Brian May is best known for playing a red Fender electric guitar, which he named “The Red Special”. The Red Special was handmade by his father, Harold May, and Brian May himself in the early 1960s. It features a maple neck, mahogany body and three pickups made from coils of an old radio motor winder. May has used this guitar to record all of Queen’s albums since their first album in 1973.
Contents:
Brian May’s Early Guitars
When it comes to Brian May, the iconic guitarist of the rock band Queen, the instrument he plays has become an indelible part of his legacy. To fully appreciate May’s musical prowess, one must understand how his guitars have helped him shape his sound over time. The story of May’s guitars begins with a humble beginning that has since grown into a collection as impressive as any in rock music.
One of May’s earliest instruments was a 1958 Fender Stratocaster that he purchased from a local shop in London during the early 1960s when Queen first formed. While this guitar did not last long and eventually had to be replaced due to its dilapidated condition, it served as an important stepping stone for May and provided him with plenty of inspiration for what was yet to come. It also played an integral role in forming some of Queen’s classic sounds during those early days.
As Queen gained popularity through the 1970s and 80s, so too did Brian May’s reputation as an innovative guitarist who could craft unique sounds out of various instruments. During this period, May relied heavily on several other well-known models such as Gibson Les Paul Deluxe and Firebird models along with custom builds such as Red Special and Yellow Special which were constructed by himself or close associates at their home studio in London. By experimenting with different types of pickups and effects pedals, Brian was able to create signature tones that truly made each guitar stand out from the rest – something fans around the world continue to marvel at today.
The Iconic Red Special Guitar
Brian May’s iconic guitar is known as the Red Special. This distinctive instrument was designed and built by May himself in 1963 out of parts found around his family home. It has become a symbol for the band Queen and an inspiration for many aspiring rock stars.
The body of the Red Special is made from mahogany and contains two single-coil pickups. The neck, however, is constructed from blocks of oak that were glued together to form an asymmetrical shape and coated with a bright red finish. This unique design allows for more vibration and sustain than other guitars at the time, creating a unique tone that has become synonymous with Brian May’s sound.
One of the most distinguishing features of this guitar is its tremolo arm. While this part may not be immediately noticeable, it helps give May’s playing style its signature sound. By using this arm, he can add subtle vibrato effects or even make dramatic dives during solos without having to change his hand position on the fretboard. This adds another layer of expression to his music that few players have been able to replicate since then.
Customizations Made to Brian May’s Red Special
Brian May, the legendary guitarist for Queen, is known for his distinct sound. Much of this can be attributed to the guitar he plays – the Red Special. Built by him and his father Harold in their workshop during 1963 and 1964, it was constructed from various found parts like a fireplace mantel piece and an old bicycle saddle holder. The final product is one that has seen many customizations over the years, as May strives to perfect it even more than it already is.
First off, Brian replaced its original brass bridge with a new design made out of steel and stainless steel called the Burns Tri-Sonic Pickup System. This improved sustain, tone and output level of each string compared to the traditional electric guitar bridge plate setup used in most electric guitars at that time. He also changed out some of its electronics components such as its potentiometers which allowed for better control over volume and equalization balance when playing different notes on different strings or fretboards simultaneously.
He upgraded some of its hardware such as adding tuners on top of its headstock so it stays in tune longer without having to re-tune frequently while performing live onstage or recording tracks in a studio session setting. All these modifications have helped keep Brian’s Red Special sounding just right for years and continues to set him apart from other rock stars who may use similar but stock models when touring around the world today.
Other Guitars Used by Brian May Throughout His Career
Brian May is well known for his signature guitar sound, but he has played many other guitars throughout his career. Most notably, he switched to a Red Special in the early 70s. The Red Special was hand-built by Brian and his father, Harold, out of wood salvaged from an old fireplace mantle. It quickly became associated with him due to its distinctive tone and design features.
Before the Red Special came into play, Brian had experimented with various different instruments such as Fender Telecasters and Gibson Les Pauls – popular among rock guitarists at the time – both of which have also been used on various Queen albums over the years. In more recent years, Brian has expanded his sonic palette further still; using an Ibanez prototype (the PGM100) on the 2003 tour for ‘Queen + Paul Rodgers’, as well as Gretsch Hollowbodies during live performances.
Brian uses electric sitars crafted by Indian luthier Aditya Kalyanpur when playing tracks such as ‘The Prophet’s Song’. These were first seen during the 2014/15 world tour and are yet another example of how diverse Brian’s guitar arsenal has become over his long and illustrious career.
How Brian May’s Choice of Guitar Influenced His Unique Sound
Brian May is one of the most recognizable guitarists of all time. His unique sound and style have been captivating audiences for decades. But what exactly makes his playing so iconic? It all comes down to the instrument he plays: a customized red Fender Stratocaster, known affectionately as “The Red Special”.
By customizing his own guitar from the ground up, Brian May created an instrument that was truly one-of-a-kind. He built The Red Special out of wood salvaged from a fireplace mantel, with pickups made from old motorbike magnets and shielded wiring fashioned from an old tin tea chest. This construction gave it an unmistakable tone – clean yet gritty in equal measure – that could handle everything from big stadium rock anthems to delicate fingerpicked folk ballads.
What’s more, this homemade design allowed Brian May to develop innovative techniques such as harmonic tapping, where he could simultaneously play both rhythm and melody lines at once using just his right hand on the fretboard. These pioneering sounds would become some of his defining traits as a guitarist and singer-songwriter, helping him create many classic Queen songs such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘We Will Rock You’. It’s clear that Brian May’s choice of guitar has played a huge part in shaping his famous playing style over the years – proving that sometimes it can be worth investing your time into creating something unique rather than relying solely on commercial products.
Leave a Reply