Queen The Miracle (1989) equipment

(last updated: 29/12/24)

Queen The Miracle (1989) equipment

Based on this page, but upgraded with more information

Musicians’ gear

Guitars:

• BHM custom ‘Red Special’: Brian’s main 
• Fender Telecaster natural: Roger Taylor’s
• Gibson Chet Atkins: “I Want It All”

Guitar rig:

• Vox AC-30 amplifiers: Brian May’s

Basses:

• Fender Precision (possibly Elite?)
• Giffin custom bass

Drums & percussion:

• Ludwig bespoke drum kit /w Zildjian cymbals
• LP congas: “Rain Must Fall”

Grand pianos:

• Bosendorfer: Townhouse 
• Steinway B 6’ 10”: Mountain
• Steinway (model unknown): Olympic studios and Townhouse

Keyboards & digital:

• E-mu Emulator II
• Linn 9000: for drum programming and sequencing
• Roland D-50
• Yamaha DX7

Documented studio equipment

Microphones:

• B&K: ambience from live takes at Mountain Studios
• Electrovoice RE20 – bass drum, possibly tom-toms & snare
• Schoeps CK-1 - possibly vocals
• Shure SM58 – guitars
• Shure SM85 – lead vocals by Freddie (not to be confused with 58)
• Neumann U87 – drum overheads

Outboard gear:

• Digital delays/multi-effects units/sampling units:
• AMS DMX 15-80S: available at Mountain Studios, used for guitars and occasional snare sampling
• MDB Window Recorder
• Eventide H910 Harmonizer – Mountain Studios
• Publison DHM-89 B2 – David Richards’ favourite, three were available at Mountain Studios
• Compressors/limiters/expanders:
• Dbx 162 stereo – Mountain Studios
• Dbx 165 (x2) – Mountain Studios
• Fairchild valve: used for Townhouse and/or Olympic Studio sessions with SSL desk
• Neve 2254/E (x6) – Mountain Studios
• UREI 1176LN (x4) – Mountain Studio
• Noise gates (all at Mountain Studios):
• Drawmer DS-201
• Valley People Kepex II (x4)
• Reverberation:
• EMT 250 digital: Mountain Studios
• EMT 240 plate (x4): Mountain Studios
• Lexicon 224XL: Townhouse
• Other (Mountain studios):
• DBX 360X dynamic sibilance controllers
• Mu-Tron Biphase dual phase shifter – Mountain Studios
• Klark Teknik 275 graphic EQ
• Eventide FL201 Instant Flanger (x2) – Mountain Studios
• EMT 260 De-Esser
• Roland Vocoder SVC-350 – Mountain Studios

Mixing consoles:

• Solid State Logic E-series: Townhouse Studios
• Solid State Logic SL-4000G 56-/64-channel: Olympic Studios
• Neve 8048: Mountain Studios

Ancillary equipment:

• Sony PCM-3324 24-track digital tape machines
• Friendchip SRC

Sources

Billboard, 18 January 1992 (Mountain Studios report, page 63)

Sound On Sound, August 1989 (David Richards interview)

Various photos & interviews