The Evolution of the Red Special: Brian May’s Iconic Guitar Journey
Brian May, the legendary guitarist of Queen, once grappled with uncertainty about the capabilities of his beloved Red Special guitar. Crafted during his teenage years with the help of his father, this unique instrument was built using salvaged materials, including wood from an old fireplace mantel.
Despite facing skepticism from fellow guitarists who believed he coudl never succeed without a factory-made guitar, May persevered, transforming his distinctive creation into a powerful asset for the band.
Reflections on the Red Special’s Sound
In a recent interview with guitar World to celebrate the anniversary reissue of queen’s debut album, Queen I, May discussed the guitar’s tonal complexities and initial challenges.
“The Red Special has surprisingly held up over the years,” he remarked. “In the beginning, I had my doubts because its sound was unlike anything else out there. It’s warmer than a Stratocaster and has a brighter top-end compared to a Gibson. The sound is incredibly broad.”
A Father-Son Project Born from Necessity
the story of the Red Special began when May found himself unable to afford a Stratocaster.“We thought it would be a fun project to build a guitar since I couldn’t buy one,” he shared in an interview with Guitar Player back in January 1983.
The design of the guitar was inspired by May’s youthful imagination. “It’s not like any other guitar,” he explained. “We experimented a lot and I tried out various guitars,including Stratocasters and Hofners. It’s compact, but it draws from the semi-acoustic shapes of that era, like the Gibson ES-335.”
“However, it’s asymmetrical. I wanted a deeper cutaway on the underside to facilitate access to the higher frets,” he added.
Resourcefulness in Construction
Building the Red Special required ingenuity. The neck was fashioned from the fireplace mantel, while the body was crafted from oak sourced from an old table. “We constructed everything from scratch using hand tools,” May recounted.
His father, an electronics draftsman, took charge of the guitar’s electronics, including the creation of its pickups. However, the duo encountered several hurdles during the construction process, particularly with the pickups.
“They sounded decent, but they had one major flaw,” May admitted. “When bending the strings, they produced a rushing sound due to the pole pieces being arranged in a north-south pattern instead of uniformly.”
“Eventually, I purchased some Burns pickups,” he added, noting that Burns was known for making guitars in England at the time.
Innovative Vibrato Design
May and his father had more success with the guitar’s vibrato system. “It’s superior to anything else out there,” he claimed. “The strings lock onto a milled steel plate that pivots on a hardened knife edge. The tension is balanced by two motorcycle springs, resulting in minimal friction. I also designed a unique bridge with rollers that move, unlike the traditional fixed bridge setup. It performs exceptionally well.”
however, he acknowledged a significant drawback. “The main issue arises if a string breaks; the entire setup goes out of tune. It’s quite frustrating—you just have to set it aside!”
Although it appears to be a solid body, the Red Special is actually hollow. May initially intended to cut f-holes into the top but ultimately decided against it, as he loved the way it looked.
After two years of dedication and hard work, the Red Special was finally completed when May was 17. “Everyone told us it would never work,” he recalled. “But hearing it come alive thru the speakers was exhilarating,” he smiled,reminiscing about the first playback of Queen’s debut album. “We felt invincible. That self-belief is essential; it fuels your creativity.”
The Sonic Signature of the Red Special
“The red Special was crafted to produce that kind of sound. We wanted it to resonate and create feedback,” May explained.“that’s why we incorporated acoustic pockets in the body. I’m still unsure if it was our design or just luck,but it produces that iconic sound. It still does.”
The Red Special was crafted to produce that kind of sound.We wanted it to resonate and create feedback.
Brian May
A significant part of that sound can be attributed to may’s use of a Rangemaster Treble Booster paired with a Vox AC30 amplifier, a setup inspired by Rory Gallagher. “I had the chance to meet Rory after one of his shows in London,” May recalled. “I asked him how he achieved that amazing sound, and he told me, ‘It’s simple; I use an AC30 and this little box, and I turn it up, and it sings for me.’”
“The next day, I went to a guitar shop and found two secondhand AC30s for £30 each, along with a Treble Booster. I plugged in, cranked it up, and it blew me away.That became my signature sound.”
Interestingly, Gallagher’s Rangemaster, a Number 1 model, is now owned by Joe Bonamassa and is believed to be the same pedal that influenced May’s legendary guitar rig.
