Brian May

Few rock guitarists possess a playing
style as instantly recognizable as
Queen's Brian May. With his orchestrated guitar armies (multi-tracked guitar lines overdubbed on top of each other) and instantly memorable, well-constructed melodic leads, May is in a class all by himself.
Brian Harold May was born on July 19, 1947, in Hampton, Middlesex. Inspired by Lonnie Donegan, The Shadows, The Ventures and Buddy Holly, May began playing guitar in various local bands at the age of fifteen.
Unable to afford a Fender Stratocaster, May designed and built his own guitar with the aid of his father. Both were experienced in wood and metal work, and Brian was a star physics student, so the task was not as difficult as it might sound... though the choice of materials may sound a little odd. The guitar body is solid mahogany, carved from the surround of a 200-year-old fireplace, and the springs of the tremolo were salvaged from an old motorbike! May has played this "Fireplace" guitar on all Queen's hit records.