For the guy with the Brian May guitar with Gibson fret markers…..
- Thread starter 3bolt79
- Start date
I am going to build one from the original plans. I bought one of Brian Mays books about the guitar, and it came with a copy of the blue prints. I might change the trem to a burns though.This?
I built this from a Chibson NR Firebird neck.
Chopped the head down to 4x2 & scratch made the body.
My replica was made by a guy in my state that actually made a replica for May in the early 80’s. He took everything apart, and cataloged all the parts down to the mismatched screws.
Mine is unbranded and has original Trisonics in it, but they have been rewound.
Yours is sure cool! You did a great job on it.
fitz
Ambassador of DIY
I found pics, plans and even x-rays of the original.
Made router templates of scaled printouts.
The body is a laminate of walnut strips like a cutting board with a mahogany veneer.
You really achieved a nice result.I found pics, plans and even x-rays of the original.
Made router templates of scaled printouts.
The body is a laminate of walnut strips like a cutting board with a mahogany veneer.
GrumpySquatch
Well-Known Member
That headstock is perfect. It may look odd to some, but function before form works well here.This?
I built this from a Chibson NR Firebird neck.
Chopped the head down to 4x2 & scratch made the body.
fitz
Ambassador of DIY
Thanks, that neck was a leftover from another project.
It was lost in shipment, and I wound up using a different neck on the other guitar.
By the time the replacement arrived, I decided to use it on a Red Special build with a bunch of other random parts - much like the original...
fitz
Ambassador of DIY
If you're looking for replica parts, I got those knobs and the stars from this place.
rs pickguards red special parts red special conversions
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www.rsconversions.com
Hey, thanks. I appreciate it. The red special was my number one bucket list guitar since the age of 13.If you're looking for replica parts, I got those knobs and the stars from this place.
rs pickguards red special parts red special conversions
red special guitar parts,pickguards,rs conversions,rs conversion,rs parts
Ozzie
Well-Known Member
I just found this thread. As a huge Brian May / Red Special fan I want to say your guitars are both Beautiful!
Fitz, I LOVE your take on the RS! Well done! About how long did the build take?
I'm neither handy nor can I afford a custom build, so I just went for the BMG RS Standard. I did get it autographed though!
Fitz, I LOVE your take on the RS! Well done! About how long did the build take?
I'm neither handy nor can I afford a custom build, so I just went for the BMG RS Standard. I did get it autographed though!
fitz
Ambassador of DIY
Thanks!
That was an off-and-on project I did a while ago, so I can't recall how long the build took.
Lots of extra steps building the body from scraps.
You're probably much better off getting a BMG production model.
My home builds have been fun projects and may look the part, but when I fire up some amps, I'm grabbing one of the Gibby's...
DirtySteve
Ambassador of Hold My Beer
This is exactly why I gave up building any more guitars and put the money I would have spent into a couple of good LPs instead.My home builds have been fun projects and may look the part, but when I fire up some amps, I'm grabbing one of the Gibby's...
TVvoodoo
Ambassador of The Comfortably Slung
My "in the neighborhood" red special is a Korean import by a Canadian company that was called (I kid you not) Dot On Shaft Guitars.
Kind of a crazy thing, I picked it up from an air force guy for a hundy. Has a particularly "woody/airy" tone, and nicely playable, but it has had no attention for a long while. It's my only 24 fret guitar, but the access is so bad is more like 21. Anyway it's no Red Special, but interesting in it's own way.
Kind of a crazy thing, I picked it up from an air force guy for a hundy. Has a particularly "woody/airy" tone, and nicely playable, but it has had no attention for a long while. It's my only 24 fret guitar, but the access is so bad is more like 21. Anyway it's no Red Special, but interesting in it's own way.
GrooVey
Well-Known Member
That’s cool AF!
Ozzie
Well-Known Member
Thanks!
I could have bought the new, used 5 year old car I’m getting for the price of mine. But, it was a once in a lifetime purchase and it sound like nothing else. Especially Battle theme/The Hero.
It sounds just like the recording through an AC 30 or my Marshall with the Fryer Treble Booster Plus in front. The only Queen songs I play are It’s Late, the Flash stuff and Need Your living Tonight.
I don’t want to learn too much of May’s stuff because it takes some of the magic away from listening to the records.
It sounds just like the recording through an AC 30 or my Marshall with the Fryer Treble Booster Plus in front. The only Queen songs I play are It’s Late, the Flash stuff and Need Your living Tonight.
I don’t want to learn too much of May’s stuff because it takes some of the magic away from listening to the records.
fitz
Ambassador of DIY
Nope, not a professional musician.
Just an accountant with this gear acquisition syndrome illness.