Riff Tone

Somebody To Love (Live At The Montreal Forum / November 1981)

Queen

Guitarrock1980s

Original Gear

GuitarRed Special (Brian May's handmade guitar)

AmpVox AC30 (multiple, cranked, with treble booster in front)

PickupsTri-Sonic single-coil pickups (Burns, modified wiring for phase and series/parallel options)

Amp Settings

gain6

bass6

mid7

treble7.5

reverb2.5

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

boostUnknown Treble Booster (model unknown, likely custom or Dallas Rangemaster type)

Notes

Live performance, Montreal Forum, November 1981. Brian May is known for using his Red Special into a treble booster and Vox AC30s for Queen's classic rock era live shows. No evidence of additional pedals for the riff section. Year: 1981.

Tone Character(10)

British cruncharticulate attackrich harmonicsslightly compressedsinging sustaintight and percussive rhythmclear note separationmidrange-forwardwarm and full-bodiedslight natural amp breakup

Difficulty

The riff section features complex, gospel-inspired chord voicings, syncopated rhythms, and requires precise muting and dynamic control at a fast tempo, making it challenging for most guitarists.

Sources

Guitar Preamp Pedals | Equipboard

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account