# The Best Telecaster Guitar Solos

> The Best Telecaster Guitar Solos: #1 is Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin, then Paranoid Android and The Messiah Will Come Again. 19 solos, ranked.

Canonical URL: <https://greatestsolos.com/list/telecaster-solos/>

The Fender Telecaster is the oldest solid-body electric still in production, and it has played some of the greatest solos ever. Jimmy Page's Stairway to Heaven solo was a Telecaster. So is Roy Buchanan's The Messiah Will Come Again, Albert Collins' icy blues, James Burton's rockabilly licks, Danny Gatton's everything-at-once style and Jonny Greenwood's Paranoid Android. Every video starts at the solo.

1. [Stairway to Heaven](https://greatestsolos.com/song/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven/) — Led Zeppelin · solo by Jimmy Page · 1971
2. [Paranoid Android](https://greatestsolos.com/song/radiohead-paranoid-android/) — Radiohead · solo by Jonny Greenwood · 1997
3. [The Messiah Will Come Again](https://greatestsolos.com/song/roy-buchanan-the-messiah-will-come-again/) — Roy Buchanan · solo by Roy Buchanan · 1972
4. [Sweet Dreams](https://greatestsolos.com/song/roy-buchanan-sweet-dreams/) — Roy Buchanan · solo by Roy Buchanan · 1972
5. [Communication Breakdown](https://greatestsolos.com/song/led-zeppelin-communication-breakdown/) — Led Zeppelin · solo by Jimmy Page · 1969
6. [Just](https://greatestsolos.com/song/radiohead-just/) — Radiohead · solo by Jonny Greenwood · 1995
7. [Frosty](https://greatestsolos.com/song/albert-collins-frosty/) — Albert Collins · solo by Albert Collins · 1962
8. [Ice Pickin'](https://greatestsolos.com/song/albert-collins-ice-pickin/) — Albert Collins · solo by Albert Collins · 1978
9. [Hello Mary Lou](https://greatestsolos.com/song/ricky-nelson-hello-mary-lou/) — Ricky Nelson · solo by James Burton · 1961
10. [Susie-Q](https://greatestsolos.com/song/dale-hawkins-susie-q/) — Dale Hawkins · solo by James Burton · 1957
11. [Polk Salad Annie](https://greatestsolos.com/song/elvis-presley-polk-salad-annie/) — Elvis Presley · solo by James Burton · 1970
12. [Elmira St. Boogie](https://greatestsolos.com/song/danny-gatton-elmira-st-boogie/) — Danny Gatton · solo by Danny Gatton · 1991
13. [Harlem Nocturne](https://greatestsolos.com/song/danny-gatton-harlem-nocturne/) — Danny Gatton · solo by Danny Gatton · 1987
14. [Country Boy](https://greatestsolos.com/song/albert-lee-country-boy/) — Albert Lee · solo by Albert Lee · 1979
15. [Chestnut Mare](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-byrds-chestnut-mare/) — The Byrds · solo by Clarence White · 1970
16. [Cluster Pluck](https://greatestsolos.com/song/brad-paisley-cluster-pluck/) — Brad Paisley · solo by Brad Paisley · 2008
17. [Liza Jane](https://greatestsolos.com/song/vince-gill-liza-jane/) — Vince Gill · solo by Vince Gill · 1991
18. [Roxette](https://greatestsolos.com/song/dr-feelgood-roxette/) — Dr. Feelgood · solo by Wilko Johnson · 1975
19. [Driven to Tears](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-police-driven-to-tears/) — The Police · solo by Andy Summers · 1980

## Quick answers

### Was the Stairway to Heaven solo played on a Telecaster?

Yes. Jimmy Page played the solo on the 1959 Telecaster Jeff Beck gave him, which Page also used across the first Led Zeppelin album.

### What makes a Telecaster sound different?

The slanted bridge pickup, mounted in a steel plate, gives the Tele its bright, cutting twang. That tone suits country chicken picking, Stax soul and biting blues alike.

### Who are the greatest Telecaster players?

Names that come up again and again include Roy Buchanan, James Burton, Albert Collins, Danny Gatton, Albert Lee, Clarence White, Jimmy Page (on early Led Zeppelin) and Brad Paisley. All of them are on this list.

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GreatestSolos ranks the greatest guitar solos by consensus across published lists. Agent guide: [llms.txt](https://greatestsolos.com/llms.txt) · [Sitemap](https://greatestsolos.com/sitemap.xml) · [Dataset (CSV)](https://greatestsolos.com/data/greatest-guitar-solos.csv) · [How we rank](https://greatestsolos.com/method/)