Strat, dumble clone, keeley katana clean boost, blues driver, ts808 or something similar. Jul 26, 2015 these are the settings that i use to get tones close to what john mayer is using. The guitar was limited to a run of only 404, an atlanta area code. John mayers boss blues driver bd2 keeley phat mod used by mayer most notably during the trio era circa 2005. John mayers boss blues driver bd2 keeley phat mod ground. There is not question that he pays a lot of attention to his guitar sound and tone. Keith urban using a ts10 who else do you know that uses ts10s nowadays.
Its a sound you might come close to replicating by coupling fender stratocaster with a fender amp and one more key ingredient. John mayer s guitar pedals and gears john mayer is one of the most skilled guitarists and artists. It also sports bosss trademark rugged design that has been roadtested by countless. How to get john mayers guitar soundtone from the live in l. This is actually putting it lightly, as he is known to have hundreds of pedals.
It is a awesome little drive pedal letting you go from subtle clean boost all the way to your screaming leads. In this photo of john mayers pedalboard, his boss bd2 blues driver pedal can be seen in the bottom row of the board. So what makes a john mayer pedalboard over the past few years. Eric clapton taps john mayer, mark knopfler for new jj cale covers hear dont wait and train to nowhere from slowhands upcoming tribute to the late blues legend.
Whats up guys, in todays video well take a more in depth look at trying to achieve jm tone and how he would use his pedals. The guitar effects pedals behind john mayers wide ranging. Any advice on getting a john mayer tone with a boss katana. John mayer is an american blues guitarist and singer songwriter. John mayer is a guitar collector and has collaborated with elite guitar companies to design his own instruments. Any idea what overdrive john uses for solos and leads. For just a touch of dirt and push, the boss bd2 blues driver has been a perennial favorite for both bedroom players and celebrities such as john mayer and. But these to pedals, with a strat, plugged in my peavey delta blues, is sounds sweet. Long before he gave it mayer cred, many other studio and touring guitarists were using this pedal as insurance in case a vintage tube amp wasnt on hand for a session or gig. For just a touch of dirt and push, the boss bd2 blues driver has been a perennial favorite for both bedroom players and celebrities such as john mayer and brad the boss bd2 blues driver, since its debut in 1995, has gained popularity for its organic tone and tactile response. Otherwise, even if you have all of his gear, it wont sound like him if you arent employing his style. In the end, if you want john mayer tone, then you got to play like him as well. People talk about expensive amps and guitars and such, but the reality is that you can get 90% of the way towards that tone you want with a cheapish mexican strat, a vox pathfinder 15r, an ibanez t.
I find i use the ts808 for my blues stuff and go to the bd2 for some nice mellow tones and for some more current rock stuff. Paisleys keeley ts808 settings look mighty familiar to those who know john s jm3 era board. Aug 14, 2008 honestly, as cliche as it might be, you need to see what works for you. Mayer opts for a much cleaner tone than jimi hendrixs original track, which featured a slightly overdriven guitar. No pedal collection would be complete without the inclusion of a boss pedal, and for overdrives, mayer often uses the boss bd2 blues driver. John mayers guitar pedals and gears john mayer is one of the most skilled guitarists and artists. But what makes it work is that it proves that maturity isnt a bad thing for a bluesbased rock artist. The bd2 that john used was modified by robert keeley altering the sound significantly from the stock model. I actually liked the mxr a lot because it sounded a lot like a tubescreamer without the thin sound, it still retained bottom. The pleasing nature of john mayer s guitar sound can be highly accredited to his special designed big dipper pickups, which feature a scooped midrange. Thats not to say your tennessee rose cant get a pretty sweet blues tone, but it will be a rather fat mellow blues tone and not a biting one.
These are the settings that i use to get tones close to what john mayer is using. Also, juca nery has a bundle with a couple john mayer tones. John mayer, the american blues rock and pop singersongwriter, and musician, is known for a mellow voice, and a signature sound. We look at dialing in the optimal john mayer amp settings, focusing on the gear he uses combined with the bluesy technique and style hes known for. What songs does mayer use a boss blues driver bd2 on.
He is heavily influenced by the blues and artists such as jimi hendrix and stevie ray vaughan, and these influences shine through in his gear as well as his playing. Lets look at how you can achieve that john mayer sound without breaking the bank and trying to keep our overall spend to under. I dont got a two rock, ore a fender custom shop stratocaster. I think the bd2 is one of the perfect anti ts808 pedals. Count the boss bd2 blues driver among the numerous pieces of gear that has been given the king john mayer midas touch with its appearance in his rig. How to sound like john mayer guitar tone john mayer. Jan 10, 2019 i quickly realized i should get some dirt too and i knew john mayer used a keeley modded bd2 on the trio album which i loved that tone so i thought i should start there. Jan 11, 2016 blues driver keeley mod vs waza craft vs katana blues drive. It also sports bosss trademark rugged design that has been roadtested by countless gigging musicians throughout the years. Mayer is the one that turned me on to the keeley stuff and man its great. How to sound like john mayer on a budget sound affects premier.
Well, its a tough thing in that you have to do something and id gotten. Is there an overdrive pedal you wouldnt be without. Apr 16, 20 no doubt a guitarist like john mayer pays a lot of attention to his sound, and that includes pedals. Jul 31, 2019 whats up guys, in todays video well take a more in depth look at trying to achieve jm tone and how he would use his pedals. Blues driver keeley mod vs waza craft vs katana blues drive. An excellent pedal for any blues styles like, john mayer, eric clapton, jimi hendrix and more. Free guitar backing tracks for john mayer in mp3 format. But like britishbluesboy said, you really need a strat to get that particular tone.
To get yourself in the ballpark, check out some of the presets others have made on some external websites. Below you will find three different eras of the john mayer pedalboard. John mayer stratocaster into fender super champ and boss blues. In 2007, he stated im going for the biggest, fluffiest, tubbiest sound. Im using a boss blues driver with a keeley mod, made by jake van halen, a danish guitar pedal wizard. It is known that he owns hundreds of different pedals. When you want a boost without the mid push, the bd2 delivers in spades. Keep in mind hes using a dumble amp and a lot of pedals that are difficult to obtain. Find john mayer discography, albums and singles on allmusic. Used by mayer most notably during the trio era circa 2005.
A longtime favorite for its creamy, subtle crunch, the boss bd2 blues. This is a best video i found on how to sound like john mayer. Iirc it was also on john mayer s board during the where the light is era. Ehx soul food settings for mayer type overdriven sound.
John mayers prs masterpieces, super eagle and silver sky shown here john mayer, aside from being the pop star tmz apearing celebrity that he is is an incredible guitarist. But i liked the grit that the blues driver gave and while i was playing it, i swore that i heard some similar sounds in mayer s work. If youre using the ts9 as a boost like i was, i liked it second, after the bd2. In 2003, martin guitars gave mayer his own signature model acoustic guitar called the om28 john mayer. If my memory serves me right keeley katakana blues drive is an sd1. The blues drivers tone sits somewhere between being a transparent overdrive and a tube screamer style overdrive.
Nov 09, 2008 fwiw, john mayer uses a ts808 like his hero srv. Eric clapton taps john mayer and mark knopfler for new jj. John mayers latest album in search for everything features the kind of maturity we could expect for an artist nearing his fortieth year. Jul 22, 2014 eric clapton taps john mayer, mark knopfler for new jj cale covers hear dont wait and train to nowhere from slowhands upcoming tribute to the late blues legend.
Strat, dumble sss, tworock jm sig played together, oodles of pedals. Guitar pedals are some of the easiest and cheapest ways any guitarist can improve on his or. There are a few john mayer presets on that are free to download and evaluate. So learn the blues, some rnb licks, listen to some bb king and srv, and youll get there. He has different pedal combinations set up for different songs. The most enduring pedal in the john mayer lineup is the tubescreamer, which is. The bd2 that john used was modified by robert keeley altering the sound significantly from.
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