How to Get the Brian May Queen Guitar Tone

Brian May's tone is instantly recognisable: singing, vocal and orchestral, layered into Queen's biggest songs. Here's how to recreate it.

The key ingredients

• Guitar: the home-built Red Special, played with a coin instead of a pick.
• Amp: Vox AC30 for that chimey, compressed break-up.
• Boost: a treble booster in front of the amp is the real secret.
• Effects: delay for harmony layering — the famous Brighton Rock cascade.

The fastest way

Load ready rock guitar presets for Kemper, Helix, Quad Cortex, ToneX and more — AC30 plus treble boost, dialed in.

FAQ

What amp did Brian May use? Vox AC30s, pushed with a treble booster.

Can I get his harmony sound? Yes — stack delays or layer parts, exactly as May built his solos.