the dog Posted August 27, 2014 Posted August 27, 2014 I just watched... I like it. I'm an old Queen fan...I saw them open for Mott the Hoople and then the following year they were the headliner for their second album...; Anyway I didn't hear what his fretboard material is.....It is very shiny and I saw no wood grain...Anyone know what it is made of?
capmaster Posted August 27, 2014 Posted August 27, 2014 Thank you very much, Dave, for linking this here, very interesting clip. Wormholes in the neck, plugged with matchsticks... amazing. And except for the zero fret, it has never been refretted - unbelievable. Perhaps I should try Optima Gold again after 32 years. I play Optima Chromes since then which I helped to develop these days. As I posted a while ago, they are made in a small facility 6 kilometers or circa 4 miles from here, and the Head of Production is 74 years old. He told me a few months ago he just can't stop making these strings as long as Brian May uses them. I just watched... I like it. I'm an old Queen fan...I saw them open for Mott the Hoople and then the following year they were the headliner for their second album...; Anyway I didn't hear what his fretboard material is.....It is very shiny and I saw no wood grain...Anyone know what it is made of? According to Wikipedia, the fretboard is made of oak. The Brian May Signature guitar remakes come with an ebony board.
the dog Posted August 27, 2014 Posted August 27, 2014 According to Wikipedia, the fretboard is made of oak. The Brian May Signature guitar remakes come with an ebony board. Thanks for that cap....What would make it so shiny? Maybe died?
capmaster Posted August 27, 2014 Posted August 27, 2014 Thanks for that cap....What would make it so shiny? Maybe died? I'm pretty sure they used a stained finish for it. Viewing the chipped areas reveals that in my opinion, but up to now I didn't find any information about it.
capmaster Posted August 28, 2014 Posted August 28, 2014 Just researched on the VOX AC30 problems around 110V/60Hz "girlie power" as stated by Brian's technician. Lower mains voltages cause larger voltage drops along the lines, equivalent to the square of the reciprocal voltage ratio. This will quadruple voltage fluctuations when comparing 110 or 120 volts to 220 or 240 volts. But there's another problem, the frequency, and it affects power supplies with rectifier valves/tubes rather than those with semiconductor rectifiers. However, switching to the latter makes it all worse since they feed further increased DC voltages to the amplifier valves/tubes. The best way is going with a rectifier valve/tube type acting as a cushion against the higher DC voltages through the higher frequency. Here's the way to go: The rectifier specified for a VOX AC30 is either a GZ34 or a 5AR4. When operating an AC30 from 60Hz line power, it is recommendable using GZ32 or 5U4 instead. This should improve the life expectancy of the EL84 or 6BQ5 poweramp valves/tubes significantly. A short explanation for those of you who like to read some more on it: The AC30's poweramp design is rather different from typical valve/tube amps. Most of them have grid bias and strongly dislike undervoltage. Underheated cathodes tend to blow through hot spots on their barium peroxide layers, in particular when switched to plate voltage after periods of standby operation. The decreasing bias voltage will cause higher plate and screen grid currents. In contrary, overvoltages will wear out the heaters slightly faster but lower plate and screen grid currents due to cooler biasing. Anyway, the grid bias circuit usually features relatively large filter capacitors, and thus prevent from excessive voltage fluctuations due to power sags or surges. Due to its cathode-biased circuitry, the AC30 poweramp stage is sensitive to undervoltage, overvoltage, and power line sags and surges as well. Undervoltage affects the cathodes although the current decreases, and overvoltage will overheat the valves/tubes through current increase. Moreover, other than the signal in any push/pull design, voltage fluctuations are common mode. These voltage differences are fed through the shunt capacitor along with the cathode resistor and wear out the power valves/tubes rather fast. Due to being common mode, luckily nothing will be heard through the speakers. Fortunately, the voltage drop along the output transformer's primary coils is not critical, but the power valves/tubes may fail due to excessive heat dissipation.
Starpeve Posted August 28, 2014 Posted August 28, 2014 Ever seen that image of Homer Simpson paying attention to something whilst above his head a though- balloon monkey goes 'Ching ching ching' wifh little cymbals.....
daveinspain Posted August 28, 2014 Author Posted August 28, 2014 Thank you very much, Dave, for linking this here, very interesting clip. Wormholes in the neck, plugged with matchsticks... amazing. And except for the zero fret, it has never been refretted - unbelievable. Perhaps I should try Optima Gold again after 32 years. I play Optima Chromes since then which I helped to develop these days. As I posted a while ago, they are made in a small facility 6 kilometers or circa 4 miles from here, and the Head of Production is 74 years old. He told me a few months ago he just can't stop making these strings as long as Brian May uses them. According to Wikipedia, the fretboard is made of oak. The Brian May Signature guitar remakes come with an ebony board. He says he plays very light handed so that may be part of the reason the guitar has never been refretted… The guitar has surely been used a lot over the years. I wonder what kind of fret wire he used. I wish Gibson would use it too… Just saying'….
capmaster Posted August 28, 2014 Posted August 28, 2014 He says he plays very light handed so that may be part of the reason the guitar has never been refretted… The guitar has surely been used a lot over the years. I wonder what kind of fret wire he used. I wish Gibson would use it too… Just saying'…. Accordingly to the story of this guitar build, it must have been a fret wire on a budget. In case they publish the exact type, its price may eventually rise...
AndyK Posted September 1, 2014 Posted September 1, 2014 Thanks, that was great. BM was one of my early guitar heroes.
daveinspain Posted September 2, 2014 Author Posted September 2, 2014 Looks like the bridge pup took some abuse by an object. It has a few whack marks in it. Yeah, like a metal serrated pick… He may play with a light touch but after 40 years… Could do some damage. Probably makes the pickup sound better...
AndyK Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Argh... this is bloomin' giving me GAS! There's a shop 30 miles away that stocks the Red Special. MUST RESIST!!!
EVOL! Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 I was more floored by his amp settings: AC30s dimed on everything. That's pushing some serious air. No wonder he blows speakers. Love it, though. There is a rich beauty to cranking a tube amp of that level.
surfpup Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 I was more floored by his amp settings: AC30s dimed on everything. With a treble booster no less! No wonder they are pointed away. Very through and enjoyable rundown.
HeadCase Posted September 7, 2014 Posted September 7, 2014 Check Amazon... New book on his Red Special coming Sept. 11th.
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