Riff Tone

bohemian rhapsody

Unknown Artist

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarHomemade Red Special (Brian May's Red Special, replica or similar configuration)

AmpVox AC30 (1960s/1970s Top Boost, likely with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers)

PickupsBurns Tri-Sonic single-coil pickups (custom-wired, series/parallel, phase options)

Amp Settings

gain6

bass6

mid7.5

treble6.5

reverb2.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1975. For the riff section, Brian May used his Red Special with unique pickup wiring, into a Vox AC30. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section; treble booster likely used for drive. Settings are estimated based on era, genre, and typical Brian May rig for this song section.

Tone Character(10)

incisive and articulatemid-forward and nasalwarm neck/middle pickup blendBritish crunch with smooth breakupsinging sustainorchestral layeringnot heavily distortedclear note separationpenetrating midsslightly compressed

Difficulty

The riff section requires intermediate technique due to its chord changes, rhythmic accuracy, and the challenge of capturing the layered, harmonized sound of the original recording.

Sources

Brian May goes deep on Bohemian Rhapsody: the gear, the solo and the magic of Freddie Mercury’s finest hour | Guitar World How to get Brian May's Red Special tones from a Strat or Les Paul | Guitar World Tone Tips: Getting Heard, Not Buried - Premier Guitar

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