Pagey's Danelectro

[Sathington Willoughby]

What make of guitar is shown in this photo of Peter Grant?

It's difficult to say for sure, since the guitar is far away and you can't read the headstock, but that is a Fender Stratocaster, sunburst in colour.

Edit: Like this one -

And this one... (mine)

[woz70]

I own three of the 59-dc model and they sure don't feel like masonite. (I'm not doubting your answer) The are extremely light and have a very unique sound. I believe even the necks are not solid but hollow. (A trend which Billy Gibbons has been doing to all his custom guitars)

They're light because they're hollow. There's a solid block under the bridge and where the neck joins the body and they're about 1" thick around the edges. (I've seen a broken one that somebody trod on!)

Dunno about the necks. Because of the budget ethos, and the fact that making a neck hollow is more time & money consuming than just machining a solid one I'd say they're probably solid.

What are they like to play? I've never tried one.

[kirchzep27]

IIRC, the Outrider album received mediocre (at best) reviews. I went back and listened to the entire album the other day. The mediocre reviews were fair, imo. However, Rome wasn't built in a day and this was Page's first solo album. I can't help but wonder if he would have come up with fresher, more focused music if he had just kept at it.

In a way, the coverdale record was like another solo record, atleast it is for me, as i try to block out coverdales vocal. But seriously, that record was fresh and focused...as i thought the firm and outrider material was, even though ya have to give it more time. To me, guitarwise, closer w the firm, is as good as hots on for nowhere, fortune hunter is as good as the rover and his slide guitar on wasting my time is as good as imtod. With the firm and the outrider band, it was damn good rock music..no epics like zep, but still really good for post zep.

To be fair, maybe page couldnt have made a coverdale type record, with paul rodgers or john miles. Still, it was strange w page discussing whitesnake ripping off zeps style a bit, in late 80s interviews and then a few years later, making that record. The whole hair metal era was not good music, imo.

As its been mentioned before...maybe page sees making records with good material, as only a band effort...because he doesnt seem to be interested in solo albums at all over time.

[Dr Death]

In a way, the coverdale record was like another solo record, atleast it is for me, as i try to block out coverdales vocal. But seriously, that record was fresh and focused...as i thought the firm and outrider material was, even though ya have to give it more time. To me, guitarwise, closer w the firm, is as good as hots on for nowhere, fortune hunter is as good as the rover and his slide guitar on wasting my time is as good as imtod. With the firm and the outrider band, it was damn good rock music..no epics like zep, but still really good for post zep.

To be fair, maybe page couldnt have made a coverdale type record, with paul rodgers or john miles. Still, it was strange w page discussing whitesnake ripping off zeps style a bit, in late 80s interviews and then a few years later, making that record. The whole hair metal era was not good music, imo.

As its been mentioned before...maybe page sees making records with good material, as only a band effort...because he doesnt seem to be interested in solo albums at all over time.

The only time that I ever heard Jimmy comment on Whitesnake was when Adrian Vandenberg pulled out a violin bow for the Still Of The Night video. Thing is - there is no bow in that song and Vandenberg didn't play on it - that's John Sykes on guitar.

As far as David goes, I just don't see why some Zeppelin fans resent him so much. They guy has his own style and he and Jimmy got on great - and are still friends to this day! Coverdale inspired Jimmy and the resulting album was amazing, IMHO his best post Zeppelin work. As far as the Outrider band... David and Jimmy met in 1991 and began working together at David's house in 1991. Jason Bonham was involved with his band at the time, so I don't think that Jason would have walked away from that.

[lcondo123]

Yes, excellent points by everyone here. BTW, do we know for sure if he used the Dano to record the guitar parts for Kashmir or IMTOD studio versions?

Definitely on Kashmir, you can for sure hear the trebly ring of a Dano right when the song starts. Listen to the instrumental Kashmir and its even clearer. As for IMTOD, my personal opinion would have to be a yes from listening to it, using my ears. It sounds like the main guitar part, basically everything but the solos, is a Dano to me. It's been run through some effects but it still sounds like one. The guitar solo is a bit questionable. It sounds a bit too thick and fat for a Dano, but yet its got that dirty growl that Page has mastered to get out of a Dano, you get me? So if we are keeping tallys:

Kashmir: for sure Danelectro

IMTOD: main guitar part yes / solo, possibly

[sixpense]

They're light because they're hollow. There's a solid block under the bridge and where the neck joins the body and they're about 1" thick around the edges. (I've seen a broken one that somebody trod on!)

Dunno about the necks. Because of the budget ethos, and the fact that making a neck hollow is more time & money consuming than just machining a solid one I'd say they're probably solid.

What are they like to play? I've never tried one.

I like their sound. Very unique. I own strats, les pauls and teles and they have a sound of their own. The hollow body definitely gives it a ringing quality and the lipstick tube pickups gives it a biting (bright) attack. You may find some videos on youtube demonstrating them. They seem quite fragile tho. Just imaging Pete Townsend handling one. It would probably shatter.

[sixpense]

Definitely on Kashmir, you can for sure hear the trebly ring of a Dano right when the song starts. Listen to the instrumental Kashmir and its even clearer. As for IMTOD, my personal opinion would have to be a yes from listening to it, using my ears. It sounds like the main guitar part, basically everything but the solos, is a Dano to me. It's been run through some effects but it still sounds like one. The guitar solo is a bit questionable. It sounds a bit too thick and fat for a Dano, but yet its got that dirty growl that Page has mastered to get out of a Dano, you get me? So if we are keeping tallys:

Kashmir: for sure Danelectro

IMTOD: main guitar part yes / solo, possibly

I agree that Page used this guitar on both tracks. IMTOD sounds like he has the guitar going through two amps. One of them being one of those small (5 watt?) Pignose amps for the really distorted sound.

[grasbo]

Dano's are made of a form of masonite with centreblock in the middle of the guitar as has been stated.I have played one from the 60s and two later day reissues.Like any guitar they have their pros and cons.They are great for slide and I remember getting a wiry,trebly Johnny Winter(R.I.P.)type sound through a Fender Twin amp.As I remember all three had their problems staying in tune.The tone of the Dano on PGs Kashmir is just right.It would of sounded too heavy handed with a Les Paul but on O2 the LP sounded great.One of the latter day Danos was one of the best guitars I have played.

[lcondo123]

I agree that Page used this guitar on both tracks. IMTOD sounds like he has the guitar going through two amps. One of them being one of those small (5 watt?) Pignose amps for the really distorted sound.

Correct! The little Pignose 7-100 5 watt amp. It sounds like that to me too, having it run through two amps. The main one being the cleaner sounding one that sounds like its being run through some phaser effect (??), and the second is the distorted little Pignose that's somewhat masked behind the other amp.

edit: just found this picture of Jimmy w a Pignose

[grasbo]

Damn,I had one of those Pignoses(my second amp) and i virtually gave it away.

[sixpense]

Correct! The little Pignose 7-100 5 watt amp. It sounds like that to me too, having it run through two amps. The main one being the cleaner sounding one that sounds like its being run through some phaser effect (??), and the second is the distorted little Pignose that's somewhat masked behind the other amp.

edit: just found this picture of Jimmy w a Pignose

I agree about the phaser effect. He has a lot going into his guitar signal. Midway through the track (where he is soloing with a slide) the signal changes again. (gets much brighter)

In regards to the pignose amp. It seems to have been popular when it first came out in 73. I just read in a auction catalogue of Eric Clapton's equipment, that Eric uses this amp exclusively on the track Motherless Children. (Rhythm and slide)

Also you have Brian May that did all of his harmony work on the Deacy, which was a small amp like pignose that was built by Queen bassist John Deacon.

[lcondo123]

I agree about the phaser effect. He has a lot going into his guitar signal. Midway through the track (where he is soloing with a slide) the signal changes again. (gets much brighter)

In regards to the pignose amp. It seems to have been popular when it first came out in 73. I just read in a auction catalogue of Eric Clapton's equipment, that Eric uses this amp exclusively on the track Motherless Children. (Rhythm and slide)

Also you have Brian May that did all of his harmony work on the Deacy, which was a small amp like pignose that was built by Queen bassist John Deacon.

That's interesting, I didn't know that about Clapton and Motherless Children, I'll have to listen to that again now that you bring that up. I didn't know that about the Deacy, either! That's fascinating, I didn't know John built amps at all...

About the solo, was that an effect he ran the guitar through to get that sound? That really thick, bright sound was always a favorite of mine. Jimmy had a lot going into his guitar signal on this song! I always felt that this song was done in one take. I don't hear any guitar or vocal overdubs anywhere. I think that's why I like IMTOD so much, it sounds like a live song

[woz70]

About the solo, was that an effect he ran the guitar through to get that sound? That really thick, bright sound was always a favorite of mine. Jimmy had a lot going into his guitar signal on this song! I always felt that this song was done in one take. I don't hear any guitar or vocal overdubs anywhere. I think that's why I like IMTOD so much, it sounds like a live song

Sounds to me like he changed pick-up. The start of the song sounds like it's played on the neck pickup, and when he gets to the solos he switches either to just bridge, or a blend of bridge & neck. I also think it's one take (at least as far as the instruments go), but I doubt very much that it is without edits.... The amount of tape splicing Jimmy does throughout the entire zep catalogue is unreal - but masterfully done. I very much doubt that the finished vocals were done at the same as the rest of the band were playing... although it is possible.

[lcondo123]

Sounds to me like he changed pick-up. The start of the song sounds like it's played on the neck pickup, and when he gets to the solos he switches either to just bridge, or a blend of bridge & neck. I also think it's one take (at least as far as the instruments go), but I doubt very much that it is without edits.... The amount of tape splicing Jimmy does throughout the entire zep catalogue is unreal - but masterfully done. I very much doubt that the finished vocals were done at the same as the rest of the band were playing... although it is possible.

That is very true! Jimmy is the master at splicing tapes and making the splice unnoticeable. (unless we're talking TSRTS ) There probably is some splicing somewhere with vocals or whatever, but its masterfully done to say the least! Speaking of the splicing, it was news to me when the first set of remasters came out that the end of the official release of SIBLY is spliced in from the rough mix now on the companion disk. I would've never known that was pieced together but the splicing is impossible to notice.

[sixpense]

That's interesting, I didn't know that about Clapton and Motherless Children, I'll have to listen to that again now that you bring that up. I didn't know that about the Deacy, either! That's fascinating, I didn't know John built amps at all...

About the solo, was that an effect he ran the guitar through to get that sound? That really thick, bright sound was always a favorite of mine. Jimmy had a lot going into his guitar signal on this song! I always felt that this song was done in one take. I don't hear any guitar or vocal overdubs anywhere. I think that's why I like IMTOD so much, it sounds like a live song

I don't think there were any overdubs on that track. Sounds like one guitar through two amps and the rest of the band. The brilliance of Jimmy as a producer was getting such a variety of sounds out of his guitars. Often times he is using the Supro amp (Like the first lp and tracks like Nobody's Fault) which is a small watt amp along with those super thin strings but gets such a big sound. Microphone (type) and placement is key. He didn't have a lot of effects. Boss Chorus, Tone Bender, Boss Distortion, Echoplex and Eventide Harmonizer.

If you listen to the track Houses of the Holy, that is a Stratocaster along with manipulation of a delay effect pedal. I don't recall exactly what he did, but he manipulated the effect input somehow. (Read it in an interview decades ago) Listen to that guitar sound, then go listen to Dean Deleo's guitar work on Stone Temple Pilots second lp (and on) and you hear that similar guitar sound. Jimmy's guitar work has influence so may players!

[kirchzep27]

I like their sound. Very unique. I own strats, les pauls and teles and they have a sound of their own. The hollow body definitely gives it a ringing quality and the lipstick tube pickups gives it a biting (bright) attack. You may find some videos on youtube demonstrating them. They seem quite fragile tho. Just imaging Pete Townsend handling one. It would probably shatter.

It seems to me that page used to play the danelctro w more attack, back in the zep days. Almost like he was trying to get something more out of the guitar, than maybe that guitar was capable of.

With the crunch to the sound at the ahmet show, that sound was there nicely on good times bad times, the song remains the same and throughout the show. Makes me think that metallicas sound guy, or the amps, had more to do with that sound than the guitars...but idk, i am not a musician.

[kirchzep27]

The only time that I ever heard Jimmy comment on Whitesnake was when Adrian Vandenberg pulled out a violin bow for the Still Of The Night video. Thing is - there is no bow in that song and Vandenberg didn't play on it - that's John Sykes on guitar.

As far as David goes, I just don't see why some Zeppelin fans resent him so much. They guy has his own style and he and Jimmy got on great - and are still friends to this day! Coverdale inspired Jimmy and the resulting album was amazing, IMHO his best post Zeppelin work. As far as the Outrider band... David and Jimmy met in 1991 and began working together at David's house in 1991. Jason Bonham was involved with his band at the time, so I don't think that Jason would have walked away from that.

I agree, whitesnake didnt really sound like zep. In the late 80s though, the bands trying to sound like zep or inspired by them, was a basic topic of interviews, to some degree.

I dont resent coverdale, agreed that he is a great singer. The style of singing w wails and moans go back to the blues. Plant doesnt have a patent on that. Plants guitar player, robbie blunt even sounds a bit like page on his first record. But w the coverdale,page record, to hear him singing at all like plant.. its just weird. It is a great commercial record though and maybe whitesnake and guns n roses fans liked it even more than zep fans...and maybe turned alot of 80s hair metal fans on to zep. Actually coverdale is closer to daltrey, to my ears. Also that record being post zep box set and pre page,plant was a bit strange. I was basically listening to the coverdale,page record alongside soundgarden and nirvana at the time.

[lcondo123]

I don't think there were any overdubs on that track. Sounds like one guitar through two amps and the rest of the band. The brilliance of Jimmy as a producer was getting such a variety of sounds out of his guitars. Often times he is using the Supro amp (Like the first lp and tracks like Nobody's Fault) which is a small watt amp along with those super thin strings but gets such a big sound. Microphone (type) and placement is key. He didn't have a lot of effects. Boss Chorus, Tone Bender, Boss Distortion, Echoplex and Eventide Harmonizer.

If you listen to the track Houses of the Holy, that is a Stratocaster along with manipulation of a delay effect pedal. I don't recall exactly what he did, but he manipulated the effect input somehow. (Read it in an interview decades ago) Listen to that guitar sound, then go listen to Dean Deleo's guitar work on Stone Temple Pilots second lp (and on) and you hear that similar guitar sound. Jimmy's guitar work has influence so may players!

I've been listening to their album "Purple" and I can see what you mean! It does sound really Jimmy influenced.

Not sure if you've ever heard of these guys before, but there's this band called the Tea Party and they're big time Zeppelin influenced. Their first album "Splendor Solis" is like a Zeppelin album Zeppelin never released. (if that makes sense lol) It's got a real Headley Grange-ey feel to it imo and its soaked in the Dano sound. The singer/guitarist is, Jeff Martin, plays a lot like Jimmy and he really used his Dano all over that first album. Highly recommend giving the first album a listen!

^ the Dano in use

[grasbo]

Not sure,I could be wrong,but Page and Roy Harper appear on Tea Party's Intrazone Mantras album.

[mckjuana]

Not sure,I could be wrong,but Page and Roy Harper appear on Tea Party's Intrazone Mantras album.

Roy harper appeared on the edges of twilight and Alhambra, but not IZM. No official collaborations with jimmy page - except the rumoured jeff Martin, jimmy page and Michael lee demos from the mid-late 2000s.

[lcondo123]

Roy harper appeared on the edges of twilight and Alhambra, but not IZM. No official collaborations with jimmy page - except the rumoured jeff Martin, jimmy page and Michael lee demos from the mid-late 2000s.

That's something that needs to be released! That is a collab I would like to see

[Mario Cavaradossi]

Thing about Dano's is they don't tour so well. Page had his taken apart and rebuilt to withstand the constant abuse that being on the road. Also they wern't entirely stock. They do have a great low fi sound when they work. I have played most of the models but I wouldnt have one. The worst model is the Longhorn bass. Ye gods its dreadfull!

[dazedjeffy]

May 5, 1968 - Hullabaloo Scene, Mentor, Ohio

Photo by Cleveland Drummer

[appiantiqua]

Nice photo!

I suppose the chair on stage indicate he's just finished to play White Summer ...

[lcondo123]

Cool photo! I've never seen Jimmy hold a guitar that high unless he just finished playing White Summer, like appiantiqua mentioned.

Related to Danelectros: I was on YouTube last night watching some videos on the DC-59 and this guys got a modified white model that sounds sweet. I really really love the sounds you can get on Danos, they're one of my favorites.