Tone library / Queen / Bohemian rhapsody

Bohemian rhapsody amp settings — Yamaha THR10II

The Queen guitar tone for “Bohemian rhapsody”, dialed in for a Yamaha THR10II with a Gibson SG Special. Studio version, A Night at the Opera (1975)

Original rig

Brian May Red Special (Burns Tri-Sonic pickups, sixpence coin pick) → Dallas Rangemaster treble booster → Vox AC30 Top Boost (cranked)

Singing, creamy overdrive with bright upper-harmonic sparkle and orchestral sustain

Amp settings — Yamaha THR10II

CHANNELBrit Hi (Vox AC30 voicing)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	4
Mid	7
Treble	6
Presence	0
Reverb	0
Master	6

Don’t have a Yamaha THR10II? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge+middle TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Treble Booster (e.g. BSM RM, Analogman Beano Boost, or TC Electronic Spark Booster set bright)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. This is essential to May's tone; it adds gain and upper-harmonic bite that pushes the amp into creamy saturation. Without it, increase amp gain to 8 and treble to 7, but you'll lose the characteristic sparkle.

Boost/Level 7 · Tone/Treble 8

Why these settings

The THR10II's Brit Hi model approximates the AC30 Top Boost voicing. Your SG's humbuckers are warmer and higher-output than May's single-coil-like Tri-Sonics, so I dropped treble by 2 (from original ~8 to 6) and pushed mids +1 to recover that singing, nasal character. Gain sits at 7 to compensate for the missing treble booster—with the booster, drop to 5.

PRO TIPMay uses a coin (sixpence) as a pick for that bright, precise attack and controlled scrape on the strings—try a US nickel or rigid felt pick to approximate the stiff, metallic strike that defines his note articulation.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Yamaha THR10II. 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.