HOW TO SOUND LIKE YOUR HEROES: Jimmy Page

Without Led Zeppelin’s iconic ax slinger Jimmy Page, rock and roll as we know it would simply not exist.

Page not only established the blueprint for heavy metal but also became the guitar hero of the '70s with casual ease. He epitomized the superstar men wanted to be and women wanted to be with. Page’s command over his instrument and sheer technique were breathtaking, while his eclectic influences took Zeppelin in directions that nobody could have imagined.

He’s quite possibly the greatest living guitar hero.

As befits rock royalty, the guitarist’s Zeppelin-era setup costs a small fortune.

While a genuine 1959 Gibson Les Paul is not likely an option (unless you are, in fact, royalty), the Gibson Jimmy Page Les Paul “Custom Authentic” is the real deal and features all of Page’s appointments and modifications. Unfortunately, it will set you back $9,401 (it’s that extra $1 that really gets under your skin, isn’t it?).

And sad to say, but an original ’59 Fender Telecaster—another Pagey stable—will require serious cash flow, while its obvious stand-in, a Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster, still stings with a price tag of $3,275.99. On the bright side, you can get a great Zeppelin swagger from the Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Standard Plus—a relative bargain at $1,767—or, for about the same price, a Fender American Deluxe Series Telecaster.

For amplification, a Marshall tube amp will certainly get you closer to the definitive Page tone. A new Marshall reissue 1959SLPX “Plexi” amp head will cost you nearly $3,000, while the 1960 AX/BX 4X12 cabinet weighs in at a not-inconsiderable $1,500. If those prices leave you dazed and confused, investigate Marshall’s MG Series. The MG100DFX costs about $649 and has a reasonable tube simulation and several onboard effects.

A Dunlop Crybaby wah-wah pedal will add another $154, while the Dunlop JD-F2 Fuzz Face is $184. Vintage Echoplex tape delays, such as Page used, are rare and unreliable, but a Line 6 Echo Park delay pedal, at $209.99, makes a good substitute.