Another BC Rich Warlock question...

[RatedZ]

Ok, since I'm not familiar on how to "expand" this question on to my other "BC Rich" thread, I'll just start a new one because it will probably be easier.

Tax-filing time is upon us, and I'm dying to get a Warlock. I've always wanted a "Made In the USA" model, but unfortunately the only ones that are made in the USA are the ones from the Custom Shop.

The prices are extremely high, and I'd probably be looking at at least $3000-$3500 to get one. Now, I have questions...

1. Are they worth it?

2. What makes this Custom Shop guitar better than a model I would buy right off the rack, especially if it's going to have the same hardware (example: Floyd Rose Tremolo, Eastern Mahogony neck, neck-through design, etc...)? There are already models out there that have these materials.

 

[Farview]

The entire point of a custom shop guitar is to get something made to your specs. If all you want is a stock Warlock, save your money and buy a stock one. Of course, you will want to buy one of the good ones, but if you have no need for a hand made guitar that will cost twice as much and take 6 months to recieve, why bother?

 

[RatedZ]

The entire point of a custom shop guitar is to get something made to your specs. If all you want is a stock Warlock, save your money and buy a stock one. Of course, you will want to buy one of the good ones, but if you have no need for a hand made guitar that will cost twice as much and take 6 months to recieve, why bother?

Good point. The reason I'm asking is because I'm really not familiar with the differences in sound determining on the types of wood used, or anything else like that. I want something that's going to sound "rich," and have some meat behind it. I guess like something between the sound of a Fender and a Gibson Les Paul. They're destinctive sounds. Whenever I hear a song, I can normally say, "That's a Gibson," or "That's a Fender."

I dunno how to explain it. I want something that sounds great with Metal, has good quality, looks aggressive, and plays really nicely (low string action, good sustain, etc.).

 

[Farview]

A Warlock will sound more like a gibson than a fender for a bunch of different reasons.

The body is big and weighty and you are using humbuckers. The wood makes a difference, but not as big a difference as the construction and especially pickup choice.

The other cool thing about getting a standard guitar is you can play it before you buy it.

I'll tell you about a little mistake that I made a very long time ago. I ordered a custom shop Jackson. I wanted it to be exactly like Randy Rhodes' guitar. It took 9 months to get it and cost $2500 (in 1984) and I couldn't play it. The fretboard was flat, like a classical guitar. The pickup selector switch was on the side of the guitar, facing up when you were playing it. I would hit it every time I leaned forward while playing. And the straplocks were placed so that the guitar always wanted to hang face down, so it was a struggle to keep the guitar oriented while fighting with the non-radiused fretboard.... It was a nightmare.

If I had gotten a chance to play it before I bought it, I never would have.

 

[RatedZ]

A Warlock will sound more like a gibson than a fender for a bunch of different reasons.

The body is big and weighty and you are using humbuckers. The wood makes a difference, but not as big a difference as the construction and especially pickup choice.

The other cool thing about getting a standard guitar is you can play it before you buy it.

I'll tell you about a little mistake that I made a very long time ago. I ordered a custom shop Jackson. I wanted it to be exactly like Randy Rhodes' guitar. It took 9 months to get it and cost $2500 (in 1984) and I couldn't play it. The fretboard was flat, like a classical guitar. The pickup selector switch was on the side of the guitar, facing up when you were playing it. I would hit it every time I leaned forward while playing. And the straplocks were placed so that the guitar always wanted to hang face down, so it was a struggle to keep the guitar oriented while fighting with the non-radiused fretboard.... It was a nightmare.

If I had gotten a chance to play it before I bought it, I never would have.

Well this certainly turns me off from wanting to order a custom! Aside from that, I'm really not that great that I need a $3000+ guitar.

One thing about my Mockingbird is that it's "top heavy." I feel like I have to hold the neck up while playing it. It's a little bit irritating but I still like it. My Fender Tele is very well balanced. I spent a lot more time "inspecting" and "test driving" the Fender before I bought it. The same can't be said for my Mockingbird. With the Mockingbird I was about 15 years old and all I knew was "the Metal guys play BC Rich." I had the opportunity to get a BC Rich and I did. Do I regret purchasing it? Not at all. It served its purpose for a while until I decided to play "technician" one day, and lost a screw out of the bridge, ended up with all sorts of buzzing, and just a whole mess of problems.

I went out again today and looked at some Warlocks. I talked to the shop owner about a "Caliber" Series Vs. an "NT Series." They were both neck-through designs and the only differences between the two were the pickups, the Schaler hardware (Caliber), and the white trim around the head and neck (Caliber). The Caliber was also apparently hand-built in Europe, where-as the NT was not. The Caliber is *supposed to be* a Custom Shop design that wasn't made by the Custom Shop. It was $1299. The NT model was $599. I didn't see a $700 difference between the two. They both used the same woods and same Floyd Rose Tremolo and the "nut locks." I guess the biggest difference between the two would be where they were made/assembled/whatever. I'm going to guess that the NT model was probably "made in China" or something...

 

[Corndog]

Them pointy geetars'll put yer eye out kid!!!

 

[Farview]

I went out again today and looked at some Warlocks. I talked to the shop owner about a "Caliber" Series Vs. an "NT Series." They were both neck-through designs and the only differences between the two were the pickups, the Schaler hardware (Caliber), and the white trim around the head and neck (Caliber). The Caliber was also apparently hand-built in Europe, where-as the NT was not. The Caliber is *supposed to be* a Custom Shop design that wasn't made by the Custom Shop. It was $1299. The NT model was $599. I didn't see a $700 difference between the two. They both used the same woods and same Floyd Rose Tremolo and the "nut locks." I guess the biggest difference between the two would be where they were made/assembled/whatever. I'm going to guess that the NT model was probably "made in China" or something...

They are probably made in Korea. But the Koreans make good guitars now. Price out what it would cost to replace the pickups and hardware, see if you could get the same thing for cheaper...

The binding on the neck is cool looking, but it makes a fret job more expensive. It does nothing for the playability.

 

[RatedZ]

Them pointy geetars'll put yer eye out kid!!!

Haha! There are lots of things that will put someone's eye out! Just ask a Vegas hooker!

They are probably made in Korea. But the Koreans make good guitars now. Price out what it would cost to replace the pickups and hardware, see if you could get the same thing for cheaper...

The binding on the neck is cool looking, but it makes a fret job more expensive. It does nothing for the playability.

The guy at the shop said I could put in a set of EMGs for about $200 and Schaler hardware for about $70. That didn't seem unreasonable. I think I could probably get a better deal on an NT than $599.