At the NAMM show in January, Fender unveiled its new collaboration with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Two new models—dubbed the Limited Edition Jimmy Page Telecaster Set—were produced in the Fender Custom Shop, while two additional models will be made on Fender’s production lines.
As the first of these models become available, Page has narrated a cool animated video that tells the history of the Tele, which he originally received in 1966 from Jeff Beck, who gifted it to Page for recommending him to the Yardbirds.
Through the years, the Telecaster took on several looks and personas, as Page customized it aesthetically and sonically. When he first received it, the guitar was undecorated in its factory white blonde finish and remained that way until February 1967, when he added eight circular mirrors to the body. Page played his mirrored Telecaster only briefly in the final years of the Yardbirds, and by mid-1967 he was ready to change the look. He removed the mirrors and completely stripped and repainted the instrument himself, this time hand-painting a mystical dragon on the body.
When Led Zeppelin was formed in October 1968, the Dragon Telecaster became Page’s go-to instrument and he played it on stage and in the studio until 1969. It was also the main guitar used on the Led Zeppelin album.
For the full story, check out the clip above.
For more information on the Limited Edition Jimmy Page Telecaster Set, head over to Fender.com.
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