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Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) guitar tone and amp settings

Bohemian Rhapsody guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Pushed amp type, low gain (Gain 4.5), forward mids (Middle 6.5), bright top (Treble 6.5), bridge pickup.

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

The song has distinct sounds: Solo. Each rig below lists what to change for them.

Bohemian Rhapsody settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every song

AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

VariationOff
Amp TypePushed
Gain4.5
Volume6Balances amp drive and level.
Bass4.5
Middle6.5
Treble6.5
Booster0
Mod0
FX0
Delay0
Reverb ColorGreen
Reverb1.5
Set to your roomMaster
Set to your roomPower Control

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output keeps the amp response lively.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Variation
Off
Amp Type
Pushed
Gain
4.5
Volume
6
Bass
4.5
Middle
6.5
Treble
6.5
Booster
0
Mod
0
FX
0
Delay
0
Reverb Color
Green
Reverb
1.5
Master
Set to your room
Power Control
Set to your room

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

A Red Special-style guitar provides switchable, out-of-phase pickup combinations.

Bohemian Rhapsody settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40

Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every song

AmpPositive Grid Spark 40

Amp TypeGlassy
Gain5.5
Bass4
Mid6.5
Treble6.5
Set to your roomMaster
Mod0
Delay0
Reverb0
Set to your roomOutput
App Amp ModelAC Boostin the app, optional
App Mod/EQOffin the app, optional

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output for a strong, consistent amp drive.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Type
Glassy
Gain
5.5
Bass
4
Mid
6.5
Treble
6.5
Master
Set to your room
Mod
0
Delay
0
Reverb
0
Output
Set to your room
App Amp Model
AC Boost
App Mod/EQ
Off

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

A phase-switching guitar gets closer to May’s out-of-phase solo sound.

Bohemian Rhapsody settings on a Fender Mustang LT25

Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every song

AmpFender Mustang LT25

Amp Model60S UK CLNin the menu
Gain5.5
Volume6Sets preset level while retaining the selected amp drive.
Treble6.5
Bass4
Middle6in the menu
Set to your roomMaster
StompNonein the menu
ModNonein the menu
DelayNonein the menu
ReverbPLATEin the menu

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output drives the AC30-style model into breakup.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Model
60S UK CLN
Gain
5.5
Volume
6
Treble
6.5
Bass
4
Middle
6
Master
Set to your room
Stomp
None
Mod
None
Delay
None
Reverb
PLATE

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

A phase-switching pickup setup gets closer to the solo’s out-of-phase Red Special sound.

Bohemian Rhapsody settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

Amp

Gain6.5
Bass4
Mid7
Treble6

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output for a strong amp drive.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
6.5
Bass
4
Mid
7
Treble
6

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
8

Add a phaser or phase-switching guitar for the solo's distinctive character.

Song parts

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

  1. Solo:

    Mod Color Red, Mod 3.5, Pickup Selector Neck + Bridge

    .

    Switch pickups and bring in the phaser for the solo.

Song parts

Positive Grid Spark 40

  1. Solo:

    Mod 3

    .

    Bring in the phaser for the solo.

Song parts

Fender Mustang LT25

  1. Solo:

    Mod PHASER

    .

    Engage the phaser for the solo.

Song parts

Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

  1. Solo:

    Gain 7.5, Pickup Selector Neck + Bridge

    .

    Blend pickups and push the amp harder for the solo.

The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

Brian May's Red Special has three Burns Tri-Sonic single-coil pickups wired in series, each with its own on/off switch and phase switch. Using two pickups with only one reversed gives the out-of-phase sound heard in the solo. On this song his Vox AC30 amps were backless, so microphones also went behind them and near the wall, and the engineers chose or blended several mics for each sound.

  • Use two pickups together with only one reversed in phase to get the out-of-phase sound.

What amp did Brian May use on Bohemian Rhapsody?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Brian May

Amp
Vox AC30[1]
  • Baker said Brian May's Vox AC30 amps were backless, so microphones went behind them and near the wall. (on this song)[1]
  • Baker said the studio set up several microphones and chose or blended their signals for any one sound. (on this song)[1]
  • Premier Guitar says the Red Special has three single-coil pickups, with Telecaster-style master volume and master tone knobs. (in a later era)[2]
  • Premier Guitar says a big part of May's tone comes from the Red Special's Burns Tri-Sonic pickups. (in a later era)[2]
  • Premier Guitar says Brian May uses an on/off switch for each pickup instead of a common 5-way pickup selector. (in a later era)[2]
  • Premier Guitar says an out-of-phase sound needs two pickups used together, with only one of them out of phase. (in a later era)[2]
  • Premier Guitar says the Red Special has an individual phase switch for each pickup. (in a later era)[2]
  • Premier Guitar says the Red Special's pickups are wired in series, which gives a very fat, loud sound. (in a later era)[2]
  • Solo: Bonedo says the Red Special's three Burns Tri-Sonic pickups, each with its own on/off and phase switch, give out-of-phase sounds such as those in the Bohemian Rhapsody solo. (on this song)[3]

Questions

What amp did Brian May use on Bohemian Rhapsody?

The sources on this page document Brian May's gear on Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen: amp, Vox AC30 [1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Bohemian Rhapsody settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?

For the Bohemian Rhapsody guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Pushed, Gain 4.5, Volume 6, Bass 4.5, Middle 6.5, Treble 6.5, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb Color Green, Reverb 1.5; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Power Control to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Bohemian Rhapsody settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?

For the Bohemian Rhapsody guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Glassy, Gain 5.5, Bass 4, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model AC Boost; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Bohemian Rhapsody settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?

For the Bohemian Rhapsody guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 60S UK CLN, Gain 5.5, Volume 6, Treble 6.5, Bass 4, Middle 6, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb PLATE; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

Can I get the Bohemian Rhapsody tone on my own amp?

Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Bohemian Rhapsody, using only the controls your gear has.

Get it for your exact rig

KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.

Download KnobMaster on the App Store