Tone Comparison
Jimmy Page vs Keith Richards
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.
Keith Richards
Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable.
Jimmy Page vs Keith Richards: 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. Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable. Jimmy Page operates in heavier, higher-gain territory; Keith Richards is cleaner and more touch-sensitive. 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.
Keith Richards
1960s · Rock, Blues-Rock
Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable. No unnecessary notes: every riff locks in perfectly with the drums.
Jimmy Page- OverdriveJoyo Vintage Overdrive
- AmpBoss Katana 50 MkII
- Joyo Vintage OverdriveOverdrive
- Boss Katana 50 MkIIAmp
- GuitarEpiphone Les Paul Standard
- AmpBoss Katana 50 MkII
- Squier Classic Vibe 60s TelecasterGuitar
- Boss SD-1 Super OverdriveOverdrive
- Boss Katana 50 MkIIAmp
- GuitarEpiphone Les Paul Standard
- AmpMarshall DSL20CR
- OverdriveBoss Blues Driver BD-2
- ModulationMXR M101 Phase 90
- Fender Player TelecasterGuitar
- Boss Katana 100 MkIIAmp
- GuitarGibson Les Paul Junior
- WahWilson Effects MkII Wah
- BoostPaul Cochrane Timmy
- OverdriveKing Tone Duellist OD
- AmpMarshall DSL40CR
- Fender Player TelecasterGuitar
- Fulltone OCD OverdriveOverdrive
- Fender '65 Twin ReverbAmp
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.
Keith Richards
♪ Jumping Jack FlashSingle (1968)
Open G tuning on a 5-string Telecaster into Marshall — the quintessential Stones rhythm guitar tone.
♪ Start Me UpTattoo You
The most-identified Stones riff — humbuckers through Marshall, 5-string open G, shows how tuning defines the sound.
FAQ
Jimmy Page vs Keith Richards — 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. Keith Richards: Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable. The key difference is in genre, era, and gear — compare their signal chains at each budget tier below.
Yes — both Jimmy Page and Keith Richards share Rock and Blues-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, Keith Richards's rig totals ~£497. Both are achievable from £200 with entry-level gear, up to £2,500 for professional-grade setups.
Final Verdict — Jimmy Page vs Keith Richards
Jimmy Page is a Rock/Hard Rock player — natural amp saturation, built around lp guitars into british crunch-voiced amplifiers.
Keith Richards brings Rock/Blues-Rock — clean — no distortion, with tele instruments and clean fender amp character.
Both rigs cost roughly the same to build at the £500 level — ~£478 versus ~£497.
Best for beginners
Keith Richards
Keith Richards's Rock/Blues-Rock style uses clean — no distortion — 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
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page's £500 rig totals ~£478 — roughly equal to the ~£497 alternative. Both deliver authentic character at this tier.
At a Glance
| Jimmy Page | Keith Richards | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1960s | 1960s |
| Genre | Rock, Hard Rock | Rock, Blues-Rock |
| Gain structure | natural amp saturation | clean — no distortion |
| Guitar type | lp | tele |
| Amp voicing | british crunch | clean fender |
| £500 rig total | ~£478 | ~£497 |