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Post by Husker77 on Jan 3, 2020 23:46:05 GMT -5
Does anyone own or play a Brian May guitar Guild or otherwise. I’m curious if if’s basically a strat with a zero fret or if I’m missing something.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 4, 2020 1:05:02 GMT -5
I've never owned one but I worked on a few of the Guilds back in the 80s and one of the newer-production BMG guitars.
First and foremost, they are quite a different beast. The only thing they have in common with the Fender Strat is the three single-coil pickups. Everything else makes it unique.
The scale length is 24" which is 1.5" shorter than a Fender Strat. It's even shorter than Gibson scale (theirs is 24.75"). That alone changes the tonality and feel of the guitar, because if you play 10s on a Strat, 11s will feel the same to you on the shorter scale and the tone will be fatter. The pickups, modeled after the original Burns Tri-Sonics, have a much fatter tone than a Strat, approaching P90 territory. The BM guitar also has selectable phase on each pickup, which offers up quite a palette of different tones
Keep in mind that it will not automatically get you Brian May's sound because on record he's usually playing through a dimed AC30 or his one-off recording amp, built by the bass player IIRC. Try before you buy...you might like it and you might not. If no local shops have 'em, order online from a vendor that has a 100% satisfaction guarantee and a generous return policy.
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Post by LM on Jan 4, 2020 9:36:14 GMT -5
I came really close to hitting the order button years ago but didn't. As a lefty, I didn't have the option to try one first, so I got nervous. If I recall, it was a model called a Burny.
From the reviews I've read, the switches on it are very versatile with phasing and such, but they can also be a challenge to dial in the sound you want.
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Post by Husker77 on Jan 4, 2020 10:42:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. Next question ... how do I sneak a wall of AC30s into the house?
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Post by langford on Jan 4, 2020 14:30:07 GMT -5
@husker... One at a time. Just tell anyone who asks that it's the same amp.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 4, 2020 18:51:45 GMT -5
@husker... One at a time. Just tell anyone who asks that it's the same amp. And, just like with guitars, make sure they're all the same color!
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69tele
Halfnote
Rockin the Rock !
Posts: 91
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Post by 69tele on Jan 7, 2020 4:19:21 GMT -5
I have a friend who plays in a queen tribute band and has one.. got to try it before a gig
its a well made and great sounding guitar HOWEVER, please make sure you try one in person... the width at the nut is huge almost like a classical. I have many guitars of all shapes and sizes and different necks, scales etc never bother me but this one did.... make sure to try in person
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Peppy
Wholenote
Guitar gear guru at Milano Music Center
Posts: 180
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Post by Peppy on Jan 7, 2020 4:33:33 GMT -5
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Post by Vibroluxer on Jan 7, 2020 6:50:53 GMT -5
Sounds like you need a PhD to play the damn thing. 🤓
I saw Queen in the late 70s and Dr. May knows that guitar.
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Post by Vibroluxer on Jan 7, 2020 6:52:13 GMT -5
2x'd
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Post by stratmanx on Jan 7, 2020 20:16:09 GMT -5
"its a well made and great sounding guitar HOWEVER, please make sure you try one in person" I completely agree. I have one and am incredibly impressed with the quality right out of the box. is a beautiful instrument, and with the scale, cambering of the body and the Tri-Sonics and wiring combinations, its its own entity. And yes, you run it thru an AC30cc2 and if your fortunate, one of the long discontinued Brian May Red Special pedals. That thing has got so many of his tones that this into the AC30cc2, your Brian for the afternoon. I replaced the stock Tri-Sonics with Adrian Turner's Adeson replica spec hand built Tri-Sonics. That's what Brian has been using on his backup Specials and is stock on the BMG Super. They opened up that sweet tone even more. Getting back to the opening sentence, you need to play one because I found the neck is wider than I'm accustomed to and it adds just that little bit that I cant get completely comfy with it. Many people have made that observation, and as Brian put it when he finalized the deal to do this, he even had the neck made considerably narrower than what's on the original Red Special. he's got big hands and says a standard guitar isn't comfy for him, but he knew many would not want that. The other issue for me is the switching. Its pretty simplistic, the top 3 slide switches turn the individual pickups on and off. The bottom three switch the phase. Incredibly wonderful tones, a joy to hear, but like the width of the neck, they are hard to manipulate on the fly. In saying all of that, I love this instrument. Its unique in appearance, sound, and historical significance. I've waited decades for this since I first heard the band in 1975. Easter egg: if you look close at the picture of the Red Special pedal on top of the amp you can see the 1962 six pence piece. I had to do it.. Brian May Guitars
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 7, 2020 20:53:02 GMT -5
Great review, Stranmanx!
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Firebird-V
Quarternote
I Deftly Pluck Metal Strands!
Posts: 21
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Post by Firebird-V on Jan 10, 2020 10:30:18 GMT -5
I had one for a while - great guitar for the money But I never played and sold it to a guy in a Queen Tribute band It was kind of "stratish" but had some unique sounds with the three switched
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Post by fuzztone on Jan 10, 2020 17:16:28 GMT -5
I used to have this one
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Post by guildx700 on Jan 27, 2020 1:11:45 GMT -5
Tried several over the years, never liked it, but hey that's only my opinion.
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