John Mayer's take on gear/tone....

[Telephant]

I always go back and forth with Mayer. He's a damn good player with great feel. Most of his music (read:songwriting) is a little too refined for my tastes though. That's a personal thing for me though. However, Id tour with him in a heartbeat. Fat paying gigs with tons of whores wanting the cock? Count me in.

Also, I dont care what anybody says, that Panama vid is fucking awesome. He can come off as a twat but his sense of humor is growing on me. I mean come on:

Capri pants? Check.
No shirt? Check.
$15,000 EVH replica guitar? Check.
Good tone? Check.

I want to him hate but its shit like that makes me think, goddamn it, I would totally get fucked up with this guy. My girlfriend knew about him years ago before he blew up and tells me his song 1983 is about him playing to dumb fuck college kids in white hats. That shits funny. Not that she likes Mayer now, she was in middle school at the time (she's 24) now. We actually heard Mayer in the store today and at the same fucking time said "What a twat."

Like I said, I want to hate him, but that Panama vid is hilarious. He even does the "run around on stage like Im all meth'd up" bit.

 

[SuperStratSlinger]

Good tone? Check.

This is good tone:

https://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... dID=503988

Gotta give John cred for nailing tons of hottie starlets, but musically, does nothing for me.

 

[Telephant]

Good tone? Check.

This is good tone:

https://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... dID=503988

Gotta give John cred for nailing tons of hottie starlets, but musically, does nothing for me.

Rockstah always as great tone!

 

[timbo]

I'll bet JM gets more pussy whispering "fuck me whore" in d minor playing his pretty toned strat then he would in drop C and yelling it like some crazy metalhead fool

 

[bunghole]

i don't like john mayer or any other player mentioned in this thread for that matter, other than Guthrie and maybe Holdsworth

 

[billm408]

Like JM or not, there's two things I gotta respect;

1. He's as big a gear whore as anybody on these forums
2. He's got a great sense of humor.
http://blog.gusnyc.com/2008/05/08/how-to-write-a-song-by-john-mayer.aspx

 

[buddaman71]

He's a funny, smart, self-deprecating guy who exposes teens and tweens who play video games and listen to shite music to blues-based guitar. I don't worship the guy and know dozens of unknowns who play circles around him, but I certainly don't get all the hate...never have.

 

[RockStarNick]

I still don't get everyone who's still convinced that he's only writing music for tweens and teens.

And even if Room For Squares, which was recorded almost 10 years ago, was adored by the female teen crowd, I highly doubt that he conciously said to himself "OK, I'm writing music for 16 year old girls."

It's just really good pop music.

I know there are people on this forum, and other forums, who can shred CIRCLES around me, and probably kick mayer's ass, technically too. But I think people grossly underestimate the talent involved in crafting a good pop song. And I personally think Mayer is great at his craft.

Room for Squares was awesome.
Heavier things had some really great songs on it. I would have liked more guitar playing on it though.
Continuum was really good as well.
John Mayer Trio was really great too. Really moving towards more blues based, guitar based music. Love the tone too.


I'm gonna go hide now... I'll probably get banned for posting this.

 

[RockStarNick]

He's a funny, smart, self-deprecating guy who exposes teens and tweens who play video games and listen to shite music to blues-based guitar. I don't worship the guy and know dozens of unknowns who play circles around him, but I certainly don't get all the hate...never have.

Agreed 100%.

 

[ctoddrun]

My listening is mostly TOOL or Holdsworth or very progressive in nature.

 

[VH4_BigRig]

I think the whole discussion around Mayer revolves around one thing- he made a name for himself by using his vocals to break through into the mainstream. It wasn't until afterwards that he started to focus more on guitar playing- he didn't break though as a guitarist first and foremost, doing something new and original. Some people look down on this as he technically started off as a pop star/celebrity, which more often than not brings cynicism into the picture- sometimes rightfully so, other times not. There are a lot of talentless hacks for pop stars.

Personally, I take Mayer for what he is- a singer/songwriter who's a good, but not groundbreaking, guitarist. He doesn't influence me as a guitar player at all, but I like some of his songs. Others not so much. I think a lot of people praise him too much, and a lot of people bash him too much- I sit in the middle because his stuff is better than Lady Gaga and a lot of the other garbage that is considered pop music these days. Just my two cents.

 

[amiller]

He is pretty...oh, did I say that out loud...

 

[EWSEthan]

I think the whole discussion around Mayer revolves around one thing- he made a name for himself by using his vocals to break through into the mainstream. It wasn't until afterwards that he started to focus more on guitar playing- he didn't break though as a guitarist first and foremost, doing something new and original. Some people look down on this as he technically started off as a pop star/celebrity, which more often than not brings cynicism into the picture- sometimes rightfully so, other times not. There are a lot of talentless hacks for pop stars.

Personally, I take Mayer for what he is- a singer/songwriter who's a good, but not groundbreaking, guitarist. He doesn't influence me as a guitar player at all, but I like some of his songs. Others not so much. I think a lot of people praise him too much, and a lot of people bash him too much- I sit in the middle because his stuff is better than Lady Gaga and a lot of the other garbage that is considered pop music these days. Just my two cents.

+1. well said.