Tone library / Queen / Don't Stop Me Now

Don't Stop Me Now amp settings — Roland Cube 40GX

The Queen guitar tone for “Don't Stop Me Now”, dialed in for a Roland Cube 40GX with a Yamaha Pacifica 112V. Studio version, Jazz album (1978), recorded at Mountain Studios, Montreux

Original rig

Brian May Red Special (out-of-phase pickups) → Dallas Rangemaster treble booster → Vox AC30 (and possibly Deacy amp for some orchestration parts)

Chimey, singing overdrive with smooth compression, bright but not harsh, touch-sensitive breakup with defined attack

Amp settings — Roland Cube 40GX

CHANNELCRUNCH (JC Clean lacks the breakup; Crunch gets closer to AC30 pushed by a booster)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	5
Bass	4
Mid	7
Treble	6
Reverb	1

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Guitar

PICKUPneck+middle TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion

Used as a treble booster substitute — Dist very low to push the front end without fuzzing out, Tone up to add the Rangemaster-style brightness, Level hot to drive the amp's input

Tone 7 · Level 7 · Dist 2

Why these settings

The Cube 40GX's Crunch channel approximates the AC30's breakup character better than its cleaner voices. The Rangemaster's treble-focused boost is mimicked by running the DS-1 with minimal distortion and high tone/level — this pushes the amp's front end brightly without adding fuzz. Mid raised to 7 because the Cube is more scooped than an AC30; bass dropped to 4 to avoid low-end mud the original didn't have.

PRO TIPMay's out-of-phase tones come from his Red Special's switching — your Pacifica's neck+middle position with tone at 8 gives a similar hollow, quacky character. Pick hard near the bridge with a stiff pick (or coin) to get that defined, almost percussive attack on the solo lines.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Roland Cube 40GX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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