Though you'll find a lot of _great_ sites about LZ (some
of them are below ), mine is just my humble tribute to the
music and the guys behind. I've added my personal selection
of web references.
I'm trying to get as much information as possible about
all kind of guitars, amps, gimmicks Jimmy may have used
either in the studio or on-stage. If you have any information,
please contact me (I'll give due credits !).
A few questions I had myself not so
long ago, and links about trading & bootlegs :
Jimmy's Guitars, Amps, Gimmicks
The information below has been compiled from a bunch of interviews
: Guitar World Jan. 91, Nov. 91 (reprint
of Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press 1977), and a couple of others.
Altair Tube Limiter
Jimmy started using this device to record acoustic
guitars on LZ III (Friends), he first heard it on the album
'Six String, Twelve String' by Dick Rosemenie (Vanguard,
impossible to find ?).
Axis
The (obscure) British amp used on SIBLY
Danelectro Sixties
Usually used in modal tuning DADGAD (WS / BMS,
Kashmir). Features concentric volume/tone controls and a
Quan Badass bridge.
Epiphone
Bass ES
Used when Jimmy played bass for the Yardbirds
after Paul Samwell-Smith left
Fender
Bassman and Dual Showman
Amps used in the early years both in the studio
and on-stage
Stratocaster 1960-5, Metallic Blue
Used throughout the album Presence.
Stratocaster Lake Placid Blue
Mainly used during post Zep years
Telecaster 1958 Model
Used during the late Yardbirds and the early Zep
(LZ I recorded almost exclusively with this model for electric
parts, he used it on stage also).
Telecaster 1966 Model
Jimmy had also a 1966 model equipped with a Stringbender.
Gibson
EDS1275 6/12 Double Neck
Made especially for Jimmy by the Gibson Custom
Shop for plating STH on-stage, serial number 911117. Features
an A/B selector switch in the upper corner of the pickguard,
that allows for inclusion of one or both guitars in the
circuit. Jimmy often used to leave both guitars active for
sympathetic resonance. Master volume and tone control for
each neck, but only one pickup selector for both.
J-200
Mainly used on LZ I (BMS, BIGLY)
Les Paul Custom Black Beauty
Equipped with a Bigsby vibrato, Jimmy used it
a lot during the session days (especially with Them, Kinks,
Who). Got lost/stolen by TWA somewhere between Boston, MA
and Toronto in 1972.
Used for recording WLL
Les Paul Standard '58
Flamed Top, no serial number at the rear of the
headstock, changes have been made. The back pickup cover
is of chrome instead of nickel and it has gold Grover tuning
heads and a white selector cap.
Les Paul Standard '59
Gift from Joe Walsh, serial number 91703. Head
modified to look like a '58 model head. A pair of spring
loaded buttons have been attached beneath the lower edge
of the scratchplate. One for choosing between pickups in
series or parallel, the other allow the choice of ordinary
or phased sounds. Regular potentiometers replaced scrapped
in favor of two pairs of push/pulls allowing coil-tapping
on either pickup and the option of employing all four coils
in parallel. Modifications made by Jimmy's recording studio
maintenance techy Steve Hoyland.
Gizmotron
The gizmotron was an hexaphonic mechanical string
bowing device invented by Lol Creme and Kevin Godley of
10CC, it never took off and was some kinda financial disaster),
it has been described by Jimmy as a 'hurdy-gurdy type of
thing'. It existed in two versions : 4 or 6 strings (bass
or guitar). The Gizmotron works by having a rubber wheel
for each string and a key for each wheel, such that pressing
down on the key engages the wheel with a rotating shaft
and the guitar string. The shaft rotates the wheel which
then excites the string.
"To try and explain, it is a unit which you
fix to the bridge and body of the guitar - causing quite
a substantial amount of damage I might add!!! - It basically
consists of a small motor which revolves a smooth cylindrical
bar sealed in the casing of the unit. On top of this there
are a series of buttons connected to little plastic wheels
that have serrated edges; when pressed, one side of the
wheel is turned by the revolving cylinder and the other
serrated side rubs against the string, creating, if punctuated
the way I have on this track, the said effect. You can
either play chords or single notes." Marty Willson-Piper
The more popular E-Bow is a similar device, but limited
to only one string at a time, the strings adjacent to
the one being excited are damped by the E-Bow mechanism,
and it's difficult to switch from one string to another.
Jimmy may have used it on Carouselambra and In The Evening
to produce the drone sound (ITL also ?)
Note : Thanks to John McIntyre for his help.
Grazioso
Fender copy, probably the first guitar Jimmy ever
played at 13
Might be related to Jimmy's symbol (ZoSo) ???
Gretsch
Chet Atkins Signature Model (orange)
Hollow-body, one of the first guitar Jimmy played
(after the Grazioso)
Harmony
Acoustic guitar used on first three albums along
with the Gibson J-200.
Used on Friends.
Maestro Echoplex
Tape delay heavily used both on-stage and in the
studio
Marshall
Jimmy used a lot of Marshall 100-watters (most
of them modified) both in the studio and on-stage.
Martin
D28
Jimmy got this one after LZ III recording (he
was using the Gibson J-200 and the Harmony up until then)
MXR Phase 90
Phasing unit, can be heard on TWS, ALS
New Vista
Unit used by Jimmy for working out demos and a
lot of overdubs
Octave Doubler
Hand-made unit by Roger Mayer (also responsible
for Jimi Hendrix customised units), used on D&C
Rickenbacker
Transonic Amps
Supro
The Supro Amp was made in the 50's. This Amp has
a wonderful tube sound that just can't be replaced by transistors.
It has 4 inputs. A killer reverb (for blues) and rich distortion
when pushed. If you canfind one, buy it, they are _very_
rare... Jimmy once told that after an interview where he
told he used this type of amp, he was no longer able to
buy one !
Jimmy used in throughout Led Zeppelin I.
Theremin Instrument
Invented in 1919 by Leon Theremin (1896-1993),
this unique instrument is still popular today in experimental
music circles. The Theremin is played by waving one's hands
near two metal antennas: one for pitch and the other for
volume. The antennas vary the frequency of two oscillators.
To create the sound, a fixed oscillator is mixed with the
variable pitch oscillator and their difference (or beat
frequency) is amplified.
Jimmy used it a lot both in the studio (WLL) and on-stage.
There are a lot of different Theremin, check out The
Theremin Instrument Page by Jason B. Barile.
Grazzioso: Spanish guitar Page owned when he was 14.
Fender Stratocaster: Used when he was with Neil Christian
and the Crusaders
Gibson "Black Beauty" Les Paul Custom: Used extensivley
when he was with the Yardbirds. It was custom wired
with a Bigsby 06130 tremelo arm. It was stolen while
they were travelling to Canada. Page issued an ad offering
a reward for it in The Rolling Stone. Page never
got the guitar back.
Vox 12 String: Used with the Yardbirds.
Gibson Les Paul 1958 Standard Model: Used on the second
and third Led Zeppelin albums and in roughly 80% of
the live preformances.
"The matching two-piece maplewood used for the body
top is the same that is used for top class violins.
The body back and neck is one piece of mahogany, and
the fingerboard is of rosewood."
-Super Rock Guitarist Vol. 2: Jimmy Page copyright
1989 Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
Fender Telecaster 1966: Used by Page on Led Zeppelin's
European tour in 1980 and with The Firm and also with
Roy Harper at the Cambridge Folk Festival in '84.
Gibson Les Paul 1959: This guitar was a gift to Jimmy
from Joe Walsh. It includes a modified coil splitting
switch and an in/out switch located underneath the switchplate.
Gibson Sevenites Les Paul: This guitar was reworked
by Clarence White and fitted with a Parsons/White B-String
bender.
Gibson EDS-1275: This particular guitar is a six/twelve
string double neck which are both fitted with two humbucking
pickups and Les Paul system control assemblies. The
six string is the SG type, and becasue it doesn't match
the quality of the '58 Standard, it's a rather redundant
studio guitar, but it can be heard in the basic track
on "Carouselambra" on "In Through the Out Door".
Dan Electro: Used for live preformances of White
Summer/Black Mountain Side and in later preformances
of Kashmir using modal tunings.
Fender Sixties Stratocastor: This guitar ws fist used
on Presence:
Hots On For Nowhere. Also used on the live versions
of In The Evening 1979/80. It then went on to be a popular
Page guitar in The Firm days.
Fender Telecaster '59: Botswana brown model with a
Rosewood neck and firred with the Parsons/White B-String
bender; first appeared on stage with Zeppelin in '77.
On the final tour in 1980, Page used it for Hot Dog
and All My Love.
Rickenbacker: This twelve string model was used from
'69-'72.
Martin D28 Acoustic: This accoustic was played in
the studio, along with the occasional Gibson.
Yamaha: This acoustic was a prize given to Page from
Golden Lion Roadies Charity in December 1981.
Gretsch Chet Atkins Hollowbody: A prize in a 1974
guitar competition in NME.
Gibson RD Artist: Used at Knebworth for Misty Mountain
Hop.
Fender Stratocaster: A late fifties model used in
'74 at a jam with Bad Company in New York.
Gibson SG: Taken for later tours but hardly used.
It was used at the Half Moon in Plumpton in a jam.
Vega Banjo: This five string banjo was used on Gallow's
Pole.
Gibson ES5 Switchmaster: Featured in the poplular
photo of Zeppelin at Manticore studios in 1977.
Gibson ES5: Similar to the model used on DeathWish
2.
Cormwell Cello Guitar:
Gibson Everyly Brothers Acoustic: This guitar was
given to Page by Ron wood.
Roland GR 300 Guitar Synthesizer: 'This hasn't been
featured much in recordings. An example would be "Fool
In The Rain" from "In Through The
Out Door" where he uses it simply to provide an
effective bass unison octave doubling for the lead guitar
at certain key points.'
-Super Rock Guitarist Vol. 2: Jimmy Page copyright
1989 Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
Gibson A4 Mandolin: I'm not quite sure, but I think
this can be heard on The Battle of Evermore from
their Untitled album.
Gibson Twenties Harp Guitar:
KET Custom: Can be seen on the video Wasting My
Time on Jimmy Page's Outrider.
Melobar American Guitar
Fender Precision Bass: Used only in the studio.
Alembric Omega Bass: Another studio only bass guitar.
Marshall: 'Jimmy had his 100W amp upgraded to 200W.
He plays usually at volume "3". On stage his system
is always 100% Marshall, so that includes "The Song
Remains The Same". The Marshall sound co uld be said
to be a little rough, but it is more than able to deliver
the goods when it comes to overdrive.'
-Super Rock Guitarist Vol. 2: Jimmy Page copyright
1989 Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
Fender: As with all his amps, Jimmy used only valve
amps.
Vox AC-30: This was a rehearsal only amp.
Harmony:
Supro Amp: This was only used for recording.
Orange 4x12 Cabinates: Jimmy may have used Orange
amps on stage.
- Thanks to Valhalla
Leslie: Page most likely uses a Leslie speaker on
Good Times Bad Times (Led Zeppelin) and Black
Dog Untitled.
'Leslie speakers first appeared in compact units together
with the Hammond organ keyboard and were designed to
reproduce the sound of a pipe organ, the revolving speaker
sound havinga subtle undulating uance to it. Later attempts
to reproduce this sound in a still more compact fashion
led to the development of various phasers, flangers,
and chorus machines in addition to the use of tremolo
and vibrato.'
-Super Rock Guitarist Vol. 2: Jimmy Page copyright
1989 Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
Fuzz: All of Jimmy's fuzz boxes were hand-made by
Roger Mayer, the engineer who provided sound effects
and back-up for Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck.
Vox Cry-Baby: This wow-wow is quite heavy and can
be heard on How Many More Times (Led Zeppelin)
and Living Loving Maid (she's a woman) (Led Zeppelin
II).
Maestor Echoplex: Jimmy's exclusive on stage echo
machine.
Eventide H949 Clockwork Harmonizer :
Boss SD 1 Distortion :
Boss CE 2 Chorus :
Thermin Unit: This can be heard Whole Lotta Love
(Led Zeppelin II) and No Quarter (Houses Of The
Holy).
MXR Phase 90: This tremolo-like waving sound which
you hear on The Wanton Song (Physical Graffiti)
and Achilles' Last Stand (Presence).
1969 Ludwig Classic series drumset: This kit was used
from 1969 through to 1971. It consits of:
14 x 26 bass drum
12 x 15 rack tom
16 x 16 floor tom
16 x 18 floor tom
6 1/2 x 14 Supraphonic 400 snare drum
Occasionally Bonham used two bass drums instead of
one. He also changed to Ludwig Vistalite series for
a while (as seen in The Song Remains the Same) and
ended up playing a Ludwig stainless steel kit.
Cymbal Setup: His symbol setup remaind constant throughout
his career. It consits of:
Paiste 2002 cymbals-
24" Ride
15" Sound-edge Hi-hats
16" and 18" Medium crashes
18" ride
38" Symphonic Gong
Barcus Berry Pickups: These were taped to the drumheads.
Drum Heads:
Remo Black Dots
Ludwig Silver Dots
Ludwig 2A size drumsticks:
Stage Monitor System:
Mavis 15x6 inch paramatic desk
Crown power amps
Showco Cabinets (X2)
Showco F horn bass bins (X2
