Gary Hanser, president of Hanser Music Group (HMG), has announced the worldwide licensing agreement with Praxis Musical Instruments for the B.C. Rich brand of guitars and basses.
Long associated with the hard rock and heavy metal genres, BC Rich, founded by master luthier Bernardo (Bernie) Chavez Rico in 1969, came to prominence in the mid 1970s. Body designs with such names as “Warlock,” “Mockingbird,” “Bich,” and “Eagle,” among others, have been and continue to be the guitar of choice for many, including longtime B.C. Rich endorsing artist and Slayer guitarist, Kerry King who has his own Signature Models.
Brian Martin, VP of sales & marketing for Praxis Musical Instruments, believes that this worldwide license agreement of BC Rich will be an exciting time in the nearly 50 year history of BC Rich brand of musical instruments. “First and foremost, we are huge fans of the B.C. Rich brand, and are excited and honored to have Praxis Musical Instruments chosen to carry the brand legacy into and beyond its 50th Anniversary,” he says. The official launch date for Praxis Musical/B.C. Rich is January 1, 2016 and Praxis will be unveiling its lineup of B.C. Rich guitars and basses at the 2016 Winter NAMM show to be held January 21-24 in Anaheim, California, Booth #4886.
Gary Hanser has been in the musical products industry for 40 years. “The guitar market has changed so much, but the business model has been slow to catch up,” he observes. Hanser went looking for a licensee that could manage the brand from the ground up. “Praxis Musical Instruments has been very successful in our industry, and their owner, Mr. John Park, comes from one of the most well respected families in Asian Instrument manufacturing,” he continues. “Under Mr. Park’s solid leadership and vast experience with instrument manufacturing, along with their unique marketing and customer fulfillment capabilities, I became quite confident that the B.C. Rich brand will be in good hands for many years to come.”
Praxis Musical Instruments, formed by Park in 2005, has been the exclusive, officially licensed manufacturer and distributor of the “Sterling by Music Man” brand, the import guitar and bass line for the Ernie Ball Music Man company. Praxis Musical Instruments Corporate Office and Quality Control Inspection facility is located in Orange, California, and has manufacturing plants throughout Asia, including Korea, China, and Indonesia.
Hanser confirmed that, “All sales, fulfillment and operations of B.C. Rich will remain unchanged for the balance of 2015 as we help our dealers and distributors enjoy a great holiday season while they prepare for the next exciting chapter for B.C. Rich to start next year.”
For all inquiries regarding Praxis Musical Instruments and B.C. Rich, contact Brian Martin at (714) 532-6655, or via email at brian@praxismusical.com.
