Up for sale, a 1977 B.C. Rich Eagle bass in perfect working order, complete with a B.C. Rich flight case. This exceedingly rare and early Eagle bass was produced during the golden age of USA-made B.C. Rich production, featuring an HH pickup configuration, as opposed to the standard dual split-coils.
Tonewoods include koa neck-through construction and body wings, with maple stringers and a thick slab ebony fretboard, yielding a detailed, smooth natural acoustic quality with excellent sustain and a complex midrange character. The neck pickup is thick and powerful-sounding, while the bridge pickup has more treble grind and articulation. The Eagle’s vast controls deliver everything from broad thump to aggressive cut, and comprehensive tone-shaping options include an active Preamp Boost, six-position Varitone, Phase switch, and Dual Sound mini toggles. This B.C. Rich weighs 9lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.
The koa neck has a medium C-shaped profile carve with modest shoulder and lightly rolled fretboard edges, measuring .825” deep at the 1st fret and .950” at the 12th. The thick slab ebony fretboard has 24 frets and features a 12” radius with diamond inlay, retaining flawless medium jumbo fretwire. This bass plays cleanly up the 34” scale with a straight neck and a responsive, optimally-adjusted truss rod. The nut measures 1.650” (42mm) in width. The headstock sports a rosewood veneer and “R” inlay, and the original Grover tuning machines turn smoothly and hold accurate pitch with clean chrome plating. The back of the headstock has a hand-stamped 77-prefix serial number, dating this bass to 1977.
All of the electronics function as intended, and hardware includes the original heavy-duty Badass top-loader bridge. Plastics comprise the original knobs and jack plate. The gloss finish highlights the grain of the koa body, and the thick maple stringers marry the neck and body wings. Cosmetic wear includes a number of nicks and dings on the body as a whole, largely concentrated on the perimeter and back, as well as a small area of buckle rash at the treble-side waist. The neck profile retains its smooth gloss, with a handful of shallow marks along the profile length that have no impact on playability.
The original B.C. Rich-branded flight case is included, with a couple extra stickers on the lid.