What guitar did Jimmy Page use on the Stairway to Heaven solo?

Surprisingly, Page used a Fender Telecaster for the iconic solo, not his Les Paul. The Telecaster's brighter tone gives the solo its cutting, singing quality that soars above the mix.

What amp is used on Stairway to Heaven?

Page used a Supro Coronado 1690T for the clean intro sections and a Marshall Super Lead for the overdriven solo. The Supro's warm clean tone and the Marshall's singing sustain create the song's tonal journey.

How do I get the Stairway to Heaven solo tone?

Use a cranked Marshall-style amp or high-gain channel. Set gain to get smooth sustain without fizz. Mids around 6, treble 5-6. Use a bridge pickup and add a touch of delay. The key is smooth, singing sustain.

Classic Rock1971Led Zeppelin IV

Stairway to Heaven Amp Settings

by Led Zeppelin

Stairway to Heaven's guitar tone evolves from delicate clean arpeggios to one of rock's greatest solos. Jimmy Page used a Supro amp for the clean intro and switched to a Marshall for the blazing solo, creating a dynamic journey through multiple tonal textures.

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What Makes This Tone Iconic

The genius of this tone is its evolution. The song builds from fingerpicked acoustic-electric cleans through crunchy rhythm to a soaring, sustaining lead tone for the solo. Page's use of a Telecaster for the solo gives it a brighter, more cutting quality than you'd expect from a Les Paul player. It's proof that great tone serves the song's emotional arc.

Key Tone Elements

Supro Coronado for clean intro (small tube amp pushed gently)
Marshall Super Lead for the solo section — full, singing sustain
Fender Telecaster on the solo for brighter, more cutting tone
Dynamic buildup from clean to crunch to full drive across the song
Reverse echo on the solo for ethereal depth

Original Recording Settings

EstimatedResearched tone data for "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin

Original Gear

Guitar: 1959 Fender Telecaster ('Dragon') for solo / 1959 Gibson Les Paul #1 for other parts
Pickups: Stock Fender (Tele) / Gibson PAF (Les Paul) (bridge (solo))
Amplifier: Supro Coronado 1690T (likely) / Marshall Super Lead
Channel: Single channel, cranked
Tuning: standard
Pickup Selector: bridge for solo
Strings: Not documented

Solo widely believed recorded through small Supro cranked to breakup. Recorded at Headley Grange with natural room reverb.

Amp Settings

Bass

5.0

Mid

6.0

Treble

6.0

Volume

10.0

Exact settings unknown. Cranked small amp provides all gain.

Effects Chain

→

Straight into amp

none

→

1.Straight into amp — Solo believed to be guitar straight into cranked amp. Room ambience at Headley Grange provides reverb.

Playing Technique

Solo builds from melodic phrasing to aggressive bends and fast runs. Recorded in one or two takes. Strong vibrato, precise bends, dynamic control.

Sources+

Guitar World: Jimmy Page Headley Grange interviews
MusicTeacher.com: Dragon Telecaster for Stairway solo
Ground Guitar: Jimmy Page gear
Equipboard.com - Jimmy Page

Get This Tone on Your Gear

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