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May has played a range of guitars, most often the Red Special, which he designed with his father, Harold May, and built with wood from a most unlikely source—an old fireplace. His comments on this instrument, from Queen In Their Own Words (ed. Mick St. Michael, Omnibus Press, 1992, p62) are:

"I like a big neck - thick, flat and wide. I lacquered the fingerboard with Rustin's Plastic Coating. The tremolo is interesting in that the arm's made from an old bicycle saddle bag carrier, the knob at the end's off a knitting needle and the springs are valve springs from an old motorbike."

In addition to using his homemade guitar, he prefers to use coins (especially sixpence pieces) instead of a more traditional plastic plectrum, on the basis that their rigidity gives him more control in playing.

May's early heroes were Cliff Richard and The Shadows, whom he says were the most metallic thing out at the time. Many years later he gained his opportunity to play on separate occasions with both Cliff Richard and Shadows lead guitarist Hank Marvin. May was proud upon hearing that Cliff Richard had mentioned in an interview that he would have Brian May in his personal fantasy band. As well as recording with Hank Marvin, May also contributed to the 1996 album "Twang!: A Tribute to Hank Marvin & the Shadows," playing FBI. The album featured other greats such as Mark Knopfler of Dire StraitsDire Straits are a British rock band, formed in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), David Knopfler (guitar), John Illsley (guitar) and Pick Withers (drums), and managed by Ed Bicknell. In an era when punk rock reigned, they played subdued, almost o, Tony IommiTony Iommi (born February 19, 1948, real name Frank Anthony Iommi) is a guitarist from Birmingham, UK who is best known as a member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. In an industrial accident in his youth, he lost the tips of the middle and ring fing of Black SabbathThis article is about the British heavy metal band. For the 1946 British arrests of Jewish paramilitaries, see Operation Agatha. For the 1963 film see Black Sabbath (movie Black Sabbath sometimes simply called Sabbath is a British heavy metal band origina, Ritchie BlackmoreRichard Harold Blackmore (born April 14, 1945) is a noted British guitarist. Born in Weston-super-Mare, he moved to Heston, Middlesex at the age of two. His father bought him his first guitar when he was about 10 in 1955 and he then took some classical gu of Deep PurpleDeep Purple is a British rock group. They were one of the first and most famous hard rock bands, and are considered pioneers of heavy metal. Despite their association with the sub-genre, Deep Purple has never been purely a heavy metal band, though many la, Pete Green of Fleetwood MacFleetwood Mac as a band originally named Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac is a rock and roll band which was started in 1968 by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood, and bassist John McVie, after the three left (or were fired from) John Mayall's Bluesb, Neil YoungNeil Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian singer and guitarist. Coming to prominence with pop band Buffalo Springfield, and reaching his commercial peak during the singer songwriter boom of the early 1970s, his career is marked by experimentation, and Francis RossiFrancis Rossi is the founder of the british rock band Status Quo. He wrote the first Status Quo hit single "Pictures of Matchstick Men", as well as many other hit songs like "Paper Plane", "Caroline", and "Down Down". See also Status Quo. and Rick Parfitt of Status Quo.

May had been part way through a PhD course when Queen became successful, and never completed his astronomy doctorate. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science in November 2002 by Hertfordshire University.