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Trivia question: what guitar did Jimmy Page record the "Stairway to Heaven" guitar solo with? Hint: it came from 1959, but it wasn't a burst! It was actually a white blonde Telecaster that he received as a gift from Jeff Beck the same year Page joined the Yardbirds. Jimmy's new Tele only wore its stock white blonde finish for a little while before Syd Barret inspired him to affix eight mirrors to the body. Later, he would repaint his '59 with a sweet dragon design, and it would be his main stage and studio guitar for the rest of his time with the Yardbirds and for Led Zeppelin's first record. That's right, folks: the muscular, crunching goodness you hear on "Communication Breakdown" and "Good Times, Bad Times" is a Telecaster!
Now, our friends at Fender have decided to pay tribute to Mr. Page's legendary '59 Tele by producing a stunning run of reissues. This particular model pays tribute to the Tele's "Mirror" incarnation, and it is dripping with mojo.
Now, you may notice that the guitar in the photos doesn't have any mirrors on it yet. To be blunt, that's because shipping guitars with glass all over the body presents lots of interesting challenges. The mirrors are safe and sound in a black pouch in the case pocket next to a template that will show you how to attach them in the same places as Jimmy. With the mirrors in place, it does look scarily close to Jimmy's original.
Good Times and More Good Times
But, the Jimmy Page Tele is more than just a stunning vintage reissue. The Jimmy Page Mirror Tele is just as ready for the stage and studio as its vintage forebear thanks to its superb handfeel, stellar electronics, and resonance-maximizing appointments.
First, let's talk about the wood and the finish underneath the mirrors. Each Mirror Telecaster has a resonant ash body with a fifties-style nitrocellulose lacquer finish. As many Wildwoodians know, nitro finishes allow the wood to breathe and resonate like a vintage guitar. An electric guitar's tone comes primarily from the pickups, but this extra bit of resonance helps push things over the top into total sonic nirvana.
Speaking of pickups, the Jimmy Page Custom '59 single-coils in this beast are jawdropping. The neck pickup is mellow, warm, and vocal, but those descriptors don't quite do it justice. Many Tele neck pickups can sound muted or boxy, but this one is open and three-dimensional. Its throaty, vocal timbre is quite inspiring for smooth lead playing, and the bottom end is quite round and beefy!
By contrast, the bridge pickup is much ruder. The midrange is snappy in an authoritative way, with a focused, punchy and snarling sound that practically compels all eardrums within range to stand at attention. Also, the top end is lush, and you can hear lots of beautiful chiming bell-like overtones. Finally, the low end is tight but present. There's plenty of twang and sparkle on tap for those who desire southern-fried sounds, too.
Feel Those Lovin' Charms
The Jimmy Page Mirror Telecaster has a host of ergonomic charms, too! It has an old-school 7.25" radius to go with vintage frets. This rounder radius allows for easy chording up and down the neck, and the lower profile frets allow you to "feel the wood" and play expressively.
But, the real secret behind this Tele's spectacular handfeel is its top-loading bridge. You can string it through the body for a more standard Tele feel and sound if you want, but something magical happens when you top-load it. Top-loading reduces string tension, which results in a more articulate, percussive attack and a warmer overall timbre. The way the percussive twang on the front end of the note gives way to all those blooming overtones is enough to give any serious Zeppelin fan the shivers!
And, as an added bonus, it makes bending strings easier, thereby solving one of the main problems with a 7.25" radius. At some point, guitar players decided that flatter radii were better for soloing and bending, and there is some truth to that. But, because the Mirror Telecaster has string tension, you can rip fast leads and do big bends just as easily as you can on a 9.5" radius. And, playing chords is easier to boot! It's a different sort of feel--I'd call it "shredding vintage"--and it's quite inspiring.
I'll Be Your Mirror
We're proud to showcase this piece of six-string history. The Jimmy Page Mirror Telecaster is a must-have for any die-hard Zeppelin fan, but anyone looking for an inspiring Tele stuffed to the brim with iconic tone will find a lifetime of inspiration in this guitar. We have a whole lotta love for the Jimmy Page Mirror Telecaster, and we're sure you will, too.
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