Tone Comparison
Jimmy Page vs Brian May
Side-by-side rig comparison at every budget — signal chains, gear lists, and total cost for each tier.
At a Glance
Jimmy Page
Thick, saggy Les Paul through a modified Marshall Super Bass — from gentle acoustic picking to howling feedback, Page's tone captured both delicacy and unbridled power.
Brian May
Handmade "Red Special" guitar through Vox AC30 amplifiers — May's layered, orchestral guitar style and unique homemade guitar create a warm, creamy sustain unlike any other rock guitarist.
Jimmy Page vs Brian May: Thick, saggy Les Paul through a modified Marshall Super Bass — from gentle acoustic picking to howling feedback, Page's tone captured both delicacy and unbridled power. Handmade "Red Special" guitar through Vox AC30 amplifiers — May's layered, orchestral guitar style and unique homemade guitar create a warm, creamy sustain unlike any other rock guitarist. Both share Rock and Hard Rock roots, but their gear choices and era create distinctly different sounds. Use the budget tiers below to compare complete signal chains at £200, £500, £1,000, and £2,500.
Jimmy Page
1960s · Rock, Hard Rock
Thick, saggy Les Paul through a modified Marshall Super Bass — from gentle acoustic picking to howling feedback, Page's tone captured both delicacy and unbridled power.
Brian May
1970s · Rock, Hard Rock
Handmade "Red Special" guitar through Vox AC30 amplifiers — May's layered, orchestral guitar style and unique homemade guitar create a warm, creamy sustain unlike any other rock guitarist.
Jimmy Page- OverdriveJoyo Vintage Overdrive
- AmpBoss Katana 50 MkII
- Xotic EP BoosterBoost
- Vox Pathfinder 10Amp
- GuitarEpiphone Les Paul Standard
- AmpBoss Katana 50 MkII
- Paul Cochrane TimmyBoost
- Vox VT20X ValvetronixAmp
- TC Electronic Flashback 2Delay
- GuitarEpiphone Les Paul Standard
- AmpMarshall DSL20CR
- OverdriveBoss Blues Driver BD-2
- ModulationMXR M101 Phase 90
- Brian May Guitars MiniGuitar
- Vox AC30C2Amp
- Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 Linear Power BoosterBoost
- GuitarGibson Les Paul Junior
- WahWilson Effects MkII Wah
- BoostPaul Cochrane Timmy
- OverdriveKing Tone Duellist OD
- AmpMarshall DSL40CR
- Epiphone ES-339Guitar
- Paul Cochrane TimmyBoost
- Walrus Audio JuliaModulation
- Vox AC30C2Amp
- Strymon TimelineDelay
Start with the £500 sweet spot
The £500 tier is where the signal chain logic starts to work properly — a real valve amp, the key overdrive pedal, and a complete rig that captures the essential character of the tone.
Hear The Difference — Songs to Compare
Listen to these tracks to understand the tonal difference before choosing an approach. Each song highlights a different characteristic.
Jimmy Page
♪ Whole Lotta LoveLed Zeppelin II
Les Paul into Marshall Super Lead cranked — the proto-metal high-gain tone.
♪ Stairway to Heaven (Solo)Led Zeppelin IV
Telecaster into a backward-wired Supro amp — uniquely raw lead tone different from his Les Paul sound.
Brian May
♪ Bohemian Rhapsody (solo)A Night at the Opera
Red Special into AC30 Treble Booster — the harmonically complex lead tone defined by his home-built guitar.
♪ We Will Rock YouNews of the World
Simplest example of the Brian May AC30 rhythm crunch.
FAQ
Jimmy Page vs Brian May — Common Questions
Jimmy Page: Thick, saggy Les Paul through a modified Marshall Super Bass — from gentle acoustic picking to howling feedback, Page's tone captured both delicacy and unbridled power. Brian May: Handmade "Red Special" guitar through Vox AC30 amplifiers — May's layered, orchestral guitar style and unique homemade guitar create a warm, creamy sustain unlike any other rock guitarist. The key difference is in genre, era, and gear — compare their signal chains at each budget tier below.
Yes — both Jimmy Page and Brian May share Rock and Hard Rock influences. Their gear approaches differ significantly however.
Both tones are achievable on a budget. The key is matching the guitar family and amp voicing correctly — not buying the exact same brand. Review the £500 rigs below for the most cost-effective entry point for each style.
At £500: Jimmy Page's rig totals ~£478, Brian May's rig totals ~£467. Both are achievable from £200 with entry-level gear, up to £2,500 for professional-grade setups.
Final Verdict — Jimmy Page vs Brian May
Jimmy Page is a Rock/Hard Rock player — natural amp saturation, built around lp guitars into british crunch-voiced amplifiers.
Brian May brings Rock/Hard Rock — natural amp saturation, with semi hollow instruments and vox ac amp character.
Both rigs cost roughly the same to build at the £500 level — ~£478 versus ~£467.
Best for beginners
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page's Rock/Hard Rock style uses natural amp saturation — the techniques are widely documented and the gear is forgiving at lower budgets.
Best for metal tones
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page's natural amp saturation approach and Rock/Hard Rock roots provide the gain structure and technique library closest to metal playing.
Best value to recreate
Brian May
Brian May's £500 rig totals ~£467 — roughly equal to the ~£478 alternative. Both deliver authentic character at this tier.
At a Glance
| Jimmy Page | Brian May | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1960s | 1970s |
| Genre | Rock, Hard Rock | Rock, Hard Rock |
| Gain structure | natural amp saturation | natural amp saturation |
| Guitar type | lp | semi hollow |
| Amp voicing | british crunch | vox ac |
| £500 rig total | ~£478 | ~£467 |