Meet Special Red, reader C. Hare’s project guitar. Born as a Canvas CTF20 handmade in China, it has a bookmatched mahogany back and flame top in transparent red. It cost Hare only $80, plus $21 shipping. “It's been enhanced with a set of GFS Burns-alikes for that Brian May sound (Brighton Rocks models, another $60), and a matching humbucker that actually balances out pretty well (Bigmouth, another $20),” Hare says. He also added a pair of witch hat knobs, just for style. “It's stable, and it has an interesting taste for metal and prog.”