesn't allow for both pickups to be activated, which is a good thing. If you're like me you just use the bridge pickup anyways so it works out, and apparently B\.C\. Rich took that into consideration. Starting off, let's talk about the bridge pickup, the rockfield fatass. As it's name implies, in a distortion setting it has a thick chug to it that gives chords and runs just enough girth, but not so much that it becomes sluggish. In the clean setting it has a clangy factor to it that makes playing clean passages enjoyable and gives this mean guitar a softer edge. It's a rather clear pickup that has enough hotness to satisfy a variety of styles, not just metal. Now onto the neck pickup, a B\.C\. Rich twin rail. I've never had a guitar with anything other than humbuckers in them so you'll have to excuse me since I have nothing to compare this pickup to. My first impression of this pickup was when trying it through the distortion setting and the first thing I thought was "woah". Whether this pickup is like this naturally, or it's been wired to be this way, it has an Ultra thick bassy tone to it that puts my bridge pickup to shame..so much thickness and bass that it can't be used for rhythm styled playing. "Then what the hell is the point in that?" you ask. Well, it's designed as a lead player's secret weapon. Solo's are fat, rich, defined with a roundness to the tone that's absolutely perfect for my playing style. Even though I'm sort of a strict rhythm player, the neck pickup makes me break out all my lead ideas and whatnot and actually makes me want to write and play new things..isn't that the point of a new guitar? // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: First off I want to state that I got this guitar right out of the box in the store. It was ordered for me and no one had touched it in that store before me..so this is how this guitar was straight out of the factory. Now when it comes to this section it seems to me guitars will always be lacking in one point. I say this because guitars usually come with a 42 gauge set and for metal we all know, that just won't do. Because I use low tunings the lightest gauge I'll play is a 56 or 58 however 60's are my preferance, so this guitar will soon be getting fitted for those. In it's "right out of the box" state, tuning down is a matter of personal discretion. For me the strings a little too floppy and lack the thickness they could have with thicker strings. I like high tension with thick strings and I like to wrestle with the guitar a little to peform bends and whatnot, so having floppy strings drives me crazy, however in this guitars defense it isn't as floppy as some other guitars I've had right out of the box. As for the rest of the guitar, flawless and professional grade. This Ultra glossy black is very classy and the guitar just looks amazing, so much better than any picture could do. This guitar is exactly what I want in a custom. // 9
Reliability & Durability: Ah..reliability and durability. Well, everything seems to suggest it will last a while..however..I've already accidentally banged the end of the guitar against the wall a couple of times, however just lightly and in those situations, not even a scratch. It may be just my paranoia but will all the sharp edges on this thing I can see the ends getting chipped easily. It hasn't happened yet because I take and obsessive compulsive amount of care in making sure that it doesn't, which I've never had to do with any other guitar. I'm not saying this guitar needs it, it's just I worry. With this guitar I can definately play without a backup, this will last a while no doubt about it, it's just the dings and nicks I worry about at the ends and on the headstock horns. // 8
Impression: This guitar is the custom V I've always wanted. It's simple and functional electronics, mercilessly beautiful appearance, and most importantly it's vicious sound makes this thing my favorite guitar hands down. I always wanted a guitar that had my personal ideas with a shape few others if any had, and I know for a fact that when I play shows no one else will be stepping on that stage with one of these. B\.C\. Rich has earned a reputation for having horribly crappy entry level guitars with mid to high end prices, which I agree to completely having owned a few of their other models. This is by far one of the best things they've ever done and with a price that's rather shocking in a good way. If you were ever considering a B\.C\. Rich, the Draco is your best bet. // 10
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