Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
In this video which is part 1 of a two part series, I take you through the design and fabrication of the three steel components in the tremolo (vibrato) system of Brian May's original Red Special guitar. Part 2 will cover the installation, operation and comparison with a professionally made hardware set.
No AI tools are used to make my videos because I don't like AI output.
The voiceover on all my videos is approximately 90% scripted and is recorded by me using my own voice through a Shure MV88+ USB microphone into iMovie running on my MacBook Pro. I apply the bass EQ preset and edit out hesitations and breaths to keep the narrative flowing. This is quite time consuming.
If you think this is AI then you're wrong. Ironically, nobody made any comments to this effect prior to 2025.
I sourced the ground flat stock/tool steel or gauge plate from Coventry Grinders in the U.K.:
coventry-grinders.co.uk
Tools and equipment used in the video are a Makita GA4530RKD angle grinder, Clarke CMD10 mini drilling/milling press, Bosch Professional 06019C5070 GRO 12V-35 rotary multitool, Bahco metal files, Bahco 300 mm hacksaw, 3M Stikit Gold self-adhesive abrasive paper, various HSS and tungsten carbide twist/jobber drills, RDG Tool 75 mm Super Precision self-centring machine vise, Stepcraft 2/840 CNC machine.
Brian and and his father Harold conceived this ingenious design comprising a pivoting vertical tailpiece to mount the strings and a static section of plate mounted horizontally flush with the top of the guitar body. Its protruding edge is fashioned into point to act as a fulcrum. String tension is counteracted by the compression force of two springs which abut the rocker block. The moving components are held in position with two set screws, themselves anchored into a section of steel bar captive within the body. Spring tension can be adjusted by inserting a flat blade screwdriver through holes in the back of the guitar body.
Knife-edge pivot bearings are a basic mechanical engineering concept and are typically deployed in weighing balance apparatus. I use a photograph of a pendulum clock built by user billzweig on the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) forum:
mb.nawcc.org/threads/compound-pendulum-with-knife-edge-suspension.206463
00:00 - Introduction.
00:58 - Knife-edge pivot bearing mechanical engineering concept.
01:14 - Fender two post floating tremolo bridge design influence.
02:02 - dsgb YouTube video thumbnails ‘commercial’.
02:22 - Tool steel (ground flat stock, or gauge plate) sections.
02:53 - Equipment deployment overview.
03:13 - Set screw retaining bar design.
03:59 - Set screw retaining bar fabrication sequences.
06:09 - Knife-edge bearing plate design
07:05 - Knife-edge bearing plate fabrication sequences.
10:20 - Rocker block/tailpiece design.
11:22 - Rocker block/tailpiece fabrication sequences.
13:28 - Red Special springs (1928 Panther motorcycle) specifications.
19:16 - Rocker block/tailpiece manual rounding over/cosmetic finishing.
20:44 - Finished components images.
20:54 - Outro sequences.
Brian May Red Special guitar tremolo springs (from 1928 Panther motorcycle) approximate specifications as advised by Nigel Knight of Knight Audio Technologies on 30 August 2014:
Wire diameter: 14 SWG (0.080", 2.032 mm)
Coil outer diameter: 5/8" (15.9 mm)
Free length: 1 1/2" (38.1 mm)
Solid length: 0.72" (18.3 mm)
Active coils: 6
Thanks to Mark Reynolds for many helpful discussions in support of making this video and Andrew Guyton of Guyton Guitars for his photographs of the Red Special tremolo rocker block, taken during the mini restoration he carried out in April 2016.
Please check out my other YouTube videos which cover a wide range of topics relating to Brian May’s guitars and musical equipment and my website, dsgb.net for further details of all my guitar and amplifier build and modification projects.
#BrianMay #RedSpecial #Queen
In this video which is part 1 of a two part series, I take you through the design and fabrication of the three steel components in the tremolo (vibrato) system of Brian May's original Red Special guitar. Part 2 will cover the installation, operation and comparison with a professionally made hardware set.
No AI tools are used to make my videos because I don't like AI output.
The voiceover on all my videos is approximately 90% scripted and is recorded by me using my own voice through a Shure MV88+ USB microphone into iMovie running on my MacBook Pro. I apply the bass EQ preset and edit out hesitations and breaths to keep the narrative flowing. This is quite time consuming.
If you think this is AI then you're wrong. Ironically, nobody made any comments to this effect prior to 2025.
I sourced the ground flat stock/tool steel or gauge plate from Coventry Grinders in the U.K.:
coventry-grinders.co.uk
Tools and equipment used in the video are a Makita GA4530RKD angle grinder, Clarke CMD10 mini drilling/milling press, Bosch Professional 06019C5070 GRO 12V-35 rotary multitool, Bahco metal files, Bahco 300 mm hacksaw, 3M Stikit Gold self-adhesive abrasive paper, various HSS and tungsten carbide twist/jobber drills, RDG Tool 75 mm Super Precision self-centring machine vise, Stepcraft 2/840 CNC machine.
Brian and and his father Harold conceived this ingenious design comprising a pivoting vertical tailpiece to mount the strings and a static section of plate mounted horizontally flush with the top of the guitar body. Its protruding edge is fashioned into point to act as a fulcrum. String tension is counteracted by the compression force of two springs which abut the rocker block. The moving components are held in position with two set screws, themselves anchored into a section of steel bar captive within the body. Spring tension can be adjusted by inserting a flat blade screwdriver through holes in the back of the guitar body.
Knife-edge pivot bearings are a basic mechanical engineering concept and are typically deployed in weighing balance apparatus. I use a photograph of a pendulum clock built by user billzweig on the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) forum:
mb.nawcc.org/threads/compound-pendulum-with-knife-edge-suspension.206463
00:00 - Introduction.
00:58 - Knife-edge pivot bearing mechanical engineering concept.
01:14 - Fender two post floating tremolo bridge design influence.
02:02 - dsgb YouTube video thumbnails ‘commercial’.
02:22 - Tool steel (ground flat stock, or gauge plate) sections.
02:53 - Equipment deployment overview.
03:13 - Set screw retaining bar design.
03:59 - Set screw retaining bar fabrication sequences.
06:09 - Knife-edge bearing plate design
07:05 - Knife-edge bearing plate fabrication sequences.
10:20 - Rocker block/tailpiece design.
11:22 - Rocker block/tailpiece fabrication sequences.
13:28 - Red Special springs (1928 Panther motorcycle) specifications.
19:16 - Rocker block/tailpiece manual rounding over/cosmetic finishing.
20:44 - Finished components images.
20:54 - Outro sequences.
Brian May Red Special guitar tremolo springs (from 1928 Panther motorcycle) approximate specifications as advised by Nigel Knight of Knight Audio Technologies on 30 August 2014:
Wire diameter: 14 SWG (0.080", 2.032 mm)
Coil outer diameter: 5/8" (15.9 mm)
Free length: 1 1/2" (38.1 mm)
Solid length: 0.72" (18.3 mm)
Active coils: 6
Thanks to Mark Reynolds for many helpful discussions in support of making this video and Andrew Guyton of Guyton Guitars for his photographs of the Red Special tremolo rocker block, taken during the mini restoration he carried out in April 2016.
Please check out my other YouTube videos which cover a wide range of topics relating to Brian May’s guitars and musical equipment and my website, dsgb.net for further details of all my guitar and amplifier build and modification projects.
#BrianMay #RedSpecial #Queen
