B.C. Rich Warlock NJ Neck-Thru Series
Purchased at Guitar Center on Capitol Boulevard in Raleigh in January 2003 as an early 30th birthday present from my wife. 'Tis da bomb, and I fell for it the moment I picked it up and tried an arpeggio.
Features: 9
Mahogany (nato) body, neck-through construction for that infinite sustain, Widow headstock, chrome/die-cast hardware, rosewood fretboard (25 1/2" scale, Anders), 24 jumbo frets, locking nut, diamond inlays, Floyd Rose tremolo, two high-output B.C. Rich B.D.S.M. humbuckers, two independent volume and one tone control, plus a three-way toggle switch. And it's the blackest guitar you'll ever lay your eyes on. Guaran-damn-freakin-teed. With 24 frets and plenty sustain, it's possible to do speedy legato work as well as Michael Romeo-style tapping (I keep bringing that up, I know). This is a very specialized guitar, as opposed to e.g. the Ibanez S, so I've got to dock one point for the simple fact that it's very difficult to pull off an acceptable single-coil, twangy sound with it. Unbelievable guitar for recording and live performance - the offset "V" on the lower body provides perfect support when you put your right leg on a monitor (or a chair, whichever you've got handy) so as to reach those high notes for those climactic runs and sweeps. Plus, you get an instant metal-look.
Sound: 10
With the caveat that it's got a specialized sound - metal, that is, the sonic qualities in the Warlock are absolutely stellar. The neck-through construction provides enough sustain to offset the Floyd Rose (which is a real sustain-killer compared to a fixed bridge), and the pickups have enough gain to cut through any noise from even the staunchest ESP-wielding rhytm-guitarist. Rhytm being the stuff that comes between solos, of course, and the Warlock is hardwired for soloing. It's even possible to get a warm, violin-y sound from the neck pickup, and with the bridge pickup cranked up, one can conjure up al the harmonics your heart may desire. Combined with the Floyd Rose and locking nut, you can pull off Dime-style squeals like it's nobody's bidness.
In case you don't know how to pull off Dime-squeals Cemetary Gates-style, here's a quick 6-step primer. Disclaimer: Don't even think about attempting this with a standard trem bar (or even worse - a Bigsby) without a locking nut or with low-output single-coil pickups, as this will result in a) the neck being bent out of shape irreversibly, b) the trem being torn from the body, or c) all the strings breaking, subsequently screwing up the neck something fierce. Alright - let's get cracking. Step 1: Angle your whammy bar 180 degrees with respect to the neck. Step 2: Gently flick the string on which you want to sound the harmonic with your left hand, and (Step 3) dump the whammy bar until the strings are getting stuck to the pickups/flapping. Step 4: Release the whammy bar while simultaneously (Step 5) touching the desired harmonic/node with your left hand, and (Step 6) raise the pitch to the desired height using the whammy bar.
Back to the sound. The Warlock is meant for metal, and as such, you're up a creek without a paddle if you try playing jazz or country with it. As a matter of fact I suspect the guitar will stop working if you try playing blues, jazz or some other non-metal music. If you try laying the Warlock on your lap and pulling out a slide + thumb pick combo, I'm pretty sure the 'lock is gonna garrote you with the strings - that's how metal it is. So; in short - if strumming is your thing, go get yourself a Rickenbacker or a mexican-made Daisy Rock, ya big wuss. However, if you're into high-speed riffing, speedy runs and ionian/phrygian modes, then the Warlock might be something to check out.
Action, Fit&Finish: 10
Beautiful, black finish, and a comfortable C profile, which surprisingly enough works very well for high-speed fretboard antics. The action is very low, and really enables tapping and legato licks. The soft C profile actually helps for prolonged three-string ascending Yngwie-style arpeggios, so it's all good. Very high tuning stability, and of course the fabled Widow headstock.
Reliability/Durability: 6
When we moved back from NC, the Warlock was shipped in a container with the bulk of our belongings, and the long journey and large temperature variations kind of did a number on the neck (as in twisted the wood - no es bueno). Consequently, the neck has been adjusted twice since 2003, but it's still a bit off - irreversibly, I'm afraid. And here's where the neck-through construction becomes a liability, as you can forget about replacing the neck like you'd do with a bolt-on. Other than that, I'm extremely pleased with the paint job, hardware etc.
Overall Rating: 9
Features: 9
Mahogany (nato) body, neck-through construction for that infinite sustain, Widow headstock, chrome/die-cast hardware, rosewood fretboard (25 1/2" scale, Anders), 24 jumbo frets, locking nut, diamond inlays, Floyd Rose tremolo, two high-output B.C. Rich B.D.S.M. humbuckers, two independent volume and one tone control, plus a three-way toggle switch. And it's the blackest guitar you'll ever lay your eyes on. Guaran-damn-freakin-teed. With 24 frets and plenty sustain, it's possible to do speedy legato work as well as Michael Romeo-style tapping (I keep bringing that up, I know). This is a very specialized guitar, as opposed to e.g. the Ibanez S, so I've got to dock one point for the simple fact that it's very difficult to pull off an acceptable single-coil, twangy sound with it. Unbelievable guitar for recording and live performance - the offset "V" on the lower body provides perfect support when you put your right leg on a monitor (or a chair, whichever you've got handy) so as to reach those high notes for those climactic runs and sweeps. Plus, you get an instant metal-look.
Sound: 10
With the caveat that it's got a specialized sound - metal, that is, the sonic qualities in the Warlock are absolutely stellar. The neck-through construction provides enough sustain to offset the Floyd Rose (which is a real sustain-killer compared to a fixed bridge), and the pickups have enough gain to cut through any noise from even the staunchest ESP-wielding rhytm-guitarist. Rhytm being the stuff that comes between solos, of course, and the Warlock is hardwired for soloing. It's even possible to get a warm, violin-y sound from the neck pickup, and with the bridge pickup cranked up, one can conjure up al the harmonics your heart may desire. Combined with the Floyd Rose and locking nut, you can pull off Dime-style squeals like it's nobody's bidness.
In case you don't know how to pull off Dime-squeals Cemetary Gates-style, here's a quick 6-step primer. Disclaimer: Don't even think about attempting this with a standard trem bar (or even worse - a Bigsby) without a locking nut or with low-output single-coil pickups, as this will result in a) the neck being bent out of shape irreversibly, b) the trem being torn from the body, or c) all the strings breaking, subsequently screwing up the neck something fierce. Alright - let's get cracking. Step 1: Angle your whammy bar 180 degrees with respect to the neck. Step 2: Gently flick the string on which you want to sound the harmonic with your left hand, and (Step 3) dump the whammy bar until the strings are getting stuck to the pickups/flapping. Step 4: Release the whammy bar while simultaneously (Step 5) touching the desired harmonic/node with your left hand, and (Step 6) raise the pitch to the desired height using the whammy bar.
Back to the sound. The Warlock is meant for metal, and as such, you're up a creek without a paddle if you try playing jazz or country with it. As a matter of fact I suspect the guitar will stop working if you try playing blues, jazz or some other non-metal music. If you try laying the Warlock on your lap and pulling out a slide + thumb pick combo, I'm pretty sure the 'lock is gonna garrote you with the strings - that's how metal it is. So; in short - if strumming is your thing, go get yourself a Rickenbacker or a mexican-made Daisy Rock, ya big wuss. However, if you're into high-speed riffing, speedy runs and ionian/phrygian modes, then the Warlock might be something to check out.
Action, Fit&Finish: 10
Beautiful, black finish, and a comfortable C profile, which surprisingly enough works very well for high-speed fretboard antics. The action is very low, and really enables tapping and legato licks. The soft C profile actually helps for prolonged three-string ascending Yngwie-style arpeggios, so it's all good. Very high tuning stability, and of course the fabled Widow headstock.
Reliability/Durability: 6
When we moved back from NC, the Warlock was shipped in a container with the bulk of our belongings, and the long journey and large temperature variations kind of did a number on the neck (as in twisted the wood - no es bueno). Consequently, the neck has been adjusted twice since 2003, but it's still a bit off - irreversibly, I'm afraid. And here's where the neck-through construction becomes a liability, as you can forget about replacing the neck like you'd do with a bolt-on. Other than that, I'm extremely pleased with the paint job, hardware etc.
Overall Rating: 9
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5 comments:
...get yourself ... a mexican-made Daisy Rock, ya big wuss
Or a daphne blue, Japanese-made Squier Stratocaster customized with DiMarzio HS-3, whichever you have handy...
If you try laying the Warlock on your lap and pulling out a slide + thumb pick combo, I'm pretty sure the 'lock is gonna garrote you with the strings
No, it's easy: Just replace the bridge pu with a horse shoe pickup, get rid of the tremolo and string it up with a set 15-56, and you got yourself a very useful lapslider. ;-)
Naw, serious, that's a mean looking guitar. Too bad about the neck, twisted necks are not the worst. Bended necks are much easier to straighten.
The 'lock will strangle you with the guitar strap if you attempt anything like that. 'Cause that's how metal it is. And the twisted neck problem sucks - damn Access Van Lines or whatever that transport company called themselves.
Chrushed Guitars'R'Us?
The 'lock will strangle you with the guitar strap if you attempt anything like that.
I'm sure that behind that black and angry exterior, there is a little daisy rock or "flowre power" folk guitar that wants to come out and be nice... ;-)
....in the sense that it probably ate a few Daisy Rocks and mexican strats - absolutely
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