Brian May

Brian May uses the Dunlop Cry Baby DCR-2SR Rack Module at 10:13.

At 9:41 we see shot of the rack before Brian's tech Pete discusses what each item is used for. The TC units appear to be used for any digital effects, all of which takes place before the guitar signal hits the amp and is over driven. In this video Pete point out the units are used primarily for the stereo chorus on May's wet-dry-wet rig, but also perform various delays required for different songs as well as harmony/pitch shift at the 'step up/down effect used on "A Kind of Magic" and "Another One Bites The Dust".

On his website, electronics tech to the stars of the 70s, Pete Cornish attests that "My first commission from Queen was to eliminate the ground loop hum caused by the interconnection of 3 X Vox AC30 Amps and 2 X modified Echoplex EP3 Delays. In January 1972 I designed and built special circuitry to isolate the amps and echoes, which successfully eliminated all the hum problems. This system was used for their first and subsequent tours up until 1982, also the recording of their albums during this period.

By January 1976 Brian May was using 9 X AC30 amps on stage and the same 2 Echoplex EP3 Delays (see photo 9 X AC30 + EP3s) – this required an enlarged Routing System which I designed and built. Despite the large number of Vox AC30's then in use my system successfully eliminated all Ground Loop hum and noise."

So Brian was using modified solid-state Echoplex tape delays for his huge wet/dry/wet echo sound from at least '72 into '76.

BRIAN MAY's 1982 SYSTEM

The second stage system that I designed and built for Brian May during the Queen years was, from the Guitar:

Pete Cornish Line Driver (on Guitar strap): 100ft special cable with power for Line Driver Pete Cornish Treble Boost Pete Cornish Treble Boost #2 with bypass switch Foxx Phaser with bypass switch Pete Cornish Line Driver and Hum Loop Buster to Clean Amps (3 X AC30 - Normal Channel) Foxx output also to MXR DDL II (#1) then 3 X Delay #1 Amps via Line Driver and Hum Loop Buster Foxx also to MXR DDL II (#2) then 3 X Delay #2 Amps via Line Driver and Hum Loop Buster Foxx also to Roland CE-1 (seriously modified by Pete Cornish) then 3X Chorus Amps.

The above all built in two units - a pedalboard on stage and a large rack unit off stage (behind the AC30s) as was pictured in the August 1986 copy of Guitarist (USA) - check it out.

N.B. Brian May always used the volume control on his guitar to reduce the drive into the Treble Boost for quiet numbers and the second Treble Boost was used for solo boosts. Oh - and the “Cry Baby” in his pedal board is the “Foxx Phaser” speed control. The other pedal is for controlling the Eventide Harmoniser (part of the P.A.) for certain solos.

In this Rig Rundown video you can see Pete Malandrone (BMs tech) talk about the Avalon U5 DI. (12.40 in the video).

In the Video (link above), at about 2:50, Brian can be heard telling about how he met Rory Gallagher, who told him to take a Vox AC30 and a RANGE MASTER Boost and turn it all the way up. https://guitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Brian-May-Vox-cover-3.jpg On this photo of Mays Rig you can see the Booster standing on the top of his AC30. He used it on the Queen I and II albums (maybe on later ones too) and on early tours. Later he used Greg Fryer Custum Made Treble Boosters.

In this video, Brian May's rig is shown to consist of a Rocktron Intellifex and a TC Electronic G Force.

In this video, Brian May's rig is shown to consist of a Rocktron Intellifex and a TC Electronic G Force.

In a 1982 photograph featured on Queenvinyls.com, Brian May is shown with a Linn Electronics LM-1 Drum Computer, highlighting his use of this iconic drum machine.

By January 1976 Brian May was using 9 X AC30 amps on stage and the same 2 Echoplex EP3 Delays (see photo 9 X AC30 + EP3s) – this required an enlarged Routing System which I designed and built. Despite the large number of Vox AC30's then in use my system successfully eliminated all Ground Loop hum and noise.

Brian May uses a Mike Hill Services B.I.S box for his live shows. Visible here at 12.44 in the video, his tech talks about its use a bit. He uses this mainly for playing the Guyton Archtop Mk.2 (Crazy Little Thing).

Brian May used the Kurzweil K250 in the recording of "One Vision" and most of the album A Kind of Magic. It is believed that this instrument originally belonged to Freddie Mercury, who used it on his 1985 solo album Mr. Bad Guy. An image from the recording session of A Kind of Magic supports this information.