Deacy Amp

The Deacy Amp is an electric guitar amplifier created in 1972 by John Deacon, Queen's bassist and electronics engineer. It was built using a circuit board from a Supersonic PR80 portable radio found in a dumpster, fitted into a speaker cabinet, and powered by a 9-volt battery. The amplifier had no volume or tone controls and remained functional for most of its history without needing repairs. It was used by Brian May to produce orchestral-like sounds, such as violin and cello tones, starting with songs like "Mad The Swine" (unreleased) and "Procession" from Queen II. In 1998, Greg Fryer, with Brian May's support, attempted to replicate the Deacy Amp with help from Dave Petersen. Nigel Knight joined the project in 2003, building prototypes that closely approximated but never fully matched the original sound. In 2008, Knight analyzed the original amplifier's components, leading to a deeper understanding of its workings. This led to collaborations with Celestion for custom speakers and transformers, sourcing obsolete parts, and constructing bespoke cabinets. The KAT Deacy Amp replica was officially approved by Brian May and John Deacon in 2010, with production beginning in March 2011 and selling out within a month before being discontinued. In 2003, Vox released the VBM-1 Brian May Special amplifier, a mains-powered unit combining a treble booster with the Deacy amp circuit. It featured a unique design with a white vinyl covering, a 10W amplifier, and a 6.5" twin cone speaker. The amp included controls like gain, tone, volume, and a recording/headphone ...