🎸 Rock · 1970s

Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) by Queen (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Queen · riff

The Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) by Queen guitar tone is built on a Vox AC30, dialed in at gain 6.5/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7.5, presence 6.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

6.5

GAIN

BASS

MID

7.5

TREBLE

6.5

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 6.5 sits above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-10

VOLUME

8-10

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Homemade 'Red Special' electric guitar · Amp: Vox AC30 (1960s, likely Top Boost model, cranked for overdrive)

Live performance at the Rainbow, London, November 1974. Brian May's rig was well-documented for this era: Red Special into a treble booster into a cranked Vox AC30. No evidence of pedalboard use for the riff section; effects mainly from amp and treble booster. No chorus, delay, or modulation audible in the riff section.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Vox AC30 songs & tones →🎚️ single-coil guitars songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup (Burns Tri-Sonic, series wiring, phase off)

Signal chain

Homemade 'Red Special' electric guitar → Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (or similar treble booster) → Vox AC30 (1960s, likely Top Boost model, cranked for overdrive)

Effects

boost

Tone character

British crunch, Bright and articulate, Aggressive pick attack, Harmonically rich, Full-bodied, Dynamic and responsive, Slight compression, Distinct single-coil bite, Singing sustain, No audible modulation or delay

Recording context

live

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · crunch distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) sound.

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires tight rhythmic accuracy, fast picking, and control of dynamics to achieve the classic Brian May crunch and articulation, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Worth knowing

No direct source in search results specifies exact amp settings or pedal use for this song/section; all settings and effects inferred from era, genre, and Brian May's well-documented live rig in 1974.
No evidence of pedalboard use for the riff section; Brian May was known for using a treble booster and Vox AC30 with his Red Special for this era.
No chorus, delay, or modulation effects are audible in the riff section; only amp overdrive and treble booster coloration.
Settings are estimated based on typical Vox AC30 use in classic rock and Brian May's known preferences.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Brian May used his Vox AC30s set to a classic British rock crunch with strong mids and moderate treble for cut, especially live in 1974. The tone is punchy, mid-forward, and articulate, with minimal reverb and just enough gain for grit without losing note clarity.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 6.5, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7.5, presence 6.5, reverb 1. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Homemade 'Red Special' electric guitar · Amp: Vox AC30 (1960s, likely Top Boost model, cranked for overdrive); boost.

Can I get the Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Queen on Flick of the Wrist (Live at the Rainbow, London / November 1974) — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup (Burns Tri-Sonic, series wiring, phase off), the amp EQ above (gain 6.5, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7.5, presence 6.5, reverb 1), and boost. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

No direct pedal/effects/amp setting info found in search results; inferred from era, live context, and Brian May's documented rig

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com