The ENWorld Electric Bard Gear (Etc) Thread

[R_J_K75]

It’s a LPClone (obviously) with a P90 in the neck and a Supro style singlecoil in the bridge position. Instead of a pickup selector switch, it has a blend knob.

Does look pretty unique.

I can say that I’ve only bought one signature guitar, though I’ve looked at a few.

I have a few signature models but never bought them because of the name attached to it thinking its going to make me sound or play like them. I bought them for the specs. In fact, one out of the three I own I have no clue who the guitarist is. Jim Adkins from Jimmy Eat World?? Nice semi-hollow Telecaster with Seymour Duncan P90s in it.

 

[R_J_K75]

BMG Red Special

The story behind how this guitar was made is really cool. Looks like Brian May Guitars is making the current version of the Red Special, but I thought another company made one not too long ago.

When done well I've read articles where quite a few guitarists say that they've played reproductions of their famous guitars and they can't tell the difference.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Does look pretty unique.

I have a few signature models but never bought them because of the name attached to it thinking its going to make me sound or play like them. I bought them for the specs. In fact, one out of the three I own I have no clue who the guitarist is. Jim Adkins from Jimmy Eat World?? Nice semi-hollow Telecaster with Seymour Duncan P90s in it.

EXACTLY!

Even though I have heard a lot of his music, I had no idea who Rick Vito was before I bought the guitar. What calls to me is the specs, not some magical thinking about sounding like the player whose guitar I’m using.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The story behind how this guitar was made is really cool. Looks like Brian May Guitars is making the current version of the Red Special, but I thought another company made one not too long ago.

When done well I've read articles where quite a few guitarists say that they've played reproductions of their famous guitars and they can't tell the difference.

There’s been a few companies that made Red Special replicas in partnership with Sir May. But when he started BMG Guitars, none of the others were still in production.

I love that the BMG version is available in other colors, too.

The one thing I don’t like is that for some reason, he chose not to use the Burns Trisonic singlecoils- the pickups in the unique original and some of the earlier replicas- for the BMG version. AFAIK, it’s not even available as an upgrade. If you want the Trisonics, you have to modify the guitar yourself.

As for some of the other sigs, I know some of the replicas roots are in the iconic guitarists’ desire to have a guitar to take on the road without risking their originals.

Personally, I think that’s pretty smart. Some of those iconic guitars are truly unique, and should be safeguarded. If nothing else, they could be auctioned off to raise money if the legend fell on hard times. Or, as I think David Gilmour did, to benefit a charity.

 

[R_J_K75]

The one thing I don’t like is that for some reason, he chose not to use the Burns Trisonic singlecoils- the pickups in the unique original and some of the earlier replicas- for the BMG version. AFAIK, it’s not even available as an upgrade. If you want the Trisonics, you have to modify the guitar yourself.

I'm not a huge Queen fan so I'm not real familiar with them. Although I don't think I've ever seen Brain May play anything other than the Red Special in film or in pictures. Does seem odd that he used different pickups. AFAIK the original was cobbled together from pieces they found around the house and in five and dimes and hardware stores. Think his father was an engineer of some kind but not certain. The original pickups may not be available or available in name only but sound different. Looks like they're using a Brian May Tri-Sonic custom pickup.

Here's a cool site

Brian May's Guitars

Brian May's gear and equipment including the Brian May Guitars Red Special and Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp. Get the gear to sound like Brian May and get their tone.

equipboard.com

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I’ve seen May use some Fenders of various kinds. But the Red Special is definitely his iconic axe.

I haven’t looked at the BMGs in a while. I wonder who is doing those customs for him. (Could even be Burns.)

I know Burns was making TriSonics when he launched BMG. Maybe they didn’t want to sell to him.

 

[R_J_K75]

I haven’t looked at the BMGs in a while. I wonder who is doing those customs for him. (Could even be Burns.)

I know Burns was making TriSonics when he launched BMG. Maybe they didn’t want to sell to him.

I looked at the BMG site but doesnt say anything more that I could find other than they are BMG custom pickups. Could be as simple as a cost saving measure to keep the price down for consumers.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I looked at the BMG site but doesnt say anything more that I could find other than they are BMG custom pickups. Could be as simple as a cost saving measure to keep the price down for consumers.

I think I figured out the Burns thing. Irl t seems they may have gone under. Their website is down to an announcement about them reviving their company…in 2021-22

Burns Guitars London

Burns Guitars London's policy of continual development and refinement reflects a constant quest to realise our vision of the ideal electric guitar.

www.burnsguitars.com

Those TriSonics in the BMGs may be the result of May buying out some Burns IP.

Tangentially, I hate seeing music industry manufacturers going under. At least the ones doing something special or unusual.

 

[R_J_K75]

I hate seeing music industry manufacturers going under.

Unfortunately, it happens. I suspect the cost of circuitry may likely go up sooner than later which may force some of the boutique pedal makers out of business

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Some, yeah. But I suspect most will survive.

Most of the time I see boutique pedal makers go under, it’s due to an accumulation of non-business BS, stress from meeting demand, or- occasionally- making sucky pedals.

I bought a whole bunch of Magnetic Effects pedals. Eventually, the builder decided to move to another country (Japan?) and do something completely different with their life.

ARC Effects goes on unexplained hiatuses every once in a while. Eventually, they won’t come back.

It’s rare that we outsiders get the real story.