🎸 𝗝𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗶𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 “𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭” Throughout his career, Jimmy Page has played various iconic electric guitars — including the Danelectro 3021, the Fender Telecaster, the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, and the double-neck Gibson EDS-1275, which he famously used on stage for performances of Stairway to Heaven and other Led Zeppelin classics. However, the guitar most closely associated with Page is his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard with a sunburst finish. This instrument became his signature guitar during Led Zeppelin’s golden years. Before acquiring the Les Paul, Page had played a three-pickup Les Paul Custom in the early 1960s and used a Fender Telecaster during his time with the Yardbirds — including during Led Zeppelin’s earliest performances in 1968. But in early 1969, everything changed when he bought his first Les Paul Standard from Joe Walsh, who, according to Page, “insisted that I buy it, and he was right.” The price? Just $500. Page went on to use this guitar to record Led Zeppelin II in May of that same year. As his collection grew, he began referring to this instrument simply as “Number 1.” It remained his favorite and most reliable guitar throughout the Zeppelin years. Jimmy Page has often credited Eric Clapton for pioneering the classic Les Paul and Marshall amp combination. In a 1977 interview with Trouser Press, Page said: “Eric was the first one to evolve the sound with the [Les Paul] and Marshall amps. He should have total credit for that.”

🎸 Jimmy Page and His Legendary Gibson Les Paul “Number 1”

When rock fans talk about guitar gods, Jimmy Page’s name is always at the top of the list — and rightfully so. As the mastermind behind Led Zeppelin’s massive sound, Page created an arsenal of unforgettable riffs and solos that helped define an era. But behind that power, behind the mystique and the musical wizardry, there was always a guitar in his hands that seemed to channel his very soul: a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, affectionately known as “Number 1.”

Though Page’s career has featured a variety of iconic guitars — from the quirky Danelectro 3021 to the sleek Fender Telecaster he wielded during his Yardbirds days — it was the Les Paul Standard that became the cornerstone of his sound during Led Zeppelin’s golden years. “Number 1” wasn’t just an instrument. It was an extension of Page himself.

From Telecaster to Les Paul: A Turning Point in Tone

Before settling into the thick, warm tones of a Les Paul, Page spent his early career experimenting with other sounds. In the Yardbirds, and even in the earliest days of Led Zeppelin, he played a Fender Telecaster — the same guitar he used to lay down the searing solo on “Stairway to Heaven,” a fact that surprises many fans.

But something changed in 1969. That year, Page acquired the guitar that would become his signature: a ’59 sunburst Les Paul Standard, purchased from none other than Joe Walsh — who at the time was making a name for himself with The James Gang and would later join the Eagles.

“Joe insisted that I buy it,” Page once recalled. “He really did. He kept saying, ‘You’ve got to have this guitar.’ And he was right.”

The price? A modest $500 — a steal even then, and a fortune’s worth today. It was a moment of fate, a passing of the torch from one great to another. And once it was in Page’s hands, history began to write itself.

The Birth of “Number 1”

Once he began using the Les Paul on stage and in the studio, Page never looked back. The guitar made its first significant appearance on Led Zeppelin II, which was recorded in May 1969, and continued to serve as his main weapon through the band’s most iconic recordings. Tracks like “Whole Lotta Love,” “Heartbreaker,” “The Song Remains the Same,” and countless others all roared to life through the pickups of that same guitar.

Over time, Page affectionately dubbed the guitar “Number 1” — a reflection of its status in his growing arsenal. It wasn’t the only Les Paul he owned, but it was the favorite, the most responsive, and the most consistent. The neck was slightly shaved down to fit his playing style better, and Page often talked about the feel of the instrument — how it seemed alive in his hands.

Page, Clapton, and the Les Paul Legacy

Although Jimmy Page helped immortalize the Les Paul in the 1970s, he’s always been quick to acknowledge those who came before him. In a 1977 interview with Trouser Press, Page gave credit where credit was due:

“Eric was the first one to evolve the sound with the [Les Paul] and Marshall amps. He should have total credit for that.”

Clapton’s groundbreaking work with the Bluesbreakers in the mid-’60s set the tone for a generation of British guitarists. But it was Page who took that foundation and built an empire. With the Les Paul in hand, Page blended blues, rock, folk, and eastern influences into a musical alchemy that was entirely his own.

More Than a Guitar — A Legend

Jimmy Page’s “Number 1” is more than just a rare vintage guitar. It’s a symbol of Led Zeppelin’s thunderous sound, of risk-taking and reinvention, of craftsmanship and chemistry. It survived brutal world tours, wild improvisations, and countless studio sessions — and through it all, it remained the beating heart of Page’s sonic identity.

In the years since Zeppelin’s final show, Page has occasionally brought “Number 1” out of its case — for one-off performances or tribute appearances — and each time it resurfaces, it reminds the world of what it once unleashed onstage.

There may be fancier guitars, newer models, and signature editions with high-tech specs, but in the pantheon of rock and roll instruments, few are as storied — or as sacred — as Jimmy Page’s “Number 1.”

• It wasn’t just the guitar that made the magic. But it sure helped.