Jimmy Page's Les Paul Custom: which songs?

[jeanjeudi]

Forgive me if this thread exists somewhere, but does anyone have a comprehensive list of which songs Jimmy's LPC was used on? I'm guessing Bring It On Home, for one, because of the RAH show footage from 1970. I've heard possibly Whole Lotta Love, as well. Anyone have any info on this?

Was it stolen before they started Led Zep III?

And when did he get the '59 Burst from Joe Walsh? I always thought it was probably in his hands by the recording of II...

 

[sk8rat]

here are 230 pages of jimmy page guitar info . Im pretty certain this has been covered on the led zeppelin forum many times. try googling it. its all pretty easy to find, I just dont know it all of the top of my head.
http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/vintage-les-pauls/22836-jimmy-page-history-his-guitars-230.html

here you go,
http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?/topic/22980-jimmy-page-les-paul-questions/

 

[jeanjeudi]

Thanks! I've googled trying to find which songs the BB was used on, but I haven't found much, other than possibly Whole Lotta Love...

 

[jay1williams]

i thought he used a tele (at least in the studio)

 

[DADGAD]

I think he had the BB from his session days and I think it may have been used on the album but I don't remember where I read it. I may have to read Light and Shade again to see if it's in there.

 

[jeanjeudi]

Yeah, I know the Tele is all over the first album, but I think the LPC must be on some things. And Eddie Kramer says that it was used on Whole Lotta Love for II. Whenever I listen to II I always wonder which songs have the burst and which have the LPC...

 

[DADGAD]

Did the custom have the extra switches added to the toggle area by LZ2?

 

[sk8rat]

here's another little chunk for you. Ill post more as I find it.

It’s hard for people to believe, but I just used my Fender Telecaster for the entire album, except for one track. Somebody was trying to sell me a Gibson Flying V at the time.

the track he used the flying v on was "you shook me".

 

[sk8rat]

Did the custom have the extra switches added to the toggle area by LZ2?

no, led zeppelin II came out October 22, 1969. jimmy page plays his black beauty at royal albert hall on january 9th 1970 and it can be see with only one switch.

when talking about whole lotta love, he refers to the guitar he used as "my les paul" leading me to believe he is refering to the '59 and not the black beauty.

The Theremin generates most of higher pitches and my Les Paul makes the lower sounds.

the black beauty was stolen in april of 1970. led zeppelin III came out on october 5th 1970.

 

[jeanjeudi]

I found this recently, so it's hard to tell:

As far as studio use goes during Led Zeppelin, there has been some talk about it being used on the second album. Page himself has said #1 was the main guitar for II, however in one interview he's taken as saying the Black Beauty was used for Whole Lotta Love, you can't really tell what he meant though.

Guitar World January 1991: "Which guitar did you use on Whole Lotta Love?
Page: The Les Paul. I had been using a Black Beauty, which got nicked (stolen) in the States. It disappeared in airports, somewhere between Boston and Montreal. A lot of my studio work had been done with that guitar. I didn't want to take it out of the house. Funny that once I did take it out, it got nicked!

The two known dates for Whole Lotta Love sessions is early May at Mirror Sound in LA which would have been during the second American tour and Olympic Studios in June '69 which is what the album notes say. He didn't take the Custom on the 2nd American tour, so that would seem to rule out anything done in April/May '69 since they were in the US. As far as June goes, it's certainly more plausible as they were home. There's a studio picture from Olympic in June '69 though showing #1 in view, the Custom could have been lurking around, hard to say. Interestingly enough, recording engineer Eddie Kramer once claimed the Black Beauty was used for LZII as well.


Some interesting info and pics on this page:
http://wholelottaled.webs.com/guitars.htm

 

[DADGAD]

What I find amazing is that with his #1, he was able to get an amazing array of recorded tones. One set of PAF's and the "work with whatcha got" studio mindset. The BB would have added an added palette of sounds.

 

[MCAN]

I find it a bit difficult to believe that Page would have never used his beloved LPC on a Zep record before it was stolen.
But at the same time, he could have been so in love with his new LP (#1) that he didn't want to break out the LPC for LZII. He was in his honeymoon phase with #1 and kind of forgot about the LPC. I'm sure if it wasn't stolen, the LPC would have made several appearances on record.

 

[JJ Blair]

I'd bet anything it's the BB on Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man."

 

[Flogger59]

I'd bet anything it's the BB on Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man."

I<ll take that anything.
Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan Songfacts

Over the years Donovan has mentioned various people as playing on this track. It is now understood to be as follows according to John Paul Jones (who did play bass and book the session players) as:
Donovan on Acoustic Guitar, Tambura and vocals
Alan Parker on Electric Guitar
John Paul Jones on Bass and Musical Director
Clem Cattini on Drums

John Bonham, Allan Holdsworth and Jimmy Page were not involved with this song, Jeff Beck according to Page did play on one version which was wiped. Jimmy Page has said, "I know it's rumored that I played on that, but I didn't - and the most bizarre part about this whole story I heard about this story actually when I was in USA, it was about the time we were talking about the deal with Led Zeppelin. We were at Miami with Jerry Wexler. And I heard about the story by there and then, across from England, and on the shores over here. And what the story was - and it's very true. That they had Jeff Beck go in, and Jeff Beck played on it, and the producer decided to wipe the track. And Donovan had asked for me to do it, but of course I wasn't there. And they had a guitarist, he basically filled, you know. He went into the session - and I wouldn't say filled my shoes - but he went in the door, and his name was Alan Parker. I mean, none of you even know of him. It's not the film producer. But anyway, he's the guy who played the guitar solo, so you know, as you say, some people might have thought Beck did it, or me, but it was neither of us. But I think it was tragic that Beck got wiped off. That was absolutely crazy. They just decided that they didn't like what he did. And I mean, perish the thought, you know."

 

[JJ Blair]

LOL. Whoops!

 

[Flogger59]

Need my shipping info^

 

[Axeman16]

perhaps he uses the custom on joe cockers a little help from my friends. its a pretty fat beefy tone i cant see being the tele

 

[MCAN]

perhaps he uses the custom on joe cockers a little help from my friends. its a pretty fat beefy tone i cant see being the tele

AFAIK Page didn't have the Tele when he was a session man. He got it from Beck when he joined the Yardbirds.

During his session days, Page's electrics were his LPC and his Dano.

 

[homenote]

no, led zeppelin II came out October 22, 1969. jimmy page plays his black beauty at royal albert hall on january 9th 1970 and it can be see with only one switch.

when talking about whole lotta love, he refers to the guitar he used as "my les paul" leading me to believe he is refering to the '59 and not the black beauty.



the black beauty was stolen in april of 1970. led zeppelin III came out on october 5th 1970.

Dude, i was 2 months old? ?