lead guitar from “i want it all” by queen | ToneDB
i want it all
queen
lead guitar
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.
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
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
Alternative to: Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster
Faithful recreation of the original germanium treble booster that was essential to May's bright, cutting lead tone
Alternative to: Vox AC30
Modern production version of the same amp May used, providing the characteristic chiming highs and natural tube breakup
Alternative to: Red Special
Official reproduction of May's custom guitar with the unique pickup configuration and Burns Tri-Sonic pickups
Alternative to: Vox AC30
Includes accurate AC30 modeling for home recording, allows for easy track layering like May's approach
Alternative to: Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster
Budget alternative that provides midrange focus and overdrive boost, though with a different character than the original treble booster
Frequently Asked Questions
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