There's a John Mayer thread raging at this very moment on another guitar forum I frequent.

Here's my take on JM, he's not the new Clapton, he's the new Frampton. He's just like Frampton, a good-looking, very skilled guitarist who does mostly chick stuff. I have NO problem with that mind you. Occasionally the wife and I like to listen to music we can BOTH enjoy, and seriously you can only listen to the Beatles in the car so many times before you need a change of pace.

I wasn't a big fan of his pop stuff. I like it well enough, I mean it beats Maroon 5 at least. But when the "Try" album came out with the Trio I was pretty freakin' excited. I told all my friends to buy it and lots of them did. I think it was the best surprise record out of a pop artist I've EVER heard. But now that some time has passed it seems more like blues-light. The playing is pretty darn good, but it doesn't really touch my soul at all.

I think John Mayer is the pioneer and king of what I like to call "IKEA Blues," it's basically easy-listening, non-offensive, politically-correct blues designed (like IKEA furniture) for young professionals who want something simple and functional. He's a great "gateway" to the blues and I'm sure he's turning a LOT of people on to it who wouldn't get into it otherwise, and for THAT I applaud the man. I think he's a decent technical player and he sure knows his blues licks but for ME anyway his blues doesn't really wring any emotion out of me.

Anyway he has pretty good chops and his live tone really is unbeatable.

I couldn't agree with most of this but when in the world was Peter Frampton considered good looking?!

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I dunno, my mom thought he was cute.

Don't think that Clapton, SRV and Hendrix are the only blues guys.
Mayer is decent, but I don't put him in the same arena as those mentioned. The funny thing is I get bored with Mayer. If you get bored with blues, you need to delve a little further and listen to the guys that Clapton, SRV and Hendrix listened to. Start with Son House and work your way up. Try some Delta Blues, Chicago Blues and Texas Blues.

Give Mayer some time. Just because you can play the scales don't mean your a true Bluesman it's way deeper than that. I think he falls really short on the power trio thing too. What he does is not new, it's Blues meets Pop music.The faces he makes are funny, his voice is horrible and I think he smokes a little too much weed.

Just my opinion, I'm not gonna defend my opinion or get in an argument. If you like him that's cool. I'll give him another listen in another 5 years when he's a little more seasoned.

Amen to that!!!

And here's something that I picked up about his pickups...apparently, the SRV strat that he bought has pickups that didn't sound the same as others. He brought it into Fender, they ran a diagnostic thing on them, and they discovered that there was a mistake in the wiring, causing them to become low output pickups. So, thus was born the Big Dippers!!! Haha

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"Music is really a way to reach out and hold onto each other in a healthy way." --Stevie Ray Vaughan

You hear that same Strat tone over and over. A Strat is capable of so much more.

the past should not be the defining rule, should be measured on what hes doing now... when he 1st started, he always said srv, hendrix have always been his influences.
even so, his "bubble gum pop tunes" are still pretty good. remember, he produced his 1st album.
i do believe he has achieved his own status to be on the same level as clapton, jh,srv. if he hadnt, they wouldnt be asking him to play with them.
give a listen to songs like ("who did you think i was" " when i call" "out of my mind"), he wrote most songs in the continuum album.
listen to the way he plays neon acoustic version.

The above is a thoughtful, intelligent post. But I am not sure I agree with it. John Mayer is supremely talented. Songwriting, playing, singing, performing. I am not a huge fan of his, but I am a fan. I realy enjoy his guitar playing. Though, I will concede ... some of his stuff is definitely a little too over-produced.

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I agree with what a few people have said earlier. I really like his style, and tone, and I think he is a fantastic musician. But I liked him a whole lot better when he was a simple guy that just played guitar, very modest. I think that unfortunately the fame is starting to go to his head, hopefully I'm wrong, but that's just what I've noticed.

I can take or leave him, but I think the fact they want $1500 for his strat is plain robbery. Very shoddy strat, it should be half the price. It has less quality than most MIMs, and a gigbag?? Are they serious?

I totally disagree, maybe hearing someone play blues sounds more impressive, but try to play Dave M guitar parts, especially his rhythm, I have so idea how he grabs the chords he does so fluidly, he's not as flashy, but much more technically difficult.

He's an above average player, but nothing special. He gets allot of hype because most of his audience is at an age where "guitar" music hasn't been around before. And the reason that Clapton, SRV etc are considered on another level is that they came out with the electric blues sound, not emultating it.

Have to agree. To liken him to Hendrix or Clapton is absurd. Anyone who dates Brad Pitts dropoff has to be suspect. LOL. The guy's a good player and the chicks dig him. Nuff said. Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Where did you come up with this? The John Mayer strat is great. Fat neck profile, nice African rosewood, vintage cloth wiring, Custom wound pickups you can only get in that guitar. The Incase "GigBag" is really I hybrid case. trust me, it keeps the guitar safe, and is much easier to lug around.You can only find it with this guitar, and they easily sell for more than a really good hard case.

I think a lot of people harp on the guy because of his image, but he is an excellent player. I can see the justification to comparing him to clapton, because IMO Clapton is not that great. Young or Old version, I've never cared for his playing much. SRV on the other hand is a different beast all together.

I believe he either write or co write all of the songs on Continuum actually.

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