lead guitar from “stairway to heaven” by led zeppelin | ToneDB
stairway to heaven
led zeppelin
lead guitar
Tone Profile
A bright, overdriven electric guitar tone with a touch of spring reverb, creating a soaring and emotive sound.
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The Story
Jimmy Page's lead guitar tone on "Stairway to Heaven" was recorded at Island Studios using his Gibson Les Paul through a Supro amp, with a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face providing the warm overdrive. The guitar was recorded with multiple overdubs to create the layered, soaring sound, with natural room ambience contributing to the spacious character of the recording.
Production Credits
Producer: Jimmy Page
Engineer: Andy Johns
Recorded at: Island Studios, London
Signal Chain
Instrument: Gibson Les PaulShop on Reverb
Amp: Supro CoronadoShop on Reverb
Microphone: Sennheiser MD421Shop on Reverb
Processing: Dallas Arbiter Fuzz FaceShop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Start with a Gibson Les Paul into a Supro Coronado amplifier.
- Use a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face to add a warm overdrive.
- Experiment with microphone placement to capture the desired room sound.
- Add a touch of spring reverb in post-production to enhance the ambience.
Original Gear
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul
Offers the essential Les Paul humbucker tone and sustain needed for Page's soaring lead parts at a budget-friendly price
Alternative to: Supro Coronado
Modern Supro amp that captures the vintage tube saturation and midrange character of Page's original Supro
Alternative to: Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face
Authentic recreation of the original germanium Fuzz Face circuit that provided Page's warm, singing overdrive
Alternative to: Complete signal chain
Includes vintage amp models and fuzz circuits that can recreate the layered, overdriven character with built-in reverb
Alternative to: Sennheiser MD421
Industry standard dynamic mic that captures midrange detail and can achieve similar guitar cabinet recording results
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