“It Was Too Bendy” — The 1947 Sixpence Coin: Brian May Explains the Unusual Reason He Ditched Plastic Picks to Get His Unique Sound
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For most guitarists, a plastic pick is part of the standard toolkit. But for Brian May, the legendary guitarist of Queen, the key to his one-of-a-kind tone wasn’t found in a music shop — it came from his pocket.
In a recent interview, the 12-time honorary doctorate recipient, astrophysicist, and rock icon revealed the unusual origin behind his unmistakable guitar sound: a 1947 sixpence coin.
“It was too bendy,” May said with a laugh, recalling his early days as a young guitarist. “The plastic ones just didn’t feel right. They’d flex when I hit the strings, and I wanted something solid — something that gave me control and precision.”
🎸 The Birth of a Signature Sound
Long before he was playing to packed stadiums, Brian May was a physics student tinkering in his father’s workshop, building what would become the Red Special, his now-iconic homemade guitar. But even after creating the perfect instrument, something about his tone still felt incomplete.
“I tried everything,” he said. “Plastic, nylon, even bits of metal. One day, I pulled a sixpence out of my pocket and thought, ‘What if I just use this?’ The second I played a chord, I knew — that was the sound I’d been chasing.”
The British sixpence coin, discontinued in the 1960s, had just the right mix of weight and texture. Its serrated edge produced a bright, vocal-like attack that became the backbone of Queen’s most memorable guitar moments.
“The edge gives it a bite — almost like a human growl,” May explained. “And because it’s metal, you get this clarity and sparkle you can’t get from plastic.”
🎶 “It Becomes Part of the Soul of the Note”
May’s legendary sound — heard on classics like Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, and Brighton Rock — is instantly recognizable for its warmth and expressiveness. And, according to him, the sixpence plays a major role.
“It’s not just about tone,” he said. “It’s about feel. The coin doesn’t slip — it becomes part of your hand. When I play softly, it sings. When I dig in, it growls. You can feel the electricity through your fingers.”
Combined with the Red Special and his signature amp setup, the coin gives May total control over texture and emotion — something he says he never achieved with traditional picks.
“Every note has its own personality,” he added. “That’s what makes the sixpence special — it becomes part of the soul of the note.”
💫 A Family Connection Hidden in the Coin
For May, the story of the sixpence isn’t just about music — it’s personal. The first coin he ever used came from his mother’s coin collection.
“My mum used to keep little tins of old coins,” he recalled fondly. “I borrowed one, and she said, ‘Don’t lose it!’ Of course, I did — but I’ve kept others ever since. It’s funny to think something so small became such a big part of my life.”
Even now, May carries a few of the vintage coins in his pocket wherever he goes — a talisman of both his past and his artistry.
“It’s a good-luck charm,” he said. “People give me expensive picks all the time, but I always go back to the sixpence. It’s who I am.”
🚀 From the Stage to the Stars
Over the decades, May’s signature tone has inspired generations of guitarists. His choice of the sixpence has become so iconic that official Brian May sixpence replicas are now available for collectors and musicians worldwide.
But for May, the original — the coin that helped him find his sound — still carries unmatched magic.
“I could never get that same attack from anything else,” he said. “The sixpence gives me control over every shade — from a whisper to a roar. It’s not about being different; it’s about being true to myself.”
Now in his seventies, May still approaches his craft with the same curiosity he had as a teenager — part scientist, part storyteller, part dreamer.
“You spend your life chasing the perfect sound,” he mused. “And mine was hiding in my mother’s change jar.”
From physics student to rock innovator, Brian May’s story is proof that sometimes, genius doesn’t come from invention — it comes from intuition. And for him, all it took was a simple sixpence to strike gold.
