Whitestrat
New member
Which solos are you referring to? He had 2 different tones for some. A nice OD-ed amp driven by a TS808, and at times, a EHX Micro Synth.
How To Do John Mayer-ish Stuff (licks, solos)
- Thread starter ngjingming
- Start date
Which solos are you referring to? He had 2 different tones for some. A nice OD-ed amp driven by a TS808, and at times, a EHX Micro Synth.
Whitestrat
New member
I get a very nice JM-like warm tone from my SSS guitar and a Laney VC15-110. Nothing else is needed.
snuffleupagus
New member
I bet once upon a time JM was also wondering how to get SRVs tone.
Whitestrat
New member
Now THAT's a tough one!!!:mrgreen: Cranking up a Vibroking to full volume with an SRV strat doesn't even come close!
PatheinRaindropMoe
New member
he's lucky where he is now. If not, will just be another of us, in forum searching for that tone, in words and perceptions
Ized
New member
haha i have a huge thumb. so its rather easy for me.
i wish i had paul gilbert's fingers though........
junkiemanxl
Active member
I'm using 3 fender jeff beck noiseless pups on my deluxe players strat and they work well and come close to get the JM sound when cranked on my VOX 100VT. Its close but not right on the spot hence I agree that the tone is in his fingers.
I dont really think its too much about the gear although it does play a part too. I have seen a clip of him playing a gibson ES335 and his tone still rocks like his strat does.
Practice practice practice...
I dont really think its too much about the gear although it does play a part too. I have seen a clip of him playing a gibson ES335 and his tone still rocks like his strat does.
Practice practice practice...
sound like JM?
to me his tone is more likely to hendrix rather than srv, his playing style are more to srv but tone wise its more like hendrix, he uses his own custom big dippers pups, which are scooped mids. so it sounded more glassy and slurry rather than srv tone which is twangy and gritty. well you can't get his pickups seperately unless you are rich enough to purchase from ebay. however i would recommend you to get fender custom 69 pickups. they are scooped mids, sounds close like the big dippers but not dead on.
to me his tone is more likely to hendrix rather than srv, his playing style are more to srv but tone wise its more like hendrix, he uses his own custom big dippers pups, which are scooped mids. so it sounded more glassy and slurry rather than srv tone which is twangy and gritty. well you can't get his pickups seperately unless you are rich enough to purchase from ebay. however i would recommend you to get fender custom 69 pickups. they are scooped mids, sounds close like the big dippers but not dead on.
I find that John Mayer's tone is the easiest to replicate.
Any fender strat into a ts808 into a decent amp will do. What I do to get that JM tone is this.
Fender Strat ---> Ts9 ---> Fender Amp
Instead of cutting the mids on the amp to replicate his tone, my ears told me to boost it. I boosted the mids and cut a little of the bass and viola, it's extremely similar (95%) to JM's tone. It's quite easy actually. But I find that most of the tone comes from his fingers.
He likes to use pentatonics and a very special way. Anchoring his index finger on 3 strings and using his 4th finger to hammer in all the notes in a sweeping action. Not forgetting his picking dynamics. He likes to pluck certain notes in a very agressive way halfway during a solo then suddenly tone down. Listen to him.
The harder tones to replicate will be Eric Clapton's. I spent a LONG LONG time trying to replicate his tone.
I like my tone in between a TS (John Mayer) and the dynamic uncompressed tone using a OCD (Eric Clapton). After trying to stack them together, I sold both and got the eternity.
Any fender strat into a ts808 into a decent amp will do. What I do to get that JM tone is this.
Fender Strat ---> Ts9 ---> Fender Amp
Instead of cutting the mids on the amp to replicate his tone, my ears told me to boost it. I boosted the mids and cut a little of the bass and viola, it's extremely similar (95%) to JM's tone. It's quite easy actually. But I find that most of the tone comes from his fingers.
He likes to use pentatonics and a very special way. Anchoring his index finger on 3 strings and using his 4th finger to hammer in all the notes in a sweeping action. Not forgetting his picking dynamics. He likes to pluck certain notes in a very agressive way halfway during a solo then suddenly tone down. Listen to him.
The harder tones to replicate will be Eric Clapton's. I spent a LONG LONG time trying to replicate his tone.
I like my tone in between a TS (John Mayer) and the dynamic uncompressed tone using a OCD (Eric Clapton). After trying to stack them together, I sold both and got the eternity.
Ized
New member
His amp is slightly cranked. A op-amp based pedal like the ts sucks when used into a totally clean amp. My guess is that his amp is slightly cranked for more dynamics, and he controls the grit with his guitar's volume knob. For solos he kicks in a TS or the keeley blues driver for added thickness and sustain. SRV did the same thing with a ts808.
halfastepdown
New member
It is quite easy to get the tone 
1. You gotta achieve his guitar-face
2. Tattoo your left arm!
3. BIG hands
4. Your hands must have a brain of its own (Anyone seen Neon from WhereTheLightIs? Dammit, the whole DVD is godly!)
1. You gotta achieve his guitar-face
2. Tattoo your left arm!
3. BIG hands
4. Your hands must have a brain of its own (Anyone seen Neon from WhereTheLightIs? Dammit, the whole DVD is godly!)
KennethC
New member
haha I think I need a wider palm...the size of the thumb helps, but not as much as a big palm!
PG's coordination is plain amazing...
Ized
New member
haha yeah man.....anyways, its great to see John Mayer unleashing a bit of his 80s shredder influences....heard his solo on "Beat it" by Fall out boy? Or a cover of panama on youtube with the EVH replica guitar? JM is one heck of a really rich fella who knows how plonk down big buckeroos for limited edition stuff.
clean_distortion
New member
+1 to the guy who mentioned the reverse rakes... I think the raking part is really crucial to getting mayer's sound... cause he's so fluent at it... that's the SRV part that many have mentioned as well...
Does anyone have tips on practicing the raking technique? On the high E and B strings, I sometimes have trouble muting all the unwanted strings. Is it just the thumb working to mute or is do the other fingers come into play as well? Any help would be much appreciated.
The people who have posted thus far sound very knowledgable hahaha
Does anyone have tips on practicing the raking technique? On the high E and B strings, I sometimes have trouble muting all the unwanted strings. Is it just the thumb working to mute or is do the other fingers come into play as well? Any help would be much appreciated.
The people who have posted thus far sound very knowledgable hahaha