Jimmy Page Les Paul Gibson #2

As any Led Zeppelin fanatic knows, Jimmy Page had two main guitars, which are commonly known as Les Paul #1 and Les Paul #2, each bearing particular specs. Well...at last month's NAMM, Gibson announced thier version of the Jimmy Page #2. Coming soon...

Jimmy Page's #2 Les Paul Gibson is quite mysterious in a way, as most people are not too familiar with it - as the name suggests, it's not the Les Paul Page played most of the time. His #1 Les Paul was a 1958 model, and the #2 a 1959 one.

For the 1975 tour Jimmy Page aquired the #2 as the main backup guitar - some bootleg videos show Jimmy & his roadie doing the quick change bit, and some show that he played the same song on one guitar one night, but on the other the next (because of string breaks). It was also, as stated above, used for Kashmir, in DADGAD tuning.

Page's #1 and #2 Gibson Les Pauls. Click to enlarge

From 1977 on the Danelectro DC 59 was used for Kashmir, and the #2 became just a backup - again as stated above there are very few photos of it in use from this tour, so he seems to have still favoured #1 heavily.

On both these tours #2 is easily distinguished as during those years it had an exposed bridge pickup. (Prior to late 1972 #1 had its bridge pickup exposed, then a cover went back on it).

On the 1980 tour it is honestly anybody's guess, because there just aren't enough good quality photos to id them.

By 1982 both #1 & #2 had both pickup covers on, so during The Firm years it needs a good photo to tell tham apart. Still - around this time is when Page (probably) had #2 modified with the fancy switching options, so there is now a distinct reason for him to choose that guitar over #1 for particular sounds.

By the 1990s (Page & Plant, Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes) #2 still has both covers on, while #1 has the exposed bridge pickup. Photos & video of Page throughout these periods show that he still uses #1 for the bulk of his standard tuning playing, but does swap to #2 for some songs, and not just when he breaks a string (similarly he has some songs that he chooses to play on the cherry b-bender LP).

Studio:

As usual, it's hard to know the details of most recordings Jimmy Page have been involved with. He has never been too happy to reveal his secrets - he keeps his black arts to himself. But in one of his songs, Take Me For A Little While by the Coverdale/  Page project - he definitely used the Les Paul #2: in a Guitar World interview he revealed what gear he'd used to record the album, and said that that song's solo was played on  Les Paul #2, both pickups on, out of phase, because he just couldn't get a suitable sound from his other guitars.

NAMM 2009:

At NAMM 2009, Gibson teased Les Paul/ Jimmy Page fans with the announcement of a Jimmy Page Les Paul #2. Gibson didn't reveal any details whatsoever, and only displayed one prototype, protected by glass and turned on it's back, next to a display of Jimmy Page Led Zeppelin photos. No details of prices, specs or even when it'll be finally available.

Given the success of last year's Gibson Jimmy Page Signature Black Beauty Les Paul, it's no surprise that Gibson will be releasing another Jimmy Page model...hopefully not as expensive! This latest release just confirms Jimmy Page's popularity as possibly the most influential Les Paul player ever.