Brian May

Brian May used this guitar in Queen video "It´s A Hard Life" in 1984. In this video you can see it in 2:30.

In this Music Radar article (https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/in-pictures-brian-mays-other-guitars-384279), Brian May says of this ovation model, “It’s nice, stable and didn’t give much trouble tuning-wise." He used it one the song "Love of My Life". He continues to say, "I string it upside down, with the lighter strings on the treble side. That means that when I’m picking with my fingers rather than the thumb, I’m picking the high strings, so you can play tunes on it a bit more easily.”

Taken at Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City USA on April 19, 1974. The Les Paul was Brian's Spare Guitar (if he had problems with the RS he'd use it) This one is a black Les Paul Custom (you can see the Diamond Inlay on the headstock) with a Bigsby. It has no pickguard on it. That's the only photo of Brian playing this guitar, so probably it isn't even his own.

Brian's first copy and main backup from 1975ish till 1982, built by luthiers John Birch and John Diggins. It had flaws which created unstable tuning and a stressful show in New Jersey 1982 saw the guitar flying over the Vox stack and landing in 3 pieces. Eventually sent away to Fender's John Page and returned 20 years later, it was repaired and once again resides in Brian's private collection as a memento of the Queen days. “I suppose you know the story of its demise? Did I throw it over the amps in a fit of pique? Well, obviously I would never do that… [laughs]. But yes, I think that’s what happened. The featured link shows the guitar during it's use during the "Spread Your Wings" music video.

At 28:26, Brian's guitar tech Pete Malandrone speaks about Brian's use of AC30's being ran on the normal channel, up full. He says "all of these amps are slightly modified (gesturing to the second row of amplifiers) and these ones, heavily modified (gesturing to the main/active row of amplifiers) to get rid of all the circuitry that wasn't needed taken out to improve reliability"

These amps show TB on the back but have been fitted with current re-issue Alnico Blues; Brian's preferred speaker.

In a photo from Queenconcerts, Brian May is seen using a Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp during the 1976 summer tour.

On Justin Guitar's website, Brian May gives the following testimonial.

On a day when there's a temptation to go into a dark place, and only see all the bad stuff there is in the world ... greed, cruelty, exploitation, selfishness ... I get days like that pretty often .... it's great to find someone giving out, and giving out good, and operating on an honour basis ... There are so many people who can't afford Guitar lessons .... well, here's a wonderful guy who has set up a whole system of teaching guitar ... Blues, Jazz, Rock, even Songwriting, from the basics, tuning the guitar, etc ... upwards ... If you use his site, it's up to you to determine how much you can contribute ... but this is an amazing site .... he is also very aware of issues in the world which need attention ... a great channel .. Check him out. He's a giver.

Brian May used this guitar during the solo tour in 1998 and tours with Kerry Ellis.

According to Couch's website May is using this strap.

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

Brian acquired his first D18 in the early 70s and recorded “Funny How Love” on one.

Brian May played this guitar in Queen music video "Play The Game" in 1981. You can see it in 1:02.

Brian May uses his signature strings (link to the Optima website). Here is also a link to the Rig Rundown where you can see a set of Optima Strings (back of the packet). Visible at 12.44.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ_OamX-PA8

I have personally toured with Queen and been given a set of these strings by his tech.

In the Instagram post by Brian May, a user comments on the industry-standard Shure SM57 microphone, highlighting its widespread use in live performances.

In this video, May demos the BMG Arielle Signature Guitar.

At 00:10, It can CLEARLY be seen with brian playing on it while the band was playing the song "Who Wants To Live Forever" at the Wembley Concert in 86.

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".

In this video, Brian May can be seen with the Guyton Red Special Doubleneck at 0:52, until the end. On Guyton Guitars website, it says, "The instrument was finally finished during the summer of 2011 in time for the short Queen tour with vocalist Adam Lambert."

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).

Brian May received his first guitar, an Egmond Toledo, when he was seven years old. A user-uploaded photo on Brian May's official site captures this early connection.

In 1975-1976, Brian May used the Baldwin 1966 Hank Marvin acoustic-electric guitar, as evidenced in the referenced image.

Brian May is playing a Burns Hank Marvin guitar in this photo.

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.

At 7:00 in this video, Brian May's guitar tech talks about his Guyton Archtop MK2.

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

Brian May used this Bass in "One Voice" music video. You can see the bass after 1:15 in the video :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0plWNDyA6Ig

Brian May used this guitar during the "Queen + Paul Rodgers" tour in 2005.

In a photo taken at his home studio, Brian May is seen with a Music Man Stingray bass guitar.