Solo Tone

Killer Queen

Queen

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarHomemade Red Special (Brian May's Red Special)

AmpVox AC30 (Top Boost, cranked), plus John Deacon's 'Deacy' amp for layered harmonies

PickupsTri-Sonic single-coil pickups (Burns, wired in series, custom switching)

Amp Settings

gain6

bass6

mid7.5

treble8.5

reverb2

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

boostDallas Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster

Notes

Studio recording, 1974. Solo section primarily used the Red Special into a Vox AC30 with a Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster. Some harmonies and textures layered with the Deacy amp. No evidence of live rig or modern pedals used on the original studio solo.

Tone Character(10)

singing sustainvocal-like lead toneharmonically richmid-forward presencechimey top endtight, focused attacksmooth overdrivedistinctive nasal qualityorchestral guitar harmoniesdynamic response to picking

Difficulty

The solo requires advanced phrasing, precise bends, and dynamic control, as well as the ability to replicate Brian May's harmonized lines and unique articulation.

Sources

bryan may killer queen tone!! - forum topic - Ultimate Guitar Brian May’s guitar gear: how to sound like the iconic Queen guitarist | Guitar World How to get Brian May's Red Special tones from a Strat or Les Paul | Guitar World I think most 'bad amp tone' is due to bad amp settings and ... - Reddit

This tone has been researched 15 times by the community

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