GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
The Millionaire Waltz Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Queen
Queen · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Brian May Red Special (homemade electric guitar)
Pickups
Tri-Sonic single coils (Burns, modified by Brian May)
Amp
Vox AC30 (likely with Deacy amp for layered harmonies)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (for lead/solo sections, as typical for May's solos)
Studio recording, 1976 (A Day at the Races sessions). Brian May is known to use the Red Special and Vox AC30 for nearly all Queen studio solos of this era. Multi-tracking and orchestration are confirmed for this song. The Deacy amp may have been used for some harmonised layers, but the main solo is likely AC30. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this solo.
Amp Settings
Mids7.5
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb3
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay
Red Special → Delay pedal → Vox AC30 (with spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- melodic and expressive
- layered harmonies
- clear note separation
- slight natural overdrive
- orchestral, multi-dimensional
- articulate lead voice
- baroque/classical phrasing
- bright but smooth top end
- moderate reverb for space
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source gives exact amp knob settings for this song; settings are estimated based on typical Brian May/Vox AC30 studio setup for Queen in the 1970s.
- No explicit confirmation of Deacy amp for the solo section; main solo likely Vox AC30, with Deacy possibly used for harmonised overdubs.
- No explicit pedal model is confirmed for delay; delay effect is clearly audible and referenced in multiple sources as a key part of May's harmonised solo sound.
- No evidence of additional pedals (overdrive, fuzz, modulation) beyond delay and possible amp reverb.
- Pickup position inferred from Brian May's typical soloing approach; not directly cited for this song.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Brian May's solo tone on 'The Millionaire Waltz' is classic Queen: edge-of-breakup to light crunch, with prominent mids and a singing, vocal quality. His AC30s are typically set with strong mids and moderate bass/treble, and the production is dry with just a touch of room reverb, matching 1976 British rock conventions.