The Catalinbread Galileo is an amp-in-a-box overdrive pedal that aims to capture the hot, direct sound of Brian May's Vox AC30 rig, treble booster and all, in a single stompbox. Portland-based Catalinbread developed it as a combination of two of its existing circuits: the CB30, the company's pedal emulation of a Vox AC30, and the Naga Viper, its Dallas Rangemaster treble booster clone1. The result is two independently switchable circuits in one enclosure: an AC30-style overdrive and a Rangemaster-style top boost that can push it into saturated sustain.
The concept has carried through several versions. The original Galileo runs five controls and two footswitches; a later MKII simplified the panel to three controls; and current Catalinbread pages list the Galileo Red Special, which refines the same idea1234.
An AC30-style overdrive with a treble booster
The Galileo's origin story is unusual: Premier Guitar reports that it grew out of a collaboration between Catalinbread and the retailer Pro Guitar Shop, who together decided that a combination of the CB30 overdrive and the Naga Viper treble booster would make a fitting tribute to Brian May's AC30-driven sound1. The CB30 itself was designed to give the jangly, dynamic response of a classic British 30-watt amp, with interactive treble and bass controls that scoop the mids as they are turned up, just as on the amp it emulates6.
The two halves of the Galileo mirror May's actual signal path. The CB30 side reproduces the overdriven AC30, and the top boost side reproduces the Dallas Rangemaster treble booster he used to drive the amp's front end. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the AC30 sound "very realistic," and described the overall character as "a dazzling array of British Invasion drive with plenty of gain that doesn't fall into a wall-of-sound distortion"1.
"Striking a chord released a dazzling array of British Invasion drive with plenty of gain that doesn't fall into a wall-of-sound distortion."
A later Delicious Audio buying guide described the MKII version as touch responsive and clear-sounding, "with a fuzzy edge that is the hallmark of Brian May's stacked guitar lines"7.
The controls and footswitches
The original Galileo carries five knobs and two footswitches1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level of the CB30 overdrive circuit |
| Treble | Highs on the CB30 circuit; interactive with bass |
| Bass | Lows on the CB30 circuit; interactive with treble, scooping mids as turned up |
| Gain | Distortion amount on the CB30 circuit |
| Top boost | Single control for the Rangemaster-style treble booster |
The leftmost footswitch engages the CB30 overdrive circuit, and the right-side footswitch engages the top boost, so the two circuits can be run together or independently1. The treble and bass knobs are interactive, in the manner of the AC30's own EQ1.
The top boost can be used on its own. Like a real Rangemaster, it has only one control, and while it is primarily used to boost the overdrive into what Premier Guitar calls glimmering sustain, it can be engaged by itself as a straightforward treble boost1.
The MKII and later versions
The Galileo MKII, which DIY site Guitar FX Layouts documented in 2015 as an updated version of the well-known original, cut the panel down to three controls: gain, tone, and volume, tuned to deliver the essence of the Brian May sound4. The same site's verified build notes say any N-channel JFET, such as a J201, 2N5457, or MPF102, should work and sound close enough in the circuit4.
Current Catalinbread pages carry the concept further. On the current Galileo, the gain knob controls the gain of the treble booster in front rather than the amp circuit itself, whose gain is fixed, letting you saturate the front end of the amp circuit to your desired level2. Its treble knob comprises one-half of the full EQ stack found in a Vox AC30 amplifier, boosting frequencies around 2KHz and above at maximum, or cutting everything to -20dB from 2KHz upward at minimum2. Its bass knob boosts around 100Hz and below at maximum, and at minimum applies a steeper cut at 200Hz (about -24dB) plus a large cut to the sub bass2.
On the Galileo Red Special, the gain knob works just like a real AC30's, controlling the amount of distortion in the signal, from the light-breakup "jangly" sound for which the clean AC30 is known to blistering leads when cranked3.
The Brian May connection
The Galileo is not officially endorsed by Brian May. Premier Guitar notes that without an official endorsement, there is only so much a maker can get away with when casting a product in a legend's likeness1. The visual nod is still clear: the enclosure is painted with a flashy gold flake finish and a modified Queen crest, originally designed by Freddie Mercury1.
May himself has commented on the pedal. Guitar.com reported in June 2024 that May says the Galileo "does a very good job" of capturing his sonic signature, and that the creators' stated aim was to design a pedal capturing his entire rig in a single device8.
"an amp-in-a-box pedal that May says 'does a very good job' of capturing his sonic signature."
For players chasing May's live tone, Catalinbread suggests turning the gain all the way up, then kicking it down a notch for higher-output pickups1.
Where it sits in Catalinbread's lineup
The Galileo is one of several Catalinbread pedals built around the amp-in-a-box idea of pairing a boost with an amp-style circuit. The Naga Viper treble booster that forms its top boost section is also available as a standalone pedal, and the CB30 overdrive that forms its amp section was sold separately as well16. Players who only need the treble-boost half of the equation can look at boost pedals generally; those who want the full AC30-plus-booster package in one box are the Galileo's audience.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
ProGuitarShopDemos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Questions
Is the Catalinbread Galileo endorsed by Brian May?
There is no official endorsement. Premier Guitar notes that without one, Catalinbread could only go so far in casting the pedal in May's likeness. That said, May himself has said the pedal does a very good job of capturing his sonic signature, and the creators' stated aim was to capture his entire rig in a single device18.
Can the top boost on the Galileo be used on its own?
Yes. The top boost section works like a real Dallas Rangemaster treble booster, with only one control, and it can be engaged by itself on its own footswitch. It is primarily used to push the overdrive circuit into sustain, but it functions as a standalone treble boost1.
What settings get Brian May's live tone on the Galileo?
For May's live tone, Catalinbread suggests turning the gain all the way up, then kicking it down a notch if you use higher-output pickups1.
Is the Catalinbread Galileo discontinued?
The original Galileo appears on Catalinbread's site as a B-stock listing rather than a regular new product, as of October 2026. The design lives on in the current Galileo Red Special523.
Sources (8)
- Catalinbread Galileo Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2012-08-21
- Galileo 4K, Catalinbread Effects
- Galileo Red Special, Catalinbread Effects
- Guitar FX Layouts: Catalinbread Galileo MKII, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2015-10-01
- Galileo (B-STOCK), Catalinbread Effects
- New Pedal: Catalinbread CB30 Vox-Style Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2020-10-27
- The 20 Best Vox-Style Pedals & Vox-In-a-Box Overdrives In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-12-02
- Brian May reveals the amp-in-a-box that best captures his signature Queen tone, Guitar.com, 2024-06-14
Brian May
