What amp did Jimmy Page use on Whole Lotta Love?

Page primarily used a small Supro amp (likely a Coronado or similar) cranked to full volume. He also used Marshall Super Leads in the studio. The key was pushing the amp into heavy distortion.

What fuzz pedal is used on Whole Lotta Love?

Jimmy Page used a Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII fuzz pedal, which provides the splattery, aggressive fuzz tone heard on the main riff.

How to get the Whole Lotta Love tone?

Use a fuzz pedal into a tube amp or high-gain channel. Set fuzz around 7-8, tone around 5. On your amp, keep gain moderate and let the fuzz do the heavy lifting. Use bridge humbucker.

Classic Rock1969Led Zeppelin II

Whole Lotta Love Amp Settings

by Led Zeppelin

Whole Lotta Love features one of the dirtiest, most aggressive riffs in rock history. Jimmy Page layered a cranked Supro amp with a Tone Bender fuzz to create a thick, harmonically rich distortion that practically growls.

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What Makes This Tone Iconic

This tone is raw, fuzzy, and unapologetically aggressive. Unlike the polished distortions of later decades, Page's sound here is loose and chaotic in the best way. The Tone Bender fuzz adds splattery harmonics and the cranked amp provides natural compression. It's the blueprint for heavy blues-rock guitar tone.

Key Tone Elements

Cranked Supro-style amp for natural tube saturation
Tone Bender MkII fuzz pedal adding splattery, aggressive distortion
Les Paul with bridge humbucker for thick low-end
Slightly loose playing style that lets notes breathe and feedback
Moderate bass with scooped mids for that hollow, powerful crunch

Original Recording Settings

Well-SourcedResearched tone data for "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin

Original Gear

Guitar: 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard (bought from Joe Walsh)
Pickups: Gibson PAF humbuckers (bridge)
Amplifier: Vox Super Beatle head with Rickenbacker Transonic cabinets
Channel: Single channel
Tuning: standard
Pickup Selector: bridge
Strings: Not documented

Page confirmed in 2020 Total Guitar interview he used abandoned Vox Super Beatle amps (built for The Beatles) with Rickenbacker Transonic cabs. By end of LZ II sessions, also using Marshalls.

Amp Settings

Bass

5.0

Mid

6.0

Treble

7.0

Volume

10.0

Exact settings not documented. Amp cranked for natural overdrive. EQ estimated from bright, biting, mid-heavy character.

Effects Chain

→

Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII (modified by Roger Mayer)

fuzz

→

Vox Grey Wah (modified by Roger Mayer)

wah

→

Vox Deluxe Echo / Maestro Echoplex

delay

→

1.Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII (modified by Roger Mayer) — Page described Tone Bender as having massive influence on this recording (It Might Get Loud documentary).

2.Vox Grey Wah (modified by Roger Mayer) — Wah parked at toe position acting as fixed treble boost/filter for the solo.

3.Vox Deluxe Echo / Maestro Echoplex — Slapback echo on solo and psychedelic middle section. Also used as preamp boost.

Playing Technique

Aggressive pick attack. Main riff combines palm-muted notes and open power chords. Solo features bent notes, vibrato, parked wah. Middle section uses detuned strings and theremin.

Sources+

Guitar World/Total Guitar: Jimmy Page interview, Nov 2020 - confirmed Vox Super Beatle
Guitar Player: 'Jimmy Page Reveals His Whole Lotta Love Amp' (2021)
Jimmy Page: The Anthology (Genesis Publications, 2020)
It Might Get Loud documentary (2008)
Equipboard.com - Jimmy Page