brian may guitar

maiden666 · 11-04-2009, 12:21 PM

Hi i have one of these great guitars has anyone else got one and what amp ect do u use with it,regards

custom53 · 11-05-2009, 03:27 PM

I "had" one. I really regret selling it. I used it thru my Soldano and Peavey mostly. And thru a Fender Twin. It had great sound thru all of them. Never got a chance to play it thru an AC30 though. Still wish I had it back. Great player. I also had the digitech Brian May pedal. Great for certain Queen songs.

thrawn86 · 11-05-2009, 03:31 PM

I've always been non-plus'd by the appearance of that guitar, but like all things musical, it's all about the sounds it makes. I think they do sound great, although I've never played one. It's also exremely cool that May built the original one he uses with his dad.

custom53 · 11-05-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thrawn86

I've always been non-plus'd by the appearance of that guitar, but like all things musical, it's all about the sounds it makes. I think they do sound great, although I've never played one. It's also exremely cool that May built the original one he uses with his dad.

I think I got "attached" to it because of Brian May. A Rickenbacker because of John Lennon. A Les Paul because of Jimmy Page. A Hamer because of Martin Barre. etc, etc, etc...

maiden666 · 11-05-2009, 05:15 PM

hes, mine its brand new

wkcchampion · 11-06-2009, 05:46 AM

Here's a Brian May expert!
First, let me say that, unfrtounately, Burns/BM guitars are not the real thing. The woods/construction and the pickups are not what they should be. It can go close though and it's a good value for the money, perhaps they could have chosen a better tremolo.
The Real thing is: the old 1993 Guild (but you have to upgrade the pickup to Adeson's Trisonics), the KZ (discontinued) and the Guytons. They are darn expensive but this is it. The BM Super is 95% close, it's much cheaper than these and may be the optimum compromise.

Amp? AC30BM. Period. No question. I tried one with the RS I built years ago (and sadly had to sell...) and even with a Cornish TB-83 you won't the THE ROYAL SOUND from a standard AC30 with Blue AlNiCo speakers, both a TBX or a CC2X. The AC30BM is AMAZING. Get an attenuator as the only was to get the one is to CRANK it. Yes. Blast the volume at full.
This is because PhD Brian Harold May (if you don't name his academic title, he gets upset lol) modified his amps. He removed everything but the Normal channel, to make them less prone to overheating (he always run them at 75% to 100% volume!). An additional effect of his mod was to raise the gain and change the voicing of the amp a bit, because the signal had a different path.

He also employed a fOXX Foot Phaser for early tunes, like We will Rock you, Champions and Bo Rhap, and then using a Boss CE-1 for stereo chorus in the 80s. Nowadays he uses a Intellifex rack unit, and no longer the Cornish booster but the Fryer's (which IS crap!!!! - but don't care, use the booster inside the AC30BM)

Gtrman58 · 11-06-2009, 11:02 AM

Back in the 70s when I was a real Queen fanatic, didn't I read somewhere that Brian made or retro'd these guitars himself? On the albums it always stated the fact no syntehsizers.....or was this just really good weed I was smoking ?

I do remember seeing them pop up in Musician's friend catalog a few years back for not alot of jack. Have not seen one in person yet!

wkcchampion · 11-06-2009, 11:22 AM

Brian made the original with his father in 1963, basically out of garbage.
In the years, commercial copies were available since teh first Guild in 1984, from mass-made products like Burns/BHM guitars to exact hand-made clones like KZ and Guytons.

custom53 · 11-06-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wkcchampion

Brian made the original with his father in 1963, basically out of garbage.
In the years, commercial copies were available since teh first Guild in 1984, from mass-made products like Burns/BHM guitars to exact hand-made clones like KZ and Guytons.

The Guytons are the closest their is. And they aren't "exact". Brian himslef could not rembember how he chambered his so they had to take x-rays to get close. The Guyton guy (I can't remember his name) was so good that Brian let him "re-do" the original red special...

wkcchampion · 11-07-2009, 06:02 AM

and the Guytons don't have the worm living in them too lol!
In 1998 Brian stated that he found worms living in the guitar's cavity... lol

also the KZ Pro are very accurate, but are discontinued

custom53 · 11-09-2009, 11:48 AM

Just a tad off topic, but AMC is playing the Mad Max Trilogy this week. The first one was AWESOME.
Anyway, Brian May did the sound track. Not very memorible but the movie is great.

[IMG]

[/IMG][IMG]

[/IMG]

thrawn86 · 11-09-2009, 11:50 AM

lols

"You can shovel pig s#@t, can't you?"
Thunderdome....takes me back to the days as a kid when I shouldn't have been watching such art.

custom53 · 11-09-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thrawn86

lols

"You can shovel pig s#@t, can't you?"
Thunderdome....takes me back to the days as a kid when I shouldn't have been watching such art.

Me too. But I always thought that the 1st one was totally awesome. Road Warrior was okay. Thunderdome got too "Hollywood" for me...

Plus I was totally into Blown Motors at the time. Here was my '73 Corvette...

thrawn86 · 11-09-2009, 12:18 PM

Schwwwwinggg!

Nice 'whip'!

11-04-2009, 12:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
maiden666 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: northumberland,uk Posts: 22	brian may guitar Hi i have one of these great guitars has anyone else got one and what amp ect do u use with it,regards __________________ Brian May Guitars Red Special in cherry Mg10cd/Ms Van damn cables

11-05-2009, 03:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
custom53 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 104	Re: brian may guitar I "had" one. I really regret selling it. I used it thru my Soldano and Peavey mostly. And thru a Fender Twin. It had great sound thru all of them. Never got a chance to play it thru an AC30 though. Still wish I had it back. Great player. I also had the digitech Brian May pedal. Great for certain Queen songs. __________________ 2004 Gibson Les Paul Flametop 1995 Hamer Duo Tone Sunburst 1991 Ernie Ball EVH Trans Black 1981 Hamer Special Trans Green Quilt Sustain Block Bridge with Checkerboard Headstock 1975 Ovation Breadwinner Black Marhsall JMP 2203 Half Stack Marshall JTM 45 Reissue Half Stack 2ea 370/301 Acoustic Bass Amps Peavey Classic 100 Half Stack Tweed Soldano HR50+ Half Stack Black Peavey Butcher 120 Watt Half Stack

11-05-2009, 03:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
thrawn86 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Far Nor Cal USA Posts: 416	Re: brian may guitar I've always been non-plus'd by the appearance of that guitar, but like all things musical, it's all about the sounds it makes. I think they do sound great, although I've never played one. It's also exremely cool that May built the original one he uses with his dad. __________________ Drivin' faster in my car... 02 DSL 401-Ei's 02 1960b 02 Gibson LP Studio Silver 03 PRS Santana SE Holy Grail reverb Originally Posted by J. Robert Oppenheimer "We knew the world would not be the same."

11-05-2009, 05:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
maiden666 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: northumberland,uk Posts: 22	Re: brian may guitar hes, mine its brand new __________________ Brian May Guitars Red Special in cherry Mg10cd/Ms Van damn cables

11-06-2009, 05:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
wkcchampion Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 144	Re: brian may guitar Here's a Brian May expert! First, let me say that, unfrtounately, Burns/BM guitars are not the real thing. The woods/construction and the pickups are not what they should be. It can go close though and it's a good value for the money, perhaps they could have chosen a better tremolo. The Real thing is: the old 1993 Guild (but you have to upgrade the pickup to Adeson's Trisonics), the KZ (discontinued) and the Guytons. They are darn expensive but this is it. The BM Super is 95% close, it's much cheaper than these and may be the optimum compromise. Amp? AC30BM. Period. No question. I tried one with the RS I built years ago (and sadly had to sell...) and even with a Cornish TB-83 you won't the THE ROYAL SOUND from a standard AC30 with Blue AlNiCo speakers, both a TBX or a CC2X. The AC30BM is AMAZING. Get an attenuator as the only was to get the one is to CRANK it. Yes. Blast the volume at full. This is because PhD Brian Harold May (if you don't name his academic title, he gets upset lol) modified his amps. He removed everything but the Normal channel, to make them less prone to overheating (he always run them at 75% to 100% volume!). An additional effect of his mod was to raise the gain and change the voicing of the amp a bit, because the signal had a different path. He also employed a fOXX Foot Phaser for early tunes, like We will Rock you, Champions and Bo Rhap, and then using a Boss CE-1 for stereo chorus in the 80s. Nowadays he uses a Intellifex rack unit, and no longer the Cornish booster but the Fryer's (which IS crap!!!! - but don't care, use the booster inside the AC30BM)

11-06-2009, 11:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
Gtrman58 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 148	Re: brian may guitar Back in the 70s when I was a real Queen fanatic, didn't I read somewhere that Brian made or retro'd these guitars himself? On the albums it always stated the fact no syntehsizers.....or was this just really good weed I was smoking ? I do remember seeing them pop up in Musician's friend catalog a few years back for not alot of jack. Have not seen one in person yet! __________________ 2009 JCM 2000 Dsl 100 MLB MC412A 1951 Fender Deluxe 2006 Hot Rod Deluxe 1995 Blues Junior 1994 Blues Deville Vox Path Finder 1982 Legend A 30 1980 Gibson Herritage Cherry Sunburst Standard 1980 Explorer White with gold HW 2000 52 Telecaster USA RI 1983 57 Strat LH USA RI 2003 57 Strat USA RI 1960 Silvertone Danelectro 1994 Fender P-bass 68 RI Acoustic guitars....not enough space to list !!!!!

11-06-2009, 11:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
wkcchampion Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 144	Re: brian may guitar Brian made the original with his father in 1963, basically out of garbage. In the years, commercial copies were available since teh first Guild in 1984, from mass-made products like Burns/BHM guitars to exact hand-made clones like KZ and Guytons.

11-07-2009, 06:02 AM	#10 (permalink)
wkcchampion Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 144	Re: brian may guitar and the Guytons don't have the worm living in them too lol! In 1998 Brian stated that he found worms living in the guitar's cavity... lol also the KZ Pro are very accurate, but are discontinued

11-09-2009, 11:48 AM	#11 (permalink)
custom53 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 104	Re: brian may guitar Just a tad off topic, but AMC is playing the Mad Max Trilogy this week. The first one was AWESOME. Anyway, Brian May did the sound track. Not very memorible but the movie is great. [IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG] __________________ 2004 Gibson Les Paul Flametop 1995 Hamer Duo Tone Sunburst 1991 Ernie Ball EVH Trans Black 1981 Hamer Special Trans Green Quilt Sustain Block Bridge with Checkerboard Headstock 1975 Ovation Breadwinner Black Marhsall JMP 2203 Half Stack Marshall JTM 45 Reissue Half Stack 2ea 370/301 Acoustic Bass Amps Peavey Classic 100 Half Stack Tweed Soldano HR50+ Half Stack Black Peavey Butcher 120 Watt Half Stack

11-09-2009, 11:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
thrawn86 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Far Nor Cal USA Posts: 416	Re: brian may guitar lols "You can shovel pig s#@t, can't you?" Thunderdome....takes me back to the days as a kid when I shouldn't have been watching such art. __________________ Drivin' faster in my car... 02 DSL 401-Ei's 02 1960b 02 Gibson LP Studio Silver 03 PRS Santana SE Holy Grail reverb Originally Posted by J. Robert Oppenheimer "We knew the world would not be the same."

11-09-2009, 12:18 PM	#14 (permalink)
thrawn86 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Far Nor Cal USA Posts: 416	Re: brian may guitar Schwwwwinggg! Nice 'whip'! __________________ Drivin' faster in my car... 02 DSL 401-Ei's 02 1960b 02 Gibson LP Studio Silver 03 PRS Santana SE Holy Grail reverb Originally Posted by J. Robert Oppenheimer "We knew the world would not be the same."

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