Jimmy Page Question

Justinvs · April 19th, 2008, 11:42 AM

Hi All,

I hadn't realized until just a few days ago that Jimmy Page used a Tele on the solo for Stairway to Heaven, or that the majority of the first two Zep albums were done with the same guitar. (Actually, I remembered that he had the psychedelic tele, but didn't realize he used it so extensively. I had probably read about ages ago and forgotten. I have a mind like steel trap... rusted shut)

Did he use a tele for any of his session work before joining the Yardbirds?

Telemarkman · April 19th, 2008, 01:42 PM

I'm sure there are greater experts on JP than I, but I know he has always liked the Telecaster for studio work ... So I guess the answer is "yes"

.

JimiBryant · April 19th, 2008, 01:46 PM

I remember an interview with Page where he said that he used an early Les
Paul Black Beauty (triple p/u LP Custom, I think it was) for sessions until it
was, in his words "taken to some thieving magpie's nest"

surfoverb · April 19th, 2008, 01:49 PM

He probably used whatever was laying around...I think he said he was using a Strat on "I can't explain" (rythm)

edit: That was Pete on the strat nevermind...

FirstBassman · April 19th, 2008, 03:52 PM

There was just a very large interview w/ JP in one of the British "classic Rock" magazines. (In fact I think the name of the mag had something like 'classic rock' in the name.)
Anyway, he answered a lot of questions about his early session work. (Of course some things he doesn't remember.) And knocked down a lot of the rumors. Bought the issue while waiting for someone at the train station. Wish, now, I still had it.

TG · April 19th, 2008, 10:54 PM

He got that telecaster from Jeff Beck who had used it on some of the early Yardbirds' songs. The famous riff and the solo on Heart Full Of Soul is that guitar. JB got it from one of the guys in his earlier band, the Tridents.

Here's a picture of the Black Beauty that got stolen...

chabby · April 20th, 2008, 12:13 AM

I always thought the Black Veauty got stolen before or immediately after the formation of LZ. His studio work prior to the first LZ LP he used it, but it was gone by the time they got to recording so he used the Telecaster until the midlife of LZ. All his best licks were had on the Telecaster. Just like EC's best licks were layed down on a combo of Les Paul, SG and ES335.

Funny how important that first recording axe can be in an artists life.
Even Jeff Beck himself was susceptible to that idea as many thinks his best licks were layed down on the black Les Paul in Blow by Blow and Wired.

Stratsrgood · April 20th, 2008, 03:26 AM

In a fairly recent interveiw Page stated that the Les Paul is the guitar that he is best known for, the Strat is his most versatile but the Tele remains his favorite. The same article had a photo of him playing a PRS!
Talking to a repair guy years back, he told me that the Tele's Page used were wired with the middle position in series like a Dano- so maybe all his guitars sort of "Tie up"!

Elliot Easton · April 20th, 2008, 04:09 AM

try to hear his tele playing on 'the yardbirds-live at the anderson theatre'. he's using a sola sound fuzz-one of my all-time fave rock tele albums for tone. unbelievable.

graham232 · April 20th, 2008, 05:10 AM

There is the Danish TV concert on the Led Zeppelin DVD (about 1/2 hour) which is all Tele.

Gibson have just made a replica of Page's Black Beauty. A little ironic since it is hardly his most famous guitar!

Paul in Colorado · April 20th, 2008, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graham232

There is the Danish TV concert on the Led Zeppelin DVD (about 1/2 hour) which is all Tele.

Gibson have just made a replica of Page's Black Beauty. A little ironic since it is hardly his most famous guitar!

And just how did they copy it if it's been missing for thirty years? Hmmm...

+1 on the Anderson Theater record, Ellliot. One of my college roommates got that record before it was withdrawn. Someone was nice enough to make me a CD copy a few years ago. One time I was in Indianapolis and went to see "Rust Never Sleeps" at the movies when it was first released. Before the movie, they played The Yardbirds "Little Games" album over the sound system. I hadn't heard it in years and it was better then I remembered. Jimmy Page, a Tone Bender and a Tele, it's a hard combination to not like!

TG · April 20th, 2008, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chabby

I always thought the Black Beauty got stolen before or immediately after the formation of LZ.

Have you got the double Led Leppelin DVD compilation?
On the 1970 Albert Hall concert he used it for some of the later songs. That was well after the 2nd album.

April 19th, 2008, 11:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
Justinvs TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wise River, Montana Age: 46 Posts: 79	Jimmy Page Question Hi All, I hadn't realized until just a few days ago that Jimmy Page used a Tele on the solo for Stairway to Heaven, or that the majority of the first two Zep albums were done with the same guitar. (Actually, I remembered that he had the psychedelic tele, but didn't realize he used it so extensively. I had probably read about ages ago and forgotten. I have a mind like steel trap... rusted shut) Did he use a tele for any of his session work before joining the Yardbirds?

April 19th, 2008, 01:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
JimiBryant Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Chicago that toddlin' town Age: 46 Posts: 1,842	I remember an interview with Page where he said that he used an early Les Paul Black Beauty (triple p/u LP Custom, I think it was) for sessions until it was, in his words "taken to some thieving magpie's nest" __________________ *we all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun.*

April 20th, 2008, 04:09 AM	#9 (permalink)
Elliot Easton Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 431	try to hear his tele playing on 'the yardbirds-live at the anderson theatre'. he's using a sola sound fuzz-one of my all-time fave rock tele albums for tone. unbelievable. __________________ *It's impossible to tell lies on a Telecaster!*

April 19th, 2008, 01:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 4,719	I'm sure there are greater experts on JP than I, but I know he has always liked the Telecaster for studio work ... So I guess the answer is "yes" .

April 19th, 2008, 01:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
surfoverb Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,889	He probably used whatever was laying around...I think he said he was using a Strat on "I can't explain" (rythm) edit: That was Pete on the strat nevermind...

April 19th, 2008, 03:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
FirstBassman Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,383	There was just a very large interview w/ JP in one of the British "classic Rock" magazines. (In fact I think the name of the mag had something like 'classic rock' in the name.) Anyway, he answered a lot of questions about his early session work. (Of course some things he doesn't remember.) And knocked down a lot of the rumors. Bought the issue while waiting for someone at the train station. Wish, now, I still had it.

April 20th, 2008, 12:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,261	I always thought the Black Veauty got stolen before or immediately after the formation of LZ. His studio work prior to the first LZ LP he used it, but it was gone by the time they got to recording so he used the Telecaster until the midlife of LZ. All his best licks were had on the Telecaster. Just like EC's best licks were layed down on a combo of Les Paul, SG and ES335. Funny how important that first recording axe can be in an artists life. Even Jeff Beck himself was susceptible to that idea as many thinks his best licks were layed down on the black Les Paul in Blow by Blow and Wired.

April 20th, 2008, 03:26 AM	#8 (permalink)
Stratsrgood Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Hampshire,UK Age: 57 Posts: 116	In a fairly recent interveiw Page stated that the Les Paul is the guitar that he is best known for, the Strat is his most versatile but the Tele remains his favorite. The same article had a photo of him playing a PRS! Talking to a repair guy years back, he told me that the Tele's Page used were wired with the middle position in series like a Dano- so maybe all his guitars sort of "Tie up"!

April 20th, 2008, 05:10 AM	#10 (permalink)
graham232 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Burgess Hill, Sussex, United Kingdom Age: 42 Posts: 262 9 Photos	There is the Danish TV concert on the Led Zeppelin DVD (about 1/2 hour) which is all Tele. Gibson have just made a replica of Page's Black Beauty. A little ironic since it is hardly his most famous guitar!