Review Of The B. C. Rich Mockingbird Elite Classic: The Ultimate Metal Guitar?

Since the 1950's, most guitar shapes are mere deviations of the vintage Stratocaster and Les Paul designs. It's very rare that a unique guitar shape makes a significant influence on guitar players who, for all their differences, are a conservative lot when it comes to guitar body shapes.

The late instrument maker Bernardo Chavez Rico (popularly known as B. C. Rich) was one such designer who did transcend convention and design numerous guitar shapes that were not merely recreations from the past. Indeed, he gave us such renowned models as the Warlock and Mockingbird, the latter being one of the company's earliest models that has also become one of their most popular.

The Mockingbird guitar shape is available in a number of different incarnations. Current B. C. Rich Mockingbird models include the Calibre Classic, the Special, the Special X, the Masterpiece, the ST, and the Exotic Classic, which is the focus of our present review.

Current Mockingbird instruments are constructed in Korea to exacting standards, contributing to the guitars' high affordability. While the original Mockingbirds were made by hand in Rico's custom shop, Korean standards have increased to the point where outsourcing the guitars overseas makes perfect sense. The Mockingbird is still made to very high standards, including neck-through construction, which gives the instruments much greater sustain and tone.

The instrument is a speed player's dream machine! The ebony fretboard allows for very fast fingerwork. The frets are well-rounded, smooth, and polished perfectly, particularly for an import.

The Rockfield pickups are very nice if you're into classic metal or classic rock and have a creamy, smooth, and well-defined sound. If you desire super high gain from your pickups, you might be in the market for some replacement pickups (Duncan or Dimarzio), but we found them quite acceptable.

We found the B. C. Rich Mockingbird Exotic Classic to be a first-rate classic rock and metal machine. The fit, finish, and action are exceptional. The hardware is first-rate, though we would have liked some locking tuning machines.

If you want some even more metal sounds, you can opt for the Mockingbird ST, which offers an original Floyd Rose vibrato system. The Exotic Classic, however, is such a solid hard rock machine that we didn't miss the Floyd Rose one bit, and we recommend the B. C. Rich Mockingbird Exotic Classic without reservation.

If you're searching for the cheapest price on a new or used B. C. Rich Mockingbird, then look no further than Ray's Guitar Shop, which is your number one destination for both acoustic and electric guitars.

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