Rare Glimpse Inside Led Zeppelin’s 1977 Rehearsals: Jimmy Page Spotted with His Elusive Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster, the Hidden Star Behind “Candy Store Rock”
A rare picture of Led Zeppelin during a rehearsal at Manticore Studios in Fulham, UK in early 1977— one of few known pictures of Jimmy Page with his famed Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster
Page’s Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster was never used live—but it is said to have played a key role in the studio around 1973. It’s a bit of an unusual choice for him since it’s a full hollow-body guitar, which isn’t something you’d normally associate with Zeppelin’s heavier sound but ideal for layering multi-guitar parts.
There’s no confirmed specific track where he used it in Zeppelin’s early days, but it was most likely used for some rhythm parts or overdubs on tracks from ‘Houses of the Holy’ or even early ‘Physical Graffiti’ sessions. He did later confirm that it did feature on the track “Candy Store Rock” from the album ‘Presence, however, stating:
*I used this sunburst Switchmaster on “Candy Store Rock” to give a rockabilly sound in the vein of, and as a homage to, Scotty Moore (although not as good. It was fun doing that song, and ity a beautiful specimen of that guitar.”
