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
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • "She knew what she'd created": Back to Black
  • Trower's '80s supergroup
  • Music theory tricks
  • Stage Tour game
  • 95k+ free music samples
  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.



Read more
Friedman Jose 20 Series
Guitars Friedman's Jose 20 series pays tribute to amp guru whose mods helped shape the high-gain revolution
 
 
Jam Pedals Tiny Amp Destroyer
Artists Stu Mackenzie and Jam Pedals team up to bring you the secret behind his KGWL guitar tone
 
 
Marshall Billie Joe Armstrong 1959BJA Artist Signature
Artists A baby blue amp for a Green Day frontman: Marshall launches Billie Joe Armstrong’s “Dookie Mod” head
 
 
Joe Bonamassa
Artists “I wanted to dislike it, but I couldn’t!”: How Joe Bonamassa opened up to digital amps
 
 
Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi perform as Earth, just before the band was renamed Black Sabbath
Artists How Tony Iommi found the secret to his Black Sabbath tone (and how he lost it)
 
 
Blackstar DA5 Ruby Doug Aldrich Combo
Artists Blackstar shrinks Doug Aldrich’s fire-breathing tube head into a compact 5-watt combo
 
 
Latest in Guitarists
Tony Iommi sitting at a table
Guitarists “He said to me, 'I really feel tired and really worn out’”: Tony Iommi on dealing with his grief for Ozzy
 
 
Miley Cyrus
Artists As she rocks out with a black Fender Strat, here’s what Miley has said about playing guitar
 
 
George Michael plays his Gretsch Synchromatic 160 onstage during his debut solo tour in 1988.
Artists George Michael’s ‘Faith’ guitar heads to auction and you won’t find a 1940s Gretsch with more ‘80s mojo
 
 
Steve Vai and Joe Satriani pictured with their signature Ibanez guitars
Artists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai officially announce release of their first-ever studio album together
 
 
Billy Gibbons with his Pearly Gates replica Les Paul Standard.
Artists Gibson has just made a forensic Custom Shop replica of Billy Gibbons’ Pearly Gates Les Paul
 
 
Robin Trower and Jack Bruce photographed circa 1980, just before they would collaborate on BLT.
Guitarists Legendary guitarist Robin Trower on the ’80s supergroup he created with Jack Bruce
 
 
Latest in News
The Who featuring Zak Starkey
Drummers “We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer”: Could Starkey rejoin The Who?
 
 
Prince during Prince "Musicology" Tour Hits United States - "Schools In" at El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage)
Artists "Not everyone will agree": Prince estate clarifies that a newly-released song does feature overdubs
 
 
Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon as Tom and Jerry pose for a portrait circa 1957
Singers & Songwriters “We were very young, learning to produce”: Art Garfunkel remembers how he and Paul Simon started their recording career
 
 
george harrison
Recording "He said, ‘Oh, no – I can’t do that. Nobody’s ever played on a Beatles’ record": The theory behind While My Guitar Gently Weeps
 
 
casio
Samples This free Casio SK-1 sample pack will remind you why everybody loves this miniature lo-fi legend
 
 
Stella Lefty performs at the Whiskey Jam Country CAA Takeover at Skydeck on Broadway on June 03, 2026
Singers & Songwriters Stella Lefty faces more accusations of plagiarism in a Long Way Home album track
 
 

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...