John Paul Jones

"Bought for $250 to keep up with his heavy load of work as a session musician, Jones’s sunburst 1962 Jazz Bass was his main axe for his work with Led Zeppelin.

Jones used this bass on almost every Led Zeppelin track live and in the studio up until 1975, where he had to retire the instrument due to issues with the action and electronics.

Later on, JPJ would revive his love affair with the Jazz Bass for his work in the studio with Them Crooked Vultures, and would occasionally bring it out for live appearances."

Source: https://mixdownmag.com.au/features/gear-rundown-john-paul-jones/

Jones confirmed that he used a 1962 Fender Jazz Bass in an interview with Vintage Guitar, stating "I was just never that particular about keeping things original. Even my old Fender bass that I used in Zeppelin has gone through many re-sprays and this and that. I probably shouldn’t have, but it’s a ’62 Jazz Bass which I bought new. I bought it to play, not to hang on the wall; I hate instruments hanging on walls. They’re hanging on all my walls, but I use them all."

Source: https://www.vintageguitar.com/2898/john-paul-jones/

Jones used this bass during his time with Seasick Steve. In this photo, he is pictured in Reading Festival 2011, on day two (August 27, 2011).

The album has quite a few distorted bass sounds. What effects are you using? On the record, most of the distortion comes from running bass through Josh’s guitar amps. Live, I’m using an Electro- Harmonix Big Muff.

In 1969, Led Zeppelin rented a number of Guitars Basses and Amplifiers from Rickenbacker for a total price of $12,492.

Among this equipment, there was a Prototype version of the 4001S Bass. This Bass was equiped with 4005 model bass hardware and electronics in a 4001S model body, these electronics included 2x Volume knobs, 2x Tone knobs, a smaller Blend knob, a 3-way toggle switch, 2x 4005 "Toaster Pickups" in the 4005 positions, aswell as a 4005 style pickguard.

Jones used this Bass at least once in Detroit, January 1969.

In this photo, a young John Paul Jones can be seen playing a Fender Bass VI.

According to Getty Images, here is the origin of the photo.

Session musician and future member of Led Zeppelin John Paul Jones holds a Fender Bass VI guitar in a London recording studio circa 1965.

JpJ used Roto 77s on the earlier Led Zeppelin records according to the forum as well as rotosound's official website

In this concert photo, J.P. Jones can be seen using a Gibson EB-2 bass.

Since 1975 John Paul Jones switched his Acoustic bass amp for a Gallien Krueger GMT 600B

Used with Them Crooked Vultures, as is visible in this photo of Jones' pedalboard for the band (taken from Kit Rae's list of Big Muff users).

Manson created this bass guitar for the Led Zeppelin/Them Crooked Vultures bass player John Paul Jones back in the year 2010.

In this photo, you can see John Paul Jones with this bass.

Also when Led Zeppelin played "In My Time of Dying" live in 2007, Jones is seen playing a fretless Precision Bass.

In this image of J.P. Jones playing live, he is using a 10-string bass known to be custom-made by luthier Hugh Manson. We can see it is wired in stereo, supposedly sending two signals to separate amps/rigs.

To the left of John we can see a Mellotron M400.

According to TC Electronics website John Paul Jones is using the TC Electronic RS212

John Paul Jones, the bassist of Led Zeppelin, used the Acoustic Control Corporation 360 Bass Amp, as detailed in a Marketwire article discussing Acoustic Amplification's history with the band.

John Paul Jones uses this peculiar lap-steel bass for a few songs with Them Crooked Vultures. This bass can first be seen at :54s and features an XY MIDI control pad. The bass has 8 strings and the neck covers 3 octaves. A Fernandes Sustainer is fitted in neck position and a Hipshot bridge tuning system enabling 3 different open tunings by moving levers. More information about this bass can be found here.

In this photo, Jones can be seen playing a Fender Bass V.

Jones can be seen in this photo playing an Alembic 8-string bass.

In this picture, we can see John Paul Jones playing a custom Andy Manson F-Style Mandolin.

noticed him using it on some of the youtube videos from the 2007 tour at the O2 arena...found it amusing because the korg x-50 is more of an entry level synthesizer...

"John Paul Jones is seen playing a four-string Alembic Series II Bass in several user-uploaded photos."

JpJ used Roto 66s according to the forum as well as rotosound's official website

On this interview for elixir strings, from minute 2:00 JPJ explains that the Dallas Tuxedo was the first bass he bought when he was a teenager after convincing his father to be the guarantor of the purchase. Then he tells that in 2009 he bought another one off ebay.

This picture shows Jones playing the Moog Taurus pedals in 1977.

Jones can be seen playing this Manson Triple Neck Mandolin throughout this video.

The Keyboards of Led Zeppelin & John Paul Jones website covers John Paul Jones's use of the Hohner Electra Piano:

Jones preferred recording with the Hohner instead of the popular Rhodes and Wurlitzer pianos, as he liked its stiff keyboard action better. John Paul Jones didn't use the ElectraPiano live; only in the studio. This is because its wooden casing was more like home furniture, and was not too portable. It's sound was not clear live. "It didn't really cut through. Plus, it wasn't really built for road work. It was the sort of thing you'd have in your front room. I think that's what it was designed for," said Jones.

"Stairway To Heaven" is Led Zeppelin's most famous track, and the Hohner piano is played in a supporting role beginning at 2:14. Jones recalls playing directly into the console and using the Hohner for the piano chords with left hand bass. The part is very subtle, a supportive texture underneath the guitar tracks that follows the chord progression.

Following "Stairway To Heaven" on Zeppelin's fourth album is "Misty Mountain Hop," a bouncing heavy rock song that is based around a strong syncopated ElectraPiano riff. The riff continues throughout the song and is heavier sounding than the "Stairway To Heaven" piano, as it was recorded through its amp and speaker, not directly to the console.

Led Zeppelin's most obvious "keyboard" song comes from the Houses of the Holy album. Beginning with a long electric piano instrumental, "No Quarter" was Jones's featured solo section in the live show for many years. The Hohner is processed through an EMS VCS3 synthesizer to create a 'wobbly' sound. In concert, Jones extended the song with lengthy improvisations and duets with Jimmy Page on guitar.

"Down By The Seaside" is another Hohner ElectraPiano song, with Jones playing a traditional country-pop piano arrangement.

"I’ve got my good ol’ Manson 4-string, plus a 10-string and some 12-strings he’s made for me. The 10-string is in octave courses, tuned EADGC, and the 12-string is BEADGC. Those go through an SWR SM-900 with 4x10 and 1x15 cabinets."

According to TC Electronics website John Paul Jones is using the TC Electronic Corona Chorus

In this photo from a Led Zeppelin concert, John Paul Jones can be seen with a Hammond B-3 to his right. He often toured with either a Hammond B-3 or C-3 with Led Zeppelin.

Other instruments/keyboards in the photo include a Fender-Rhodes Mark I Stage Piano, Fender Bass Pedals, and a Mellotron.

The piano behind Jones is the Yamaha CP-70b.