B.C. Rich Mockingbird ST Review

Mine came in a limited edition black quilted finish with matching headstock, absolutely gorgeous. Features include two humbucker pickups with coil taps,24 jumbo frets, neck through construction, Gibson scale length, an original Floyd Rose, phase switch, volume and tone controls, and a master 5 position "chicken head" tone knob. This guitar plays wonderfully. Being the first guitar I've owned with a Floyd, I was determined to abuse it for all it was worth. But for all my violent vibratos, divebombing and flutter attacks, I could not for the life of me get this thing to go out of tune! The pickups give off a great ballsy rock sound in humbucker mode, but bassier than most. I had to increase my amp's treble setting to make it sound really angry. Single coils actually sound surprisingly powerful. With my multi fx unit set up for Fender pickups, I found myself actually having to quiet down some of my tones to get a John Frusciante type sound, since the Bird's singles sound much hotter. The phase switch can create some funky honked out sounds with both pickups engaged, too. For sheer versatility, I give this guitar's features top marks, but the many switches and dials mean you'll be putting some effort in before you can tame some of the ugly tones this thing can also create.

I got this thing shipped in from a guitar company in the States, and it arrived in quite nice shape. The tuning was just a bit flat, but a quick twisting of the fine tuners was enough to get it in tune and keep it there. There are some minor complaints I have. The balance isn't quite neutral, but the way the buttons twist the strap make it hug your body quite well and prevent the headstock from nose diving. The sustain is good but not great, despite the neck through design, and the flutter out of of the box doesn't last a particularly long time. I'm planning on augumenting it. It also has a small amount of acoustic buzz, completely unnoticeable when plugged in even without distortion. All the knobs feel nice and solid, there are no sharp frets, the pickup selector is dead quiet, and the wood is immaculate. I would never use a Floyd equipped guitar without backup at a gig in case a string broke, but I found this guitar to be rock solid and tough as an ox. It should be noted, however, that the multiple controls and thick body make it weigh about as much as an ox, too.

For about $600 Canadian, you get some truly fantastic features. I've been searcing for months for a guitar with both coil tap and a Floyd Rose, and this thing fits my requirements perfectly! It looks like a high end custom model, and you'll stand out at any gig just by holding it. Being a teen working a minimum wage job, I honestly never thought I'd ever be able to afford something so incredible in my youth. If lost or stolen, I would buy another one without hesitation. They say that you get what you pay for, but in this case you get so much more.

I love this guitar. From it's glossy finish to it's classic-yet-different curves, this guitar is one of the coolest things I've ever seen, and the first axe I've ever thought looks cooler than a PRS Custom. It stays in tune, sounds fantastic (although making it sound fantastic takes some set up time), and makes me feel like a pro, even though I've only been playing for about 3 1/2 years. Just keep it's weight in mind before you get your heart set on one, this is NOT a guitar for someone with a bad back or shoulder. For anyone else, though, I can't recommend it enough. Thank you, BC Rich. Thank you.