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Jimmy Page playing the epic Gibson EDS-1275 Double Neck guitar that he made famous the world over. In fact, the two are so intimately connected in the annals of Rock ‘n Roll history– it would take more balls than I could ever muster to even think of picking one up.
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From the desk of Contributing Editor, Eli M. Getson–
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I had a history teacher back in high school that was kind of a crazy cross between Fred Rogers and Gandhi– Gene Beringer. Gene’s probably the most mild-mannered cat I have ever come across. I mean nothing– not even smart-ass 15 year olds who constantly screwed around in class (yep, yours truly), could get this guy riled up. I had the dubious distinction of spending many a detention with Gene mano y mano. Like I said, Gene was pretty laid back, and so he’d often let me read and listen to my Walkman to pass the time, while he caught-up on grading papers. One day Gene casually asked, “So what are you listening to?” My answer forever changed our relationship– Led Zeppelin. He went deep into a 1,000 yard stare, and then finally uttered– “Ya know, I saw Zeppelin about 30 times between ’74 and ‘78”, as a smile slowly warmed his stoic face.
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“There was nothing better than when Jimmy Page got out the double neck for Stairway to Heaven”, he continued. “I mean, it was a truly mind-blowing experience. The only moments I remember more than the first time I saw Jimmy play are my wedding, and the birth of my children.”
I made the mistake of dismissively asking if other guitarists didn’t also play double necks… “Don’t be ridiculous,” Gene corrected. “The only guitarist who really PLAYED it was Jimmy Page; he was the only guy with the balls to do it.” I sat back speechless, not only because my history teacher said “balls” but because Gene was actually being human with me– a kid. “It wasn’t until Jimmy picked up the double neck that it became the instrument that screamed ROCK GOD and became an icon.” He let the term ROCK GOD hang in the air for effect– I have to admit I was enraptured.
“Yeah Eli, I used to imagine being Jimmy at Madison Square Garden in front of 20,000 screaming fans wielding that thing like Excalibur. Good times, good times.”
–Eli M. Getson
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Circa 1975, USA — Robert Plant and Jimmy Page performing in concert. — Image by © Neal Preston/CORBIS
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Jimmy Page– master of the iconic Gibson EDS-1275 Double Neck Guitar — Image by Neil Zlozower
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Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin –Image by © Jay Dickman/CORBIS
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Jimmy Page with his signature Gibson double neck guitar, and donning is epic Dragon Suit. Who made that bad boy? Couldn’t have been Nudie, or we’d all know about it. Must’ve been some cat across the pond… I’m dyin’ to know…. JP
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mid 1970s, USA — Guitarist Jimmy Page pours a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey down his throat while the other members of Led Zeppelin eat and smoke before a concert. — Image by © Neal Preston/CORBIS.
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The Selvedge Yard 
Ya know I have a friend in Orange beach who’s father had someting made by the same person as Pages suit. I could look into that.
Yeah, man. Please let me know.
Best,
JP
The guitar was made at the Gibson plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Gibson pulled the plug on Kalamazoo, but the old craftsmen stayed and started Heritage Guitar. I bet if you asked, they would build another one for you. http://www.heritageguitar.com
Page made playing that thing look so easy, but have you ever lifted one? I think it weighs about 13 pounds – at any rate enough to make your back hurt after about one song.
I was working in a shop that repaired a Les Paul Black Beauty from 1974 recently and it weighed a solid 13-14 lbs. Gibson uses weight-relief techniques on the Les Paul now, but at that point the axe was quite a bit beefier than today. Neither are a light instrument but Page played a LP much of the time so the SG wasn’t a huge change.
I played an Explorer for quite a while myself, and once you build up some tolerance to the weight you can toss one of those around just like any other guitar!
na i have one, once u get used to the size its really fun to play, plus it has great tone
How ’bout John McLaughlin?
yeah that thing is heavy and jimmy didn’t weigh much back then. not sure how he slung that thing around but he rocked it like no one else. great article and pics.
The guitar and the dragons suit have become an icon for good old rock and roll.
BTW: instead of “pending many a detention with Gene mano y mano.” it should be “mano a mano”
And “mano a mano” means “hand to hand”…you were holding his hand during these sessions?
Figure of speech my friend. I was a bit of a f-up during that time and usually it was just me. Think the put me with Gene for a reason, maybe so he could calm my ass down and point me on the straight and narrow. So I guess you could say he was “holding my hands” during our weekly time together.
Saw Zep several times back in the day. It was otherworldly. Say what you will about The Stones at that time, Zep strode the world like a colossus. Kids today would say, “pwnd”. Good times, indeed.
Saw Led Zeppelin the last time they played Atlanta in ’77. Had floor seats and made my way up to the stage for Dazed and Confused… Page was mesmerizing !! Was about 15 at the time and my ears rang for three days afterwards !!
Zeppelin is the only band I’ve been listening to since I was a kid and still listen to them like they are new to me. Never got to see them play though, I was born in ’76. The last big DVD they put out is all I got.
Famous groupie Pamela Debarre mentions in her book “Let’s spend the night together” that she used to make Jimmy’s shirts. No mention of what they looked like although gives a detailed description of an Alice in Wonderland vest her friend made for Robert Plant.
And yet the lovely guitar is dwarfed and upstaged by Robert Plant’s package. Must’ve needed a blowtorch to get those jeans off at the end of the night.
It’s REALLY strange that the teacher in this story reminisced about seeing the mighty Zeppelin “between ’74 and ’78.” They didn’t tour in 1974 or 1978. They did tour the world in ’75 and ’77, but the inclusion of years outside that range seems odd. Of course, memory is an inexact phenomenon.
Along another, less nitpicky line of thought: Thank you for this article. Zeppelin was the best band ever to walk the planet, and I’m always interested to read about them. I spent years collecting every known live recording of the band in concert, and I listen to them often. It’s a sorry substitute for seeing them live, but I missed that experience by a few years…
Do you have all the BBC sessions? There are some songs I have always wanted to get my hands on from these, specifically they did a cover of The Isley Brother’s “It’s Your Thing” that I’ve listened to and was fantastic but I can never seem to find, if you have this would greatly appreciate the assist.
Even though Led Zeppelin ripped off a lot of music…they still knew how to shred.
This is the coolest site on the web!
If you like Jimmy Page, do yourself a favor and see It Might Get Loud.
BTW, no one before or since has or will do hard rock and roll as well as Led Zeppelin. They are the greatest.
PWND?
Yes, Robert Plant is a glorious lion, what with his mane and all…but those jeans! Dang.
The best damn band I ever saw!!! 1974, Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX. Jimmy opened the show with that monster axe. They hit the stage at 8:10, played until 10:30, back 15 minutes later to a house that never got off its feet, and played until midnight. I will never, ever forget it…
As far as the weight of guitars goes, Jimmy has commented in several recent interviews that he suffers from crippling back pain after so many years of throwing those heavy LPs and double neck SGs around.
His Danelectro must have felt like a toothpick!
Great website; thanks for sharing it with everybody. I marvel at watching Jimmy -just playing Stairway so many different times, and so many different ways. No thought: just feelings, strings, and wonderful, wonderful music. He will live forever!