When you think of Jimmy Page on stage with Led Zeppelin, there\u2019s one image that likely comes to mind: a sunburst Gibson Les Paul slung low, unleashing seismic riffs that defined a generation. While Page wielded several legendary guitars during Zeppelin\u2019s reign, none became as iconic\u2014or as closely associated with his sound\u2014as his beloved Les Paul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before settling into that signature instrument, Page explored a variety of guitars to craft the band\u2019s groundbreaking sound. Early Zeppelin recordings like \u201cGood Times Bad Times\u201d and \u201cDazed and Confused\u201d were laid down using a Fender Telecaster. For alternate tunings and tracks like \u201cKashmir,\u201d Page often reached for his Danelectro. The double-necked Gibson EDS-1275 helped him replicate multi-layered studio parts in live performances, especially on \u201cStairway to Heaven\u201d and \u201cThe Rain Song.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But everything changed in 1969 when Page crossed paths with a young American guitarist named Joe Walsh. At the time, Walsh was just starting out with his band The James Gang and had released their debut record Yer\u2019 Album. Despite his relatively unknown status, Walsh and Page struck up a friendship when The James Gang opened for Led Zeppelin during their first American tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Walsh, Page was feeling increasingly dissatisfied with his Telecaster. \u201cHe said, \u2018This Telecaster ain\u2019t cutting it for Led Zeppelin. And I don\u2019t know what to do,\u2019\u201d Walsh recalled on the Wrong Notes podcast. Les Pauls weren\u2019t common in England yet, and Walsh saw an opportunity to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow, Les Pauls virtually didn\u2019t exist in England at the time,\u201d he explained. \u201cThey didn\u2019t hit popularity yet, and they were pretty easy to find [in the U.S.] because they hadn\u2019t been discovered \u2013 and they didn\u2019t cost very much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Walsh offered Page a 1959 Gibson Les Paul for $500\u2014around $4,000 in today\u2019s money. It turned out to be a life-changing purchase. The sunburst \u201959 Les Paul wasn\u2019t a hit when first released, and fewer than 2,000 were made before Gibson pivoted. That limited run\u2014and the fact that it became the go-to weapon for a new wave of rock royalty\u2014made the model one of the most coveted guitars in history. Page\u2019s British contemporaries, including Keith Richards, Peter Green, and Jeff Beck, were all tapping into the Les Paul\u2019s potential at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Page, the Les Paul was a revelation. With its thick, warm tone and unmatched sustain, it immediately became the perfect match for the thunderous, blues-based direction Led Zeppelin was heading. Partnered with Marshall amps and a wall of volume\u2014a setup Page picked up with help from Eric Clapton\u2014the Les Paul became central to the band\u2019s sonic assault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Page first used the guitar while on the road, which coincided with the fragmented recording sessions for Led Zeppelin II. Songs like \u201cHeartbreaker,\u201d \u201cBring It On Home,\u201d and the anthemic \u201cWhole Lotta Love\u201d were all supercharged by the Les Paul\u2019s raw power. It wasn\u2019t just a studio workhorse either. The Les Paul became his go-to onstage guitar, earning the nickname \u2018Number One\u2019 and cementing itself as an essential piece of Led Zeppelin\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Zeppelin ascended to rock\u2019s highest peaks, countless images of Page show him brandishing that same Les Paul, coaxing out crushing riffs and transcendent solos. It may have been a humble $500 purchase from a young Joe Walsh\u2014but it became the sound of a legend in full flight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you think of Jimmy Page on stage with Led Zeppelin, there\u2019s one image that likely comes to…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-musician"],"yoast_head":"\n