From Planet Rock.
When the world was first introduced to Led Zeppelin with two echoing chords in ‘Good Times Bad Times’ back in 1969 few people, let alone Jimmy Page himself. would have been able to predict the effect the band would have on rock music.
And the sound of that album was all largely down to one guitar, as Jimmy explains in a new video shared by Fender, who have recreated the mirrored / dragon Tele (one guitar, two incarnations, in case you’re confused) as an extremely limited edition, available only in runs of 50.
Jimmy Page’s custom mirrored & dragon guitar ⓒ Fender
The film tells of how Jimmy was gifted the plain white Telecaster by Jeff Beck after Page had recommended him for the position of lead guitarist in The Yardbirds.
The extravagant animations, partnered with Jimmy Page’s narration, go on to recount how Jimmy began customising the Tele, first with mirrors to catch stage lights, and then later by stripping it and putting his art school skills to good use, painting the vibrant dragon design, and adding a reflective pick guard.
Fancy snaring yourself one? Well, you’ll have to do some hunting to find the dragon issue for sale, listed as it currently is with no price. But the mirrored version is yours for a snip at $2,500.
And whatever happened to the original dragon Tele? Well, that’s actually a bit of a sad story, as Jimmy told Guitar World in 1998: “I still have it, but it’s a tragic story. I went on tour with (a) ’59 Les Paul that I bought from Joe Walsh, and when I got back, a friend of mine had kindly painted over my paint job. He said, ‘I’ve got a present for you.’ He thought he had done me a real favour.
As you can guess, I wasn’t real happy about that. His paint job totally screwed up the sound and the wiring, so only the neck pickup worked. I salvaged the neck and put it on my brown Tele string bender that I used in the Firm (in 1985 and 1986). As for the body, it will never be seen again!”
Lucky for Jimmy, and for us, there are now faithful replicas ready to take its place for generations to come.
Watch the behind-the-scenes making of the custom guitars below:
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LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (2014 UK audiophile issue of the 1969 9-track LP pressed on 180gm Vinyl, newly remastered by guitarist & producer Jimmy Page, gatefold picture sleeve reproducing the original album artwork with hologram sticker onthe back. The sleeve shows minimal shelfwear & the vinyl is flawless) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin - Australian - vinyl LP - £50.00, $64.50, €59.50 (New Item) (arrived 12-Jul-2024 12:17)on July 27, 2024 at 1:29 am
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin (Early 70s Australian issue of the 1969 9-track LP on the red & green Atlantic label, housed in a front laminated 'blimp' picture sleeve with alternate back cover design. The sleeve shows a little laminate lift and the vinyl is Near Mint SD8216) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - 2nd - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £95.00, $122.55, €113.05 (New Item) (arrived 09-Jul-2024 15:20)on July 27, 2024 at 1:29 am
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (Rare 1969 UK second issue 9-track LP on the plum & red Atlantic label which lists The Lemon Song on both sleeve & labels where later issues list it as Killing Floor, light brown gatefold picture sleeve)See 'More Info' ... #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - 1st - VG - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £125.00, $161.25, €148.75 (New Item) (arrived 09-Jul-2024 15:28)on July 27, 2024 at 1:29 am
LED ZEPPELIN Physical Graffiti (Rare 1975 UK first press 15-track double LP, one of the band's most diverse & challenging records, featuring household classics like Kashmir & lesser played gems such as The Wanton Song, complete with card inners & thick card tracklisting insert, die-cut picture sleeve with red spine text SSK89400)See 'more info' for condition details... #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III - 1st - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £195.00, $251.55, €232.05 (New Item) (arrived 09-Jul-2024 15:48)on July 27, 2024 at 1:29 am
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin III (Rare 1970 UK first press 10-track stereo LP, with the sought after Peter Grant label credit below the album title & 'Do What Thou Wilt'/ 'So Mote It Be' hand-scratched into the run-outs. Comes housed in the original die-cut laminated gatefold picture sleeve with top & bottom opening rotating wheel [later issues discarded this]. The sleeve is graded VG with light shelf wear (some 'crinkling' to the laminate, mainly to the back) & the rotating wheel is in full working order. The vinyl has been professionally cleaned & grades VG/VG+ with several light paper scuffs & hairlines either side which have little effect on play)
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