Solo Tone

I Want It All

Queen

Guitarrock1980s

Original Gear

GuitarHomemade 'Red Special' (Brian May's original, 1964 build)

AmpVox AC30 (Normal channel, cranked, no reverb/tremolo circuits, Celestion Alnico Blue speakers)

PickupsBurns Tri-Sonic single-coil pickups (custom-wired, typically bridge + middle in phase for solos)

Amp Settings

gain8.5

bass6

mid8

treble7.5

reverb1.5

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

boostFryer Fryer Treble Booster

delayTC Electronic Delay pedal (model unknown, likely TC Electronic G-Major 2 rack unit)

Notes

Studio recording, 1988-1989. Brian May's Red Special into a treble booster and then into a Vox AC30. Effects switching handled offstage during this era. No evidence of Deacy amp or other amps for this solo. Delay is used for stereo spread. No amp reverb (modded out).

Tone Character(10)

singing sustainharmonic-rich overdrivetight, focused attackchimey top endcutting midrangearticulate note separationclassic British crunchdistinct delay repeatsaggressive lead tonedynamic response to picking

Difficulty

The solo requires advanced control of phrasing, fast runs, expressive bends, and precise synchronization with delay repeats, making it challenging for most intermediate players.

Sources

Rig Rundown: Queen's Brian May - Premier Guitar Brian May’s guitar gear: how to sound like the iconic Queen guitarist | Guitar World

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account