Brian May Guitars Red Special - Great Guitar? Or are you just paying for the name?
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2023
- Review and demo of the BMG (Brian May Guitars) replica of @BrianMay's iconic "Red Special".
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If you have any more questions then I'll do my best to answer in the comments.
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Very good presentation! As for the Red Special: a highly sophisticated guitar for an equally sophisticated man! ❤
Thank you! I couldn’t agree more, the red special is definitely a refined and carefully considered instrument.
I play non-Queen stuff with it too. Love it!😊
BM never uses the neck humbucker tone, except in Bo Rhap where he used every single combo... he says it himself "too plummy".
It’s certainly one he very rarely chooses, you’re correct it’s in Bo Rhap and I believe it’s also in love of my life and kind of magic.
Its a hard life, march of the black queen, we are the champions, play the game, somebody to love. Its not rare
I must add that the tromolo, while very different in construction to the original is very smooth and you can certainly achieve those floating chords. The trem is one of the highlights of the guitar.
Brilliant playing mate , big bri would be proud
Thank you! That’s very high praise indeed and much appreciated!
Nice playing and you've nailed the tone on the examples. Love Queen and do have a signed 2022 model - to be honest I haven't warmed to it yet but my set up is more SRV using a Champ close (Cornell) and quality boost pedals. It's a trebely amp boosting the mids - complete opposite of BM..........and I'm not convinced it works. Guitar is stunning quality for the money though
Much like Brian May is essentially an AC30 and a treble booster, SRV is pretty much a strat and a tubescreamer. Of course you can go deeper down the rabbit hole, but those will get you in the ball park and a bit of confidence and attitude will sort the rest out 😉
Nice demo and review
Thank you! I appreciate the comment!
Great video, thank you very much. The guitar is a nice surprise, it's very confortable to play, well made, the switching pickup system gives you lots of tonal options and the bridge is fantastic, the tremolo arm goes up and down smoothly. Maybe for the aesthetics is a niche guitar for Brian May-Queen fans, but is a great guitar.
Completely agree! It's a great guitar, and if the aesthetics aren't an issue for you then it's a great choice.
Great review! Nailed them tones as well!😃
Thanks Jimmy! Whether it's real gear or modelling, a treble booster, a cranked AC30 normal channel, and a touch of chorus never ends up far off when I'm looking for Brian May tones!
@@DGSessions I have been looking at one of these for several years I like that they have kept the price affordable but I'm not sure about this guitar as most of what I have is a Floyd Rose equipped humbucker style guitar though I have always wanted one the one that I would really like to have would be the guild Brian May model of about 30 years ago with a kahler tremolo... but they seem very nice... I enjoy watching people with Talent such as yourself do with these things as they should be done!
@@jimmychesteen6559 Those Kahler versions aren’t cheap these days, I’m sure plenty of folks will disagree but I wouldn’t recommend one to anyone but a die hard Red Special collector. If you want accurate then buy a better replica, if you aren’t bothered about accuracy then buy a better Floyd equipped guitar. The Kahler, for me, represents the worst of both worlds.
Something which I’ve been in search of since the late 2000 teens when I first developed a yen for one of these Specials is an upload of somebody playing one and not including any Queen riffs. It’s almost as of the iconography of the model itself would suggest one is not supposed to play other material when you’re demonstrating it for a video. Everybody seems to get it only because they want to emulate Brian’s tone. In my case, since I am leaning in the direction of turning loose of one guitar I’ve had since 2002 in order to make room for one of this model, it almost feels as though I would have to give myself what I’ve been searching for and record myself playing anything other than the music of Queen.
Back in 2018 when I suggested to a colleague at the time that I might get one, he said that people would start clamoring to hear queen songs. What came to mind was the image of Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath playing the Prince cloud guitar during their breakout video, “Fly”. If he were to wield that guitar on stage, did it mean people were going to insist that he play “Purple Rain” or “Kiss”?
Meanwhile, even though I can imagine that ‘Brian himself is probably very flattered by the number of individuals that have latched onto this model type and wanted to chase after his sound, I can imagine he’d much rather hear people being more creative with it.
Well, I can’t comment on everybody else’s reviews but in my case I figured most people interested in a red special would be fans of Queen. The guitar sounds come through whether I’m playing Queen, Prince, Steve Vai, or Megadeth, so Queen seemed the most sensible option. If you’re a red special fan, but not keen on Queen, then go for it, the guitar is more than capable of covering a lot more material…but as I mentioned in the video, it’s an iconic visual and people in the audience WILL recognise it.
As it turns out, @@alonzogallabon8629, I have a partscaster that is built with a specialized pick guard. That pick guard is loaded with Burns mini TriSonics and the same type of switching that Brian pioneered. It’s good for what it is, but the output is kind of lacking. I imagine trying to get someone to tear it apart and wind the pickups a little bit tighter. Because I received that guitar in the summer of 2019 and first recorded with it on my third solo project which is called *Brooklyn Bridge,* I decided to name that partscaster “Roebling” after the first family of the actual Brooklyn Bridge.
I can't remember who it was but I have seen a player with the RS doing chicken picking' stuff with it and it sounded great, not doing Queen tones.
Thank you, @@DrRussPhd. Even though I’m not a country player, that is otherwise up my street.
I have one and it’s Fantastic 😊
Completely agree! Brian and his Dad knocked it out the park with this design!
I own and play BMG Red Specials that have been converted by RS Conversions.
Absolutely incredible and versatile instruments for most guitar applications. Im a professional session player. Theyre my rock / pop go to axes . Still use Ovations for acoustic and 12 strings.
I’d say yonderbosk pickups and an RS conversion is probably the best value route to a high end red special there is. Excellent choice!
@@DGSessions I often use mine directly into a Roland JC-120.
Super versatile for session work
Thanks. It is a great review. Would have been good to se it’s use outside of the Queen context. Really it seems like it could be like a nice Strat in terms of versatility
Check out my other videos, you can find more red special videos covering different styles and genres. More to come soon as well!
Excellent David is it a tribute band you play in that sounds so authentic !!
Thanks Mark! I joined a Queen tribute a couple of months back. Still getting the setlist together but have the first gig coming up later this month!
@@DGSessions Fantastic mate such z such tapestry of songs . I know you will knock it out of the park David
Nice guitar !!! Are you using the sixpence coin as well? (I think it is sixpence coin), lol. Nice playing too.
Cheers mate!
Thank you! And Brian does indeed use a sixpence, I’ve given it a try but for me it seems that my usual 2mm gator grips get me better results.
I started watching and thought, how long before the riffs start!
What did you think? Was it too long, or not long enough?
@@DGSessions you started by speaking a out the guitar which I liked, rather than a Riff like 95 per cent of anything guitar related does. It's my sense of humor. I was in the back of my mind waiting for the riff you played. No it was fine. You spoke in depth about the guitar, know your stuff, play well too. I am not even a Queen fan and stayed to the end. : 😄
@@marccarter1350 Thank you! It’s tricky working out how best to talk about these things. Biggest feedback I’ve had so far is that folks want to hear more non-Queen stuff on them so I’ve recorded a couple of those too.
The colour "problem" isn't a problem. There are several other colour options in this range, I bought a Honeyburst model and used it for all kinds of styles of music in a covers band. Great instrument, but I eventually got fed up with the short scale length so I sold it and made myself a "May'ocaster" with Warmoth parts. Same electrics on a mahogany body and neck, ebony fretboard Strat, perfect solution for me.
Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean by colour problem. Could you elaborate slightly?
Certainly. It's a matter of aesthetics. A lot of people are reluctant to buy these instruments because of the obvious connection to BM - as in the inevitable comments from 3rd parties like "Oh, you're just a copycat, you'll never be like/sound like etc etc". I've met a couple myself. Sadly, so many let themselves be influenced by negative comments from their peers instead of just going with their instincts and may the devil take the hindmost. It IS a very good instrument and if, like me, you have issues with the scale length, the weird neck width and so on you can always do what I did and build your own body/neck version and still be able to enjoy the unusual aspects of the electrics - specifically the trisonic pups which are so different to almost everything else in the pup market. The switching aspect is something that has been done by others over the years . but its the trisonics that make it what it is.
@@patriciolegett1757 I think it is what it is at the end of the day. Ultimately, the aesthetics are something which will bother some people…but not others.
From my perspective, and to sum up the video title, I think the BMG represents a fair price for the spec and quality you get. Not overpriced in any way due to the association.
Agreed.@@DGSessions
Hello DG. I've never played a B.M. Red Special but Nuno Bettencourt is a super Queen fan and he knows Brian May and he got to play Brian's guitar meaning the real Red Special and he said it was horrible because the neck was very uncomfortable and the action was very high. He said it was hard to play and he was even more amazed how Brian made it look so easy. Nevertheless, I surmise that this line of guitars has a more "friendly" shaped neck and lower action. I've never had a signature guitar. I feel that playing a copy of Brian's or EVH's or Andy Timmon's guitar (who's possibly my favourite guitarist) just doesn't feel right to me I keep looking at the guitar and imagining how easily Brian or EVH play certain riffs and realize I can't even come close to the perfection with which they play. Nice video, cheers.
You are correct, the original red special (and by extension, the more accurate replicas) is quite a different guitar to the one shown here. This version is designed to be a much more accessible specification for most players, whilst still retaining the general sound and spirit of the original.
As for avoiding signature guitars in general, that’s down to you at the end of the day. For me, a guitar is a tool to do a job with and I’d never judge one carpenter for using the same hammer as another…
I own EVH, AT & BMG guitars. They're all set-up to my preference (e.g. nice low action). With the exception of the EVH 'dive only' Trem set-up - you could pick up any of them and play as easily as any Fender Strat. I still sound like me (rather than the signature artist..) and haven't inherited any of their respective talents through ownership
Have you tried running it through a Rangemaster Treble Booster? It kicks it the extra kick and fatness to the sound......
Not a rangemaster, but I have tried the excellent KAT strap mounted treble booster and I’ve heard very good things about the yonderbosk booster as well which I’m tempted to pick up along with a set of his pickups.
What amp and pedal are you using? Nowadays, with the pedals you can get any sound from any guitar or amp.
Within reason, yes. It’s certainly possible to get very close to Brian’s tone using lots of different approaches now, and the days of needing to lug an AC30 around are long gone! The sounds in this review were built and refined on a line 6 helix floor whilst gigging in a Queen tribute act, then imported into the helix native plugin for convenience recording. So no amp and technically just the one pedal, but it’s essentially based around the normal channel of an AC30 and a touch of chorus.
How many fireplace mantels were destroyed for production?
Just the one. During the design process 😉
Good review, i have two of them great guitars. But the comment it looks like the red special is like saying a strat looks like a strat of course it does.
I get what you’re saying, but the difference with a strat is that it isn’t associated with just one player. Hendrix, Gilmour, Clapton, SRV, Gallagher, the list is endless….but a red special unavoidably suggests Brian May. Even very recognisable strats like a Malmsteen are probably less recognisable than a red special, which isn’t an issue for me but I can’t really in all honesty say in a review that I don’t think anybody would notice.
@@DGSessions ok but let's say a les Paul then is like a les Paul. This was considered the first signature guitar for Les. Yes I understand that the RS is Bri's guitar but with Bri getting older maybe this is the time we push his guitar out or like a strat or LP. And don't forget Blackmore for the Strat;)
@@sgtcorb Again, with a Les Paul there are now many artists associated with them. In the future, it would be nice to see more players using red specials and diversify their appeal a little…but until that time they’re definitely a nod to Brian if you ask me.
Nice review! Glad that you got a well made RS.
I just received mine but she has a couple of issues: D and G head gears are misaligned. I can't see them while playing, and its not so noticeable from the front of the guitar, but they are.
The pickups are mounted so that their poles progressively lose the alignment with the strings, the worst being the bridge pickup, where the high E string is almost tangent with the outer part of its pole. And you can hear clearly the loss of volume of that string. That pisses me off really. 😡
And I can't insert the tremolo bar,
Sigh...
It sounds like yours could have benefited from a little more attention before it reached you, but now that you have it I will make a couple of suggestions in the hope that they might help.
Firstly, string/pickup pole alignment shouldn’t really have that much of a noticeable effect on string volume. In some extreme cases it can be a minor factor but there’s a good chance the cause of the volume drop is something else. I recommend raising the pickups on the treble side much higher than usual on the RS guitars, almost to touching the strings (Brian’s exact pickup height measurements are available online). Try this and see if you find any improvement.
Secondly, you don’t mention whether the trem arm won’t go in or keeps falling out but either way my only thought is to adjust the tiny grub screw to tighten or loosen the grip on the bar.
Hope these help!
@@DGSessions Thank you for the answer and suggestions.
Yes, the trem arm doesn't go in, and I'm afraid to push harder than I did. And can't see any grub screw.
@@robsg07 The grub screw is located on the trem block. If you can’t raise the bridge enough to see it then you should be able to access it by removing the backplate.
@@DGSessions Ah yes, I saw it. But it is at the bottom of the cavity. I can't even put in the tip of the bar, like it is too fat, or the cavity to little, by a hair. Maybe I'll file the bar.
Thank you for your time and help.
I got the rotten apple.
Correction, it's not at the bottom, I was wrong. Anyway, it's not in the way of the trem bar, if it could go in.
I used to own a Burns Red Special which i loved but i ended up selling a few years back and regret it. Anyone know how these compare to the older Burns version?
There’s a few slight differences, but they’re generally comparable in terms of quality. Nothing that would be noticeable to most players unless you’re directly a/b comparing the two. I’d certainly be equally happy with a burns or BMG.
They're made in the same factory (World Musical Instruments, IIRC...). The BMG has a better Trem and a few cosmetic detail changes (e.g. half moon plate under the Trem) that make it look more like Brian's guitar. I too used to own the Burns versions. I even owned a Honeyburst quilt finished 'cross over' model - never should have sold that... I now own 2x BMG (a Baby Blue Classic and a Black & Gold). Both excellent guitars. Buy with confidence
Sorry for my english spoken and writing....in my used guitar "BMG red special" the tremolo bar is not fixed in the hole of wilkinson bridge and it can fall down (from guitar to ground). the inox tremolo arm ...it have the right shape (as in your video) but it have not the tapping screw ad i can not see any screw to fix in the tremolo on bridge. Can you help me?
If there is not any tapping ...maybe there is an internal screw in the bridge? It seen to me very strange that to fix the tremolo arms in the hole i must open the bridge
There should be a very small hex screw near the trem block. If you insert the bar and use it to slacken the strings/raise the bridge (as you would if you were performing a divebomb), then the hex screw should be visible if you look from the bottom of the body into the gap created by pressing the bar.
@@DGSessions Thank you very much
@@stefano3225 No problem, hope you found it!
@@DGSessions yes All it is ok now
The original was built by Brian May and his Dad .... It's known as "the fireplace" because of it's red brick color.
It was indeed built by Brian and his Dad, I believe the “fireplace” nickname came from the fact that a big part of the construction was an old mantle from a fireplace.
Is the neck profile on these accurate to Brian's (i.e. very, very large) or is it more 'standard'?
More standard, I strongly suspect Brian’s actual neck profile would be quite uncomfortable for a lot of players. I believe the BMG “super” is designed to cater to those looking for a more faithful replica, but personally I’d choose the wider appealing specs and MUCH more appealing price point of the regular model.
@@DGSessions Ta! I do understand you, but at the same time I'm curious as heck (as someone who prefers chunkier necks) as to what the real deal actually feels like. But you're right that this is the model made with concessions to price point and accessibility for the greatest number of guitarists.
I’ve been lucky enough to play some very accurate red special replicas, and truthfully I’d only recommend them if you’re in a Queen tribute at an almost full time level. If you want a chunky neck then buy a chunky neck guitar, if you want a red special then these are more than good enough for most players. No need to spend thousands to get both in the same guitar when you could just buy two guitars for much less and tick the same boxes.
@@DGSessions a good point! Cheers!
Where are these guitars made?
Korea, I believe.
Yes, Korea, very well made for the price point.
I understand what you're saying about the BMG looking distinctive but it certainly needn't 'pigeon hole' the music you're playing. If you want to distance yourself from the obvious Queen visuals buy your BMG in a different colour. I own a Baby Blue Classic and Black & Gold BMG Special. Both are great guitars! 🤘
I agree that there's no need for the guitar to pigeon hole the music, but whether that distances the player from the obvious Queen visuals is something which can only really be decided by the player. For some (myself included) it's not a problem, but for others it's an important issue and they'd likely struggle even with the new neon pink version! Each to their own at the end of the day, personally I think that embracing the association is a positive thing but I know it's not for everyone.
Mine had a trem bat that wouldn't fit, has an insect hole in the fingerboard, had a switch that didn't work OK at the beginning and their response was to suggest I go on their client electrical course... Very unimpressive really.... But I still quite like the guitar
Well that sounds very unusual indeed! Where did you buy the guitar from?
From Brian May Guitars... Directly
I mentioned this on another video and someone chimed in that they had several insect holes in their fingerboard
@@ValBoschi-ix9cd Well, I can’t comment on your individual situation of course but as far as I know, BMG guitars do not offer any kind of electrical training course. You also mention that the switch didn’t work correctly at the beginning, am I correct in assuming that the switch did ultimately work as expected?
They do, perhaps it's a club or forum or something, I suspect it's something like that with one of their staff leading , I'll post a quote if I didn't delete it from my emails, yes the switch needed to be used a couple of times perhaps (I now have a stock of high quality ones in my toolbox haha) and I've grown to really like this guitar a lot, I put Yonderbosk pickups in it..... But I found the "perhaps you need more knowledge" bit slightly avoidant
Is the pickup height adjustable?
Yes, you can also find Brian’s preferred heights through an online search as well.
Thanks!@@DGSessions
@@darrenshebell3563 No problem, happy to help!
I don’t know if it is the guitar or Brian’s playing, but it sounds more like human emotions expressed than any other I have heard.
It’s certainly something that allows Brian to communicate his music very clearly, and I definitely believe there’s something that clicks into place when playing Queen songs on this rather than other guitars…
I had decided to buy one, but, today realised that the tremolo system is a strat system, and the super expensive one is his own design, so as they they on dragons den, for that reason....I'm out..
I don't know if you're against the tremolo because of what it is or what it isn't, but I do feel the need to point out that there are many different types of "Strat tremolo" systems. The 2pt Wilkinson system on the BMG special has given me no tuning or stability issues at all and the main difference with Brian's "super expensive" one is that the springs are mounted in the top rather than the back...same basic principles at work.
@@DGSessions I guess its just me, I wanted to have a more authentic guitar, which I could get, but not for over 8 grand. I will give it some reconsideration, thank you for the reply...
@@thedarkness97 I don’t know where exactly you’re based, but may I suggest looking up “RS conversions”. It’s definitely possible to convert a BMG to a much more accurate spec at a later date much cheaper than the 8 grand for a replica from scratch.
UK
@@thedarkness97 Definitely check out RS Conversions
really tried to like these.... everyone i ever played felt decent. nothing i would really play a lot
I kinda understand that. To me, the main draw of the guitar is the Brian May connection, if that isn’t a big part of wanting one then there will likely be other instruments out there that will appeal a bit more. I’ve always liked them but only bought one after I joined a Queen tribute, and if I left that band then I’d probably let the guitar go too if I’m honest. Not because it isn’t good, but it’s just “Brian May”.
That’s the cheep version
It’s the BMG special, there’s plenty of more expensive options available if that’s something you’re looking for. There’s also cheaper options as well.
You need to check your spelling. 'Cheep' is the sound Birds make... 😉
The BMG Special is the original mass production copy (the 90's Guild variants are rather more expensive and harder to find..). The rather more expensive BMG Super has more accurate detailing and is made in Limited Runs/Numbers. The BMG Special more than looks/sounds the part . It is used by many Queen cover bands and was used by the backing guitarists in the "We Will Rock You" stage show. if it's good enough for them..
@@ThePedroDB cheap
@@ThePedroDBbro u don’t even own shi
100% NO , it's a BIG NO, delikado sila Barbie Almalbis, mga intsik delikado
I’m afraid I can’t make any sense of this, and neither can google translate.
😂
At 2:57 you say the bridge pickup and neck pickup are in phase for the humbucker sound, but the photo shows the neck pickup in the off position?
@@Tolbiny I knew somebody would comment on that eventually, only caught it after I uploaded and thought most people wouldn’t notice (there’s another slip up earlier when I’m talking about the electronics as well). The picture is correct, the tone is the bridge and middle pickups set in phase.
I wanted that guitar since 1974 after hearing the solo in "Killer Queen". In 2004 I got that very guitar. Since then it's close to my only (used) guitar. Why? Listen to Queen albums ... if the question is then not answered, have your ears checked. And this is not for Brian May fandom, it's for versatility of sound and usability of a guitar. The Red Special is the best guitar you can get. Regardless of price. (Fun fact: I don't play Queen-songs ... except for sometimes the solo of "We Will Rock You" ... so, not a "Queen"-guitar.)
It’s certainly one of the more versatile guitars I’ve ever owned. But if that were all there was to it then I’d have never bought another instrument after my variax 😉