BC Rich Eagle Price Check

[veatch]

A buddy of mine was a guitar tech for an artist that recently passed. The artist's son wants to sell his '78-ish BC Rich Eagle Supreme, but needs help to know what it is worth. I'm reaching out to some BC Rich folks that i know as well, but i know there are a few pointy guitar fans here, and more information is better than less...

The good:

Maple center, flamed maple wings, walnut (maybe rosewood?) stringers

Supreme (Cloud inlays)

Artist owned - not sure if that has any bearing on anything - it might in this case

The bad:

Controls have been modified - it was an oddball originally as far as the electronics, and has only gotten more so over the years...

Neck repair - not sure when it was done, but it is clearly an old repair that is stable.

My buddy says he was told $5000 to $7000 - i think that is high, but i don't see enough Eagle Supremes out there to really know.

Couple of shots to ponder, but please, i respectfully ask to not post who's guitar you think this was. If you want to PM me, that is fine.

Tnx.

Also - these pics are about 2 years old. If i understood the tech correctly, some additional changes may have been made either to the electronics or the pups.

[serial]

Two things:

One-it is not a '73.

Two-he's at least double the price in that condition unless the artist was really popular.

[veatch]

Dag-nabbit, i need to have my eyes checked. They didn't use the 5 digit scheme until 74 anyways....

Make that 78-ish (maybe 77?)

Thanks, Steve.

[serial]

More like it-these have gone up in the last year, but that has a lot of issues. Still think he's at least double the correct price, but they're cool guitars.

[Armitage]

With the nasty neck break and heavy mods I can't imagine getting even $2000. Besides, most people want the Koa ones.

[RichRS6]

What they said.

It's a nice looking guitar but with the neck break and mods he'll be lucky to see $2000.

Even if it was mint I'd be surprised if he to got $5000.

[devrock]

With the nasty neck break and heavy mods I can't imagine getting even $2000. Besides, most people want the Koa ones.

This. Although, I think the maple ones are desirable. But anyone who thinks that axe is worth $5-7k is smoking tons and tons of crack. I think he'd be LUCKY if he got $1250 for it, to be honest. (that neck/bodycrack is the result of a very poor choice of wood by whoever was at BCR at that time. It has a knot in the maple!! WTF?

[dragan]

I dont remember the eagle any earlier than 78 at the earliest, maybe , the seagull was out in maybe late 74 and the mockingbird late 76 or early 77( short horns )stripped though body woods were like 77-78 , shame about the alterations and neck break . changing the electronics is understandable though , never were very usable IMO

[veatch]

This is confirmed to be a '76, which is when the Eagle was introduced (pic from 1976 catalog):

Thanks for all of the comments. You all are on the same page that i was regarding price. That said, the seller has a collector lined up.

Tnx.

[serial]

I won't say what I scored my '81 Koa Mockingbird for then!

It's in the process of being painted purple metallic pearl (seriously).

[Armitage]

I just know I have three late '70s Eagles here and I'd take $5,000 to $7,000 for any of them... $7,000 for any pair! And they're in fantastic shape (except one has had the electronics pack removed by a previous owner).

[The Shark]

I have a '78 koa Mock that was ordered with two tones and two volumes. Was offered 3K for it two or three years ago. Don't know what it's worth now. Doesn't matter. It won't be sold until after my demise. The wife is rubbing her hands together!

[devrock]

I won't say what I scored my '81 Koa Mockingbird for then!

It's in the process of being painted purple metallic pearl (seriously).

PLEASE tell me you aren't refinishing that guitar. PLEASE.

[veatch]

I love the pron.

Note i have no idea how much the guitar will sell for, just that the seller has a buyer lined up.

Tnx again, all.

[it's me HHB]

Wow Sharks mockingbird is sick! I love that one

[serial]

I won't say what I scored my '81 Koa Mockingbird for then!

It's in the process of being painted purple metallic pearl (seriously).

PLEASE tell me you aren't refinishing that guitar. PLEASE.

This color:

[The Shark]

I love the pron.

Note i have no idea how much the guitar will sell for, just that the seller has a buyer lined up.

Tnx again, all.

Great thread.

[RichRS6]

Well if we're doing BC Rich Pron heres my 78.

Heres an 80's Mockingbird on ebay for $6000 (Far too much IMO).

Not a supreme as it has no binding but it does have cloud inlays.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Free-Shipping-Very-Rare-B-C-Rich-Vintage-Mockingbird-04-/161455912364?pt=Guitar&hash=item259785b5ac

Nice 78 Eagle not a supreme but not modded or broken for $4000.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1978-BC-RICH-EAGLE-/321556022228?pt=Guitar&hash=item4ade3b83d4

And an 82 Mockingbird for $2995. I like them in Maple.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1982-BC-Rich-Mockingbird-/271640194828?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f3f046f0c

The basses can still be had for a bargain price IM (not bassist) O.

[devrock]

I won't say what I scored my '81 Koa Mockingbird for then!

It's in the process of being painted purple metallic pearl (seriously).

PLEASE tell me you aren't refinishing that guitar. PLEASE.

This color:

You're kidding us, right? I'm sick to my stomach right now. You simply cannot destroy that Mock that way. That thing is worth nearly $3k and you're killing the value AND removing one more vintage Koa Mock from the world. I realize it's yours to do what you want, but sell that one for a good price and then buy a painted USA Mock to refinish. I just can't understand how or why someone would do such a thing.

[it's me HHB]

Keep the headstock original please!

[RichRS6]

I've seen a Mockingbird in a similar Purple from the factory, it looked great.

Not sure if I'd want to do that to one that looks that nice already but whatever floats your boat.

If it was mine I'd remove the 4 mini switches (I hate those fecking things) that do the coil tap, out of phase and preamp on/off functions, wire it up permanently out of phase in the middle position, put push pull pots in the 2 volumes to control the coil taps and the use the tone pot push pull for the pre amp on off.

I'd keep the varitone as I think it adds a little interest to the sound palette but it would look a lot less cluttered without it.

That would all be easily reversible if you ever wanted to put it back to stock too.

[cmatthes]

The purple goes much better with the Kahler he's putting in there.

[serial]

I won't say what I scored my '81 Koa Mockingbird for then!

It's in the process of being painted purple metallic pearl (seriously).

PLEASE tell me you aren't refinishing that guitar. PLEASE.

This color:

You're kidding us, right? I'm sick to my stomach right now. You simply cannot destroy that Mock that way. That thing is worth nearly $3k and you're killing the value AND removing one more vintage Koa Mock from the world. I realize it's yours to do what you want, but sell that one for a good price and then buy a painted USA Mock to refinish. I just can't understand how or why someone would do such a thing.

I'm not joking in the slightest and I'm not destroying anything. The original finish was trashed, so I'm making a guitar that I love to play into a guitar I'll like to look at as well. I'm not 'removing a Koa Mock' (it'll still be Koa underneath) at all, but if someone feels strongly enough about it and wants to swap me a straight old Mockingbird for my Koa one, I'm all ears. Better be quick though, this one's already with the refin guy!

And no worries, HHB-the headstock face will remain-that wasn't boogered!

[devrock]

The purple goes much better with the Kahler he's putting in there.

Oh, you're funny.

[serial]

I would never Kahler this. That's what Wonderbars are for.

[The Shark]

Look at Serial's pic closely. It's beggin' for purple!