Jimmy Page's Guitars and Gear

📅 Published :
🧑🏼 Author : Dan Kopilovic

Summary of Jimmy Page’s Gear

Jimmy Page mainly played Gibson Les Paul guitars, among them the 1959 Les Paul Standard nicknamed “Number One”. This was his main recording and live guitar from around the time he started working on the Led Zepplin II album.

Aside from this guitar, he also famously used a 1958 Fender Telecaster nicknamed the “Dragon Tele”, and a black Danelectro DC-2 3021. Also, he’s famous for playing a double-neck guitar – a Gibson EDS-1275 which Gibson made for Jimmy Page so he could avoid having to switch guitars when playing “Stairway to Heaven” live.

Jimmy Page playing his legendary double-neck Gibson EDS-1275
Jimmy Page playing his legendary double-neck Gibson EDS-1275. Photo by: Andrew Smith

When it comes to amps, Jimmy Page mostly used the Marshall Super Bass and Marshall Super Lead combination. Prior to this, or before 1971, he used a variety of different amps, including a Supro Coronado, a Vox UL4120, and a Hiwatt Custom 100.

As far as effects, in the early days, Jimmy Page used a Sola Sound Tonebender MK II which is one of the earliest fuzz pedals on the market. Aside from this he also used a wah pedal – he started out on a Vox Grey Wah, and eventually moved onto a Cry Baby wah which he continues to use to this day.

List of Guitars, Amps, Effects, and Accessories used by Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page's Electric Guitars

  • 1950s Futurama/Grazioso

    Jimmy Page’s 1950s Futurama/Grazioso

    This was Jimmy Page’s first electric guitar. He bought it second-hand after realizing that his old Hofner acoustic just wasn’t good enough anymore.

    See, that’s the first electric guitar I get. The one before it, the Hofner, my dad buys that, but after that, he [laughs]—I don’t know, maybe he was psychic and he knew what was coming, because there’s a whole procession of guitars that come into my life over the next few years. But that’s the first one, the Grazioso. It looked and felt like an electric guitar, even though it wasn’t a Fender.

    Interview: Jimmy Page on His Session Years and Led Zeppelin’s First Days | Bacon’s Archive

    Young Jimmy Page with his Futurama guitar.
    Young Jimmy Page with his Futurama guitar.
    1960
  • Gretsch Country Gentleman

    Jimmy Page’s Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman

    Jimmy Page used this guitar in the very early 60s, around the time he played with Neil Christian & the Crusaders. This is according to the information found in the book “No Quarter: The Three Lives of Jimmy Page”.

    I went to see Jimmy with Neil Christian in 1961, 1962, It was a lunchtime gig at The Boathouse in Kew Bridge. All I saw was this human beanpole with a Gretsch. It was four times bigger than he was …

    No Quarter: The Three Lives of Jimmy Page

    Unfortuentely, it’s very hard to find any photos of Jimmy with the guitar. The few photos that are out there of him with the Crusaders, all show him playing his old Futurama guitar. This obviously means that he switched from the Futurama to the Gretsh sometime during those couple of years

    1961
  • 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom

    Jimmy Page’s 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom

    Jimmy acquired this Les Paul sometime towards the end of his stint with the Crusader, so probably around 1963. It was his main guitar during the pre-Led Zeppelin era, when he worked as a session guitarist.

    The guitar was made in 1960, making it one of the last original Customs ever produced. It was equipped with three PAF (Patent Applied For) pickups designed by Seth Lover in 1955, a Bigsby tremolo, and Grover Rotomatics tuners.

    Jimmy worked as a session guitarist for a number of years, up until he joined the Yardbirds in May of 1966. During those years, this Les Paul Custom seemed to have been his main guitar, as it’s often referenced as “the” guitar used by him in a number of biography books – including “Jimmy Page: The Definitive Biography” by Chris Salewicz and “No Quarter – The Three Lives Of Jimmy Page” by Martin Power.

    2
    1962
  • 1959 Fender Telecaster "Dragon Tele"

    Jimmy Page’s 1959 Fender Telecaster “Dragon Tele”

    This guitar was given to Jimmy by Jeff Beck in 1966 as a gift shortly after Page joined the Yardbirds. As the story goes, Eric Clapton was leaving the Yardbirds in 1965, and his initial idea was that Jimmy should replace him, but Jimmy at that point in his life did not want to be a touring musician. He did eventually change his mind, and he joined the Yardbirds in June 1966 and played alongside Beck for a short time.

    After Jeff Beck left the band in November 1966, Jimmy took over the role of the lead guitarist and played with the band until its break-up in 1968. During all his time with the Yardbirds, this Telecaster was his main instrument.

    When Jimmy first got the Telecaster, it featured just a regular white finish. At some point in 1967, he glued eight circular mirrors on the body – four of them behind the bridge, three below the pickups, and one on top of the body. He was possibly inspired to do this by Syd Barret of Pink Floyd, who was famous for playing a Fender Esquire with the exact same mirror setup.

    5
    1966
  • 1967 Vox Phantom XII 12-String

    Jimmy Page’s 1967 Vox Phantom XII 12-String

    Jimmy Page acquired this guitar while he was working as a studio musician. He first used it in the studio with the Yardbirds, on their album Little Games, on songs “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor” and “Glimpses”. Later on, he would use it with Zeppelin, on “Livin’ Lovin’ Maid” and “Thank You” from Led Zeppelin II, and “Stairway to Heaven” from Led Zeppelin IV.

    I used a Fender 12-string in the studio. And before the Fender, I used a Vox 12-string. You can hear the Vox on things like “Thank You”, and “Living Loving Maid”. On “Stairway” I used both my Vox Phantom that I used on “Thank You” and my Fender Electric XII.

    They both sort’ve sounded the same. It was more about how they played. They felt different. On “The Song Remains The Same”, it’s just the Fender.

    Jimmy Page Revisits Two of Led Zeppelin’s Most God-like Albums, ‘IV’ and ‘Houses of the Holy’ – GuitarWorld

    Since the guitar is a 1967 model, and Jimmy said in his book “Jimmy Page: The Anthology” that he bought it while he was working as a studio musician, that means that he brought the guitar brand new from the store. However, in 1967 he was already a member of the Yardbirds, so likely, the guitar probably wasn’t used at all in the sessions he did for other musicians.

    1967
  • 1961 Danelectro DC-2 3021

    Jimmy Page’s 1961 Danelectro DC-2 3021

    Jimmy bought this guitar sometime in the mid-60s and used it for his early studio work, with the Yardbirds, and later on with Zeppelin. It was first used on stage on “White Summer” with the Yardbirds circa 1967 tuned to DADGAD – also known as Celtic tuning.

    Later on, Jimmy would continue using the guitar on “White Summer/Black Side Mountain” with Led Zeppelin in the early days. The guitar then reappeared with the release of Led Zeppelin IV, and Jimmy from that point started using it on “When The Levee Breaks”. After the release of Physical Graffiti in 1975, he started using the guitar on “In My Time Of Dying” and occasionally on “Kashmir” – which is probably the song for which this guitar is mostly known.

    Jimmy Page with his 1961 Danelectro 3012 in the documentary “It Might Get Loud”
    1967
  • 1959 Gibson Les Paul "Number One"

    Jimmy Page’s 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard “Number One”

    This is Jimmy’s “Number One” guitar, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, which he bought in 1969 and used extensively on tour and in the studio with Led Zeppelin. Up until that point, he used a 1959 Fender Telecaster, but the Les Paul quickly became his favorite.

    As soon as I played the Les Paul I fell in love. Not that the Tele isn’t user friendly, but the Les Paul was gorgeous and easy to play. It just seemed like a good touring guitar. It’s more of a fight with the Telecaster but there are rewards.

    The Gibson’s got all that very stereotyped sound, maybe, I don’t know, but it’s got a really beautiful sustain. I do like sustain. It relates to bowed instruments. Sustain speaks for itself, that’s the whole thing. It’s the whole are that everyone’s been experimenting in, once it became electric, if you think about it – it was mainly sustain.

    Jimmy Page – original source needed

    Jimmy Page playing his NUmber One Gibson Les Paul guitar, The Song Remains The Same, 1976
    Jimmy Page playing his NUmber One Gibson Les Paul guitar, The Song Remains The Same, 1976

    Page got his ’59 from Joe Walsh (James Gang; later Eagles) in April of 1969. Walsh did an interview with Guitar World magazine in which he shared the story about the exchange:

    1
    1969
  • 1965 Fender Electric XII

    Jimmy Page’s 1965 Fender Electric XII

    Jimmy used this guitar in the studio to record parts of “Stairway to Heaven”, together with another 12-string electric, a 1967 Vox Phantom XII. Later on, he used the Fender exclusively on the song “The Song Remains The Same” from Houses Of The Holy released in 1973.

    I used a Fender 12-string in the studio. And before the Fender, I used a Vox 12-string. You can hear the Vox on things like “Thank You”, and “Living Loving Maid”. On “Stairway” I used both my Vox Phantom that I used on “Thank You” and my Fender Electric XII.

    They both sort’ve sounded the same. It was more about how they played. They felt different. On “The Song Remains The Same”, it’s just the Fender.

    Jimmy Page Revisits Two of Led Zeppelin’s Most God-like Albums, ‘IV’ and ‘Houses of the Holy’ – GuitarWorld

    The Fender Electric XII model was introduced in late 1965, and it was a purpose-built 12-string guitar with individual saddles for each string. The guitar had a Jazzmaster-shaped alder body, a rosewood neck with a “hockey-stick” headstock, and two split single coil pickups.

    1970
  • 1969 Gibson Les Paul “Number Three”

    Jimmy Page’s 1969 Gibson Les Paul “Number Three”

    Up until this day, details about this particular Les Paul remain unknown for the most part. It was first seen on stage around 1970 – which means that this guitar came prior to Jimmy’s “Number Two” Les Paul. It’s been guessed that Jimmy bought this guitar to replace his 1960 Les Paul Custom which was stolen in 1970 and that it was simply used as a backup in the early days.

    The red Les Paul reappeared again in 1973 when it got significantly more stage time, but then it was put away again in 1975 when Page started using his Number Two 59′ Les Paul as a spare instead. Towards the mid-80s, Jimmy installed a B-Bender in it and started using the guitar again more extensively. Most recently, he used it on “Over Now” from the 1993 release Coverdale / Page.

    Probably my favorite effect was the one used on “Over Now.” After David sings, “I release the dogs of war,” you hear this growl. I produced that by running my purple B-Bender Les Paul through an early-sixties Vox wah, a DigiTech Whammy Pedal set “deep,” an old Octavia, and one of my old one-hundred-watt Marshall Super Leads, which I used with Zeppelin.

    Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page

    2
    1970
  • 1971 Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck

    Jimmy Page’s 1971 Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck Custom

    Jimmy Page ordered this guitar from Gibson sometime in 1970/71, for the sole purpose of having something to play “Stairway to Heaven” on when performing live. It is now a known story that Jimmy used a variety of different guitars on that song, to the point where he was teased about it, so having to replicate that sound in a concert setting, proved to be a challenge.

    We recorded Stairway to Heaven, and because there was like a guitar army on it – as they used to tease me. Because of that, it needed more texture than just one guitar. The double-neck seemed like a perfect compromise

    Jimmy Page e sua Gibson EDS 1275

    Jimmy Page playing his 1971 Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck guitar in 1973.
    Jimmy Page playing his 1971 Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck guitar in 1973.

    Apart from “Stairway to Heaven”, Page also used this guitar to play “The Rain Song”, “Celebration Day”, and “The Song Remains The Same” when playing live with Led Zeppelin.

    1
    1971
  • 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard “Number Two”

    Jimmy Page’s 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard “Number Two”

    This is Jimmy’s second 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard – aptly dubbed “Number Two”. He bought it in England shortly after the 1973 U.S. tour, but he didn’t use it on stage until January 1975, when it was brought out on tour as a backup for Number One.

    Page usually had this guitar tuned to DADGAD and played “Kashmir” on it. It was sometimes also used for “Dazed and Confused” – when Jimmy played with a violin bow, “Moby Dick”, and “Over the Hills and Far Away”.

    Jimmy wanted his Number Two to feel and sound as similar as possible to his Number One, so the neck was shaved and sanded down to replicate the neck profile on Number One, and the Kluson tuners were replaced with Grovers.

    1973
  • 1960s Fender Stratocaster (Blue)

    Jimmy Page’s 1960s Fender Stratocaster (Lake Placid Blue)

    This is one of the very few Stratocasters that Jimmy actually played and recorded with. He bought it in 1975 and first used it out of necessity on “Over the Hills and Far Away” after a string broke on his Les Paul during the show at Earls Court on May 23, 1975.

    Jimmy Page playing his blue Fender Stratocaster.
    Jimmy Page playing his blue Fender Stratocaster.

    What’s interesting about this particular guitar is that the guy who actually sold this Stratocaster to Jimmy is an active member of The Les Paul forums. His nickname is Plankspanker, and he claims that he presented the guitar during the TSRTS mixing sessions at the Electric Lady Studios.

    It’s an extremely nice ’64 LPB Strat that came from Sam Ash on 48th St. Lenny the store manager called me up about it.

    It was brought down to Electric Lady Studios during the time Robert and Jimmy were mixing vocals with Eddie Kramer on TSRTS. JP plugged it into one of the studio’s BF Fender Twins, and it met is approval. One thing that always impressed me about that particular strat, aside from it being light and well balanced, was the pickups, even thru a TR, they had that sizzle.

    originally posted on Les Paul forums

    1975
  • 1953 Fender Telecaster (Brown)

    Jimmy Page’s 1953 Fender Telecaster

    Jimmy bought this Telecasterin in November 1975 and first used it with Zeppelin for “Hot Dog” and “Ten Years Gone”. Later on, in the 80s, he used it as one of his main guitars with The Firm.

    Jimmy Page playing his brown Fender Telecaster before the neck swap.
    Jimmy Page playing his brown Fender Telecaster before the neck swap.

    Apparently, he got the guitar from Robb Lawerence, who at one point left a comment on a Led Zeppelin fansite, explaining the story. Sadly, the said website no longer exists, but the comment was copied and pasted numerous times over the web.

    According to Robb, the Telecaster was acquired with the intent to install the B-Bender system on it immediately.

    2
    1975
  • 1990s Gibson Les Paul TransPerformance

    Jimmy Page’s 1990s Gibson Les Paul TransPerformance

    Jimmy used this guitar on Kashmir from the 1994 album No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded, and he used it since then occasionally for live gigs and in the studio.

    Jimmy Page playing on of his TransPerformance Les Paul in 1994.
    Jimmy Page playing on of his TransPerformance Les Paul in 1994.

    The guitar is equipped with the Transperformance self-tuning system, which allows Page to choose from a number of different tunings without turning a knob.

    1992

Jimmy Page's Acoustic Guitars

  • 1963 Gibson J-200

    Jimmy Page’s 1963 Gibson J-200

    This guitar actually didn’t belong to Jimmy but was borrowed from his friend Jim Sullivan, because Jimmy needed an acoustic guitar to record Led Zeppelin’s first album. He used it to record all of the acoustic songs on that album, including “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”, “Black Mountain Side”, and “Your Time is Gonna Come”.

    He later gave the guitar back to Jim and began using the Martin D-28.

    That was a Gibson J-200, which wasn’t mine; I borrowed it. It was a beautiful guitar, really great. I’ve never found a guitar of that quality anywhere since. I could play so easily on it, get a really thick sound; it had heavy gauge strings on it, but it just didn’t seem to feel like it.

    Jimmy Page – original source needed

    The J-200 that Jimmy used was produced in 1963 and had a spruce top, with figured maple used for the back and sides. The neck was made out of five laminated pieces of maple, and the fretboard was ebony with crest inlays. All of the hardware was gold-plated.

    1968
  • Giannini GWSCRA12-P Craviola

    Jimmy Page’s Giannini GWSCRA12-P Craviola

    Jimmy Page used this guitar to record “Tangerine” from Led Zeppelin III, and to play the song on stage from 1971 to 1972. He had at least two of these guitar, as he was seen playing one with dot inlays, and another one with custom fretboard inlays.

    As far as specs, Jimmy’s guitar has gold-plated tuners, rosewood sides, and a Sitka spruce top. It’s a pretty uniquely shaped model, made by the Brazilian manufacturer Giannini, and designed together with Paulinho Nogueira – who was a Brazilian guitarist and a composer.

    Paulinho Nogueira, who designed the guitar together with Tranquillo Giannini.
    1969
  • Harmony Sovereign H-1260

    Jimmy Page’s Harmony Sovereign H-1260

    This was Jimmy’s main acoustic guitar from around 1970 to 1972. He started using it around late April 1970, after coming back from the US tour – during which he mostly played his Martin D-28 acoustic guitar. At that point, Robert and Jimmy went to Bron-Yr-Aur and started working on the material for Led Zeppelin III.

    Although there are no photos to prove this, most Led Zeppelin researchers agree that Jimmy took the Harmony with him to the cottage and that this is the guitar on which he wrote songs like “Over the Hills and Far Away”, “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” and “That’s the Way”.

    Jimmy’s Harmony was a jumbo flat-top model with a maple top, mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck, and rosewood fretboard with dot pearl inlays. This model was produced by Harmony from 1958 to 1971 and was used by a number of guitarists from that era, including Syd Barret and Pete Townshend.

    1
    1970
  • 1960s Martin D-28

    Jimmy Page’s 1960s Martin D-28

    Sometime in June 1970 Jimmy purchased a Martin D-28 and played it on stage for the song “That’s the Way” at the Festival of Blues & Progressive Music Festival on June 28, 1970. He continued using the guitar from that point for that song, and for “Bron-Y-Aur” until the end of the 1970 US Tour, and later on in 1973.

    Sometime before he used the guitar again in 1975, he equipped his D-28 with a Barcus-Berry Model 1355 Transducer and connected it to a Barcus-Berry Model 1330S Preamp. This allowed him to play the guitar directly through the amp, rather than just through the microphone.

    Around 1977, Jimmy seemed to have acquired a second D-28, likely as a backup. From that time on, the main D-28 could be shortly be distinguished by a small white sticker on the pickguard, but it seems that the sticker was later removed.

    Page used the Martin D-28 on The Rain Song in 1994 in the No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded video.
    1970

Jimmy Page's Amps

  • Supro Coronado 1690T

    Jimmy Page’s Supro Coronado 1690T Amplifier

    Jimmy Page used a Supro Thunderbolt amp most famously on the solo for “Stairway to Heaven” from Led Zeppelin’s fourth album. On that occasion specifically, he played it with his old 1959 “Dragon” Telecaster.

    I was using the Supro amp for the first album and still do. The “Stairway To Heaven” solo was done when I pulled out the Telecaster, which I hadn’t used for a long time, plugged it into the Supro, and away it went again.

    Jimmy Page

    Aside from that, Jimmy also stated on a few occasions that he used a Supro amp on the entirety of Led Zeppelin’s first album (see “Jimmy Page: The Anthology” book). But on other occasions, he also said that he used a Vox amp on the album, so it’s impossible to tell which one of those statements is true. The explanation could be that he simply used both of them.

    Jimmy Page with his Supro amp (bottom right) in the studio, circa 1970.
    Jimmy Page with his Supro amp (bottom right) in the studio, circa 1970.
    1961
  • 1968 Fender Super Reverb

    Jimmy Page’s 1968 Fender Super Reverb

    Jimmy Page used a 1968 Fender Super Reverb combo amp briefly with the Yardbirds and in the very early days of Led Zeppelin. This was before he received four Rickenbacker Transonic amps, which he used on the first Led Zeppelin US tour that began in December 1968.

    He was however photographed using both the Rickenbacker and the Super Reverb on stage, so that means that he actually carried the Fender combo with him for the US tour.

    Jimmy Page at Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, early 1969. Both the Rickenbacker Transonic and the Fender Super Reverb can be seen on stage.
    1968
  • Vox AC-30/6

    jimmy Page’s Vox AC-30/6 Combo Amplifier

    Jimmy Page used the VOX AC30/6 Combo Amplifier in the studio with the Yardbirds. He also said on a few occasions that he used an AC30 with the Led Zeppelin, but he never said when and on what specifically.

    (I used VOX) AC-30 (amps). They’ve held up consistently well. …..You could get these one’s with special treble boosters on the back which is what I had.

    Jimmy Page – July 1977 Steve Rosen Interview

    1968
  • Vox UL4120

    Jimmy Page’s Vox UL4120 Amplifier

    Jimmy was seen using the Vox UL-4120 briefly with The Yardbirds around 1968, and with Led Zeppelin on their second US tour in the early summer of 1969. The amp was also photographed at Morgan Sound Studios in June 1969 where the Led Zeppelin were working on their second album.

    Jimmy Page using the Vox UL4120 amp on stage with the Yardbirds.
    Jimmy Page using the Vox UL4120 amp on stage with the Yardbirds.

    Jimmy said a number of times that he inherited a Vox Super Beetle from the Yardbirds, and used it on the first Led Zeppelin album. However, since there’s no evidence of him using a Super Beatle during the Yardbirds, and there is evidence of him using the Vox UL4120, it is likely that he made a mistake.

    1968
  • Arbiter Power 100

    Jimmy Page’s Arbiter Power 100 Amplifier

    Jimmy Page used an Arbiter Power 100 amp on stage from around late 1968 through June 1969. Most of the time he played it through a Rickenbacker Transonic cabinets, and occasionally through a Marshall.

    Jimmy's Arbiter Power 100 amp seen on stage in June 1969, Paris, France.
    Jimmy’s Arbiter Power 100 amp seen on stage in June 1969, Paris, France.
    1968
  • Rickenbacker Transonic

    Jimmy Page’s Rickenbacker Transonic

    Jimmy Page used these amps during the first American tour with Led Zeppelin. Apparently, he didn’t particularly like the amps, and he left most of them in the US after the tour.

    There’s a rumor going around that he used a Rickenbacker Transonic to record “Heartbreaker”, but according to Page himself, he used a Les Paul/Marshall stack combination.

    1968
  • 1969 Marshall Super Bass

    Jimmy Page’s 1969 Marshall Super Bass Amplifier

    Jimmy Page started using Marshall amps around March 1969. In those days he would use them together with an Arbiter ‘Power One Hundred’ or a Vox UL-4120. Then for a while, the Marshalls disappeared and then appeared again in early 1971, when one of them was used alongside the Hiwatt Custom 100. By late 1971/early 1972 the Hiwatt was gone and the Marshalls became Jimmy’s main amps, and he used them live until the end of Led Zeppelin.

    As far as studio usage, according to Jimmy, one of the first songs he recorded on the Marshall was “Heartbreaker”, which was recorded sometime in mid-1969. Going from this, it’s possible that the Marshalls ended up on other songs from the Led Zeppelin II, but no conclusive info on this is available.

    The Marshalls were however most likely used on the rest of Led Zeppelin albums, although of course not exclusively.

    Jimmy Page with his Marshall amps.
    Jimmy Page with his Marshall amps. Note that one of the Marshall is being used for a Theremin.
    2
    1969
  • Marshall 1959 Super Lead

    Jimmy Page’s Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead Amplifier

    The Marshall SLP 1959 has been one of Jimmy Page’s main amps since the 70s. Up until recently, many believed that this as THE amp that Jimmy used as his main with Led Zeppelin, but it has been recently revealed that his main amp was actually a Marshall Super Bass.

    Jimmy Page had two Marshall set up on stage at Madison Square Garden in 1973.
    Jimmy Page had two Marshalls set up on stage at Madison Square Garden in 1973. Behind Jimmy there was a third amp, an Orange OR200, which he used for the theramine. On top of the Marshalls is the Echoplex EP-3 tape delay.

    The first time Jimmy ever used a Marshall was around March 1969, but he didn’t start using them regularly until 1971. From around late 1971 it was basically all Marshalls, with an occasional Orange – at least live.

    It’s unfortunately uknown to which extent he used the Super Lead compared to the Super Bass, but it seems that on most occasions he would have both of them on stage. Sometimes he even had two Super Leads and one Super Bass. But on occasions where he only had one Marshall on stage, it would be impossible to tell whether it was a Super Bass or a Super Lead since they obviously look identical from the front.

    1969
  • Hiwatt Custom 100

    Jimmy Page’s Hiwatt Custom 100

    Page started using the Hiwatt Custom 100 amplifiers around mid-1969, on Led Zeppelin’s North American summer tour. In the start, he was using them exclusively, but around 1971 he added a Marshall 1959SLP to his rig and used it together with the Hiwatt. Around late 1971, the Hiwatt was gone and Jimmy stuck to the Marshall only.

    So, after the Vox, I looked around and everyone was using Marshall amps, so of course I wanted to do something different, so I got the Hiwatt, which had a foot-switch overdrive. Eventually I did go on to the Marshalls.

    Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page

    Jimmy Page playing through a pair of Hiwatt amps, circa 1970.
    Jimmy Page playing through a pair of Hiwatt amps, circa 1970.

    The amps that Jimmy used were custom versions of Hiwatt’s amps with a few modifications to give them more gain. Based on the schematic posted by Hiwatt, the amp is largely the same as the Hiwatt DR103 with the addition of a choke.

    1969
  • Orange OR200

    Jimmy Page’s Orange OR200 Amplifier

    Jimmy Page signed an endorsement deal with Orange amp sometime in 1971, and the two announced in August of that year that Page would use them on the upcoming Led Zeppelin tour.

    Jimmy Page used one of the OR200 amplifiers from August 1971 through the 1973 US Tour primarily for the Sonic Wave Theremin. His main guitar amp at that time was a Marshall Super Lead/Super Bass.

    Jimmy Page with his Orang OR200 amp at Madison Square Garden, 1973.
    Jimmy Page with his Orang OR200 amp at Madison Square Garden, 1973.

    Apparently, one of Jimmy’s original Orange OR200, serial number OR264, was auctioned off through eBay in 2019, but we haven’t been able to find any more information on this.

    1971

Jimmy Page's Effects

  • Roger Mayer/Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone

    Jimmy Page’s Roger Mayer/Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone

    Jimmy Page used FZ-1 fuzz in the years when he worked as a session musician, from 1964 to 1966. Apparently, his pedal was built by Roger Mayer and was only loosely based on the actual FZ-1 made by Gibson.

    I suppose really it was Jimmy Page. He and Big Jim Sullivan in the early years. In fact, one of the fuzzboxes I designed and made in 1964 was on a number one hit record – the first recorded in England. Big Jim Sullivan played it on “Hold Me” by P.J. Proby.

    The one I originally built for Page was loosely based on the Gibson Maestro (Fuzz-Tone).

    Roger Mayer – Straight-shooting Effects Builder to the Stars

    In a different interview from 2012, when asked whether Jimmy gave his FZ-1 for modification, Mayer confirmed that he’d never ever seen a Maestro FZ-1 pedal at that point.

    No, I never saw a Gibson Maestro first of all. I’ve never had one in my hands, in fact, to date; I’ve never had one in my hand [laughs]. We listened to the sound of it you see, on the early Ventures records. I think they had a record out called “The 2,000 Pound Bee” and it seemed like an interesting sound. The problem with the early Maestro fuzz tones were I guess quite percussive in nature; they didn’t have a lot of sustain.

    So I built, when I was working with the Admiralty, a version of a germanium fuzz box loosely based on the Maestro. It gave more sustain and it had a richer sound. That became quite popular amongst the session players around London

    Roger Mayer – source needed

    1964
  • Sola Sound Tonebender MK II

    Jimmy Page’s Sola Sound Tonebender MK II

    Jimmy Page started using the Sola Sound Tonebender MK II from the point he switched from playing bass to the guitar in the Yardbirds in August 1966. He continued using the pedal with the Led Zeppelin until June 1969. Then for a brief period of time, he used a Rotosound Tonebender MKIII, and then eventually decided to go straight into his amp.

    It’s called a Tone Bender. I had somebody custom make it for me and I get 75% of my sound with it. It’s very similar to a fuzzbox, but I can sustain notes for several minutes if I want to. It just has an on and off switch and it also has a fuzzy sound.

    It’s not manufactured at all. A friend of mine made it by hand for me (Gary Hurst).

    Jimmy Page – December 1968 issue of the Hit Parader

    1966
  • Vox Grey Wah

    Jimmy Page’s Vox Grey Wah

    Jimmy Page used a Vox Grey Wah with the Yardbirds and in the early days of Led Zeppelin, ending with the July 1970 Germany tour.

    This means that this was the wah pedal that Jimmy used on songs such as “Dazed and Confused”, “Whole Lotta Love” solo, and “Communication Breakdown”.

    The first album was done totally with a Vox Super Beatle, so with just that and a Telecaster, a wah-wah, and a boost pedal, you can create a great variety of sounds. I used a depressed wah pedal on the solo. I did the same thing on “Communication Breakdown.” It gets you a really raucous sound that just slices through everything.

    Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page

    Jimmy Page using a Vox Grey Wah pedal on stage in 1969.
    Jimmy Page using a Vox Grey Wah pedal on stage in 1969.
    1966
  • Vox "Long Tom" Echo Deluxe

    Jimmy Page’s Vox “Long Tom” Echo Deluxe

    Jimmy Page started using a Vox Deluxe Echo tape delay around April 1969 and continued using it until the end of the 1970 US Tour when he replaced it with a Maestro Echoplex EP-2.

    Jimmy used the “Long Tom” version of the Echo Deluxe, popularized by Hank Marvin of the “Shadows”. The unit worked basically by recording the original signal on a tape and playing it back with a slight delay, with the option of increasing or reducing the volume and the delay time with the knobs seen at the front of the unit.

    Jimmy Page with a Vox “Long Tom” Deluxe Echo in the studio.
    1969
  • Rotosound Tonebender MK III

    Jimmy Page’s Rotosound Tonebender MK III

    Jimmy Page used a Rotosound Tonebender MK III briefly in June 1969. The Rotosound Tonebender MK III was seen at Tous En Scene on June 19, 1969, and was heard on BBC radio appearances (June 16, 24, 27, 1969).

    Rotosound Tonebender MK III pedal seen on stage on June 19, 1969 in Paris, France.
    Rotosound Tonebender MK III pedal seen on stage on June 19, 1969 in Paris, France.
    1969
  • Maestro Echoplex EP-2

    Jimmy Page’s Maestro Echoplex EP-2

    Jimmy Page replaced the Vox CO2 Deluxe Echo “Long Tom” with the Maestro Echoplex EP-2 in early 1970. It was seen at the Royal Albert Hall gig on January 9, 1970, and other performances on stage until it was replaced by the Maestro Echoplex EP-3 in early 1972.

    Jimmy Page using an Echoplex EP-2 tape delay on stage, March 1971/
    Jimmy Page using an Echoplex EP-2 tape delay on stage, March 1971/
    1970
  • Vox King Wah

    Jimmy Page’s Vox King Wah

    This pedal seemed to have directly replaced the Vox Grey Wah that Jimmy Page was using up until mid-1970. Based on the photo available, it seems that Jimmy used it up until around early 1972 when it was replaced with a Cry Baby Wah.

    The Vox King Wah pedal was designed by the Thomas Organ Company, in Sepulveda, California, and was manufactured in Italy.

    1970
  • Thomas Organ Cry Baby Wah

    Jimmy Page’s Thomas Organ Cry Baby Wah

    This has been Jimmy Page’s main Wah pedal since around late 1971/early 1972. It directly replaced the Vox King Wah that Jimmy has been using prior to this. Jimmy’s pedal was completely black, with the “Cry Baby” logo screen printed on the front.

    According to the Vox Showroom website, the Cry Baby pedal was first produced in 1967, and was basically a copy of the Vox V846 Wah-Wah, aside from a chrome-plated rocker pedal. In more recent years, the Cry Baby Wah are produced under the Dunlop brand, since Dunlop bought the rights to the name around 1982 when Thomas Organ went under.

    1971
  • Maestro Echoplex EP-3

    Jimmy Page’s Maestro Echoplex EP-3

    Jimmy Page started using the Maestro Echoplex EP-3 in June 1972, on Led Zeppelin’s 1972 US Tour. Before this, he used the EP-2 model, but once he switched to the EP-3, he continued using it until the end of Led Zeppelin, and later on in the 90s on the Page/Plant tours.

    Usually, in the early days, he would have two units on stage, one for his Sonic Wave Theremin, and the other for the guitar.

    Jimmy Page at Madison Square Garden 1973 (The Song Remains the Same) with a Maestro Echoplex EP-3 delay sitting on his Marshall amps.
    Jimmy Page at Madison Square Garden 1973 (The Song Remains the Same) with a Maestro Echoplex EP-3 delay sitting on his Marshall amps.

    4
    1972

Jimmy Page's Strings

  • Ernie Ball Super Slinky Guitar Strings

    Jimmy Page’s Ernie Ball Super Slinky Guitar Strings

    According to an interview with Steven Rosen from 1977, at that time Jimmy Page used Ernie Ball Super Slinky guitar strings (see Led Zeppelin interview with Steve Rosen (Chicago, 1977)).

    It’s hard to find any information on whether the Super Slinky set differed in any way from the same set sold today. The lack of information perhaps suggests that there isn’t – so in case that’s the case, the gauges that Jimmy Page used were as follows –

    • e – .09
    • B – .11
    • G – .16
    • D – .24
    • A – .32
    • E – .42

    1977

Jimmy Page's Accessories

This gear list is a result of years of research and constant updates. It's a hobby project with the goal to eventually have the most complete and thorough gear list on the web - but that is only achievable with your help!

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