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Riff Tone
Don't Stop Me Now
Queen
Guitarrock1970s
Original Gear
GuitarBrian May Red Special
AmpVox AC30 (Top Boost, late 1970s studio model)
Amp Settings
gain6.5
bass6
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Notes
Studio recording, 1978. Guitar pickups set to out-of-phase, treble booster into AC30. No evidence of additional pedals for riff section. Deacy amp possibly used for overdubs but main riff is AC30 + treble booster.
Tone Character(10)
bright and articulateharmonic-rich crunchtight, focused midrangeslightly compressed attackclear note separationdynamic response to pickingsinging sustain (from treble booster)classic British rock flavorchimey top endcontrolled feedback at high volume
Difficulty
The riff requires tight, fast rhythm playing with precise muting and dynamic control to achieve the signature Brian May crunch and clarity. While not technically advanced, the tempo and articulation demand intermediate skill.
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1970s
Original Gear
GuitarBrian May Red Special
AmpVox AC30 (Top Boost, late 1970s studio model)
Amp Settings
gain6.5
bass6
Create an account to see all tone details
Create Free AccountEffects & Signal Chain
Notes
Studio recording, 1978. Guitar pickups set to out-of-phase, treble booster into AC30. No evidence of additional pedals for riff section. Deacy amp possibly used for overdubs but main riff is AC30 + treble booster.
Tone Character(10)
bright and articulateharmonic-rich crunchtight, focused midrangeslightly compressed attackclear note separationdynamic response to pickingsinging sustain (from treble booster)classic British rock flavorchimey top endcontrolled feedback at high volume
Difficulty
The riff requires tight, fast rhythm playing with precise muting and dynamic control to achieve the signature Brian May crunch and clarity. While not technically advanced, the tempo and articulation demand intermediate skill.