MapleFlame
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There's no doubt the person stealing this guitar knew what they were doing and the aftermath.
FINALLY!... Details on the return of Jimmy Page's Black Beauty...
- Thread starter Ed A
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There's no doubt the person stealing this guitar knew what they were doing and the aftermath.
Would you do us all a tremendous favor and post pictures of this part of the book?
Ed A
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Hey Dave, just seeing this now.... so thats some additional detail I hadnt heard.... when you say stolen by a luthier, did he have the baggage claim guy steal it for him?... kinda weird to steal Page's guitar and go through all that work to HIDE that it was Page's guitar just to try to sell it and a straight Custom.... he woulda been better off just ripping off a custom from some poor slob in a local club!
This thread just steered me into an hour's worth of cat-hauling through the internet to see how well my memories hold up.
I first saw Led Zep at their May 30, 1969, concert at the Fillmore East. My "memory" recalls that he played a black LP that night, but after looking up pics it appears he was playing a Burst. I did accurately remember his pink velvet britches.
Later that summer, in July, I was at an outdoor show for Jeff Beck at the Singer Bowl when his stage was raided by his old pals from LZ. While Bonham and Plant were high kicking and goofing around, Page and Beck were jamming. It was pretty fun. My "memory" of it recalls a black LP again. But photos show a Burst!
What gives!
Anyway, this adds nothing to the discussion of the heisted Black Beauty. But do you think I'm going to pass up an opportunity to be aggravating?
I first saw Led Zep at their May 30, 1969, concert at the Fillmore East. My "memory" recalls that he played a black LP that night, but after looking up pics it appears he was playing a Burst. I did accurately remember his pink velvet britches.
Later that summer, in July, I was at an outdoor show for Jeff Beck at the Singer Bowl when his stage was raided by his old pals from LZ. While Bonham and Plant were high kicking and goofing around, Page and Beck were jamming. It was pretty fun. My "memory" of it recalls a black LP again. But photos show a Burst!
What gives!
Anyway, this adds nothing to the discussion of the heisted Black Beauty. But do you think I'm going to pass up an opportunity to be aggravating?
You are not being aggravating at all! In fact, it’s refreshing when someone can reconcile their memory with the evidence and be transparent about it. The internet is filled with people spreading false rumors and fuzzy recollections as fact...obviously this happens on matters large and small and more is the pity!
You were extremely lucky to see those historic gigs...even the deepest Led Zeppelin fans on Earth can rarely claim to have seen those powerful early shows when they were destroying America as a relatively unknown quantity...thanks very much indeed for sharing!
rialcnis
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rialcnis
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I saw them at Whiskey Jan '69 and May. Was playing. the Dragon Telecaster also used on Ist Album. Switched to Burst during Led Zep 2 recording--I think-- I can't imagine he switched in time for Fillmore which was April. He definitely had a burst at Rose Palace a little later in Pasadena in May '69 and Santa Monica civic. I don't believe he played the black unless for a particular song.
EDIT:I see now, you must be be talking about Fillmore East....assumed you meant SF.
I never missed the early shows in LA area. Never saw the black, unless he used it for a particular song----vague maybe. Of course the Danelectro was black.
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He had the #1 Les Paul as early as April 4, 1969...studio logs at Olympic Studios show that he began recording “Whole Lotta Love” and “What Is And What Should Never Be” on that date.
As far as live shows go, he used the pickup toggle switch for the “stutter” effect on April 27, 1969 which is incontrovertible proof that he had the #1 ‘Burst on that date. To the best of my knowledge, the April 24, 1969 show which commenced the second American tour was likely the #1 Les Paul for the majority of the show-but that is a judgement based on tone and not photographs.
By this time, he had both the Telecaster and the #1 Les Paul available to use live...but the May 2nd & 3rd shows at the Pasadena Rose Palace were the last known shows where he used both the Dragon Telecaster and the #1 ‘Burst.
The Black Beauty was used for the first time in America on the first date of the fourth North American tour at Carnegie Hall on October 17, 1969. It was then used on November 4th, 6th and 7th 1969 and in the UK and US in 1970 until the guitar was stolen on April 5, 1970. It was only used live for the Eddie Cochran medley of “C’Mon Everybody”/“Somethin’ Else” which utilized the Bigsby vibrato system.
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Dave P
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Ed, I haven't been on here in a while. I had to be a bit vague about it as the person who told me this is someone I have a lot of respect for and has been in the business for decades. He told me not to mention names, so I honored his wishes. From what I was told, the luthier himself took the guitar.
rialcnis
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I think you have most of it nailed. You ARE talking about SF Fillmore, April 24th. 1969, (not the May Fillmore show) A day or so later they played Whisky a go go. I was there --recorded a bootleg. Unless it's Mandela effect.. he was still using the Dragon Tele. I can't find photos.
He had been playing the same Burst Jeff Beck played in the '66 Yardbirds after Jeff Vanished, in some shows in late '66, pics available and Ready Steady go. Jeff must have lent it to him or it was temporarily Jimmy's for those initial No-Jeff shows, since he was freaking out.
One thing I want to add, is Led Zep was very rough in those early live shows, but by Rose Palace they were at their very best. Later I would fall asleep at those LA Forum shows, every year. For me, nothing ever touched The Yardbirds at Catalina Island late '66, with Beck on lead (Burst} and Page on Bass---or The Yardbirds at Shrine Aud. May/June 1968 with Page (on Dragon Tele).
My biggest regret was that I didn't record that Catalina show and apparently no one did.
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Ed A
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I first saw Zeppelin at age 14 in '72 at the Nassau Coliseum, then in '73, '75 and '77.... '72 was a great tour.... but the ONLY reason I sometimes wish I was older was to have been able to see them when you did in early '69!
Yes, I’m talking about the April 24th and 27th shows at Fillmore West. They did play the Whisky on the 29th. He had both guitars available at least through the May shows at the Pasadena Rose Palace on May 2nd and 3rd which are the last live gigs with photographic evidence of the Telecaster.
Page did use Beck’s instruments in The Yardbirds...various promo films and TV appearances show Page using Beck’s blackguard Esquire, the Les Paul with the black pickguard and the backup Tele with the crushed Bakelite guard which eventually became the Dragon Telecaster. These were all Beck’s guitars.