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Hammer to Fall (Single Version) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Queen
Queen · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Brian May Red Special (original, handmade by Brian May and his father)
Pickups
Tri-Sonic single-coil pickups (Burns, wired in series, in-phase, typically bridge + middle for riff tones)
Amp
Vox AC30 (multiple amps, cranked, studio recording)
Pickup Position
Bridge + Middle pickups in series, in-phase
Studio recording, 1984. The Red Special was used for all Queen studio recordings in this era. Vox AC30s were run at full volume, with a Dallas Rangemaster-style treble booster in front. No evidence of other guitars or amps for the riff section of 'Hammer to Fall (Single Version)'.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb2
Treble7.5
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (or custom clone) · boost
Red Special → Treble Booster → Vox AC30 (cranked, slight spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- British crunch with pronounced midrange
- Aggressive, harmonically rich attack
- Distinctive treble bite from treble booster
- Full-bodied, saturated rhythm tone
- Dynamic response to picking
- Tight, percussive riffing
- Slightly nasal, focused upper mids
- Singing sustain on chords
- Minimal ambient effects
- Classic Queen rhythm guitar sound
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for 'Hammer to Fall (Single Version)' found; values estimated based on typical Brian May/Vox AC30/treble booster setup for 1980s Queen studio rhythm tones.
- No evidence of additional pedals or modulation/time-based effects on the riff section; phaser suggestion in Source 1 is speculative and not confirmed/audible in the original studio recording.
- All gear and settings refer specifically to the studio recording, not live performances.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Brian May's 'Hammer to Fall' riff uses his Red Special into a cranked Vox AC30, producing a classic British rock crunch with forward mids, tight but full bass, and bright yet smooth treble. The tone is dry with minimal reverb, and presence is set high for clarity and bite typical of Queen's 80s hard rock sound.