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BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« on: January 03, 2011, 12:38:22 AM »
Looking for some idea as to what this might be worth for resale:
4 images of a Stealth headless, plus an article from Vintage Guitar on a Stealth Bass. It's from the late eighties, but was manufactured in the mid-eighties, as is mentioned in the article. The tuners are at the rear of the body behind the Badass bridge. The pickups are Bill Lawrence with active electronics and about a million tone variations via the in phase and tap switches and the bass boost. Hard case is included. Selector switch and electronics match the type in article.
 
This is the original color, and I'm the only owner: It was ordered by me through Rock Street Music in Pittston, PA. I picked blue as its finish, as it had been basically sitting in the attic at BC Rich as an unfinished prototype.

VOXguy

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BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2011, 10:18:21 PM »
I like it!  For sale or trade?  Send me a PM. I have about 15 basses - I bet I have more than one you would like to have more than this one.  But I have cash too.

There's a crazy early '80's  Kramer aluminum neck bass on ebay with 8 strings (set up like a 12 string guitar) and 4 of the strings have tuners at the butt end like this B.C.Rich.  I would have to say the Kramer is more unique and valuable (especially with 8 strings and the aluminum neck) - It looks like the Kramer will sell for under $800.  Another early 80's aluminum neck Kramer just closed on ebay for under $500.

I just recently started buying Charvels, Jacksons, Kramers, B.C. Rich, Ibanez, etc. "shredders" right after I picked up a vintage Gibson flying V and a Charvel Avenger. And I recently bought a B.C. Rich Custom Prototype bass (1 of 24) called a Savage Beast  (it has some cool claw shaped fretmarkers)- easily the biggest, heaviest guitar I have ever picked up.  It came with a huge custom case.

These guitars just aren't commanding a whole lot at present.  The 70's to mid-80s Fender Stratocasters took a climb in 2010, but all of the late 80's stuff for all brands is still way low priced.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2011, 10:31:45 PM by VOXguy »

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2011, 08:08:14 AM »
Rob, do you have rear shots of the bass?
 
Do you think it could have been resprayed, I have only ever seen 1 Headless Stealth bass, and it was Black, it was made for Dave Ellefson of Megadeth, do your research carefully mate, this is a pretty rare bass, I can't imagine they would have made 2 of 'em, but maybe they did?

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2011, 08:14:28 AM »
Found pictures, from my friend Venomboy
 

 

jules

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« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2011, 12:39:14 PM »
The OP, robsbasses emailed me a reply - i've tacked it onto the end of his first post, scroll back up to the top!

The Finish Issue
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2011, 01:47:46 PM »
BC RICH allowed me to select the color when I bought the guitar back in 1988: As it was described to me, they'd finished the body and had all the hardware, but the series was never expanded to include a headless model, so it was an individual piece done for feasibility, then it was relegated to storage. When I'm free this weekend, I'll remove the backplate and photograph the cavity to show that this is the original finish. The serial number for the instrument is stamped in the space above the 24th fret. I'll post that as well, but I think that BC Rich's numbering system is pretty arcane. The bass arrived with no knobs, and it's BadAss bridge saddles weren't planed yet, and there was no manual, so it's plausible that this was a one-of. Also, the case didn't fit the bass properly. They did send me the knobs after-wards, then the saddle was planed by a luthier in Scranton, PA named Gene Matisko, who also completed the set-up. The case inserts had to be removed, and new ones added to fit the bass but it's still the original case. Electronics are the standard for Stealth basses, with two Bill Lawrence active pick-ups, and include an on-off switch, which is nice.

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2011, 02:50:08 PM »
I went and re-read the interview my friend did with Ellefson, Dave could not remember if he owned the bass or was loaned it, he said it was a one off, and BCR are KNOWN to have resprayed basses before, to hide scratches etc etc, this has got to be the Ellefson bass IMHO:)

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2011, 02:52:51 PM »
BTW, I am the holder of the unofficial B.C.Rich Serial number archive, so if you could send me the correct serial #, via PM if you wish, I can pretty accurately date it for you:)

Piqued my curiousity
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2011, 03:41:28 PM »
Boy, this is getting intriguing, isn't it. I'll transcribe the registration numbers at home this evening, and might be able to try and peel a tiny section of the foil shielding in the wiring cavity back to see if there's anything that looks like it might be a pre-existing finish, but that's likely to be a weekend activity. It's certainly a possibility that it is the Ellefson bass, but it's odd that they'd not mention it, unless it wasn't that widely known among BC Rich's staff. I know that they'd admitted that it was unusual that someone would ask them for a headless, since it was the only one that they could confirm having constructed.

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2011, 04:24:27 PM »
If B.C.Rich loaned this bass out, and it came back scratched, they would have resprayed itHere, take a look at this1982 catalogue page


 
 
1985 Catalogue page
 

 
Study the grain patterns on the doubleneck Bich basses, same bass, you cannot get 2 instruments with exactly the same grain patterns (Unless it's a photo finish top)So, here is the bass with it's red necks today (I found it for a friend)


 
And here it is, not long after it was built
 
 
 

 
Alas, we didn't know back then it was the Spinal Tap Bich, or else I would have bought it myself!!Mal Stich, the vice president of B.C.Rich 1974 to 1985 told me that they got the BCR's back from Spinal Tap, and they were all trashed and sat in his office for over a year, that would explain why it was resprayed, same with the Stealth bass if Dave had scratched it

Not able to see the images in the previous postings:
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2011, 04:42:19 PM »
I'll text me fiance' and have her jot the serial number down a bit later and post it. There might be something blocking the images from appearing on the server that I'm on, so I'll look at them this evening and see if it appears the same. It did (based on what the rep stated) sit around the BC Rich factory for "awhile" before I called looking for a headless, so it might be the same bass.

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2011, 04:45:22 PM »
No worries Rob, if you need to send me an email, I sent you my email address via PM earlier:)

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2011, 01:40:26 AM »
Lorne: submitted a PM on the forum.

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2011, 06:20:46 AM »
Quote from: RobsBasses;15325
Lorne: submitted a PM on the forum.

Answered mate:)

Lorne

BC Rich Stealth Headless neck-through bass
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2011, 01:17:55 AM »
Pics of the truss rod end and rear of the bass?

 

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