GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Innuendo Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Queen
Queen · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Brian May Red Special (homemade electric guitar)
Pickups
Tri-Sonic single coils (modified, series wiring, phase switching)
Amp
Vox AC30/6 (Normal channel, likely 1990s model, no built-in effects)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (series, phase in)
Studio recording, 1990/1991. Brian May's Red Special into a Vox AC30, with treble boost and chorus/flanger effects. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for the riff section. Effects applied via pedals, not amp. No evidence of amp effects loop used.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb2.5
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Pete Cornish Treble Boost · boost
- TC Electronic SCF Stereo Chorus Flanger · modulation
Red Special → Pete Cornish Treble Boost → TC Electronic SCF Stereo Chorus Flanger → Vox AC30/6 (Normal channel)
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Tone Character
- British crunch with clear note separation
- rich harmonic overtones
- tight, articulate rhythm
- slightly compressed attack
- chorus/flanger shimmer
- medium gain with clarity
- full-bodied midrange
- distinctive Red Special sustain
- not overly saturated
- dynamic response to picking
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for 'Innuendo' riff found; settings estimated based on Brian May's typical AC30 setup and genre/era.
- Pedal models confirmed from Brian May's general rig, but exact pedal settings for this recording are not documented.
- No evidence of amp-based effects (AC30 does not have built-in reverb or modulation); all effects are pedal-based.
- Chorus/flanger effect is clearly audible in the riff section; pedal model inferred from Brian May's known use of TC Electronic SCF.
- Treble boost is standard in May's signal chain but no specific model for this session; Pete Cornish Treble Boost is most likely.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Brian May's tone on 'Innuendo' is classic British rock with a crunchy, mid-forward sound, using his Red Special through Vox AC30s. The riff is punchy but not overly saturated, with pronounced mids and a balanced EQ, and just a touch of reverb for space, consistent with his 90s-era production.