[Queen] Brian May's equipment [Amps, Guitars, Effects]

Born in Hampton, Middlesex, on the outskirts of London, on July 19, 1947, he was interested in science and music from an early age, and in his teens he built his own electric guitar, the "Red Special," with his father, Harold. Reusing oak from the fireplace and other household items, he implemented a unique tremolo system, modified trisonic pickups, and phase switching. The thick overtones and sustain that would become his trademark, as well as the expressive volume control, all stemmed from this design philosophy.

He formed Smile with university friends in 1968, experimenting with the combination of a VOX AC30 and a treble booster. In 1970, Freddie Mercury joined the band, changing the name to Queen, and in 71 John Deacon joined, completing the current lineup. May made his presence felt in composition early on, shaping the band's structure through both arrangements and sound design.

From 1973 to 75, May's early albums fused rock and classical elements. He used tape echo and delay in a structured way, establishing an approach to orchestrating the guitar. His stage solo in "Brighton Rock" featured a groundbreaking three-part harmony, splitting the delay between the left and right amps, which became his trademark.

They achieved worldwide success with A Night at the Opera in 1975, and May's signature songs such as the guitar choir supporting the dramatic development of Bohemian Rhapsody, '39, Tie Your Mother Down, and We Will Rock You became standard hits one after another. Their "singing leads," driving a heavily distorted AC30 at high volume while playing melodies with a strong sense of song, defined the band's unique identity as a national band.

From 1979 to 84, the band incorporated elements of the era, such as disco and synths, while the guitar played a vital role in key moments. They also showed their flexibility by adopting a Telecaster on "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." After numerous stadium-scale tours, the three-dimensional soundscape created by the wall of AC30s and meticulous delay routing became a symbol of their live performances.

Their stunning performance at Live Aid in 1985 has been re-evaluated as one of the greatest shows in rock history. Following Freddie's death in the early '90s, he led the completion of the band's remaining recordings and the tribute concerts. Not only as a guitarist, but also as a musical director, he carefully connected Queen's legacy to the world.

He made his solo debut with Back To The Light in 1992. He presents melodic rock using both his vocals and guitar, and has expanded his artistic horizons with songs like Another World. He has also performed in many films, on stage, and at ceremonies, expanding his scope of activity as a pop icon beyond the scope of a guitarist.

He returned to his research in astrophysics after a long hiatus, earning his PhD in 2007. He is also active as a science communicator, collaborating with NASA missions and conducting stereoscopic photography research. He is also active in animal welfare and environmental protection, and continues to spread social messages alongside his music.

Since the 2000s, she has toured the world with multiple vocalists under the name Queen+, and since the 2010s, she has teamed up with Adam Lambert to capture a new generation of audiences. In recent years, she has also focused on collaborative products and educational content that reflect her own equipment philosophy, and is currently updating her ``one-of-a-kind tone'' centered around the Red Special, AC30, and treble booster.

The "Red Special" is a legendary electric guitar that Brian May handcrafted with his father, Harold, over a period of approximately two years when he was between the ages of 14 and 16. Apparently, he decided to build it himself because he didn't have the funds to purchase a commercially available Fender or Gibson guitar. The neck is made from recycled oak from a 100-year-old fireplace, while the body is made from a combination of blockboard (wood and plywood) and mahogany, creating an ingenious structure. It is equipped with modified Trisonic pickups (manufactured by Burns), and the guitar's unique wiring allows for a wide variety of sound creation. Brian has said that he wanted this guitar to be "an instrument that communicates and responds to me like a living thing," and the Red Special was actually designed to allow feedback in front of an amplifier to bring out a variety of tones.

Brian May has used this Red Special on almost all of Queen's songs and live performances. For example, the solo on the signature song "We Will Rock You" and the guitar orchestration for "Brighton Rock" were all recorded with this guitar. With its unparalleled tone, the wide range provided by its 24 frets, and the fact that it was custom-built by Brian May himself, the Red Special has become a symbol of the Brian May sound. Since the 1980s, commercially available replicas have been produced (sold by Guild and later Brian May Guitars), and Brian himself has used replicas in live performances when his original guitar needed maintenance. However, he says he has never been satisfied with anything other than the original, which he calls the "Old Lady," and that the original Red Special has always been his primary guitar.

[A faithfully reproduced, high-cost performance model]

The Red Special, Brian May's go-to guitar for over 30 years, is finally here as a high-cost, high-performance model! The pickup wiring, the key to his unique tone, is faithfully reproduced. The pickups are wired in series, just like May himself, with on/off controls, and a phase slide switch allows for a wide range of tones. Of course, just like May himself, the body features a partially hollow chamber design. The mahogany body and neck, combined with the ebony fingerboard, deliver a warm, fat sound that's sure to knock you out!
~From the manufacturer's website~ Brian May's comment
"Back 40-odd years ago, my dad and I decided to start building an electric guitar, mainly because we couldn't afford to buy a good electric guitar, but also because we enjoyed the challenge. We wanted to make something better than any guitar currently in existence, so we started with the design, with the sole aim of creating a guitar with a wide range of pitch and sound, a tremolo with stable tuning, and the ability to play with intense feedback. Ironically, electric guitars were previously designed to prevent feedback, but this was overturned by Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, and Jimi Hendrix.
My dad had the technical knowledge and skills to make that dream a reality. The Red Special guitar I still play today is the result of two years of work, made from wood from a 200-year-old fireplace. It's a part of me, having traveled the world with Queen and completed 30 years of concerts and studio work.
Replicas of the Red Special have been produced in the past by major guitar manufacturers such as Guild Guitars in the US and Burns Guitars in the UK, but I have finally decided to launch BRIAN MAY GUITARS myself, together with Barry Moorhouse of House Music and my long-time mentor Pete Malandrone. Our goal is to bring the feel and special sound of BRIAN MAY GUITARS to as many people as possible, at the highest quality and at an affordable price.

Brian May has generally been a fan of the Red Special, but he is known for making an exception and using a Fender Telecaster on the rockabilly-inspired "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." During the 1979 recording, at the producer's suggestion, he borrowed Queen drummer Roger Taylor's 1967 Fender Esquire (a single-pickup Telecaster) for the recording. May initially thought he could achieve a James Burton-esque sound with his Red Special, but was persuaded that a Telecaster would be better suited to an Elvis-esque sound, and after trying it out, he was delighted. Thanks to this, the studio recording of the song features a striking, country-inspired tone not achievable with a Red Special.

Even during live performances, Brian used a black Fender Telecaster (1978) for "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." He played acoustic guitar for the first half of the song, then switched to a Telecaster handed to him by Roger's technician midway through the second verse for the lead phrase and solo, before switching back to the Red Special for the final solo and the song's conclusion. This use of a different guitar was refreshing for the audience, and Brian himself reminisced, "It was a good experience to enjoy a different tone with a different guitar every once in a while." (Although the recording uses a Telecaster throughout, his return to his beloved instrument after the solo during live performances shows his attachment to it.) This flexibility to use other guitars as needed is also a testament to Brian May's desire to explore new sounds.

The sound of the acoustic guitar is important to some of Queen's songs, and Brian May sometimes uses an Ovation 12-string acoustic guitar during live performances. Typical examples include the folk classic "'39" and the ballad "Love of My Life," in which Brian himself sings and plays the acoustic guitar. In particular, the beautiful sound of the 12-string guitar supports the worldview of the lyrics about traveling through space, making this a popular scene among fans at live performances.

Similarly, the aforementioned live performance of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" also begins with strumming on an electric acoustic guitar. Brian plays cutting notes on an Ovation acoustic guitar from the intro to the first verse of the song, before switching to the aforementioned Telecaster midway through. By mastering the use of acoustic guitars in the right places, Brian is able to accommodate the diverse range of Queen's music. Specific models Brian used include the Ovation Pacemaker 1615 and a Guild 12-string guitar (JF-12 series). Both were chosen for their durability and tuning stability during live performances, and Brian appears to set them up as carefully as he would his electric guitars.

The VOX AC30 tube amplifier is a 30W combo amplifier widely used by bands like The Beatles and other British rock artists of the 1960s. Brian May acquired a used AC30 as a student and fell in love with its clear, clean tone. Since then, he has always used multiple AC30s in combination, and even on Queen's biggest stages, the sight of a row of AC30s behind him has become his trademark. The most distinctive feature of his sound creation is turning the AC30's normal channel volume all the way up. While the AC30 typically features a "top boost circuit" for distortion, Brian eschews it, instead using the normal setting for full output and adding distortion with a treble booster (described below). This setting allows him to achieve a powerful distortion sound while maintaining the AC30's inherent brilliance. This approach of pushing a small 30W amplifier to its limits to create hard-hitting distortion is extremely unique, and stands out in the hard rock world dominated by high-output amplifiers like Marshall.

On stage, nine AC30s are typically arranged in three rows and three columns, creating an impressive sight, but only the bottom three are actually producing sound, while the top six are lined up as spares. Of the three, the center one is always running as the main (dry) signal, while the remaining two on either side are used exclusively for delay repeats. Brian outputs the delay signal from separate left and right amplifiers, while separating the dry signal from the center amplifier, achieving a clear, three-dimensional echo effect even with distorted tones. This allows the triune harmony heard in the guitar solo on "Brighton Rock" to be reproduced live. While the AC30 itself is an amplifier primarily geared toward clean sound, Brian has applied his unique ingenuity to it, creating his ideal sound.

Brian May's secret weapon is a small amplifier known as the "Deakey Amp." ​​It was handcrafted in 1972 by John Deacon, the Queen bassist and electronics enthusiast. It was originally built using the circuit board of a 1960s portable radio found in a dumpster. With only about 1.5W of output and no volume or tone controls, it wasn't suitable for live performances, but Brian frequently used it in studio recordings. It's particularly famous for the guitar overdubs heard on tracks like "Good Company" and "Procession." Guitar recorded using the Red Special, Deakey Amp, and treble booster combination has a unique texture that sounds almost like a brass section. Brian himself described the layered sound of the Deakey Amp as "more symphonic than any other amplifier." Many of Queen's recordings feature sounds captured with this small amplifier, making it a key player behind the scenes.

In later years, a commercial model recreating the Deacy amp's circuitry (a reproduction from Knight Audio Technologies) appeared, as did a mini-amp released by VOX in collaboration with Brian May. For example, the VOX "MV50 Brian May," released in 2023, is a palm-sized 50W amplifier that combines the sounds of the AC30 and the Deacy amp and incorporates a treble booster circuit. Supervised by Brian himself, this unique product can reproduce that recognizable "tone" with just the turn of a knob. While the Deacy amp may not be seen on the front stage, it is an indispensable, unsung hero when it comes to Brian May's sound creations.

The treble booster (high-frequency booster) is a key effect in Brian May's sound. He always connects this booster between his guitar and his AC30 amplifier, overdriving the amp and simultaneously boosting the high frequencies to create a distinctive, sustained distortion. In the early 1970s, he used a vintage British booster called the Dallas Rangemaster, but after losing it, he switched to a dedicated treble booster made by effects board maker Peter Cornish. With each tour, he improved the booster, introducing models like the TB-83 Extra and TB Extra Duplex, and even experimenting with a configuration where two boosters are connected in series. Brian always plays with the booster on, whether playing clean or distorted, and adjusts the subtle crunch with the guitar's volume control. For him, the treble booster is not just a pedal; it's an essential piece of equipment that connects the guitar and amplifier, making it "part of the sound."

Delay is another secret weapon of Brian May's. During Queen's early and mid-period, he favored the Maestro Echoplex EP-3 tape echo unit. Using this equipment, he developed a technique for creating long delays of up to three seconds to create harmonious solos. As early as 1974, he surprised audiences with a multi-part delay performance in the guitar solo of "Brighton Rock." He set the delay time to approximately 1.2 seconds and assigned three AC30s to play the first repeat, second repeat, and original sound, respectively, creating the effect of a three-part harmony played with just one guitar. This technique was highly innovative for a rock guitarist at the time, and remains legendary to this day.

Further improvements were made in the studio, with delay times and repetitions being finely tuned depending on the song. For example, on "Doing All Right" from his first album, he used a custom-made, extra-long delay for the solo part, musically calculating even the reverberation. In the mid-1980s, he switched from the EP-3 to a digital delay (MXR's Delay System II rack effect) and introduced noise reduction to achieve a clearer delay sound. However, the basic concept remained the same, and he remained committed to using separate amplifiers for the original and delayed sounds. For Brian May, delay was not just an echo effect, but a magical tool for expanding musical expression.

Brian May also used phaser (phase modulation) effects throughout the 1970s and 80s. A typical example was the American-made Foxx Foot Phaser, a pedal that could be turned on and off with a foot to create a swirling sound. He would apply this phaser to clean arpeggios or sustained arpeggios, particularly during live performances, to create a swirling, floating sound. For example, you can hear the subtly shimmering tone in live recordings of "Keep Yourself Alive" and "Spread Your Wings." It's reported that he also used a phaser at his 1985 Wembley concert, adding a unique, undulating sound to the stage.

At the time, Brian also incorporated other spatial effects as needed, and in addition to the Foxx phaser, there are records of him experimenting with an MXR phaser around the same time. His effects board also had a built-in chorus, which will be discussed later, and he would switch between phaser and chorus depending on the song or section, adding thickness and modulation to the sound. While Brian May always focused on the sound of his guitar and amp, he had a good sense of balance and used effects to add color where necessary, and he used phasers tastefully as part of that.

Photos of Brian May's live equipment from around 1980 show him with a BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble at his feet. The CE-1 is famous as the world's first full-fledged chorus pedal, giving guitar sounds a warm, spacious feel. Brian likely used this chorus to thicken clean sounds without delay. For example, the arpeggios on "We Are the Champions" are characterized by a fresh, clean tone with a hint of chorus. It's also possible that he used the chorus to adjust the tone of parts of the multi-track recordings using the aforementioned Deakey amp.

The CE-1 is large in size and has simple controls, but Brian incorporated it into his first effects board and managed it centrally with his other effects. Brian's effects board was a sturdy one designed by Peter Cornish, and everything except the tuner was internal, with routing that was more advanced than it appeared. The chorus effect itself wasn't used prominently, but the CE-1 played an important supporting role, adding depth and lustre to Brian May's sound.

Brian May is famous for using British six-pence coins as picks. When he was younger, he used thin plastic picks, but he gradually began to feel that "harder picks felt better in the fingertips," and so he settled on coins. British six-pence silver coins (circulated until around 1970) became his favorite because they were just the right size, and the serrations (millings) on the edges give the strings a unique attack sound. May has said, "Using the serrations on the coin to change the angle at which it strikes the strings produces a unique sound," and coin picks have truly become a part of his playing style.

Other benefits of using a coin as a pick include the clear attack that only a hard metal can provide, its resistance to wear and tear during playing, and the ability to easily detect nuances through vibrations transmitted to the fingertips. Brian holds a sixpence coin between his thumb and index finger, supporting it around the first joint of his index finger in a unique grip. This allows for both delicate control and powerful strokes. Official Brian May replica coins (commemorative coins) are now sold by fan clubs and other outlets, allowing fans to experience his picking style. Brian May's uncompromising attitude, even when it comes to picking, is what creates his tone.

Brian May is also very particular about his guitar strings. In the 1970s, he favored the thin British-made strings available at the time (such as Rotosound's Custom Light Gauge). It's said that he used banjo strings with a gauge as thin as .008 inches, especially for the treble strings, to make them easier to choke. However, in recent years, he has increased the gauge slightly, using sets ranging from .009 to .042 inches. The "Brian May Signature Strings (2028BM)"**, sold by German company Optima, are official signature strings created under Brian's supervision, and come in gauges of .009, .011, .016, .024, .032, and .042. These strings are generally thicker** than the Rotosound string set he used in the past (probably between .008 and .038 inches), and Brian himself commented that "using slightly thicker strings gives the sound more core and stability."

Another unique feature of Optima's signature strings is that they are plated with 24-karat gold. This gold plating makes the strings less susceptible to rust, allowing them to be used for a long time without losing sound quality. Brian seems to particularly appreciate this feature, as his sweat is highly acidic and prone to rusting. He also says that in terms of sound quality, "gold strings have a milder high range that is pleasant to the ear," and that they suit his delicate tone creation. Brian doesn't change guitars frequently for different songs during live performances (he's always based on the Red Special), so string reliability is crucial. Optima strings are high-quality strings developed to meet his needs.