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The Red Special is Brian May’s original electric guitar, designed and built with his father, Harold May, beginning in 1963. Made largely with hand tools and reclaimed materials, it became the central instrument of May’s Queen sound.
Its identity comes from more than its red finish: a fireplace-mantel neck, partly acoustic body, modified Burns Tri-Sonic pickups, unusual phase switching, a motorcycle-spring tremolo, a 24-inch scale, a sixpence pick, and feedback controlled as part of the performance.
The Red Special is Brian May’s original electric guitar: a one-off instrument he designed and built with his father, Harold May, beginning in 1963. It was not a boutique guitar ordered from a manufacturer. It was a teenage engineering project made largely with hand tools, reclaimed materials, modified Burns Tri-Sonic pickups, and a homemade tremolo that used motorcycle valve springs.
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That unusual construction was intended to solve practical problems May and his father saw in the guitars available at the time: unstable tuning, limited pitch and tonal range, inadequate tremolo systems, and uncontrolled feedback. The result became one of rock’s most recognizable instruments. May played the original Red Special on Queen’s recordings and live performances, and its combination of pickup switching, short scale, semi-acoustic response, treble-boosted amplification, and controllable feedback helped shape his sound.
At a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who built the Red Special? | Brian May and his father, Harold May. |
| When was it made? | Construction began in 1963. |
| What is it made from? | Among other materials, an old fireplace mantel, blockboard, an oak insert, and mahogany veneer. |
| Is the original commercially available? | No. The original is May’s historic one-off instrument. Commercial BMG guitars are replicas or later interpretations. |
| Why does it sound distinctive? | Its modified three-pickup system, phase-switching options, 24-inch scale, partly acoustic construction, tremolo, sixpence pick, amplifier chain, and May’s use of feedback all contribute. |
A teenage engineering project, not a conventional guitar build
May and his father began the project because the commercially available guitars they knew did not offer the combination they wanted. They were looking for better tuning stability, a broader range of pitches and tones, a more capable tremolo, and a way to make acoustic feedback controllable rather than merely troublesome.
Harold May’s practical and engineering knowledge mattered as much as Brian’s musical ambition. The guitar was built by father and son, so it is more accurate to call the Red Special hand-built with his father than to suggest that Brian May alone made every component. The work also took place with modest resources. The official Brian May and Queen accounts describe a project relying heavily on hand tools and household, salvaged, or repurposed materials.
The name was not necessarily settled from the first day of construction. Brian May later recalled that his father initially favored “Brian May Special.” “Red Special” emerged spontaneously during a radio interview and became the name by which the instrument was known.
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Why the reclaimed materials matter
The most famous piece of wood in the guitar is the neck, which was carved from an old fireplace mantel. Queen’s official account describes the wood as approximately 100 years old when May and his father used it. That detail is memorable, but it is not the whole reason the guitar behaves differently from a standard solid-body instrument.
The body was made from blockboard with an oak insert and a mahogany veneer. May stained and polished the exterior, giving the instrument its deep red appearance. The construction is partly acoustic rather than a straightforward solid-body slab. That became important when the guitar was played through loud amplifiers: the body could interact with the sound in a way that made feedback part of the instrument’s musical response.
It would be misleading to reduce the Red Special’s tone to its wood. The guitar, pickups, switching circuit, tremolo, strings, pick, amplifier, treble booster, speaker cabinets, room volume, and May’s playing position all operate as one system. The reclaimed materials are part of the story and response, but they are not a magic ingredient that makes every similarly built guitar sound like Queen.
The homemade tremolo is a precision mechanism disguised as improvisation
May did not install an off-the-shelf vibrato unit. The Red Special’s tremolo was engineered specifically for the guitar. Its central part is a hand-carved mild-steel rocker plate that pivots on a knife edge. String tension is balanced by motorcycle valve springs.
The arm is equally characteristic of the project’s improvisational side. It was made from part of a bicycle saddlebag holder and a knitting needle. Those materials sound unlikely in a professional guitar, but the mechanism was not random: the useful lesson is the combination of available parts and deliberate mechanical design.
This is also why a replica should not be judged only by its red finish or pickup count. The bridge, knife-edge pivot, spring balance, roller components, neck geometry, and setup influence whether the instrument feels and returns to pitch like a Red Special-style guitar. A modern copy may reproduce the concept without duplicating every dimension or material of the original.
Pickups, switching, and the unusually broad tonal palette
The Red Special has three pickups based on Burns Tri-Sonic units, but the pickups were modified for May’s instrument. Its control and switching arrangement allows more pickup combinations and phase relationships than many conventional three-pickup guitars. That expanded set of options is central to the instrument’s range, particularly the thinner, sharper, or more hollow sounds associated with May’s lead and harmony parts.
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The guitar’s short scale is another important detail. The Red Special uses a 24-inch scale, shorter than the 25.5-inch scale common on many Fender-style guitars and close to the scale found on several shorter-scale designs. Scale length affects string tension, fretting feel, bending, and the way the guitar responds under the fingers. It is one reason a replica with similar-looking pickups may still feel unlike the original.
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The sixpence is part of the playing system
Brian May famously uses a sixpence coin as a pick. The coin’s rigidity and edges produce a different attack from a flexible plastic pick, and May uses it as part of his technique rather than as a novelty. It helps explain why copying the guitar alone does not reproduce his sound: the pick, hand position, vibrato, bends, phrasing, and interaction with the amplifier are equally significant.
Players should not assume that a coin is automatically better for a guitar. A sixpence can be uncomfortable, can mark strings or finishes, and is not a substitute for learning May’s articulation. It is best understood as one controllable variable in a much larger setup.
Feedback is a musical resource, not just unwanted noise
The Red Special’s partly acoustic construction and May’s high-volume amplification make feedback central to its behavior. In instructional coverage of May’s rig, the feedback is described as an ever-present, controllable component of the sound rather than simply distortion sustaining a note.
That distinction matters. A player can create ordinary amplifier distortion with many guitars, but May’s sustained notes often involve choosing where to stand, how loudly to run the system, which pickup and phase setting to select, and how to guide the note into a stable harmonic. The feedback is controlled through playing and positioning.
Feedback at high volume can damage hearing and equipment. Anyone experimenting with it should begin at modest levels, protect their ears, keep speakers and instrument under control, and avoid placing the guitar directly in front of a loud cabinet until they understand how quickly the system can become unstable. A modeling plug-in can suggest the effect safely at lower volume, but it does not recreate the physical movement of a loud semi-acoustic guitar in front of a speaker.
How the Red Special became part of Queen’s identity
The guitar was not an occasional studio prop. The publisher’s description of May’s book states that he played the Red Special on every Queen album and in Queen’s live shows. It therefore became part of the band’s recorded and visual identity across decades, rather than merely an instrument associated with one famous solo.
The original has also appeared in major public performances and events associated with May, including Live Aid, the performance on the roof of Buckingham Palace, and the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. It is also tied to the production history surrounding Bohemian Rhapsody.
Its influence extends beyond sound. Queen’s stage-production account says that a guitar-shaped stage design was based on May’s custom instrument. The Red Special’s red finish, unusual outline, and instantly recognizable presence became part of the visual language of Queen’s shows.
The original Red Special versus modern BMG guitars
The historic guitar should be separated clearly from the commercial instruments sold under Brian May Guitars. The original is not a normal production model and should not be described as currently available for ordinary purchase. Modern BMG instruments are replicas, developments, or related designs.
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| Instrument | What it is | Who should consider it |
|---|---|---|
| Original Red Special | Brian May’s one-off guitar, built with Harold May beginning in 1963. | Collectors and historians can study it; ordinary buyers should not expect it to appear as a standard retail listing. |
| BMG Special | The principal accessible official Red Special-style production instrument. | Players who want the general design, controls, and appearance in a commercially made guitar. |
| BMG Super | A more highly specified modern interpretation positioned as a closer rendering of the concept. | Players who place greater weight on construction, tremolo design, pickups, and a more premium interpretation. |
| BMG Mini May | A compact instrument with a 22.9-inch scale, meranti body, maple neck, 18-fret fingerboard, and one Tri-Sonic-style pickup. | Travel, compact-instrument, or beginner-adjacent use—not as a full-size replacement for the original. |
The official Brian May Guitars store’s current range also includes the BMG Special Left Handed, BMG Special LE and Art Series models, BMG Vision, BMG Rhapsody, BMG Bass, and other Brian May-related instruments. Model names, finishes, stock, pricing, and regional availability can change, so buyers should verify the exact current specification before ordering.
The official BMG Special replica is the sensible starting point for a guitarist who wants the recognizable Red Special concept without treating it as the original. The BMG Super is not simply “the real one in production”; it is a more authentically rendered modern interpretation. The store describes it as involving Brian May, his guitar technician Pete Malandrone, House Music, electronics specialist Aaron Armstrong, parts suppliers, and New Bohemia Electric in the Czech Republic. Its listed features include a chambered mahogany body, broad neck profile, custom knife-edge tremolo, roller bridge, and BMG Super pickups.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsEarlier Guild and Burns instruments are important to the production history, but they should not automatically be presented as current models. Inventory and regional availability need to be checked. A 2024 interview also reported that May had discussed the possibility of a future U.S.-made Red Special with Gibson; that report described a possibility, not an announced or available Gibson production model.
How to approach a Brian May-style rig
A Red Special-style guitar is only the first part of the equation. The most useful way to build a May-oriented sound is to treat it as a chain rather than a single product:
- Start with the player and guitar. Pickup selection, phase options, short-scale feel, tremolo setup, string choice, and the attack from a sixpence or similarly firm pick all affect the result.
- Add the treble-boosted amplifier character. May’s familiar sound is associated with an AC30-based approach and treble-boosted drive. Gain alone will not provide the same response.
- Use volume and positioning deliberately. Controlled feedback depends on the relationship between instrument, speakers, room, and player. At home, keep the experiment safe and use modeling when high volume is impractical.
- Add spatial processing where appropriate. A wet-dry-wet approach and modeled cabinets or effects can approximate the wider signal-chain character used in May-oriented setups, particularly for recording.
VOX MV50 Brian May
The VOX MV50 Brian May is the strongest compact hardware companion for players who want a Brian May-oriented amplifier. VOX describes it as a collaboration based on the AC30 sound, with a built-in KAT treble booster, a Nutube preamp, selectable EQ, and cabinet simulation through the headphone/line output. Its maximum stated output is 50 watts RMS at 4 ohms.
The MV50 can make a small rig more convenient and can reproduce important parts of the intended signal chain. It does not turn an ordinary guitar into the original Red Special, and the maximum output specification should not be confused with a guarantee that every speaker cabinet is suitable. Check impedance, power handling, local availability, and the current manufacturer specification before connecting a cabinet.
VOX amPlug Brian May
For quiet practice, the VOX amPlug Brian May is the lower-commitment option. Queen’s official announcement describes it as a headphone amplifier intended to recreate aspects of May’s Red Special and AC30 signal chain. VOX has also listed limited-edition sets pairing the amPlug or MV50 with matching accessories.
This is a practice solution, not a substitute for a loud cabinet and the physical feedback relationship. It is useful precisely because it lets a player explore a May-oriented voicing without needing to run a full-volume amplifier.
IK Multimedia AmpliTube Brian May
For recording and DAW-based experimentation, IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube Brian May is the most complete software route identified in the research. The collection was created with Brian May and his technicians and is described as including models of the BM 30 and BM DK amplifiers, cabinets, effects, a Red Special modeling effect, and a wet-dry-wet signal path. The product page identifies it as approved by Brian May.
Software is valuable when the goal is repeatable recording, headphone practice, or testing the interaction of modeled amplifiers and effects. It remains a recreation of selected controls and signal-chain behavior, however—not a physical replacement for the original guitar’s construction, tremolo, acoustic response, or feedback at concert volume.
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The best book about the instrument
For readers interested in how the guitar was actually conceived, built, repaired, and documented, the most directly relevant recommendation is Brian May’s Red Special: The Story of the Home-made Guitar that Rocked Queen and the World, written by Brian May with Simon Bradley.
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The book covers the guitar’s origin and construction with diagrams, sketches, photographs, close-ups, and X-rays, including documentation produced after the instrument was dismantled. An updated edition was announced for October 1, 2020. Brian May’s official site says that edition added chapters on technical repairs and maintenance, as well as the Red Special’s role in Bohemian Rhapsody. The updated edition is identified by ISBN 978-1-7873907-8-2; stock and edition availability can vary by country.
What owners should know about parts and maintenance
The BMG store lists straps, cases and gig bags, cables, treble booster products, pickups, pickguards, hardware, and Brian May signature strings. These products may be useful to BMG owners or to players building a May-inspired setup, but compatibility should be checked model by model.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteA replacement part for a BMG Special is not automatically appropriate for the original Red Special, another replica, or a third-party guitar. Before buying pickups, pickguards, tremolo hardware, strings, or cases, verify the exact model, handedness, dimensions, mounting pattern, scale, and the manufacturer’s compatibility information. The original guitar is historically important and should not be modified casually.
Common misconceptions about the Red Special
- “Brian May built it alone.” No. Brian May designed and built the instrument with his father, Harold May.
- “It is just a red solid-body guitar with unusual pickups.” No. Its partly acoustic construction, homemade tremolo, short scale, switching system, and feedback behavior are all relevant.
- “Any Tri-Sonic pickup guitar will sound identical.” No. The pickups are only one part of the instrument and signal chain.
- “The BMG Special is the original guitar.” No. It is an official commercial replica or related production interpretation.
- “The BMG Super is a newly discovered original design.” No. It is a modern, more authentically rendered interpretation developed with collaborators.
- “The Gibson Red Special is available now.” The 2024 report described discussions about a possible future U.S.-made model, not a confirmed launch.
- “The amplifier or software alone produces the Queen tone.” No. They recreate selected aspects of the signal chain and cannot duplicate every physical and musical part of May’s setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you buy the original Red Special?
No. The original Red Special is Brian May’s historic one-off instrument, built with his father beginning in 1963. The commercially sold BMG Special and BMG Super are replicas or modern interpretations, not the original guitar.
Who built Brian May’s Red Special?
Brian May and his father, Harold May, built it together. The project began in 1963 and used hand tools plus household and salvaged materials.
What wood is the Red Special made from?
The neck was carved from an old fireplace mantel. The body used blockboard with an oak insert and mahogany veneer, which May stained and polished.
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Its tone comes from the interaction of the modified Burns Tri-Sonic pickups, three-pickup switching and phase options, 24-inch scale, partly acoustic construction, tremolo, sixpence pick, amplifier chain, and controlled feedback. No single component explains the complete sound.
What is the difference between the BMG Special and BMG Super?
The BMG Special is the more accessible official production-style option. The BMG Super is positioned as a more authentically rendered modern interpretation with features including a chambered mahogany body, custom knife-edge tremolo, roller bridge, and BMG Super pickups. Neither is the original.
What is the best book about the Red Special?
The updated edition of Brian May’s Red Special: The Story of the Home-made Guitar that Rocked Queen and the World was announced for October 1, 2020. It adds material on technical repairs and maintenance and the guitar’s role in Bohemian Rhapsody. Its ISBN is 978-1-7873907-8-2.
The Bottom Line
The Red Special is memorable because it is both an ingenious handmade object and a complete musical system. Brian May and Harold May turned a fireplace-mantel neck, a partly acoustic body, modified Tri-Sonic pickups, and an improvised but carefully engineered tremolo into the instrument at the center of May’s Queen sound. Modern BMG guitars, the VOX Brian May products, and AmpliTube can reproduce useful parts of that idea, but none should be confused with the irreplaceable original.
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