Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
This video contains a selection of video clips filmed on my iPhone of Brian’s three hour visit to our 2024 Red Special enthusiast meet-up (or convention as he referred to it) at the Holiday Inn Reading West which is close to Aldermaston in Berkshire. This is the first part of a two part highlights package of this event. Part two is here:
youtu.be/HgS0gWxLkrI
Brian was still recovering from his recent stroke and did not confirm that he would attend until the morning of the meet-up. He lost some mobility in his arm as you might have read on social media and had not played guitar for about two months until today. Please bear this in mind when judging his playing.
Steve Prior is on guitar technician duties because Pete Malandrone is still recovering from an injury and is not expected back at work for some time.
The clips are not presented in chronological order that they occurred.
Chapters and Time Indexes
00:00 - Introduction - Brian enters the room.
00:28 - Brian’s introductory chat.
01:58 - Brian gets his commemorative pass to the event.
03:12 - Brian gets a Star Wars themed Red Special meet-up goodie box.
03:54 - The original Red Special makes an entrance.
06:25 - Brian explains about the Red Special's electronics and pickups.
07:23 - Brian plays an impromptu version of We Will Rock You through Supreme Queen tribute band guitarist Luke Timmins' stage rig.
09:15 - Guitar technician Steve Prior shows off the original Red Special.
10:00 - Carlos Mario Solares Lopez de Llergo from Mexico presents a custom made Red Special replica to Brian.
11:17 - Julian Hemingway presents his Red Special replica fitted with Eclipse magnet pickups to Brian.
15:25 - Jon Underhill of The Red Special Guitar Podcast and Brian present Red Special enthusiast community awards.
16:14 - Ulrich (Ulli) Hunger from Germany is presented with an award for documenting all the meet-ups with photographs.
16:48 - Steve McCulla is presented with an award for his behind-the-scenes events logistics support.
17:10 - Bill McCairns raffle prize presentation (KAT Studio-One to be presented at a later date).
17:39 - Signed BMG ukulele raffle prize presentation.
18:11 - Josef Camilleri from Malta receives his raffle prize.
18:32 - Joe Maisey is presented with a piece of Sarah Rugg signed artwork.
18:59 - Josh Cottrill is presented with a set of Adeson Brian May specification Tri-Sonic pickups.
19:31 - Classical guitarist Rosie Bennet gets Rob Maguire’s recently completed Red Special replica signed by Brian.
20:09 - Outro.
Please check out my other YouTube videos which cover a wide range of topics related to Brian May’s guitars and musical equipment. Further information on all my guitar related projects is available on my website, dsgb.net.
#BrianMay #RedSpecial
This video contains a selection of video clips filmed on my iPhone of Brian’s three hour visit to our 2024 Red Special enthusiast meet-up (or convention as he referred to it) at the Holiday Inn Reading West which is close to Aldermaston in Berkshire. This is the first part of a two part highlights package of this event. Part two is here:
youtu.be/HgS0gWxLkrI
Brian was still recovering from his recent stroke and did not confirm that he would attend until the morning of the meet-up. He lost some mobility in his arm as you might have read on social media and had not played guitar for about two months until today. Please bear this in mind when judging his playing.
Steve Prior is on guitar technician duties because Pete Malandrone is still recovering from an injury and is not expected back at work for some time.
The clips are not presented in chronological order that they occurred.
Chapters and Time Indexes
00:00 - Introduction - Brian enters the room.
00:28 - Brian’s introductory chat.
01:58 - Brian gets his commemorative pass to the event.
03:12 - Brian gets a Star Wars themed Red Special meet-up goodie box.
03:54 - The original Red Special makes an entrance.
06:25 - Brian explains about the Red Special's electronics and pickups.
07:23 - Brian plays an impromptu version of We Will Rock You through Supreme Queen tribute band guitarist Luke Timmins' stage rig.
09:15 - Guitar technician Steve Prior shows off the original Red Special.
10:00 - Carlos Mario Solares Lopez de Llergo from Mexico presents a custom made Red Special replica to Brian.
11:17 - Julian Hemingway presents his Red Special replica fitted with Eclipse magnet pickups to Brian.
15:25 - Jon Underhill of The Red Special Guitar Podcast and Brian present Red Special enthusiast community awards.
16:14 - Ulrich (Ulli) Hunger from Germany is presented with an award for documenting all the meet-ups with photographs.
16:48 - Steve McCulla is presented with an award for his behind-the-scenes events logistics support.
17:10 - Bill McCairns raffle prize presentation (KAT Studio-One to be presented at a later date).
17:39 - Signed BMG ukulele raffle prize presentation.
18:11 - Josef Camilleri from Malta receives his raffle prize.
18:32 - Joe Maisey is presented with a piece of Sarah Rugg signed artwork.
18:59 - Josh Cottrill is presented with a set of Adeson Brian May specification Tri-Sonic pickups.
19:31 - Classical guitarist Rosie Bennet gets Rob Maguire’s recently completed Red Special replica signed by Brian.
20:09 - Outro.
Please check out my other YouTube videos which cover a wide range of topics related to Brian May’s guitars and musical equipment. Further information on all my guitar related projects is available on my website, dsgb.net.
#BrianMay #RedSpecial










![Brian May Technical Support: Pete Malandrone and Nigel Knight Q&A Session, October 2018
Brian May’s guitar and equipment technician, Pete Malandrone and electronics designer Nigel Knight participate in a 50 minute question and answer session at the Brian May Red Special enthusiast meet-up in October 2018 at Theale Village Hall, Reading, Berkshire in the U.K.. They talk candidly about various technical matters and the practicalities and peculiarities of working for Brian May. Listen out for a host of insider information and insights such as when Brian had to play the Bohemian Rhapsody solo wrong during recording sessions for the blockbuster movie! Occasional profanity during the session.
Questions with time indexes. Edited for clarity and to reflect the questions that were actually answered.
00:00 - How long have you [Pete & Nigel] been married? [Banter]
00:11 - Where do you get your strings from? [Heckling and self-promotion from Andrew Morgan of A Strings!]
00:27 - How did the new strap boosters go in Las Vegas and will you be making a run of them?
05:14 - What state is the Red Special in these days?
05:40 - Does the Red Special still have no tone potentiometer?
06:47 - Do the Red Special frets need to be replaced yet?
09:16 - Does Brian use his Guyton RS Transporter as a warm-up guitar?
09:55 - Does Brian use a phaser pedal live or for recording these days?
13:08 - Tell us about the Deacy amplifier plinth.
15:54 - What happened to the “AC-Deacy” pedal that was built to allow Brian to play the amplifiers at a lower volume for the Candlelight concerts with Kerry Ellis?
18:42 - Why is Brian’s bank of Vox AC30 amplifiers directed away from him? Is this for Adam or Brian?
22:44 - How was the residency in Las Vegas?
23:10 - What valves/tubes do you use in the Vox AC30s?
25:37 - What were the panels placed between the amplifiers in Las Vegas?
26:46 - Have you got an update on the BMG Tri-Sonic pickups (Adeson replacements)
32:47 - Julian Hemingway comments from the DIY/home Red Special builder’s perspective
33:55 - How has the issue of the wood adjacent to the bridge mounting posts cracking on BMG Specials?
34:46 - Has Brian still got his original Foxx Phaser pedal?
35:53 - Comment on the level of detail put into the props and equipment for the Bohemian Rhapsody film
37:31 - What is the Harold May treble booster?
40:03 - Was authentic vintage equipment such as treble boosters used during filming of the Bohemian Rhapsody movie?
42:43 - In the early 1990s, Brian stopped a gig because he wasn’t satisfied with the sound. Has anything like that ever happened since?
46:28 - Has Brian/Queen considered playing deep cuts in smaller venues?
47:51 - When did you last interact with John Deacon?
Please check out my other YouTube videos and website, dsgb.net for a wealth of information about Brian Mays guitars and musical equipment.
#BrianMay #RedSpecial #dsgb #DougShortGuitarBlog Brian May Technical Support: Pete Malandrone and Nigel Knight Q&A Session, October 2018](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vfjkagMBrpQ/mqdefault.jpg)