JIMMY PAGE LES PAUL CUSTOM W/BIGSBY – FIRST IMAGEs!!! (updated 4th April ’08)
Here’s a first look at one of the tastiest releases of 2008 – the Gibson Custom Jimmy Page Signature Les Paul Black Beauty…
Early in Jimmy Page’s career, one of his most relied upon guitars was the three-pickup 1960 Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” with a bigsby tailpiece. In 1970, the guitar was stolen and never recovered, but thanks to the Gibson Custom Shop, this guitar is back in the form of a new Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom, recently announced at NAMM.
UPDATE (4th April):
The PRICE LIST of the limited run of 25 signed by Jimmy Page himself is nothing less than £18264.14 exactly. Why not £18265, i wonder…
But Dolphin Music is selling it for £9299…still pricey, but quite a good bargain, if you can afford that kind of money! View Page.
However…here’s where things get exciting! The new SRP for the Jimmy Page Black Beauty Custom (which’s not signed by Page) is £4387.72 only, and Dolphin Music is selling it for…just £3399! Not cheap, but definitely not over-priced when compared to other Gibson Custom models…for such a cool, beautiful and collectible guitar, it’s not bad at all…View Page (this page also features a multi-angle animation, wallpaper download and a life-size download of the Jimmy Page Guitar!)
There’s also a Stoptail version of the Jimmy Page Black Beauty Model, for those who are not too keen on a Bigsby. Dolphin is selling it for £3299 and it’s “just” a beautiful, revamped Black Beauty…View Page
And here’s a closer look at Jimmy Page’s custom 6-way switch, a cool feature on all of those 3 models:
From Gibson:No one has had a bigger impact on the style and sound of hard rock guitar than the deservedly legendary Jimmy Page. As the musical mastermind of Led Zeppelin, Page’s tone, playing, and phrasing made him one of the most influential musicians of the past 50 years.
In Zeppelin’s early days, Page relied heavily on a three-pickup 1960 Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” with a Bigsby tailpiece. Unfortunately, the guitar was stolen in 1970 at an airport and never recovered. Page has always felt that that particular guitar was “the one that got away.”
Gibson proudly returns Page’s cherished lost guitar in the form of the new Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom—a painstaking recreation of that iconic instrument, with the addition of some of the most innovative electronics to ever grace a Les Paul.
The result is this stunning “Black Beauty” with a slim-profile neck, Page BurstBucker pickups, gold Bigsby vibrato and an innovative six-position toggle that lets you isolate the neck and bridge pickups, or add the middle in any combination. A stop tailpiece version is also available.
Limited to a worldwide edition of just 500 guitars, the Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom is Gibson’s heartfelt tribute to a true legend and to the guitar he loved and lost.
Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom VOSBody & Hardware:
- Carved Mahogany top
- Solid lightweight mahogany back
- Multi-ply white/black binding on top and back
- Ebony finish
- Gold hardware
- ABR-1 Bridge
- Bigsby or lightweight stop-bar tailpiece
Neck & Headstock:
- 1-piece mahogany neck
- 22 fret ebony fingerboard
- Pearl block inlays
- Single-ply white binding
- ‘60s neck profile
- 24 3/4” scale length, 1 11/16” nut width
- Holly headstock veneer
Electronics & Strings:
- Jimmy Page custom pickups
- 2 volume, 2 tone, push/pull pot
- Jimmy Page custom 6-way switch
- Vintage .009 strings
- Includes Custom Shop case, certificate of authenticity
Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom Signed Edition
- Specifications as per “VOS” edition except that the first 25 are played and signed personally by Jimmy Page.
We’re here wondering whether the Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty he played at the O2 Arena must have been a prototype for this one…
The new Jimmy Page Custom has been causing quite a stirr amongst guitarists…some stunned by it’s features and obvious beauty…others not impressed by the prices.
Considering that for just £374 you can get a pretty good Epiphone Black Beauty (view here), and then if you install a Bigsby you could get a good replica for much less…would you buy a Jimmy Page Black Beauty Custom for its price tag?
Have your say here!
Guitar Player Gear Guide 
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Top Posts « WordPress.com said this on February 2, 2008 at 12:00 am |
he hasnt played the original guitar this things based on for nearly 40 fucking years!! whats the point?!!?!?!?!?!!
Dude… when he DID play it he recorded Led Zeppelin II… what ELSE do you need to know!!! RAMBLE ON!!!
It’s beautiful. That’s the point.
That is s-l-i-c-k.
Gorgeous. Thanks for sharing this…
Agreed (Matt), Jimmy doesn’t play anything with a Bigsby. How about a 59 Standard with a sunburst.
Oh well…too busy for me.
wowzers that’s nice looking. 0.0 Almost enough to make me want to play again.
wooooooow thats unbelieveble…
very nice setup, I would love to have one of those in my collection….maybe someday 🙂
Anybody know what the thickness of the neck is on one of these babys?
Ohhh my gosh!!! I love Jimmy Page and his guitar and Led Zeppelin. I am playing at my schools talent show and I am playing some Led Zeppelin.
i like her sound….
There’s a music mag out now (i don’t remember which) which has a photo of Led Zeppelin @ the O2 Arena and Jimmy Page is playing a Black Beauty with Bigsby…
Chinese Democracy Starts NOW!
Great guitar !
I started in 1955 and continued performing through today.I was in Memphis in 55′, Fillmore West from 67-70 and I have played,sung and recorded every major piece of Old Country,New Country, Blues, Rockabilly,Rock n’ Roll, Blues Rock and Rock Songs ever written. I know you doubt what I’m saying but go to my sight and hear me perform live some of your favorite Led Zeppelin songs at the San Francisco 40th Anniversary of The Summer Of Love 2007.See the photos from the past and enjoy One Man,One Guitar,One Voice because I came first.
http://www.natejaeger.com
Sincerely
Nate Jaeger
Peter Frampton’s signature is a bargain and probably plays better! I used one at Sunset sound for a complicated movie track that required funk to “cop rock” and it was versatile with it’s pickup mix. Hey Jimmy why this ridiculous price? By the way the Frampton is chambered and saves the shoulder!
Lovely guitar. Too bad it costs in the 5-digits.
[…] [2008.02.08] First Look at the New Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom Here’s a first look at one of the tastiest releases of 2008 – the Gibson Custom Jimmy Page Signature Les Paul Black Beauty. Early in Jimmy Page’s career, one of his most relied upon guitars was the three-pickup 1960 Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” with a bigsby tailpiece. In 1970, the guitar was stolen and never recovered, but thanks to the Gibson Custom Shop, this guitar is back in the form of a new Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom, recently announced at NAMM. From Gibson: No one has had a bigger impact on the style and sound of hard rock guitar than the deservedly legendary Jimmy Page. As the musical mastermind of Led Zeppelin, Page’s tone, playing, and phrasing made him one of the most influential musicians of the past 50 years. In Zeppelin’s early days, Page relied heavily on a three-pickup 1960 Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” with a Bigsby tailpiece. Unfortunately, the guitar was stolen in 1970 at an airport and never recovered. Page has always felt that that particular guitar was “the one that got away.” Gibson proudly returns Page’s cherished lost guitar in the form of the new Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom—a painstaking recreation of that iconic instrument, with the addition of some of the most innovative electronics to ever grace a Les Paul. The result is this stunning “Black Beauty” with a slim-profile neck, Page BurstBucker pickups, gold Bigsby vibrato and an innovative six-position toggle that lets you isolate the neck and bridge pickups, or add the middle in any combination. A stop tailpiece version is also available. https://guitarplayer.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/jimmy-page-les-paul-custom-wbigsby-first-image/ […]
[2008.02.08] First Look at the New Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom | Led Zeppelin News said this on February 17, 2008 at 9:46 am |
Yes,it’a a beautiful guitar.As far as the price,well,it’s way too expensive as are most Gibsons these days,especially considering the factory staff who,so i,ve heard are very young,on peice rates and are always looking at their watches.I owned the mid ’90’s model, which i traded a very tasty’75 custom,2 hiwatt heads,another valve half stack plus a couple of grand for.very dissappointing as Gibson themselves now admit as they re-made the signature model recently.I really miss that old custom dearly it was twice the axe.Live and learn.No two guitars are the same as no two pieces of wood are identical.Good luck to you if you have the money.My favorite guitear at the moment(and beleive me,i’ve had a few) is a chinese knock off worth a couple of hundred that feels plays and sounds very cool.Try before you buy and just get a certain model because you can-no one else can ever be jimmy.He,himself had 5 to try and discarded 4 of them.1 in 5 not such a great ratio!If i won the lottery,i would buy one for my collection.But as an average worker,you’ll play one that sounds and feels right for you.Then-Buy! Find a black custom that’s happening,then fit the pickups and toggle,thats my advice,then you’ll have a nice one and by the way-that middle pickup pisses alot of people off,when they are flat picking.Good Luck!
Just received Gibson’s new Page Guitar today. I will use it this week in a recording session.It is truly a work of art.I have 50 guitars including my first from 52′ which people call a Tele, but that was not what FENDER called it then.Workmanship is outstanding,action is so naturally fast and finish is perfect.Worth $5995.00 from Guitar Center.
Nate Jaeger with Stiletto
http://www.natejaeger.com
[…] here for a sneak […]
Jimmy Page Les Paul Black Beauty at Dogmatic said this on March 6, 2008 at 12:47 am |
This is nothing special. Its nothing more than a three pickup black beauty with a bigsby trem, and those have been avail;able for ages and cosy about £2500. Why pay an extra 5 grand for a guitar thats already available just cos its got a jimmy page signature on the back of the headstock? I think ill stick with the black beauty
@Matt, The reason this guitar has been made for Jimmy was because it was a guitar that he used to use for many years, and it ended up getting stolen and was never returned, so I assume this is the reason why they have decided to build a new signature model for Jimmy and to also make some available to the public at the same time, I would never own a Gibson Les Paul personally, I would much rather own a Japanese Les Paul Replica by Tokai, Greco, Burny, Edwards, Navigator, or Ibanez (pre law suit models only for Ibanez Les Pauls)
All you are paying for these days with Gibsons is the name on the headstock, I will admit that anything that comes out of the Custom & Historic factory are tremendous instruments, but the price for these guitars are far to expensive, you could buy 8 lovely Japanese Tokais for the price of this JP Black beauty, and I guarantee that the Tokais play a lot better than any of these Page Black Beautys.
I just recorded “Good Times,Bad Times” LIVE, have a listen at natejaeger.com (Rock). The guitar is perfection from the Custom Shop.
Nate Jaeger
http://www.Natejaeger.com
i sincerly prefer the custom 57′ with aged cream/ yellowish binding over this one !
from what i know the neck profile in the late 50’s was not slim !
sorry, i didn’t know it was the recreation of a 60′ model !
I’ve owned and played many Les Pauls’s over the last 35 years and this guitar ROCKS!!
Once you lower the middle pickup to allow for picking space, the 6 way switch makes for Les Paul sounds never available before Feb 2008.
Plug this baby into a half Marshall stack, shut up and listen.
Yeah it’s a boat anchor to haul around for awhile, as it’s not chambered like most LP’s since the 80’s, but if you can’t handle it, sit down, or go buy a Steinberger. The neck is also ebony, not rosewood, and plays very silky once you get the touch. Plus the frets are wider and flatter like the cherry sunburst Page Standard that Gibson issued a few years ago. It’s like a fretless wonder. Say what you will about Japanese copies, Epiphones, and previous Gibson Custom Shop models. This guitar has chunks and growls like none before’em. Page rules, and so does this guitar.
Rock on.
This is one of the guitars that make my mouth water. I would give anything to hold that guitar in my hand. The color scheme is perfect and it sounds amazing!
Nice to see Jimmy’s finally stopped battling the gray hair and just accepted it…
An historic instrument. Maybe Jimmy can record some music that matches it.
Nate Jaeger of Stiletto has recently acquired this Guitar at a fairly hefty price but when performed “Rock n’ Roll”, Black Dog”, “Good Times Bad Times” and “Fast As You ” live this 06/06/08 Live in San Diego, he brought the house down.Nate started in 1955 and has recorded every major song in every major Genre and by far is the Greatest Living Singer and Guitarist in the world today.He has also recorded instrumental solos of Led Zeppelin for Optek “Fretlight” Guitars demonstrating their computer music training guitars at http://www.natejaeger.com, http://www.soundclick.com/stiletto and for Ludicris at http://www.WeMix.com The only non Hip Hop artist on Ludacris’s site.That ought to tell you something about Nate Jaeger’s following.
Crystal Records
yeah it’s pretty sweet i own one, my favorite guitar ive played definetely a good buy!
Who the fk is Nate Jaeger ?
Nate Jaeger is and has always been one of the greatest living guitarists and singer/performers in America.At 68 he still looks 17.Graduated from Julliard at 15,pushed a broom at Sun Records and was a gopher on Sun Tours until they heard him play Mozart’s 40th and Saber Dance on a 52 Tele. As a joke he recorded “That’s Alright Mama” and “E” thought it was his version until the last verse which was changed to “Di,Di,Di” so Elvis could be convinced it wasn’t him.They also did “Just Because” live to show Nate’s guitar ability.Listen to “Johnny B. Goode”live for Chuck Berry’s birthday.Chuck said after,”I can’t believe what I just heard”.I bet you would say the same thing about Nate’s best friend Johnny Hallyday, it pays to be musically literate before you make ask the question in the way you did.So go to Wikipedia and learn something about music,then listen for free One Man, One Voice, One Guitar at http://www.natejaeger.com love.
sincerely
Fabian Forte
“I bet you don’t even know WHO I am”
damn. i don’t care how long its been since Page played it. that is just a sexy guitar.
why do ppl have to hate on stuff they can’t afford?
I own 2 Les Paul ‘Custom’ guitars. Granted they play well but are weighty. What you get with a “B/B” is the Bigsby trem and a 6 way switch as opposed to a 3 way as on my Customs. Is Jimmys signature on the headstock worth and extra $3-5K ? You – have to amke that decision.
I had four of theses, sold two, kept one with the stoptail and one with the bigsby. I also have an SG a Standard LP and many others including a classic strat. The JPC is by far the best. It is an heirloom to be sure.
You could play around with changing a Les Paul to make it like the JPC but you won’t get the perfection this one has. I’ve been playing many nice guitars for 40+ years and this one is like a dream. The tone action and sustain are perfection at its best. Even if I didn’t have the money I would save until I did to get this. I love it. My kids are looking forward to the inheritance of this one. LOL
It’s a great Guitar
Amazing, absolutely incredible. This guitar is the way that Gibson can say: Hey Jimmy thanks for all the great legacy you gave us…!
Undoubtedly a master piece.
wow, what an awesome guitar. Personally I own the stardard LP
Simply beautiful… thanks for sharing.
That guitar looks so awesome! The hardware especially looks really great.
ANY PRODUCT SIGNED BY JIMMY PAGE IS SPECTACULAR , EVER AND EVER.
Rare photos just found and posted at LZ Forums website showing Jimmy Page playing his Black Beauty Les Paul guitar at the Led Zeppelin October 17, 1969 Carnegie Hall concert!! These are the earliest known photos of Jimmy playing this guitar on the road. See the link:
http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/topic/25275-carnegie-hall-ny-10-17-69-never-before-seen-fan-photos-first-use-of-black-beauty-les-paul/
I recently received a £10,000 cheque and I had no hesitation about searching out and spending over half that money on a Jimmy Page signature black beauty.
If I could turn back time,I’d do the exact same thing again.
Thing of beauty.