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lead guitar from “i want it all” by queen | ToneDB

i want it all

queen

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

This tone is a classic, heavily overdriven British rock sound. It's bright and cutting, with a pronounced midrange that helps it stand out in the mix.

Gear

Red Specialinstrument
Reverb$549Sweetwater
Vox AC30amp
ReverbSweetwater
Dallas Arbiter Rangemasterprocessing
ReverbSweetwater
Treble Boosterprocessing
ReverbSweetwater

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The Story

Brian May used his custom-built Red Special guitar through a Vox AC30 amplifier with a Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster treble booster for this track. The song was recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, with producer David Richards. May's signature approach involved layering multiple guitar tracks with slightly different EQ and gain settings to create his trademark thick, harmonically rich sound.

Production Credits

Producer: Queen, David Richards

Engineer: David Richards

Recorded at: Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland

Signal Chain

Instrument: Red Special

Amp: Vox AC30

Processing: Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster, Treble Booster

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a guitar that has single-coil-sized humbuckers for a bright, articulate sound.
  • Use a Vox AC30 or a similar-sounding amp with the gain set relatively high.
  • Experiment with a treble booster pedal to add extra bite and sustain.
  • Layer multiple guitar tracks, each with slightly different EQ and gain settings, to create a fuller sound.
  • Consider using a combination of cabinet simulations and impulse responses to achieve a realistic amp sound.

Original Gear

  • Vox AC30(amp)
  • Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster(pedal)
  • Red Special(guitar)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Catalinbread Rangemaster$170-$190

Alternative to: Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster

Faithful recreation of the original germanium treble booster that was essential to May's bright, cutting lead tone

ReverbSweetwater
Vox AC30C2$1400-$1600

Alternative to: Vox AC30

Modern production version of the same amp May used, providing the characteristic chiming highs and natural tube breakup

ReverbSweetwater
Brian May Red Special$800-$1200

Alternative to: Red Special

Official reproduction of May's custom guitar with the unique pickup configuration and Burns Tri-Sonic pickups

ReverbSweetwater
Positive Grid BIAS Amp 2$99-$149

Alternative to: Vox AC30

Includes accurate AC30 modeling for home recording, allows for easy track layering like May's approach

ReverbSweetwater
Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini$80-$100

Alternative to: Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster

Budget alternative that provides midrange focus and overdrive boost, though with a different character than the original treble booster

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

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