Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

I have been gassing for one of the green ones for a while now. They're pretty hard to find. Musician's Friend only ordered one of them from the second run, and I didn't have the funds at the time.
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

I'm with you on not being able to believe the printed reviews. I ussually only believe the ones that don't give a product a not so favorable review. Guitar Denter has a bad habit of having employees giving great reviews to products that need a bit of help moving. I can imagine others wouldn't have any trouble doing the same. Brian May had such a different tone with how he and his father built his guitar, I would think it would be tough to make a real solid comparison. I'm a Queen fan but I don't feel the need to get one of his guitars as I would seldom use it. If you do take the plunge, please do a review and let the rest of us know how well they are made. Good luck GuitarDoc.
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Where are you located in CA, Doc? These guys in S.F. are supposedly dealers – the only CA dealer listed on the Brian May Guitars Website. I am not sure what they have in stock, but maybe worth a call if you are within driving distance. http://www.audioimages.com/
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

I played a few of the Burns versions from a few years ago that are actually nice guitars for the money.

However know going in that they short scale (24 inch) and the Burns versions have a very wide (over 1 3/4) nut width and a very deep neck as well.

I haven't tried the BM branded versions yet.
 
Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

They have great specs, but again, no one I know has one to provide a good review. From what I gather, Brian May bought a company to make them after Burns made them.
 
Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

I don't think BM signed off on the Dillon models, he only was involved with the Guild, Burns, and now Brian May brand. So the Dillon was a knockoff
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Played a BMG version when they were available here in Aus. Nice fit and finish and very versatile. Top fret access is tight. The short scale makes you feel like you're cheating! The zero fret on the one I played was good as well - no clicking when bending. Too pricey here for a MIK guitar ($1800!), no wonder people didn't go for it.

The neck on these is still nowhere near as big as on the original.

Forum bro Guitarded has one but it's a transitional Burns/BMG - Burns specs (Point Technologies trem, Kent Armstrong pups) but BMG logo.

Wish they still made the Super, which was a limited ed. MIJ higher spec version. Some small differences (set neck, ebony board, Wilkinson bridge, all mahogany body) but a great guitar by all accounts. Probably worth a small fortune if you can find one.
bm_super_kz_optima-500x500.jpg


You can get a bass now too.
bassic-facts2.jpg
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Ashurbanipal said:
The neck on these is still nowhere near as big as on the original.
Click to expand...

Guitarkid and myself played an exact replica of his at a guitar show a few months ago. It was completely spec'd out exactly like his. The neck on it was freakin' huge!! It was much bigger than a Gibson 50's neck, which I don't care for. However, something about it made it really really comfortable to play.
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

This is the guy whose Red Special replicas I played.

 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Edit: yes, I was gonna say, Everett Wood's guitars. In which case it would be spec'd as per the original (I like the John Birch model!). The regular BMG has a smaller neck, that's what I meant :).

I think they're comfortable because of the ever so slight V profile. The tapering off at the shoulder makes, imo, the biggest difference to the feel of a guitar neck, so even if it's big and has a slight V, it feels good. I'm not a fan of bigger Gibson necks because of this - the shoulder feels fatter, and for the way I play it feels more cumbersome.
 
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Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Thanks guys. Good info. I hope the neck isn't too fat, I have pretty short fingers and have a hard time with a Gibson 50s neck. I really like the Feel of the "V" neck that Fender makes. It doesn't feel as big as it is.
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Doc, one of favourite guitar necks is the Fender Relic Nocaster. This is deep. The back of the neck continues into the rear face of the headstock in a dead straight line. If you just played a shred stick, the Fender neck feels like a telegraph pole. Any other time, it feels perfectly normal.

IMO, the big neck and short scale of the Red Special design are essential parts of the ride.
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

GuitarDoc said:
Anyone know anything about the build, finish, and sound quality of these?

That gold one really looks sharp. Only $799 with 15% off ($679) from musicians friend or music 123 (today is the last day for the 15% off). All of the reviews make it sound very good, but you can't always trust the printed reviews.

http://static.music123.com/derivates/19/001/401/742/DV020_Jpg_Jumbo_512637.259_gold_close_angle.jpg
Click to expand...

Yup, Doc.
I've played one and it was really pleasant.
The neck is wide, more or less as in the JEM7V so, strings are more spaced.
As per my own classification system, I would give to that guitar an A (maximum is A+, what deserves things as the PRS 513 Rosewood).
Very comfortable neck to walk on. Confortable body, as well and nice weight.
Probably, the thing that less attracted me was the floating bridge. Very vintage-like.
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

GuitarDoc said:
Thanks guys. Good info. I hope the neck isn't too fat, I have pretty short fingers and have a hard time with a Gibson 50s neck. I really like the Feel of the "V" neck that Fender makes. It doesn't feel as big as it is.
Click to expand...
Not fat. I bet you will notice first that is wider than fatter. I also love soft "V" Fender's necks.
 
Re: Brian May Signature Electric Guitar

Thanks Hermetico and Funkfingers for that. I guess I'll just have to try it for myself and see how it feels in my own little hands.

I remember when I first got my Rickenbacker and also my SG Custom, the necks felt big compared to what I was used to. However, it wasn't long before I didn't notice the neck anymore. The main thing I noticed about these necks at first (and also the Gibson 50s necks) was its width halfway through its thickness. It made the neck just feel very thick and deep. Like a baseball bat. But the Fender "V" necks (like on my 57 Strat) are not as round, even though they are pretty deep, so they fit my hand better and don't feel so big to me. Actually they feel terific to me.
 
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