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Famous Guitar solo from Zepp's song "Heartbreaker" used which guitar?
Posted on 5/19/16 at 9:45 am
Posted on 5/19/16 at 9:45 am
Which of Jimmy Page's guitars did he use for the main guitar solo in the song Heartbreaker on Led Zeppelin II ?
I'm not sure that we fans ever gotten a definitive answer.
Thanks.
I'm not sure that we fans ever gotten a definitive answer.
Thanks.
1
Posted on 5/19/16 at 9:54 am to Champagne
It was almost certainly the 1959 Tele (he played almost the entire first album on it).
Now as far as the chain? I've heard things like a Vox Tonebender, into a Rickenbacker Transonic amp and all that.
But, I'd bet money that, with few exceptions, most of those first 3 (and even into IV) had some or all of the electric parts on that 1959 Tele.
ETA: The "Dragon" tele that was a gift from Jeff Beck. Later destroyed by friend(accidentally) who revised the paint job before giving it back to Page. The guitar that was used on the Stairway solo on the album. He used the tele a lot on the records, even after he was being paid to play the Les Pauls through Plexis for live shows.
Now as far as the chain? I've heard things like a Vox Tonebender, into a Rickenbacker Transonic amp and all that.
But, I'd bet money that, with few exceptions, most of those first 3 (and even into IV) had some or all of the electric parts on that 1959 Tele.
ETA: The "Dragon" tele that was a gift from Jeff Beck. Later destroyed by friend(accidentally) who revised the paint job before giving it back to Page. The guitar that was used on the Stairway solo on the album. He used the tele a lot on the records, even after he was being paid to play the Les Pauls through Plexis for live shows.
This post was edited on 5/19/16 at 10:15 am
Posted on 5/19/16 at 10:09 am to Ace Midnight
That's in line with my own thinking.
However, I think that Page has given different answers at different times.
Heartbreaker's opening and main riff sounds like the bridge pickup of a Telecaster, not a PAF Humbucking pickup.
However, I think that Page has given different answers at different times.
Heartbreaker's opening and main riff sounds like the bridge pickup of a Telecaster, not a PAF Humbucking pickup.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 10:27 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
It was almost certainly the 1959 Tele (he played almost the entire first album on it).
100% agreePosted on 5/19/16 at 10:27 am to Champagne
If you have learned to play this solo and played it on a Tele and Gibson humbucker to compare, which guitar sounds most like the record?
Posted on 5/19/16 at 10:48 am to Champagne
Tele, no question in my mind (or my ears).
Posted on 5/19/16 at 11:09 am to TheFretShack
How much of the rest of LZ II is Page's Telecaster as opposed to his LP newly acquired from Joe Walsh?
This is where things might get murky because I'm not sure that Page himself is sure.
This is where things might get murky because I'm not sure that Page himself is sure.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 11:37 am to Champagne
quote:
How much of the rest of LZ II is Page's Telecaster as opposed to his LP newly acquired from Joe Walsh?
Now this is true. He layered guitars on many tracks, and I don't doubt he tried a lot of parts with both, one on each channel. I think he confessed to using something like 12+ guitars on Rain Song (from Houses of the Holy). The No. 1 '59 was used - probably far more than No. 2 or Black Beauty, both live and in the studio as applicable. But, I still think his core rig, at least through the completion of LZ III - was the Dragon Tele through a Supro, although obviously he experimented A LOT with various combinations to achieve various sounds. It went crazy after III, but you can hear a consistency throughout the tracks on those 3 albums that suggests it was the tele, with some exceptions and additions (after I of course).
This post was edited on 5/19/16 at 11:42 am
Posted on 5/19/16 at 11:48 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
It went crazy after III, but you can hear a consistency throughout the tracks on those 3 albums that suggests it was the tele, with some exceptions and additions (after I of course
I thought I read somewhere that Page used him 59 Les Paul and put the Tele away forever as the time line goes on. I'll have to listen for the Tele on LZ III because I didn't know he used it at all on that record.
One reads rock music articles on this stuff and I believe that such articles get things wrong sometimes.
I agree that lots of LZ II sounds like the bridge pickup of a Telecaster, so, I don't think that the rock music article written saying that LZ II was all 59 LP are accurate. I wonder if we'll ever know for sure. Page himself may not remember.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 11:54 am to Champagne
quote:
I thought I read somewhere that Page used him 59 Les Paul and put the Tele away forever as the time line goes on.
There are conflicting things on the tele, as well. At some point it was painted and rendered useless. I think he salvaged the neck for the B-bender tele (Botswana Brown) - although other reports have the dragon repainted as the Botswana Brown (but I think that makes less sense).
But, it was definitely the dragon tele on the solo for Stairway on IV - even if every other part on the record was on the Les Paul (which I don't think it was) - that much is certain.
I'm sure he played everything under the sun from IV on - including No. 1, No. 2 (Black Beauty was stolen in 1970 or 1971), plus several of his dozens of other guitars.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 12:21 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
it was definitely the dragon tele on the solo for Stairway on IV
Are we sure about this? I think Page has said different things and the rock "journalists" certainly can't be trusted.
You'd think we could clearly tell the difference between the PAF HBs and the 59 Tele bridge pup, but -- well maybe we really can't!
Posted on 5/19/16 at 12:40 pm to Champagne
quote:
Are we sure about this?
I am, but "we" aren't.
Page has said different things at different times and, you know, drugs and all that. I think he was earliest on record saying he pulled out the tele for the first time in a long time, and played the solo through the Supro.
Andy Johns - who is about the second most reliable source to Page himself has been fairly consistent that the solo was No. 1, and the outro was the dragon tele. Now - in my mind, I don't think that can be - unless there was way more processing back then than was normal - because to my terrible ear, that sounds like the same guitar throughout the song, other than the acoustic.
And compare that studio sound to a number of the high quality live versions (notably MSG) - clearly on Gibson doubleneck SG. Sounds fatter to me. So, he made the live sound fatter on a SG than a LP?
quote:
You'd think we could clearly tell the difference between the PAF HBs and the 59 Tele bridge pup, but -- well maybe we really can't!
Some days, I think so, too.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 12:45 pm to Champagne
quote:
Are we sure about this?
I'm listening to the song again. I've only heard it about 2500 times so far since ~1980.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 12:51 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
I'm listening to the song again.
If that solo is on a Les Paul, Page owned the brightest, single coiliest Les Paul in the history of the Gibson company.
ETA: And if Bonham wasn't the greatest drummer of all time, I'd like to know who was.
EFTA: The rhythm part between the solo and outro may very well have been a LP. Probably was.
This post was edited on 5/19/16 at 1:03 pm
Posted on 5/19/16 at 2:13 pm to Ace Midnight
Good thoughts. Is it the Tele bridge pup for the whole song Stairway to Heaven, in your opinion? Or just the solos?
Posted on 5/19/16 at 2:21 pm to Champagne
quote:
Is it the Tele bridge pup for the whole song Stairway to Heaven, in your opinion? Or just the solos?
I'm leaning more towards it being the LP on the rhythm part, but I think bridge pup on the Tele for the solo and outro. Just my poor ear, but if that isn't a single coil, I'm mesmerized at Page's genius to make it sound so. Particularly if you listen to IV beginning to end - opening with Black Dog and finishing with When the Levee Breaks - The book end songs are classic LP with about as bright a high as one can make such a fat, crunchy guitar - almost certainly No. 1 for those. And they just sound like different species of guitar than the solos in Stairway.
(ETA: I used to think he used the slide on an LP as well, maybe No. 2 for When the Levee Breaks, but more credible reports say it was a Danelectro, just for clarity.)
This post was edited on 5/19/16 at 2:30 pm
Posted on 5/19/16 at 2:30 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
I'm leaning more towards it being the LP on the rhythm part
And if true, this might explain the confusion both Page and Johns has about the sessions for the song.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 2:43 pm to Champagne
quote:
I agree that lots of LZ II sounds like the bridge pickup of a Telecaster, so, I don't think that the rock music article written saying that LZ II was all 59 LP are accurate. I wonder if we'll ever know for sure. Page himself may not remember.
And revisiting this point - I have no doubt that No. 1 was used for LZ II and afterwards - maybe for significant portions of it. But, just Heartbreaker as 1 example of the Tele hanging around, plus the highly credible claims (plus our ears) that the Tele was in Stairway somewhere - now, I think that was its Swan Song (pardon the pun) as a recording instrument - Page had gone heavily to humbuckers at that point.
I just love the history of these guitars - Dragon Tele originally a gift from Jeff Beck. He bought No. 1 from Joe Walsh. Black Beauty stolen and shows back up 40 years later.
Wild times...
Posted on 5/19/16 at 3:20 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
I'm leaning more towards it being the LP on the rhythm part, but I think bridge pup on the Tele for the solo and outro.
Spot on. His wikipedia page says that for the solo he used the '59 Tele.
Posted on 5/19/16 at 6:17 pm to MountainTiger
Bump for evening crowd.
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