Has Brian May only ever used one guitar?

[Barking Spiders]

...and what other musicians have had long and illustrious-ish careers but have only ever owned/played just one or at most 2 or 3 instruments of any kind?

[gjones]

Well Paul Mccartney has only used his Hofner, a Rickenbaker, a Jazz Bass during the White Album sessions and for a short time a Yamaha Precision. These days he sticks to the Hofner.

[chris_b]

. . . . and he used his 5 string Wal in Wings.

[Shaggy]

Pretty sure BM played a Telecaster on "Crazy little little thing called love"

[fretmeister]

4 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

Pretty sure BM played a Telecaster on "Crazy little little thing called love"

Definitely.

 

[Old Man Riva]

Hard to imagine BB King without his Gibson 345/335 guitars.

Michael Schenker and his Flying V is another that springs to mind.

Also, Angus Young and his Gibson SG, and brother Malcolm and his Gretsch.

[chris_b]

I believe Nile Rogers has used his sliver strat for the last 30 something years.

[BigRedX]

20 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

Pretty sure BM played a Telecaster on "Crazy little little thing called love"

It's in the video. Is there any actual evidence he played it on the recording?

[stewblack]

Lovely guy, did some of this himself rather than leaving it all to his tech

 

[pete.young]

I think he has several copies, including at least two made by his tech Andrew Guyton.

[jezzaboy]

Snowy White played his Gold top Les Paul on nearly everything he did for 40 odd years until he sold it in late 2014.

[Doctor J]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

I believe Nile Rogers has used his sliver strat for the last 30 something years.

50-something... it’s called The Hitmaker and has a GDP which would put most countries to shame 😂

[fleabag]

Andy Fraser and his EB3 ?

[pete.young]

Colin Hodgkinson and his '61 Precision

[BreadBin]

1 hour ago, Old Man Riva said:

Hard to imagine BB King without his Gibson 345/335 guitars.

Michael Schenker and his Flying V is another that springs to mind.

Also, Angus Young and his Gibson SG, and brother Malcolm and his Gretsch.

Malcolm had many different Gretsch guitars.

[warwickhunt]

Lemmy and his Ric.

[mep]

Dave Peacock and his P Bass.

[Steve Browning]

On the first tour BM's spare guitar was a Les Paul Deluxe. I have seen pictures of him using it. The Red Special has been a good return on the 8 quid he reckoned it cost him. 

I believe the Tele actually belonged to Roger Taylor. 

Rory Gallagher and his Strat. Alvin Lee and his 335.

[Baxlin]

IIRC there’s a YouTube vid by Brian May’s guitar tech showing all the guitars he could use during a concert.

Live Aid 1985, he starts Crazy Little thing on what looks like an Ovation, and switches to a Telecaster during the song. (Freddie also playing aTele?)

staying with Teles, there’s also Rossi and Parfitt, maybe?

Edited June 29, 2020 by Baxlin

[mr4stringz]

Neil Young and Old Black. Not the only guitar he uses (White Falcon,  Hank Williams old Martin D-28 etc) but Old Black has been his main electric since the late 60s...

Edited June 29, 2020 by mr4stringz

[sykilz]

Steve Harris P bass, though it's been refinished a few times, also think Dave Murray of Maiden has used that black strat for years.

[ezbass]

Despite the odd interloper, Tony Levin still uses his ‘Barbi flesh’, Stingray 5 extensively.

[Nail Soup]

3 hours ago, Shaggy said:

Pretty sure BM played a Telecaster on "Crazy little little thing called love"

If you're thinking rhythm guitar then maybe not... story I heard was that Freddie played guitar on that song and Queen recorded it as a three piece without Brian,.... they left space for a solo which BM filled later on. 

However, just listened to it and yes, sounds like the solo/lead bits could be a tele... a bit different to his normal sound. And he could have snuck some rhythm overdubs on when no-one was looking😉.

[Jonse]

Bobby Vega and the shark bass? 

 

[inthedoghouse]

Jimi and Strats is the first person who comes to my mind. 

Although he did have his hand decorated '67 Flying V and later a '70 leftie V, also a white '67 SG Custom and black '56 Les Paul.

Prior to his fame he hd a variety of guitars.

And of course, there's Rory Gallagher and his battered Strat. 

Edited June 29, 2020 by inthedoghouse