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Jimmy Page Les Paul (With New Info)


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Hey guys, I have here a complete history and examination of his Number One 1959 Gibson Les Paul. A lot of the info comes from Edwin Wilson of the Gibson Custom Shop, who examined the guitar first hand and interviewed Jimmy about the instrument personally. Additionally, there are new revelations from Joe Walsh, who sold Jimmy the Les Paul, from an interview with Guitar World Magazine published just this month...I literally got the magazine in the mail yesterday so this scoop is as fresh as it gets! Here's the link, check it out!

http://findingzoso.blogspot.com/2012...-les-paul.html

Hope you all enjoy it!

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I read that article a couple of days ago in the May 2012 issue of Guitar World. The guitar shop, Lay's Guitar Shop in Akron,Ohio , mentioned in the article where Joe Walsh had the neck shaved on No. 1 is not too far from me. I have done business with this guitar shop many times over the years.

Just out of curiosity, It would be cool to know when and where during his travel's did Walsh purchase No.1, If he used it (anytime pre mid-late April 1969) on any recordings/touring and when he had the neck shaved.

http://www.laysguitar.com/

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I read that article a couple of days ago in the May 2012 issue of Guitar World. The guitar shop, Lay's Guitar Shop in Akron,Ohio , mentioned in the article where Joe Walsh had the neck shaved on No. 1 is not too far from me. I have done business with this guitar shop many times over the years.

Just out of curiosity, It would be cool to know when and where during his travel's did Walsh purchase No.1, If he used it (anytime pre mid-late April 1969) on any recordings/touring and when he had the neck shaved.

http://www.laysguitar.com/

Next time you go on, see if Virgil is in, and ask him if he remembers the guitar. He might be the only person in the world who might be able to solve the mystery of the year of the Jimmy Page's Les Paul. Let us all know if you do!

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Unfortunately Virgil has passed away

http://www.ohio.com/news/virgil-lay-akron-guitar-string-maker-dies-at-82-1.151171

I have only done business with the current management who have owned the shop since the late 1980's.

http://www.laysguitar.com/about.asp

Other than Joe himself, who probably knows, I have tried looking into the past history of his acquistion and use of No.1 before he sold it to Jimmy and I have not seen anything yet. I am actually more curious about when and where in the U.S. Joe purchased this guitar from and if he used it himself (live or studio) before selling it.

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Unfortunately Virgil has passed away

http://www.ohio.com/news/virgil-lay-akron-guitar-string-maker-dies-at-82-1.151171

I have only done business with the current management who have owned the shop since the late 1980's.

http://www.laysguitar.com/about.asp

Other than Joe himself, who probably knows, I have tried looking into the past history of his acquistion and use of No.1 before he sold it to Jimmy and I have not seen anything yet. I am actually more curious about when and where in the U.S. Joe purchased this guitar from and if he used it himself (live or studio) before selling it.

That's unfortunate about Virgil, I didn't know. It wouldn't suprise me if Joe Walsh bought it around Cleveland or Akron somewhere, but that's purely speculation. He did purchase two of them.

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Same here. When I first heard him, it blew me away. I thought he'd have a deeper voice.

I first heard him speak on the Led Zeppelin DVD, at the time I thought the dichotomy between his onstage persona and his voice was really cool.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I read about this a while back and also saw that video a while back. It's very interesting to learn about this great guitar.

I agree, if the 59 Gibson Les Paul is the "Holy Grail" of guitars, than this one is certainly the holiest of the holy....would that make Jimmy's various homes, House of the Holy???

Something to ponder :P

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  • 2 years later...

I was not sure if this would be the correct thread...Wonderful charity and great read:-)

Guitar Center Announces Jimmy Page Les Paul Auction for Charity
June 05, 2014

Jun14_LNU_Page_LesPaul_NumberTwo_WEB.jpg

Los Angeles, CA (June 5, 2014) -- Guitar Center, the world’s largest retailer of guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, recording, live sound, DJ and lighting equipment, announces its first-ever online charity auctions, of two custom Jimmy Page “Number Two” Gibson Les Paul guitars. Proceeds from the auctions will benefit the Little Kids Rock and USO charities. The auctions will take place on eBay (www.ebay.com/jimmypagelespaul) starting Thursday, June 19, 2014, 4PM PDT, through Sunday, June 29, 2014, 4PM PDT. The minimum bid is $20,000 for each guitar, and each comes with a certificate of authenticity.

“Number Two” is a 1959 Les Paul, one of Jimmy Page’s prized guitars, obtained in the early 1970s and used consistently by Page ever since. He had the electronics altered to get the widest possible range of sounds from two humbucker pickups, and had the neck shaved to match his “Number One” Les Paul. Four years ago, Gibson Custom painstakingly recreated “Number Two” in an extremely limited run. These guitars were built to Page’s exact specifications, faithfully replicating the iconic aged flame maple top, faded “Page Burst 2” finish, and even the dings, dents and wear marks. Only 25 of these Aged and Signed guitars were released worldwide, and all 25 of them were individually played, signed and numbered by Jimmy Page. Jimmy kept #1 for himself and the remaining 24 guitars instantly became highly valued collector’s items. After half a decade, Guitar Center is opening the vault and offering #2 and #5 in this special charity auction.

The Custom Shop Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul was recreated with intense, millimeter-by-millimeter examination of Page’s original guitar, inside and out. The process of getting it right involved the production of a number of hand-built prototypes, each of which was checked and critiqued in detail by Page himself. Approval of the final iteration was only offered after the legendary artist had intricately examined and extensively played this last prototype in his London home—after which it was given the thumbs-up, worthy of being the template for the Custom Shop Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul. Only 325 examples were produced in total: 100 aged by vintage-reproduction master Tom Murphy; 25 more aged by Tom Murphy and signed by Jimmy Page; and 200 finished to Gibson’s VOS specs.

Body
Crafted from a uniquely figured two-piece Eastern maple top attached to a one-piece, solid, lightweight, genuine mahogany back, the Custom Shop Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul follows the body lines and dimensions of the original ’59 Les Paul Standard.

Neck and Headstock
The neck of the Custom Shop Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul is constructed from one piece, quarter-sawn, lightweight mahogany for improved strength and resonance. The luthiers in Gibson’s Custom Shop carefully match the grains and weights of these guitars’ bodies and necks to optimize tone and sustain.

Hardware
The Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul is equipped with top of the line hardware. From the Grover tuners to the stopbar tailpiece to the period-correct “antique bell” truss rod cover, it retains and replicates every bit of its predecessor’s strength.

Electronics
On this Les Paul, each of the controls’ potentiometers has been replaced with a push-pull pot for individual pickup switching functions, while two miniature push-pull DPDT switches have been mounted under the pickguard to provide additional universal switching functions. Note: due to trademark issues and per Jimmy’s directive, the bobbins on the Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul reissue are black instead of crème.

For more information:
Guitar Center

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/20931-guitar-center-announces-jimmy-page-les-paul-auction-for-charity

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