Tone library / Queen / Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody amp settings — Fender Deluxe Reverb

The Queen guitar tone for “Bohemian Rhapsody”, dialed in for a Fender Deluxe Reverb with a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster. Studio version, A Night at the Opera (1975) — guitar solo & heavy rock section

Original rig

Brian May Red Special (Burns Tri-Sonic pickups in series/phase) -> Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster -> Vox AC30 (Normal channel cranked)

Saturated, singing vocal-like lead tone with rich upper-mid bite and tight low end

Amp settings — Fender Deluxe Reverb

CHANNELVibrato

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	4
Treble	5
Reverb	2
Master	4

Don’t have a Fender Deluxe Reverb? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPneck+middle TONE7 VOLUME9

Signal chain

01Dallas Rangemaster Style Treble Booster (or Fryer / Naga Viper)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Boost 8 · Tone / Range 7

Why these settings

A Fender Deluxe Reverb is inherently scooped with huge clean headroom and lacks the mid-focused EL84 compression of Brian May's cranked Vox AC30, making a dedicated Treble Booster essential to achieve his signature singing saturation without fizzy distortion. Because this dirt pedal is recommended to drive the front end, the Deluxe Reverb stays on its clean input with low gain (Volume 2) to avoid flubby low end. Fender Deluxe Reverb faceplates lack physical Mid and Presence controls, so those parameters are omitted.

PRO TIPBrian May uses an old British sixpence coin instead of a plastic pick; use a rigid coin or a heavy metal plectrum held at an angle to recreate the signature chirping, metallic string attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Deluxe Reverb. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.