Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

Unboxing: Queen guitarist Brian May's Deacy Amp Replica

News
By Simon Bradley published 13 May 2011

The final piece of the Queen legend's tonal arsenal

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Brian May Deacy Amp Replica - The Original

Brian May Deacy Amp Replica - The Original

“It’s kind of magic, that little amplifier. I don’t how it really works and it’s amazing that Deacy put it together from bits out of a skip!” Brian May told us. “Many people have spent hours, days and weeks trying to figure out how it makes that noise. The thing with getting those sounds was all about having the microphone in the right place, moving it onto and off the axis of the speaker, putting it round the back, to the side. All those trumpet and trombone sounds came from that and also using a wah-wah pedal as a tone control. It’s all very crude, there’s no electronic processing at all.”

The Brian May Deacy Amp Replica will be reviewed in a future issue of Guitarist magazine.

Visit My Favourite Magazines to buy the latest issue of Guitarist.

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

The extremely cool (and optional) flight case...

The Brian May Deacy Amp Replica will be reviewed in a future issue of Guitarist magazine.

Visit My Favourite Magazines to buy the latest issue of Guitarist.

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

Looking good so far... The amp comes with a full-colour booklet that explains the R&D and construction processes in intimate detail. Brianhimself was integral to the amp’s production, along with Greg Fryer, Nigel Knight and Pete Malandrone...

The Brian May Deacy Amp Replica will be reviewed in a future issue of Guitarist magazine.

Visit My Favourite Magazines to buy the latest issue of Guitarist.

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

The Deacy Replica in all its glory. Just like the original it runs on a single PP9 battery, which is included with the amp. The Fryer Treble Booster, also pictured, is not. ...

The Brian May Deacy Amp Replica will be reviewed in a future issue of Guitarist magazine.

Visit My Favourite Magazines to buy the latest issue of Guitarist.

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

The rear of the amp, plus the guitar input. The baffle is made from 12mm chipboard: again, wholly authentic...

The Brian May Deacy Amp Replica will be reviewed in a future issue of Guitarist magazine.

Visit My Favourite Magazines to buy the latest issue of Guitarist.

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

Brian May Deacy Amp Replica

Just add a Red Special and you’re good to go. The amp will retail for £765 and will be produced in limited numbers, with further developments waiting to be confirmed.

The Deacy Replica and Fryer Treble Booster, is available from A-Strings, call 0292 047 1157 for more.

The Brian May Deacy Amp Replica will be reviewed in a future issue of Guitarist magazine

Visit My Favourite Magazines to buy the latest issue of Guitarist.

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
CATEGORIES
Guitars
Simon Bradley

Simon Bradley is a guitar and especially rock guitar expert who worked for Guitarist magazine and has in the past contributed to world-leading music and guitar titles like MusicRadar (obviously), Guitarist, Guitar World and Louder. What he doesn't know about Brian May's playing and, especially, the Red Special, isn't worth knowing.



Latest in Guitarists
Joe Satriani wears dark shades and performs with his Ibanez "Chrome Boy" signature guitar.
Joe Satriani on what he told David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen when they called about EVH tribute tour
 
 
David Byrne and Adrian Belew of Talking Heads perform at Agora Ballroom in Atlanta Georgia. November 18, 1980
“I was caught in the middle of all of that band drama": When Adrian Belew was asked to replace David Byrne in Talking Heads
 
 
The Fender John Osborne Telecaster comes factory modded with a B-Bender and has an extended black pickguard on a Road Worn Olympic White body.
Country star John Osborne’s signature Tele comes factory modded with a distressed nitro finish, custom pickups – and it’s even got a B-bender too
 
 
DALLAS - JULY 1984:  Guitarist Eddie Van Halen joins pop star Michael Jackson on stage to perform his hit song "Beat It" during The Jacksons Victory Tour on July 14, 1984 at Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo didn't overheat a speaker during the making of Michael Jackson’s Beat It, but an AC/DC issue did
 
 
Cory Wong
Why Cory Wong needed the signature wah pedal that could do it all
 
 
George Harrison wears all white and plays an acoustic guitar during his 1974 Dark Horse tour.
“When I first met George I was speechless”: Robben Ford on what it was like working with a Beatle at the age of 22
 
 
Latest in News
Nick Jonas as Danny and Paul Rudd as Rick in Power Ballad. Photo Credit: David Cleary
Watch Paul Rudd and Joe Jonas going from friends to foes in the trailer for songwriting drama Power Ballad
 
 
Untypical car accident on the street
Always crashing in the same car: Major album releases lead to increased traffic fatalities
 
 
Joe Satriani wears dark shades and performs with his Ibanez "Chrome Boy" signature guitar.
Joe Satriani on what he told David Lee Roth and Alex Van Halen when they called about EVH tribute tour
 
 
Michael Steele, Debbi Peterson, Susanna Hoffs and Vicki Peterson of The Bangles on 8/19/86 in Chicago, Il.  (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)
When Prince gave the Bangles Manic Monday he assumed they would just sing over his demo, but the band had other ideas
 
 
bitwig
Bitwig Studio 6 is here with improved automation, Clip Aliases and tons of workflow enhancements
 
 
Alex James of Blur performs at the Coachella Stage during the 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
“Who knows what’s next?”: Alex James on Britpop Classical, Blur and prospect of returning to Coachella
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...