Super Bear Swamp Stack — Drop-D AC30 Double
Brian May documented the core sound as the Red Special’s bridge and middle pickups in phase through his Vox AC30 with no effects, recorded in Drop D. The opening is two guitars double-tracked, with additional layers added as the arrangement grows; the mix received unusual extra upper-mid EQ for clarity. Exact AC30 controls were not supplied, so the settings below use his established cranked Normal-channel configuration. Source: BrianMay.com’s Total Guitar interview (2011).
Signal Chain
Notes
Keep the first two tracks broad and simple, then add layers only as the song expands. Use strong upper mids and avoid a muddy low end despite the Drop-D tuning.
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See the same signal chain mapped to another platform. Knob values carry over as starting points — gain ranges differ between platforms.