Fender has revealed its recreation of Jimmy Page’s iconic “Dragon” hand-painted 1959 Telecaster guitar.
The guitar company has produced 50 Custom Shop models of Page’s Dragon Telecaster, which will sell for $25,000 each:
The Custom Shop Dragon Telecasters feature hand-painted flourishes by Page as well as a signed headstock and a signed certificate of authenticity.
The guitars will be available to purchase in March.
Fender has also produced a Custom Shop version of Page’s guitar when he covered it in circular mirrors in 1967 before the Dragon paint job. This version will also be available in March for $25,000 each:
The guitars will be sold through selected Fender dealers around the world.
Cheaper models are on the way
Cheaper models of the Dragon and mirror guitars will be released later on in 2019.
Fender said on Wednesday that it will release a $1,399.99 production version of the Dragon Telecaster in Summer, and a $2,499.99 production version of the mirror guitar in the Spring.
The production models won’t include any signatures from Page, Fender said.
Check out photos of the production line Dragon Telecaster:
And here’s the production line mirror Telecaster (the mirrors are included separately):
The Custom Shop version of the Dragon Telecaster features:
- An off-center-seam
- A two-piece ash body
- A pair of Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound ‘58 single-coil pickups
- A tinted maple “Oval C” neck matching the profile of Page’s original instrument
- Clear vinyl pickguards on the ‘59 top-load Tele® bridge
- 7.25”-radius rosewood fingerboard matching the specs of the era, right down to the 21 vintage-sized frets.
- A custom hardshell flight case
- White seatbelt-style strap
- Super-long white leather strap
- Red coiled cable
- Violin bow
- Rosin
- Herco® guitar picks
- Page-signed Certificate of Authenticity.
The mirror Custom Shop model has the same features, apart from:
- White vinyl pickguards on the ‘59 top-load Tele® bridge
- A vintage-style tweed hardshell case
- Black coiled cable
- Ace “Stained Glass” strap
The production line models will include:
- A custom “Oval C”-shaped maple neck
- ’50s Tele two-piece body
- Top-loader bridge for through-body or top-load stringing
- Custom single-coil pickups
- Lacquer finish
- Vintage tweed case with eight round mirrors
- Black coil cable
- Satin lacquer finish over a reproduction of Jimmy Page’s iconic artwork
- A deluxe black case
- A red coil cable
Fender released this video of the making of the guitar:
And Guitar Center posted an early impression video of the Mirror Telecaster:
The history of the guitar
Page was originally given the guitar by Jeff Beck in 1966. In February 1967, Page decorated the guitar with eight circular mirrors.
Page played the mirror guitar during his time in The Yardbirds, and then repainted it himself with a dragon design and used it during the early years of Led Zeppelin.
A friend of Page’s stripped the guitar back in 1969, removing the dragon paint job and ruining much of the Telecaster.
“It was a disaster,” Page told the Associated Press in an interview.
Page kept the guitar, though, and has worked with a graphic designer to restore it and repaint it. He approached Fender about releasing models of the guitar for people to buy.
“This guitar is so special and has so much history, so I approached Fender to see if they’d be interested in recreating it,” Page said in Fender’s press release. “They really got it 110 percent right, or 150 percent right. It’s so absolutely as it is, as it should be, and as it was.”
“Visiting the Fender Custom Shop to sign and paint the guitars with Paul Waller was a real thrill,” he added. “To see all those absolute gems on the wall, it’s a pretty amazing experience.”
“Jimmy actually invited us to his house in London to spec the guitar out,” said Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Paul Waller.
“Jimmy Page visited the Fender Custom Shop late last year to personally work on each of these guitars with Paul Waller,” said Mike Lewis, VP of Product Development for Fender Custom Shop. “It was incredible to see his shared passion for these guitars in action, as he touched each and every one.”
Fender recorded a video interview with Page about the project last year:
The Associated Press also published a video interview with Page:
The reveal of Fender’s Dragon Telecaster recreation comes one day after Page announced the release of a new amplifier which mimics his set-up during his time in Led Zeppelin.
The website for the Sundragon amp says that 50 limited edition, hand-built amps will be released in 2019. All of the limited edition amps will be signed by Page.
A standard model of the amp will be released later in 2019, the site said.
The amps are being made in conjunction with music producer Perry Margouleff and guitar amp expert Mitch Colby.
The guitar shown in these photos with the Sundragon amp isn’t one of Fender’s recreations – it’s the first look at Page’s restored original Dragon Telecaster, Fender confirmed to LedZepNews.
“I had been impressed with the forensic analysis both Mitch and Perry had put into the research of the sonic reproduction of the original Supro amp to arrive at the Sundragon,” Page said in a statement on the Sundragon website.
im a little confused as to what justifies the over $ 1000.00 price difference between the dragon and the mirror, Please help
They should release some new music
Why so expensive on the signature starts?
If I was the first to comment cavemen or a caveman with practice shaving is the cure for maniacal practice shaving is the man cave cure,,,,,but not better than Jimmy Page,,,,……
Great guitar I’m sure. If you’re a collector with tons of dough, I’m certain it will prove to be a great investment.
Where do you get the Page painted dragon guaitar and amp can’t afford it but I will find a way to get it!!!!
Please tell me where I can purchase Page painted guaitar and amp can’t afford it but I will find a way to get it!!!