What type of guitar did Brian May play?

Brian May, the legendary guitarist from Queen, was known for playing a Red Special guitar. This guitar was built by Brian and his father in the early 1960s and has become iconic in the music world. It is a double cutaway electric guitar with three pickups and a vibrato system. The Red Special’s design includes an ash body with mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard and unique “burn” style scratchplate made of an old fireplace surround.

The Red Special: A Unique Guitar for a Unique Musician

Brian May is a legend in the world of rock and roll, known for his incredible mastery of the guitar. His sound and style are unmistakable, as he has become one of the most influential guitarists ever to live. But what type of guitar did Brian May play? The answer is none other than his own creation – the Red Special.

The Red Special was made from wood that had been scavenged by May’s father from an old fireplace mantle and bits of scrap from furniture repair shops. The neck was made from mahogany, while the body was comprised of oak and beechwood. Together, these pieces were crafted into a unique and powerful instrument that would go on to make music history.

May added some special touches to make sure that this guitar sounded like no other, including two pickups placed under each string to create an increased output with more overtones and harmonic resonance. He also added toggle switches on both sides so he could change between different sounds without using an amplifier or stomp box effects pedal. All these features combined gave him control over every aspect of his sound–making it truly unique amongst all electric guitars in existence today.

A Homemade Creation: The Origin Story of the Red Special

The Red Special is a one-of-a-kind instrument, made in the family workshop by legendary rock musician Brian May and his father Harold. This remarkable story of innovation and craftsmanship begins in 1963, when the pair was looking to build an electric guitar that would allow May to express himself musically in ways previously unavailable. With limited funds at their disposal, they got creative with their resources: leftover wood from an old fireplace mantel formed the body of the guitar while several car parts were used as pickups. To make sure all these pieces fit together seamlessly, May’s father fashioned a neck out of oak – no small feat given that he had little knowledge of lutherie.

The end result was a unique sounding guitar with its own distinctive look – bright red paint complemented by intricate gold inlays along the neck. It soon earned itself a spot on stage alongside Brian’s other guitars like the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster – though it could be argued that none of them ever sounded quite like The Red Special. Beyond its incredible sound quality, this homemade creation was also incredibly resilient; it survived decades on tour without any major repairs or modifications until finally being retired after Queen’s Rock Montreal performance in 1981.

Technical Specifications: Features of Brian May’s Guitar

Brian May is an iconic guitarist whose custom-made guitar has been the envy of many. His instrument was first crafted in 1973, and continues to inspire modern players with its unique combination of features. At its core, it’s a Red Special, a model built by his father from mahogany and oak parts. The strings are anchored at the back instead of the top, which gives the sound clarity and punchy low tones. Its three pickups consist of two single coil models and one humbucker – making it ideal for producing both strat-like twang and creamy overdrive solos.

The neck is 24 frets wide, allowing Brian to extend into higher registers without sacrificing intonation or clarity. It also has medium jumbo frets, allowing him to bend notes without losing any accuracy when playing fast licks or vibrato techniques. There’s the bridge – an adjustable height stop bar that allows Brian to adjust action based on what he needs for certain songs or techniques. This makes it incredibly versatile across genres such as rock, blues or even classical music if need be.

Custom Modifications: Brian May’s Personal Touches to the Red Special

Brian May is a legendary guitarist, and his signature sound comes largely from the instrument he chose as his own – The Red Special. While this guitar was originally crafted by Brian and his father in the early 1970s, it has gone through many custom modifications over the years. In fact, it’s these personal touches that truly make the Red Special one of a kind.

From an aesthetic point of view, Brian changed some details on the body to give it a distinct look all its own. He added slotted screw heads along with three hand-made pickups and two humbucking pickups for extra power. To top things off he added gold plated scratch plates which are still intact today. The headstock also underwent customization – rather than use stock tuning pegs like those found on other guitars at the time, Brian opted to create six individually turned wooden tuning pegs instead.

For the neck, Brian went with mahogany and maple laminate for durability and strength; but most importantly, it had to be comfortable enough for him to play. He carefully carved out a shape that felt perfect in his hands as well as fret board access which allowed him to easily reach every single note on any given string without having to move around too much while playing. All of these details combined created what we know today as The Red Special – a unique masterpiece full of thoughtful customizations that come together perfectly when Brian plays it onstage or in studio recordings.

Legacy and Influence: The Impact of Brian May’s Guitar on Music History

Brian May’s guitar playing has had an immense impact on the history of music. His unique sound and technique was unparalleled in rock music during his prime, with a style that incorporated a mix of traditional and modern techniques. He revolutionized the way lead guitarists approached their craft, utilizing complex harmony-driven leads and solos that were often layered over each other to create intricate and powerful musical statements.

The most iconic instrument associated with Brian May is his “Red Special”; it was handmade by him and his father when he was just a teenager. This one-of-a-kind creation featured a maple neck, 24 frets, three pickups, two switches, and six knobs – all designed specifically for May’s needs as a guitarist. He also customized the body shape to make it more comfortable for himself to play while seated. The Red Special became so popular that companies began replicating its design for mass production, inspiring generations of musicians around the world to embrace May’s unique vision for electric guitar playing.

May’s influence can still be heard in today’s music; many modern artists cite him as an inspiration in their own work. From heavy metal bands who use his aggressive leads as templates for their own songs to pop acts who employ layers of distorted guitars reminiscent of Queen classics like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Brian May’s legacy continues to live on through every generation of aspiring guitarists looking to make their mark on the industry.