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Author: dsgb

Brian May Red Special guitar and equipment

Small Steps, Big Bucks

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Who would want to be in Brian May’s shoes? What does it cost to walk in a rock icon’s footsteps? Important questions that we can now answer…

A mere £3,900 if the hammer price of Small Steps’ latest charity auction is anything to go by. They recently sold a pair of white and gold striped Adidas Superstars with red contrast stitching and unique gold and brown stamped tongue detail in UK size 10 kindly donated by Brian. Congratulations to the lucky winner of the eBay auction who has made a generous donation to a worthy cause.

Small Steps Project is a humanitarian charity which delivers shoes and emergency aid to children and families who live on landfill sites around the world. They raise awareness of the unacceptable hardships they face as well as funds for aid through film. Small Steps Project collects celebrity shoes which are then auctioned to provide shoes for children with none. If you wish to find out more about the Small Steps Project Charity visit their web site: https://smallsteps.org.uk/

KAT Treble Booster Plush DIY Kit

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In his latest YouTube video, Nigel Knight (the guy who does Brian May’s electronic work) demonstrates how to assemble one of his excellent KAT treble booster Plush kits. The video is speeded up for the impatient amongst us. It is a must watch for any electronics enthusiasts who are also into Brian May gear.

The KAT treble booster Plush kit can be obtained direct from KAT (Knight Audio Technologies) at £49.50:

http://www.deacyamp.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=77

Information from Nigel’s website:

“This is a full kit of parts that will enable an electronics beginner to build a very high quality KAT treble booster. The components provided are the best for the job in-hand. They are the same components used for the builds of many KAT treble boosters and Fryer Sound TB Touring, Deluxe and Plus. The circuit board has been specially designed for the kit so that the build can be easy with all components identified on the board. The case is the same powder-coated, silk-screened folded steel unit used for the TB Touring, Deluxe and Plus, so rugged, durable and yet, attractive.
Sound-wise, this treble booster has been developed to emulate the 1980s era of Brian May’s tone with approximately 33 dB of gain, so think Queen from the late 70s through to the end. Think Wembley… Think Live Aid!
So, what’s in the kit?
Well, everything you need to successfully build the TB except for a few hand tools and a battery.”

KAT Studio-D Deacy Style Amplifier

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Following up on the recent story of the KAT Studio-One all-valve practice amplifier, Nigel Knight has released details of the other part of his R&D endeavour over the past few years. Nigel recently announced:

Brian was never happy that we had to discontinue the production of the Deacy Amp replica, but the decision to do so was based purely on the fact that we could no longer source transistors with the correct characteristics that matched the original, either locally or globally and certainly not in the numbers we needed to extend production. So from the point that Deacy Amp replica serial number 0150 rolled out the door, I was on a bit of a mission to design its replacement.

This then, is the Studio-D. It is germanium Deacy’s silicon brother if you will. After years of trawling through transistor specifications, we finally found a set that could be configured to provide the same responses as the original AC125, AC126 and AC128 transistors. We are still using the original Deacy circuit, transformers and components albeit with the odd bias-tweak here and there and it still fires into a single 6.5″ twin-cone speaker. The resulting amplifier sounds magnificent and we’re really pleased with it.

The Studio-D is equipped with an adjustable battery simulator (DABS Unit), HF tone trim pot (that mimics the tone dulling effect of putting a tea-towel over the amplifier) and a built-in attenuator that has been optimised to the speaker and Deacy responses and, like the Studio-One, allows you to dial-down the volume.

Brian May Rig Tour

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Simon Bradley (Bradders) has written an article for Music Radar in which Brian May’s long-standing technician Pete Malandrone (Mallers) discusses his current touring rig. This consists of a strap mounted KAT treble booster and Sennheiser SK-500 transmitter, a Sennheiser EW500 G-2 receiver, a custom splitter designed by Mike Hill, Dunlop Crybaby DCR-2SR rack mount wah wah and TC Electronic G-Major 2 rackmount effects units. Check it out at the link below:

https://www.musicradar.com/news/brian-may-rig-tour-brians-not-going-to-use-a-fractal-rackmount-and-in-ears-he-wants-to-hear-three-screaming-ac30s-behind-him-thumping-him-in-the-back

Attic Find: Westfield Mini Les Paul

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I bought this Westfield mini Les Paul guitar in January 2014 from an eBay seller who was Head of Stage on the London WWRY production for six years. He got Brian May to sign it back stage as a gift for his daughter but I decided to remove the silver Sharpie signature from the rear of the guitar body because it seemed inappropriate.

It has a solid wood body with an attractive grain structure and the neck and headstock are set at similar angles to a full size Gibson Les Paul. I checked the frets with a StewMac straight edge and was pleased to find that they are perfectly uniform so there is no reason why this shouldn’t look great and play well. I think it would make a fun display with my 3/4 scale Brian May Red Special. The guitar sat in its gig bag in my attic for seven years until I finally completed the project to upgrade all the hardware in March 2021. You can read about the details here:

https://dsgb.net/projects/minilespaul/

The Red Special Book

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The second edition of the coffee table book on the story of Brian May’s Red Special – “the home made guitar that rocked Queen and the world” was published on 1st October 2020 with two new chapters included. One explores technical repairs and maintenance and the other, the Red Special’s role in the Academy Award-winning movie Bohemian Rhapsody, revealed in Brian’s own words and Gwilym Lee who played Brian in the film. The book, written by Brian and Simon Bradley is a celebration of the iconic guitar that Brian May built with his father and has treasured and played all over the world for over 50 years.

A five minute preview video of the second edition of the Brian May Red Special book.

The embedded video below is a 35-40 minute presentation by Brian at the original launch. He demonstrates the capabilities of the Red Special by playing it through three Vox VBM-1 practice amplifiers. You can get your copy of the book mail order through the London Stereoscopic Company or via the usual outlets such as Amazon.

https://www.theredspecial.com/

Adeson Pickups – Artisan Guitar Pickups Build and Repair

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After an extended period of only supplying official builders (Brian May Guitars and Guyton Guitars) for Red Special variants Adrian (Ade) Turner of Adeson Fenton Weill/Ormston Burns U.K./Aristone U.K. is accepting retail orders for guitar pickups again. This is normally signified by Adrian making his e-mail address visible on his website: https://www.adeson.co.uk/

Ade is based in Burbage, Wiltshire, United Kingdom and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in making all types of new guitar pickups and repairing defective ones, as the quote on his website illustrates:

“We are proud of our heritage and work in an environment of vintage armature winders, fly presses, engravers, polishing wheels and traditional plating. Basically, we know our stuff. Our products require hard work, sweat, dirt and grim determination making them tonally period accurate. They do not fall off the end of a modern automated production line. Manufacturing items using the original methods and components creates products which match, sound and age just like the originals…”

I have been fortunate to obtain several sets of his “original BM/Guyton specification” Burns Tri-Sonic variants in recent years for my build and conversion projects. The technical details and related historical context of the particular pickups fitted to Brian’s famous Red Special guitar can almost form a book by themselves. However, I have written a brief article in the FAQs section of this website covering the topic if you wish to find out more about them in this context:

https://dsgb.net/faqs/trisonics/

Illustrated in the gallery above are some Adeson pickup sets fitted to my project guitars and my Guyton RS Transporter (photo credit Andrew Guyton). Although no Tri-Sonic pickup variants available are an exact replica of Brian’s original set, all Adeson Tri-Sonic pickups sound highly authentic when played through the basic BM signal chain of a treble booster and Vox AC30 at full volume.

I was informed recently that pricing for his “original BM/Guyton spec” pickup sets is currently £225 and for a BMG Super spec set, it is £180. This is astonishing value for money considering the craftsmanship, heritage and time involved in making these pickups. Check out the exquisite custom engraved pickup cases illustrated on his web site. Please support artisan craft businesses such as Adeson. Cottage industries helped make Britain great and if enthusiasts don’t support them, they will inevitably fold and the knowledge goes with them. As the slogan goes… accept no imitations! And don’t pay inflated prices to eBay sellers trying to cash in when demand exceeds supply either. Good things come to those who wait. That’s it, I’ve run out of clichés.

Ade appeared in episode 6 of The Red Special Guitar Podcast on May 28, 2021, hosted by Jon Underhill, in which they discuss his involvement with Tri-Sonic pickups. You can listen to it here:

https://theredspecialpodcast.libsyn.com/ade-turner-adeson-the-red-special-guitar-podcast-episode-6

KAT Studio-One Practice Amplifier

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Nigel Knight recently revealed a prototype 1 W (max), all-valve 2 x 6.5″ bedroom/studio combo amplifier. The styling and overall cosmetic appearance pays homage to the legendary Vox AC30 used by Brian May.

The valves (vacuum tubes) are biased such that at each stage, the grid starts to go positive at exactly the same point that a Vox AC30 would at full volume.

The KAT Studio-One guitar amplifier features:
• Two newly developed KAT DSP 6.5 TC speakers which have an on-board filter network that tailors the frequency response to give the full bodied mids of Brian’s Deacy amplifer but without the high frequency fizz audible in many 6.5″ twin-cone drivers.
• A built-in attenuator that has been developed in-line with the speakers to ensure the same tone is produced at all output levels. -24 dB attenuation brings it down to almost whisper level whilst still producing jangly cleans and smooth full-on distortion.
• Plywood cabinet construction.

Nigel has deployed all his electronics design expertise and experience producing and maintaining Brian May’s gear to offer the holy grail that amateur Queen players have been seeking for some years: the full on Wembley ’86 tone in your home, or Project BMIB (Brian May in your Bedroom) as I’m calling it. [Other Vox AC30 + Deacy amplifier emulation BMIB solutions are available, such as the Fryer Guitars Mayday effects pedal.]

Nigel has recorded a short demonstration video in the link below using a KAT STB Stomper and Retro Sonic chorus pedal. The amplifier is still at the prototype stage and is not available for general sale yet. Note that corner protectors have been made but are not fitted to the prototype illustrated in these three images (photo credit Nigel Knight).

Update as of 25 September 2022. I recently bought three units and have released a brief (6m 43s) YouTube video in which I unbox them and show you around the inside and outside as well as a quick demonstration through my KAT Brian May rig. Please also check out my gear page for this amplifier here:

https://dsgb.net/gear/studio-one

Vox VBM-1 Amplifier KAT Speaker Modification

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Knight Audio Technologies (KAT) has developed a “drop-in” speaker upgrade for the popular, discontinued Vox VBM-1 Brian May Special amplifier. It costs £35.00 + shipping direct.

An alternative upgrade option which some people have carried out involves buying a Dai Ichi brand DC65-30 speaker (still available from Wagner Online in Australia at the time of writing) and fitting a 390 microH 1.3A ELC16B radial inductor (choke), RS part no. 6755576 and a 2.2 microF capacitor, RS part no. 7270473.

However, this original option is ultimately more expensive and involves soldering. Check out the product on the KAT website and view the straightforward installation video on Nigel’s YouTube channel.

http://www.deacyamp.com/index.php?route=product%2Fproduct&product_id=51

Text from the KAT website:

“This is a brand new speaker/filter combination enabling VBM-1 users and Deacy Amplifier-style project builders to get their amps closer in tone to the real Deacy Amp.

The KAT DSP 6.5 TC has been developed primarily as a replacement for the Celestion G6 unit that is sadly no longer in production. It has an on-board filter network that tailors the frequency response to give the full-bodied mid range tones of the real Deacy but without the HF ‘fizz’ that seems to dominate most 6.5″ twin-cone drivers.

A by-product of this development was the realisation that this unit could be dropped straight into the Vox VBM-1 giving immediate results. The Vox VBM-1 is a great amplifier, but, it is a little let-down by its stock speaker unit that tends to suck-out the precious mid range tones and enhance the unwanted high frequency ‘fizz’. The KAT DSP 6.5 TC is a straight swap-out with the stock VBM-1 unit with no soldering required to undertake the works. Just 11 screws and 6 minutes will have the works completed and the tone of the amplifier improved many-fold!

The KAT DSP 6.5 TC can also be used in your own Deacy amplifier-style projects to give your amplifier that great Deacy ‘honk’!”

Fryer Treble Booster Deluxe

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New treble booster day: a beautiful deep purple Fryer Guitars Deluxe to complement my other purple gear. I thought that I didn’t need any more treble boosters, but I was evidently wrong; the tone of this one is certainly powerful, rich and fat, like a benign dictator of a country you’ve never heard of. Information reproduced from the Fryer Guitars website:

• 34 dB gain
• Punchy rich sound with a balance between fatness and treble definition
• Evokes the Brian May sound on late 1970s Queen albums News of the World and Jazz.
• Fattest sounding and most output level of the 3 Fryer ‘no knobs permanently plugged-in’ pedals TB Touring, TB Super and TB Deluxe.
• Uses the same harmonically rich sounding transistor as Treble Booster Super and Treble Booster Special pedals.
• Powered by either a 9 V battery or 9V DC adaptor (2.1 mm diameter negative centre jack, 100 mA or greater current capacity).

The hand made pre-production model is available until the screenprinted box version becomes available in late 2020. Price is $AU235.00 plus international shipping by Express Post International EMS (signature on delivery and tracking).

http://shop.fryerguitars.com/product/treble-booster-deluxe