GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
'39 Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Queen
Queen · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Homemade 'Red Special' (Brian May's original, with Burns Tri-Sonic pickups)
Pickups
Burns Tri-Sonic single-coil pickups (wired in series, with phase switches)
Amp
Vox AC30 (mid-1960s, Normal channel, Celestion Alnico Blue speakers, no reverb/tremolo circuits)
Pickup Position
Bridge and middle pickups on, in phase
Studio recording, 1975 (A Night at the Opera sessions). Brian May used his original Red Special and a treble booster into a Vox AC30. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for this solo beyond the treble booster and possible studio delay/ambience. Pickup selection likely bridge and middle in phase, as per May's typical solo tone. No evidence of chorus, flanger, or other modulation effects on this solo.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb2.5
Treble7.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster Treble Booster · boost
Red Special → Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster Treble Booster → Vox AC30 (Normal channel, no effects)
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Tone Character
- sparkling clean with trebly chime
- hollow, nasal midrange
- singing sustain
- articulate and bright
- slightly compressed
- full-bodied
- clear note separation
- mild edge-of-breakup crunch
- distinctive Red Special character
- dynamic response to picking
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source specifies amp EQ knob positions for '39 solo; settings estimated based on typical Brian May AC30 setup from era and genre.
- No evidence of additional pedals or effects (chorus, flanger, phaser, etc.) on this solo; only treble booster and possible studio ambience.
- Pickup selection inferred from May's typical solo setup and tone characteristics.
- Presence control estimated, as AC30s of the era did not have a dedicated presence knob; value reflects likely upper-mid emphasis.
- Reverb is likely minimal or from studio room, not amp or pedal.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Brian May's solo on '39' uses his Red Special through a Vox AC30 set clean with just a touch of breakup, emphasizing British-voiced mids and a balanced, slightly bright top end. The tone is articulate, warm, and present, with subtle room reverb reflecting 1975 production and May's typical amp settings for clean/folk-influenced tracks.