GuitarDistortedSolo
We Will Rock You Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Queen
Queen · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Homemade 'Red Special' (Brian May's original, 1960s build)
Pickups
Tri-Sonic single coils (Burns, modified for series/parallel, phase switching)
Amp
Vox AC30 (likely 1970s Top Boost, three-amp wet/dry/wet setup, center dry, sides wet)
Pickup Position
Bridge and middle pickups in series, in phase (Red Special custom wiring)
Studio recording, 1977. Brian May used his original Red Special guitar and a treble booster into three Vox AC30s for the solo. The center amp was dry, the side amps carried effects. No evidence of other guitars or amps for this solo. Effects were applied in the signal chain before the amps, not post-mix.
Amp Settings
Mids7.5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb0
Treble7.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Treble Booster (Dallas Rangemaster or similar, exact model unknown) · boost
Red Special → Treble Booster → Vox AC30 (center dry, sides wet for other songs, but solo is dry)
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- harmonic feedback
- chimey top end
- tight, focused attack
- rich midrange
- cutting lead tone
- distinct treble bite
- orchestral layering
- percussive pick attack
- classic British crunch
Sources
- Brian May's Guitar Gear, Pedals & Amps | Equipboard
- Brian May's guitar gear: how to sound like the iconic Queen guitarist
- IK Multimedia Unveils Amplitube Brian May - Premier Guitar
- How to get Brian May's Red Special tones from a Strat or Les Paul
- [QUESTION] How to get Brian May's tone using shit gear - Reddit