Jimmy Page and song remains same tone!

[curtisjr330]

most people think jimmy page modded his amp's durring the led zeppelin day's..

this is not true.

jimmy page never modded his plexi's till 1988 he never used kt88 tubes until 1988 and after.

most people think oh his sound was so clean.and it was this is do to page keeping his volume on his amps around 3-5 he just miked them.
his amp's were stock el34 amp's durring the famed song remains the same film.if you look close he is only using 1 effect a cylde mccoy wha (vox) and just pure amp.most think page used a stack of effects durring zeppelin (he did in the studio) but live page only EVER used 3 effects a vox wha a mxr phase 90 and thermin(in the early 68-71 zep day's he used 2 a vox wha and a rodger mayer built fuzz) other then that it was all him and good ol pliexi his sound was clean because he did not have 100 effects clouding the true plexi tone!

when you start using effects alot of tone is lost between cords and other effects. and people need to rember in the song remains the same he was playing a full all out madison sq garde wich will also change tone because of the space hieght and many other factors. i know what people are saying about his tone and try this if im wrong dont listen anymore.AND IF IM RIGHT GIVE ME SOME CREDIT(AS IM STARTING A NEW GEAR REVIEW PAGE AND NEED THE SUPPORT! HOLY GRAIL GUITAR REVIWS)

PAGE USED A T-TOP PICKUP STOCK PAT STICKER EBAY HAS A FEW OF THESE(WICH ADDS ALOT OF MID RANGE AND TREBLE BITE AND A GOOD BIT OF TWANG AS THEY WERE LOWWER OUTPUT PICKUP'S AS PAGE HAD IN HIS LP AT THE TIME NO NO NO PAF'S WERE USED IN THE BRIDGE OF #1 AFTER 1972 IT WAS A STOCK 7.8K PAT. STICKER T-TOP NEVER REWOUND IT WAS BONE STOCK! ALSO TRY SUPER THIN STRINGS THIS ALSO ADDS TO THE TWANGY TONES FROM TSRTS ID RECOMEND GETTING THE PURE NICKLE WRAP SUPER SLINKS WITH YOU E STRING AT 8-9 GAUGE AND YOUSE THE ONES FROM STANDARD SUPER SLINKYS PACK AS THE S.STEAL HAS A GOOD HIGH END BITE WICH PAGE HAD. TRY THIS! YOU MIGHT GET LOUD AND SUPRISED! OH A GUITAR WITH A LONG NECK TENNON AND SUPERTHIN NECK WILL ALSO ADD TO THE SOUND (LEES WOOD ON NECK MEANS IT WILL VIBRATE ALOT MORE!

NO PUSH PULL POTS (AS PAGE DID NOT ADD HIS UNTIL 1990-1991) AND IF YOU NOTICED WHEN HE CHANGED FROM THE T-TOP AND ADDED THESE P-PULL POTS HIS TONED CHANGED SO SOSO MUH EVEN THROUGH THE SAME AMPS PAGE HAD 3 PLEXI'S ONLY 2 WHERE MODDE THE ONE STAYED STOCK.

A STOCK EL34 PLEXI 100 WATT (BUT A JTM 45 WILL COME REALLY CLOSE) WITH JUST A THOMAS ORGAN CRY BABY WHA HOOKED TO IT AT THE VOLUME AT 3-6 DEPENDING ON THE STAGE AND ACOUSTICS OF THE ROOM.

Presence 4-6.5
Bass 3-4.5
Middle 6-8.5
Treble 4-5.5
Volume (HIGH TREBLE) 3-7 * DEPENDING ON THE GIG AND WEHRE THEY WERE PLAYING (THIS ADDS MORE MID RANGE BITE AS WELL AS THE BRIGHT TREBLE TONES HE HAD DURING TO TSRTS TOUR I.E ALL OF 73-74- AND MOST FF 75)

DONT JUMP THE CHANNLES BC PAGE DID NOT JUMP HIS (HE HAD NEVER JUMPED 2 AND 3 CHANNLES TILL THE O2 ARENA GIG (AND THE TONE SHOWED IT.AND IT WAS BAD IT DID NOT HAVE THE PAGE TWANG AND TONE WE KNOW. THIS IS ALSO FROM THE MODS TO HIS GUITARS AS WELL SUCH AS SEYMORE DUNCAN PICKUP IN BRIDGE WICH SOME SAY IS NOW A MODDED BURST BUCKER 3)

IF I GET YOU CLOSE TO THE TONE YOUR LOOKING FOR AS A SAID GOTO FACE BOOK AND HELP US GET LOVE AND PUT US ON THE MAP HOLY GRAIL GUITAR REVIEWS)

IM TRYING TO GET GIBSON,PRS,FENDER,MARSHALL EVEN METRO AMPS TO JUMP ON AND LET US REVIWE THEIR GEAR BUT NON WILL LET US.

WE BACK OUR REVIEWS WITH PICS AND VIDS TO PROVE WHAT WE SAY IS 100% TRUE AND TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT THE ARE BUYING BEFORE THEY BUY! SOUND GOOD?

THIS HAS BEEN WRITTEN BY CURTIS ADKINS JR ( FEEL FREE TO LOOK ME UP ON FACEBOOK)AND THE HOLY GRAIL GEAR REVIEWS PAGE FIND US ON FACEBOOK.

[Oloorin]

Very nice review of Page's rig However you have forgotten about one very important effect - the Echoplex 3. Why is it so important? Because if you look at the EP3 schematic, you notice that it has a jfet transistor buffer on input. It gives about 20dB boost, and bit tone change (caused mainly by 22nF capacitors in jfet's source and gate). And even with Echoplex echo swiched off with it's footswitch, the jfet remains (the same ) in signal line working as a 20dB buffer. It is actually one of the most important Page tone's ingredients.
However, if you want to get that boost type, you don't need a real Echoplex. The same boosting cicruit has been packet into a wonderfull stompboxes from Clinch, named EP-Pre. Also you may bluid it by yourself, google for the schematic. Another similar booster may be a Xotic EP booster, however its tone differ, it has got more bottom. Personally love Clinch one, but if you cannot get/make it, Xotic should work fine too.
With greetings from Poland

[garbeaj]

The early Yardbirds and first album era Page fuzz was NOT made by Roger Mayer. It was a standard Solasound MKII Tonbender.

Page used the Vox Long Tom echo and the Binson Echorec echo units before settiling on the Maestro Echoplex units...

The push-pull pots were never added to the #1 sunburst. These were added to the #2 sunburst just prior to the first album from The Firm.

He also used various wah's through the years beginning with the grey "prototype" Vox wah-wah, and then moving to various chrome top Vox wah, inclusing the Vox "King" wah briefly. He also used Crybaby wahs beginning in the 1973 tour (the final shows of this tour were where The Song Remains The Same was filmed at Madison Square Garden)...

Oloorin is absolutely right about the Echoplex. It has been in Page's rig since the 1970 tours behind the third album.

Though you are focusing on the 1973 tones, he played through many amps including the custom Hiwatt models that you hear on the 1970 tours and especially in the January 1970 Royal Albert Hall shows.

Page used alot of gear at various times. Even in 1973 for The Song Remains The Same film he used three different Les Pauls and the famous double-neck. Lots of variety there...

[Oloorin]

Usually he also had an Orange or Matamp/Orange amplifier next to Marshalls on stage.

In fact you are wrong garbeaj, he mounted one push-pull pot in his #1 sunburst (however it was a post-zeppelin mod). It was located on bridge tone knob, reversing the phase of the neck humbucker (as Jimmy said on this video, also comenting his Grover tuners).

To be totally accurate with stuff used by Page, the was playing with a violin or viola bow (both are similar, viola's is only a bit longer, doesn't make big difference), not cello or double bass which are much more thicker and biger.

[garbeaj]

Usually he also had an Orange or Matamp/Orange amplifier next to Marshalls on stage.

In fact you are wrong garbeaj, he mounted one push-pull pot in his #1 sunburst (however it was a post-zeppelin mod). It was located on bridge tone knob, reversing the phase of the neck humbucker (as Jimmy said on this video, also comenting his Grover tuners).

To be totally accurate with stuff used by Page, the was playing with a violin or viola bow (both are similar, viola's is only a bit longer, doesn't make big difference), not cello or double bass which are much more thicker and biger.

The Orange amps were for the theremin only...you are right about #1. The mod was done on it during The Firm as well...

[somethin'else]

. . . Page . . . Here are a couple jump-off points for his gear.

WholeLottaLed, mentions the KT88 switch but the dates are only presumed.

Achilles Last Stand, more good stuff.

I'm not really sure the JTM45 will get you there, or even a JTM45/100, and I think the 02 was Oranges all the way. He just showed the Marshalls for Heritage's sake, and the Petersburgs just in case all hell broke loose.

Where the fuck is Page anyway? I wish he'd get new with something. I don't care if he does something with the Aborigines. Beck, VH, the other guys keep rockin'? Where the fuck is Page anyway? Paging Mr. Page. Mr. Page, you are needed at the planet Earth. Paging Mr. Page. Mr. Page, you are needed at the . . .

[SteadyEddie]

Where the fuck is Page anyway? I wish he'd get new with something. I don't care if he does something with the Aborigines. Beck, VH, the other guys keep rockin'? Where the fuck is Page anyway? Paging Mr. Page. Mr. Page, you are needed at the planet Earth. Paging Mr. Page. Mr. Page, you are needed at the . . .

I wish Page would get together with JPJ again. I really believe that JPJ was responsible for a lot of the great riffs that Page played. JPJ was a totally underrated and underappreciated member of the band. He was the musical glue that held it all together. From being half of the baddest-assed rock and roll rhythm section of all time (JPJ and Bonham were the HAMMER in the Hammer of the Gods, he could play his ass off, and still stay locked on to Bonham's kick drum like a watch) not to mention all of the extra instrumentation ... steel guitar, mandolin, keyboards of all kinds... the man is insanely talented. Forget Robert Plant...

[garbeaj]

Where the fuck is Page anyway? I wish he'd get new with something. I don't care if he does something with the Aborigines. Beck, VH, the other guys keep rockin'? Where the fuck is Page anyway? Paging Mr. Page. Mr. Page, you are needed at the planet Earth. Paging Mr. Page. Mr. Page, you are needed at the . . .

I wish Page would get together with JPJ again. I really believe that JPJ was responsible for a lot of the great riffs that Page played. JPJ was a totally underrated and underappreciated member of the band. He was the musical glue that held it all together. From being half of the baddest-assed rock and roll rhythm section of all time (JPJ and Bonham were the HAMMER in the Hammer of the Gods, he could play his ass off, and still stay locked on to Bonham's kick drum like a watch) not to mention all of the extra instrumentation ... steel guitar, mandolin, keyboards of all kinds... the man is insanely talented. Forget Robert Plant...

You are right on all that. I saw Jonesy on the 2001 "Zooma" tour and it blew my mind. He was so open to all the fans...I got him to autograph one of my Zeppelin boots and I got to speak at length with him-a real treat!

The heaviness of the band was not really to do with Page in my humble opinion. It really was Bonzo and Jonesy all the way. The heaviest of the heavy riffs-"Black Dog" and "Whole Lotta Love" came from Jonesy...refined by Page and the band, but the original riffs came from Jonesy. His 8-string bass on "Nobody's Fault But Mine" is the key to that song's whomp-ass power! So many amazing things in that band came from Jones. It was Jonesy listening to The Dillards that got him playing mandolin and banjo...Page literally picked up Jonesy instruments and was inspired to create the mandolin sounds on "Battle of Evermore" and the banjo on "Gallow's Pole"...He's just an amazing musician that is still playing at the peak of his powers today.

[Lefty Lou]

curtisjr330, If I may make a recommendation. At one time I started a web site "Backline Strategies" through NING which is no longer active. My idea was to do something very similar to "Tone Quest Report" on my website. Although, in my case I refrained from re-iterating or regurgitating what has been stated many times in guitar magazines about what certain guitarists (use/used). My thoughts were to review products and have interviews with the proprietors of the businesses that made the products. When approaching your site from this perspective, you can throw in little tidbit information if it pertains to your subject matter at hand. I think you'll hit a lot less bumps, and it will be smoother sailing for you this way, but this is only my opinion and you can take it with a grain of salt if you wish.

[mr ohmite]

page's tone on the live album is incredibly treble heavy
annoyingly so to my ears

[Ed A]

most people think jimmy page modded his amp's durring the led zeppelin day's..

this is not true.

jimmy page never modded his plexi's till 1988 he never used kt88 tubes until 1988 and after.

So where exactly are you getting this information from?.... Im sorry but you are incorrect. Here is Jimmy's direct quote about Tony Franks here on Long Island modifying his amps to KT88s... And this quote is from 1977!

From a 1977 Guitar Player interview with Page where he was asked about his stage gear, he replys by saying "Marshall 100's which are customized by Tony Franks in New York (he also customized Hendrix's amps) so they're about 200 watts, KL88s or whatever they call them."

Page obviously meant KT88s and admitted that the didnt know exactly what they were called. His reference to 200 watts Im sure comes from the fact that a 100w plexi can actually read over 140w on a scope and with KT88s they could get as high as 180 or so. Im assuming Franks mentioned to Jimmy how is amps would be more powerful, but Page is far from being a tech head.

In addition, my amp tech here on Long Island WORKED AT the Marshall distributor where Tony Franks worked from 1974-1976... And he was THERE when Page arrived with his amps and met with Tony... and he said there was more than one time that Page visited Franks for mods and tweaks.... The only thing we dont know for sure is WHEN exactly he went to the KT88s. Im inclined to agree with you that it may have been after '73 but I definitely believe it was done by '75.... Jimmy had a signicant more amount of headroom during that tour and if you have ever played a plexi converted to KT8s its that tone all day long!

[somethin'else]

Yeah, I'd even wager (just to wager) right around Earl's Court '74 you can hear the new, tighter, dryer, fatness Almost sounds like to HiWatts of earlier, tight & fatter with a smooth top. And from there on it got dryer and tighter still. But he coulda' just turned his volume down that year to clean it up a bit. MSG is raucous by comparison. Vid seen a million times, included here for continued enjoyment.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ7CZ7nLWZ4[/youtube]

[chrisom]

Yeah- even though I loved Page's Marshall (EL-34) tones, I think his early Royal Albert Hall sound with the Hiwatts was far superior- more edgy, sounding closer to the album sounds from the Supro. Switching to KT-88's in his Marshall gets him back closer to those tones. But hey- I liked all his tones.

It's interesting to hear Page say in an interview that when Hendrix and Clapton had their Marshalls, he wanted to get that too, but remarked that Marshall's had a reputation for sounding a bit "torn up" (compressed and not-as-edgy?) compared to his Hiwatts. Glad to see he seems to have found the best of both worlds. I used to have a 50w Lead and Bass 2x12 combo with 6550's in it, and kick myself for selling it years ago. Didn't Robin Trower used to use 6550's in his Marshalls back in the day?

I have an appreciation for both tube types. On the first album by the Lawrence, Kansas band "Stick", guitarist Mike Tobin used a JCM800 series Marshall channel-switching amp that had Groove Tubes 6550 tubes in it, which normally would have given more headroom, but they were "1's" on the Groove Tubes scale of 1-10. It sounded incredible with his Les Paul. Check out the "Heavy Bag" album (1993) by Stick. Great tones!

[garbeaj]

Yeah- even though I loved Page's Marshall (EL-34) tones, I think his early Royal Albert Hall sound with the Hiwatts was far superior- more edgy, sounding closer to the album sounds from the Supro. Switching to KT-88's in his Marshall gets him back closer to those tones. But hey- I liked all his tones.

The Supro was only used for the first album and the "Stairway" solo with the Tele...

When you say the "album sounds", what specific album are you referring to? Did you mean that you think the Les Paul and Hiwatt amps at the Royal Albert Hall sound closer to the Les Paul with Marshalls and Vox UL-series or Super Beatle amps with Marshall cabs and Ric Transonic cabinets that he has said (and photographic evidence has mostly confirmed) were used on the second album?

[chrisom]

the album sounds from the Supro

Read closer, grasshopper.