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Brian May and his father, Harold, began building the Red Special in 1963 because May wanted an electric guitar they could not afford to buy—and one that could produce expressive, musical feedback. Working with hand tools and salvaged materials, they made the instrument over roughly two years of spare moments. It became the distinctive guitar at the center of May’s work with Queen.
Why Brian May built his own guitar
May recalled that when he was 16, his family could not afford the electric guitar he wanted. He also had a particular sound in mind: an instrument that could “talk” to him and “feed back in a good way,” inspired in part by Jimi Hendrix. His father, Harold, was an electronics engineer whose technical knowledge helped make the project possible.
They began work in 1963 in a workshop Harold had made from a spare bedroom. May described the build as taking about two years of spare moments. The official book account says it took over a year; neither account establishes an exact completion date. They used hand tools, including planes, chisels, saws, and sandpaper, and built the guitar from materials they could obtain.
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How the Red Special was made
The neck wood came from an old fireplace mantel that a family friend was about to discard. May’s account describes the inlays as hand-shaped from mother-of-pearl buttons. These details reflect the practical, resourceful nature of a father-and-son project, rather than a conventional factory build.
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The tremolo arm also used everyday materials. May recalled that it was made from part of a bicycle saddlebag holder, topped with the tip of one of his mother’s knitting needles. The improvised parts were shaped and assembled as part of a deliberate design, not simply added as decoration.
How the pickups and sound evolved
The Red Special’s electronics changed over time. May said that the guitar’s first public performance, in 1966, used its original homemade pickups. He made those pickups with button magnets and fine copper wire. Burns Tri-Sonic pickups replaced them later, so it would be inaccurate to describe the guitar’s current pickup arrangement as entirely original.
A three-pickup layout and switching system gave May a broad range of tones, according to a 2014 rig rundown on his official site. That dated account said the guitar was then original apart from its tuning pegs and bridge rollers. It should be understood as a description of the instrument at that time, not a guarantee that nothing has changed since.
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The guitar’s sound is not explained by one component. Its pickups and switching, the rest of May’s rig, and his playing all contribute. The sources reviewed for this article do not establish every commonly repeated construction detail or exact measurement, so those should not be treated as verified here.
The original and later replicas
The original Red Special is Brian May’s unique instrument, built with his father. Replicas are separate guitars, and specific model features, prices, and present-day availability require current verification. In a 2014 account of his touring rig, May’s official site described him using Guyton-built replicas for two songs. That is a historical example, not a statement about his current touring setup.
| Category | What the research establishes | What to check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Original Red Special | The father-and-son-built instrument that Brian May began making in 1963. | It is a singular historic guitar, not a standard production model. |
| Red Special-style replicas | Replicas exist; May’s official site described Guyton-built examples in a 2014 tour setup. | Verify a particular guitar’s maker, construction, features, and current availability. The sources reviewed do not support a model ranking. |
Further reading
For a detailed account of the guitar’s construction and history, see 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. The official book page describes photographs, original sketches, diagrams, notes, and material on repairs and maintenance. Check the listing to confirm which edition is available.
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FAQ
Why did Brian May build the Red Special?
May wanted an electric guitar his family could not afford to buy, and he wanted an instrument capable of expressive, musical feedback. His father’s technical skills helped them turn that idea into a guitar.
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When did Brian May and his father start building it?
They began in 1963. May recalled that the work took about two years of spare moments, while the official book page says it took over a year; the available sources do not establish an exact completion date.
What is the Red Special made from?
The verified details include neck wood from an old fireplace mantel and inlays shaped from mother-of-pearl buttons. May also recalled using part of a bicycle saddlebag holder and a knitting-needle tip for the tremolo arm.
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Did the Red Special always have Burns Tri-Sonic pickups?
No. May said the guitar first performed publicly in 1966 with homemade pickups. Burns Tri-Sonic pickups replaced those later.
Are Red Special replicas the original guitar?
No. Replicas are separate instruments. A 2014 account from May’s official site described Guyton-built replicas in his tour setup at that time, but it does not establish current touring practice or retail availability.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
