Brian May Special, Black 'n' Gold - Secondhand

Full Description

The Special

The Special from Brian May Guitars combines the distinctive aesthetics and sound of the original Red Special model with a selection of modern appointments and superb quality, production-line craftsmanship. Faithfully reproducing the original's unique character and tonal versatility, the Special is not just a standard replica model. This new edition is especially designed to provide modern players of all musical levels with an affordable pro-grade instrument that is perfect for any performance environment.

Quality construction

Sculpted with an acoustic chambered mahogany body, the Brian May Special stays true to the look and spirit of the iconic "Old Lady" Red Special. The instantly recognizable pinstripe-bound, double cutaway mahogany body is designed with an acoustic chamber, inspired by Brian May's original design. This chamber enhances the guitar's natural resonance and reduces weight while maintaining the distinct BM sound.

Engineered with a contemporary feel, the glued-in mahogany neck offers a comfortable and modern playing experience. Additionally, the neck of the guitar features a generous 45mm nut width and a comfortably spacious "D" profile, which provides ample space for the fingers to move and allows for greater control over the instrument. Another key feature is its smooth and luxurious ebony fingerboard. Equipped with 24 frets, this model provides an extended range for players who want to push their technical skills to the limit. The ebony wood adds a rich and warm tone to the instrument, while also providing a smooth and fast surface that makes it easy to navigate.

Get May's classic sound

Equipped on this guitar are Tri-Sonic style pickups, specifically designed to replicate the vintage '60s Burns design units. These provide a unique and powerful sonic character that is highly sought after by guitar players around the world. The pickups are wired in series and in phase, which allows for a wide range of tonal possibilities. With the bridge and middle pickups switched together, the guitar produces a fat, humbucker-style overdrive that is perfect for rhythm playing. The unique magnet alignment and retro-styling of the pickups also contribute to the iconic Brian May sound.

In terms of tonal qualities, the electronics are highly versatile. The bridge pickup delivers bright and cutting sounds that are ideal for lead guitar, while the middle pickup offers warm and full-bodied tones for rhythm guitar. The neck pickup provides a smooth and mellow sound that is perfect for solos and melodic playing. Additionally, each pickup is height adjustable, which allows for even greater control over the overall output of the guitar. Get May's highly sought-after sonics.

Exceptional hardware craftsmanship

Staying faithful to the original design, the Brian May Special features a switching system featuring six white-capped slider switches. These allow individual pickup on/off and phase reversal, giving you a vast range of tonal variations to explore. With this versatile system, you can easily dial in the perfect tone for any musical style or performance situation.

Also equipped a Wilkinson WVP 2-point, knife edge tremolo bridge with brass saddles. Designed by Trevor Wilkinson, this tremolo bridge not only adds a striking modern look to the guitar but also provides smooth and comfortable performance. Its bridge ensures exceptional stability and sustain, allowing you to experiment with expressive bends and subtle vibrato techniques while maintaining a solid tuning. What's more, its tuners have an 18:1 gear ratio, ensuring precise and accurate stability. The thumbwheel locking mechanism securely clamps the strings, making string changes quick and easy. With fewer string wraps and rock-solid tuning stability, you can confidently perform with lots of vibrato and string bends.

Specifications

• Product Code: BMG-SP-LE-BLG

Body and Bridge

• Top Material: Bookmatched Mahogany
• Body Material: Mahogany
• Shape: BM Special Acoustic Chambered
• Colour: Black and Gold
• Bridge: Wilkinson WVP 2-point, knife edge tremolo w/ brass saddles

Neck and Fingerboard

• Neck Material: 1-pc Mahogany
• Neck Joint: Set Neck
• Scale Length: 24"
• Fingerboard Material: Macassar Ebony
• Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo + Zero Fret
• Inlays: BM Pattern White
• Truss Rod: Dual Action

Hardware and Electronics

• Bridge Pickup: BM Brand Custom Tri-Sonic Wired Single-Coil
• Middle Pickup: BM Brand Custom Tri-Sonic Wired Single-Coil
• Neck Pickup: BM Brand Custom Tri-Sonic Wired Single-Coil
• Controls: Master volume / Master Tone (A500K / B500K) , 3 x Pickup OnOff, 3 x Pickup Phase In/Out
• Control Knobs: BM Replica, Lathe-Turned, Billet Stock, Aluminium
• Tremolo Arm: Custom BMG Arm w/ Plastic Tip
• Machine Heads: 3-A-Side Chrome Thumbwheel Locking
• Pickguard: Plastic Main Control Plate and Half Moon Tail Plate
• Strings: D'Addario EXL120 Nickel Wound Super Light (.009-.042)
• Case: BMG Gig Bag