Home-brewing the Brian May sound

Can you learn how to snip? No? Thought not.

The main part of the Brian May sound is those pick ups with that switching system. You won't get that sound with a stock Strat 5 way switch.

The best sounds are with all three pick ups on and with one of them outt of phase from the other two. This works with the neck being outt of phase or the lead pick up.

I bought a first version of the Dillion Brian May guitar (Not an exact copy but has the Burns pick ups..) for less than $400, and like it better than the Burns or the older Guild versions of BM's guitars.

Outt..

If he had snipped, there wouldn't have been a joke.

I always thought it was in the fingers. I bet i wouldn´t sound even half way the same through the same setup.

Teemu K

The new Strats use a series/parallel switch which might get you closer to the Brian May setup (haven't tried one yet).

One small item that does a great job of generating the Brian May + AC30 cranked-to-10 sound is the V-Stack: http://www.v-stack.com/bhm.htm . I own one and was really surprised at the results. Works great as a line-out to digital recording, and when run through a clean amp at low volume the sound quality is even better than running an AC30 through a Hotplate, IMO.

Haha, hopefully not one of the palm sisters.

I listen to BM play, nearly every day, and I still shake my head. I mess with my friends Burns, minus the ac30, and I haven't come up with anything close, yet. Reasonable, but..........

How about a Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Now you're talking!

Gibson Les Paul Studio mmmm..........

The only way to sound like Mr.May is to be him. No matter how much anorak stuff you can quote (and boy! you are the champion in that area), you are never (repeat NEVER) going to sound like him. Be happy with your own voice on the six string devil and work on that. Leave all that Brian May stuff to Brian May.

Rosa Linda

my Vox Tonelab {desktop deal..} has a nice Brian May preset aboard

I read somewhere that Brian once tried playing on Nuno's rig and was very disappointed to find that he still sounded like Brian May!!

I guess Krick's advice above is sound!