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So I thought about something sort of like Rory Gallagher’s Stratocaster…Īnd that was how his Signature Strat was created. But when I started to think about it, the idea of a guitar without any paint on was just a little bit too rustic for me. The body on a Strat that has a lacquer around it, normally doesn’t resonate…I wanted a guitar that (didn’t) have any paint on it. Surprisingly, this was less about aesthetics and more about the guitar’s tone. Nicknamed ‘The Black One’, this Strat was very close to the original Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat that Mayer played. The only notable difference was that Mayer’s new Strat was reliced. This was a Signature Strat that was built for him by the Fender Custom Shop. Then around 2004 he fixed on one main guitar. Once Mayer became more famous, he went on to briefly use a number of other Strats, including a Jimi Hendrix Monterey Strat. Stevie Ray was one of Mayer’s biggest influences and Mayer bought the guitar with money that he saved working in a gas/petrol station. One of the first Fender Strats that John Mayer used was the Stevie Ray Vaughan Signature Strat. For years though, the only guitar that he played was a Fender Stratocaster, of which he has played a number of different models. When it comes to guitars, Mayer is best associated with Fender and more recently, with PRS. That is not to say that you have to spend £10,000 to sound like John Mayer. But if you really want to replicate his tone, be prepared to spend a little more, especially on your amp. A lot of his gear is hand built and bespoke made, and this all translates into better tone. This is particularly true of the amps he uses. Up to a point you do get what you pay for, and Mayer has spared no expense in the gear that he uses. This is because his tone predominantly comes from his pedals, which are no more than a few hundred dollars/pounds each.Ĭonversely, a smooth clean tone like John Mayer’s comes from his guitar and amp. He has an amazing heavy blues tone, and his rig is both easy to replicate and very affordable. Just look at a guitarist like Gary Clark Jr.
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When guitarists use a lot of distortion or specific effects, it is often easier and cheaper to recreate their tone. This is what makes it quite difficult to sound like him, without spending a lot of money. This is because John Mayer’s tone is built around a very high quality clean sound.
JOHN MAYER WHERE THE LIGHT IS PEDALB FULL
I have attempted to do the same here, but in the interest of full disclosure, this one has been a bit more challenging. In all of the articles I have written in my ‘ Sound Like‘ series, I have tried to offer up budget friendly alternatives to the often very expensive gear of your guitar heroes. So without further ado, here is everything you need to sound like John Mayer. It will improve your tone and give you a rig that is great if you want a vintage blues tone. The gear that Mayer uses is amazing for the blues. I decided then, that in this case it is almost irrelevant if you are a huge John Mayer fan or not. Just listen to songs like ‘ Slow Dancing in a Burning Room’, ‘ Helpless’ and ‘ Belief‘. Yet when he pushes it, he can get that soft crunch that sounds amazing for the blues.
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It is so smooth and all of his notes retain perfect clarity. In addition, John Mayer’s tone is amazing. He is without doubt one of the most tasteful and versatile guitar players in the modern era. His playing is not overly flashy or complex and it always serves the song. His phrasing is beautiful, he has exceptional control over his dynamics, and his feel is amazing. Yet whilst this might be the case, John Mayer’s skills as a guitar player are without question. His music is aimed at a wide audience, and as a result, a lot of it is closer to pop music than it is to the blues. Mayer is not a traditional blues guitarist.
JOHN MAYER WHERE THE LIGHT IS PEDALB HOW TO
I have to admit, I was at first a little reluctant to write an article on how to sound like John Mayer. Discover how you can create similar tones to suit your budget and set-up John Mayer has a beautiful guitar tone, perfect for soft and mellow blues.