Lord have mercy on anyone who crosses the path of Andy James and the Pitchfork headstock of his Assassin signature guitar
(Image credit: B.C. Rich)
B.C. Rich has teamed up with Andy James of Five Finger Death Punch fame to produce one of the most eye-catching signature guitars of the year.
We say “eye-catching” and we mean it: just get a load of that Pitchfork headstock – one wrong move and those sharp points could easily take an eye out.
That gnarly headstock design is one of the standout features of James' new electric guitar, which takes cues from B.C. Rich’s Assassin model, but otherwise recruits a low-profile C-shape satin neck and seamless “No Heel Shredzilla Neck cut” construction.
(Image credit: B.C. Rich)
All of those additions to the custom spec sheet hope to facilitate faster playing – and muster up an especially aggressive, metal-ready vibe – with the original Assassin from 1986 instead offering a bolt-on neck and simple hockey stick-style headstock.
Another update to the Assassin template that James and the brand has introduced is the Evertune hardtail bridge – a unit that is becoming more and more common on factory guitars, and that promises to keep your guitar in tune “under any conditions”.
(Image credit: B.C. Rich)
At its core, the Assassin (which is available in six-, seven- and eight-string variations) features a mahogany body with single-ply binding, as well as a five-piece neck composed from maple and wenge.
It’s also worth noting that the Matte White and Matte Black versions are joined by a Trans Green option, which pairs the above specs with a flame maple top.
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Elsewhere, the 14”-radius ebony fingerboard is topped with 24 Extra Jumbo frets, glow in the dark Andy James Squares inlays and a Graph Tech nut, with Luminlay side dots also making the cut.
(Image credit: B.C. Rich)
Tones come by way of Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers – alnico in the neck, ceramic in the bridge – which are wired to the simplest of control layouts: a three-way switch and a master volume parameter.
That guitar, however, was without that ultra-gnarly headstock, so we consider this a considerable upgrade, at least in terms of being an effective stage invader repellent.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
