Anybody try out the John Mayer Strat yet?

[VaughnC]

Just curious if anyone has played one of the new John Mayer Strats yet as it looks interesting with its "heftier C neck with African rosewood fretboard, Big Dipper (scooped mids) pickups, and 6105 frets"? According to Fender's website the fretboard radius is 9.5".

However, in the new Musicians Friend catalog, the guitar is $1399 but ships with a gig bag. I'd think a guitar in that price range should come with a hard shell case.

[mbratch]

If they hadn't stuck John Mayer's name on it, they'd be selling it at half the price.

[jlf2960]

I'm really interested in this strat too. Not a huge John Mayer fan but I do like his music and appreciate his talent. He is a much better player than his "commercial" music implies.

It seems like this strat is very much like the SRV strat with different pickups, satin neck, and non reverse tremolo.

There is an interesting post here on it:

John Mayer Post (http://www.thefenderforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20440)

[sanhozay]

John Mayer can play and I love the way he dialogues but his music doesn't really connect that deep with me, although I do appreciate how he crafts his tunes each time I hear it on the X.

The specs of his sig strat sound killer! If it's put together with good woods I can't imagine it not being a great guitar. Let's face it, those are typically not Fender's baseline specs - they are more in line with the boutique market. I'd love to try one - the pickups sound a little freaky though, well, at least on paper.

[mbratch]

I fall into the camp described above: John Mayer appears to be a very accomplished guitar playing talent and good song writer, but his (popular) music doesn't connect with me personally. Of course, he's what 19? And I'm 40 years older than that, so the disconnect is totally understandable from a life experience standpoint. ;) His music popular music is targeted at the teens.

I do loathe, though, the idea of name-brand guitar makers putting an artist's name on a guitar in order to try to sell more of them. If they threw in the hard shell case like VaughnC suggested, that would help. Then again, I've read that the gig bag they sell with this guitar is somehow "no ordinary gig bag".

[karmadave]

I'm not a big Mayer fan either, but I'm willing to checkout his Trio when they are at the Fillmore in early Sept. As for the JM Strat, I just got one last week. It had all the features I like (Alder, Medium C Neck, 9.5 radius, dark rosewood board, 42mm nut width, vintage bridge & tuners). It plays like a charm and I REALLY like what Fender did with the Tone controls. It's got a Master Volume and the first Tone is for the neck pup. The second Tone works on both the middle and bridge pups. Why all guitars aren't wired like this is anyone's guess. It gives the player a lot of control over the amount of bass/treble. My amps are an Allen Old Flame and a Tweed Deluxe clone. Haven't been able to fully open it up on yet the OF, but on the Deluxe it absolutely kills!

The net, net is that regardless of what you think about the artist who's name is on it (thankfully, on the back of the headstock) this is an absolutely great guitar. IMHO Fender got this one right!

BTW, mine is a 3-tone burst. The case is great too. I perfer gigbags that can be strapped onto my shoulder so the InCase has the protection of a hardshell but with the convenience of a gigbag.

Go check one out for yourself. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[aleclee]

Originally posted by mbratch
If they threw in the hard shell case like VaughnC suggested, that would help. ;) Maybe so, but does anyone think that the gig bag looks a lot like the now-unobtainable Incase gig bag?

http://www.drumcityguitarland.com/inventory/images/1412.jpg

[mbratch]

Great looking guitar and the gig bag is intriguing.

It doesn't have a cover for the trem in back? I'm surprised... Hopefully it won't hook one of your shirt buttons (or your belt buckle, or your zipper, depending upon how low you wear your guitar).

[OldSchool]

Originally posted by jlf2960
I'm really interested in this strat too. Not a huge John Mayer fan but I do like his music and appreciate his talent. He is a much better player than his "commercial" music implies.

It seems like this strat is very much like the SRV strat with different pickups, satin neck, and non reverse tremolo.

There is an interesting post here on it:

John Mayer Post (http://www.thefenderforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20440)


Hmmmmm I'll have to look into that. I have a first run SRV that I love...........but to make it perfect I would need to change just that...........different pickups, satin neck, and a non reverse tremolo. (I've changed just the Pick ups and blocked the Trem.)

[TimH]

see I'm only 25 and I love Mayer...his pop songs and his playing. This strat really interests me. I want to play one when they are available. I'm looking for a more vintage style strat anyhow so this might be the ticket.

Tim

[Mike Cantrell]

I played one thru a Dumble and the next thing I knew Lisa Bonet was at the door... ;)

[sanhozay]

Originally posted by Mike Cantrell
I played one thru a Dumble and the next thing I knew Lisa Bonet was at the door... ;)

telling you to turn it down?

[Mike Duncan]

Older post that I'm going to try and bring back to life...

John Mayer irritates the snot out of my wife, I will not listen to him play the radio tunes, we left a Counting Crows show before Mayer (the headliner) performed, but he's got great taste in what equipment he likes...I did enjoy his Crossroads performance, but he still irritates me.

Anyway, I went to Melodee Music in Leesburg, VA yesterday and played SEVERAL guitars (Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, '62 AV, Highway 1, 50's RI, 60's RI, '56 Relic Limited, John English Masterbuilt '59, and a John Mayer model). The John English Masterbuilt is incredible, but I couldn't justify the $3,200.00 price tag. I don't really care for the faded Sonic Blue either. The EC model was Candy Green - the greatest color ever! but the vintage frets really just didn't grab me - same with the Ice Blue '62 - nice neck shapes on each. The Desert Sand '56 Relic had jumbo frets, but again was a little pricy and not the greatest color. The Eric Johnson was pretty darn cool...something to think about in the future. The Mexican made two Strats both had floating trems and would not tune, at least while plunking around in the music store. And finally, the Highway 1 has an American Series neck, shallow and wide - not my favorite.

So I decide to try, what I later find out is a John Mayer Sig model. They had two, one in sunburst and one in Charcoal with a racing stripe. Since I hold all Stratocasters to try and equal my beloved '93 SRV model, the sunburst was out, but the vintage vibe and neck girth made the JM easy choice. I really thought the p/us sounded exactly like a Strat's should and the satin finish on the back of the neck reminded me of the relics. I like the vintage hardware, the absence of a signature on the front of the headstock and the racing stripe. The In Case gigbag, is the coolest thing I've come across - gigbag is not the correct term. It's padded, solid, and has tons of storage/carrying options. The guitar has mint green vintage amp knobs as well. The frets are huge too! I have had a backplate on a strat and I always keep the trem flat on the body - easy fit for what I'm looking for.

I still don't think Mayer deserves a Signature model, but this Stratocaster has been done very well! It has every feature that I would ask for on a Custom Shop model and the price was right - $1360.00 out the door.

Mike

[Calloway]

I'm not a strat guy by any means, nor am I a huge fan of his either. I liked him on the Crossroads DVD, his playing was nice, his tone was even better. A girlfriend of mine saw him on Austin City Limits and said that he was "way better than Buddy Guy" I almost hit her in the throat, but you know, that wouldn't be right. As for his strat, it may very well be the coolest strat I have ever played. I love the tone knob for the bridge pickup, and the neck on that guitar is great, reminds me of an SG neck for some reason. It sounds amazing, plays great, and doesn't have his name written all over it. If my concious and pocket book would have allowed me to, that thing would have been going home with me!

[Killcrop]

The JM model was one of the nicer Strats I played on my latest quest. I just thought it was too much money for basically an American Standard Strat with a few tweaks.

[MikeP]

Originally posted by Dave Leslie
The JM model was one of the nicer Strats I played on my latest quest. I just thought it was too much money for basically an American Standard Strat with a few tweaks.

Yeah would have been nice if it was sprayed thin coat nitro like the EJ. I like the EJ spec wise but prefer rosewood boards.

[gregc]

Really, a JM Strat? Like there aren't enough varieties of Strats around. I don't think Fender will stop till every Strat player has his own model designation. How does one keep up with all this???
greg c

[VaughnC]

Being the Strat nut that I am, like JM or not, this JM Strat has me VERY curious....so I just ordered one to try out on approval. With my large paws the neck should be a good fit and, with my dislike of too strong of mids in a Strat, the scooped mid pups just might nail that magic Strat tone I hear bouncing around inside my brain ;) .

A question though for those of you who have played or own one of the JM Strats: With the mids being scooped, do the wound strings still have some meat to them? And what about the unwound strings....any "ice pick"?

Sometimes it's these little tweaks that makes a guitar special....so we'll see how it goes in a few days.

[Mike Duncan]

Vaughn - The sound that I hear in my head revolves around SRV's neck and neck/middle pickup settings. My SRV Strat does an excellent job nailing that tone (as it should, I guess), but the Mayer seems to nail the booming snap coming of those wound strings. The G B E strings don't sound harsh, they sound focused.

Honestly, I have hard time describing pick up tones...but I know what I like when I hear it. I have not removed the factory installed 10s and put on GHS 11s yet, but I like what I hearing so far. I'm hoping to have a chance this weekend to bring the volume up and really put the guitar through its paces.

So far, this guitar sounds like what a Strat should sound like.

Mike

[VaughnC]

Originally posted by Mike Duncan
Vaughn - The sound that I hear in my head revolves around SRV's neck and neck/middle pickup settings. My SRV Strat does an excellent job nailing that tone (as it should, I guess), but the Mayer seems to nail the booming snap coming of those wound strings. The G B E strings don't sound harsh, they sound focused.

Honestly, I have hard time describing pick up tones...but I know what I like when I hear it. I have not removed the factory installed 10s and put on GHS 11s yet, but I like what I hearing so far. I'm hoping to have a chance this weekend to bring the volume up and really put the guitar through its paces.

So far, this guitar sounds like what a Strat should sound like.

Mike

Thanks for the input Mike. Among many other Strats, I've owned a couple of SRV Strats and, to my ear, the wound strings just didn't have enough focus....which I'm hoping the JM model will do better at while delivering a good, solid fundamental frequency to the notes. I like the wound strings on a Strat to speak with authority & focus and a lot of Strats just won't do that. Some have the authority but sound smeared while others sound focused and have no authority....if you catch my drift?

[VaughnC]

Well, the JM Strat I ordered on approval finally arrived a few days ago. On paper, this guitar seemed like it would be the perfect Strat for me but, in my hands, it just wasen't a good fit.

Upon arrival, the action was VERY high, almost unplayable....and I tend to like my action on the high side! So, I tried to reset the action to medium high and could not get it much lower without fret buzz. Perhaps I got one with a bad neck, I don't know. Generally, the neck felt comfy (sort of reminded me of a '63 Strat I once owned) but the frets were probably a little too big for my taste.....but I probably could have lived with the frets if the action would have been more acceptable.

Tonewise, I felt it sounded better than most Strats I've played but not as good as my old original '64 or the Fender CS '65 TM Strats. Nice meat to bite ratio and uncluttered mids and not as dark sounding as a stock SRV Strat.

I wrestled with the guitar for a few days and finally decided that it wasen't the one for me so I sent it back. Just out of curiousity though, I'd like to play another some day to see if I just got one with a bad neck or what.

[Mike Duncan]

Vaughn, I'm sorry the guitar didn't work out for you. I'm still in the decision making phase as well. I really like the neck and think the pickups sound great. I just can't bring myself to pull the 10s off and put on the GHS 11s - or pull the wrap off the pickguard. I do have to say that when I lay the JM on the ground next to my SRV, I can see that the headstock sits up higher my SRV...so I guess the action is a little higher, but nothing too bad.

I really like the case it comes with too.

What color did you get (and send back)?

Mike

[VaughnC]

Yeah Mike, you can't please all the people all the time! Not a bad guitar, just not a good fit. I had a sunburst.

The good thing though is that I just ran across a good deal on a used '65 Relic Strat....so I just better stick with what works for me. For what I need in a Strat, while not perfect, the '65 TM's seem to be the best overall fit. That darned old '64 Strat I once owned was a real spoiler. Nothing I've played since has delivered the goods in quite the same way....but the '65TM's have come the closest. Now, to find the right one ;) .

[JohnK24]

Originally posted by Mike Duncan
Vaughn, I'm sorry the guitar didn't work out for you. I'm still in the decision making phase as well. I really like the neck and think the pickups sound great. I just can't bring myself to pull the 10s off and put on the GHS 11s - or pull the wrap off the pickguard. I do have to say that when I lay the JM on the ground next to my SRV, I can see that the headstock sits up higher my SRV...so I guess the action is a little higher, but nothing too bad.

I really like the case it comes with too.

What color did you get (and send back)?

Mike


Yes...for God's sake, if they are the Charcoal Frost with racing strip, keep it and get it on ebay. Those limited eds. are pulling in $2400 now. Sorry, just had to add my two cents. And thanks for the reviews guys, I still gotta try one.

J

[Mike Duncan]

I'm really enjoying the Charcoal Frost model, but can't decide if I should hold on to it or get it on eBay. Like Vaughn pointed out, he may have gotten a bad one - or I may lucked out and found a good one. But, the thought that I could get $2,400 for a $1,300 guitar and by the Shoreline Gold version, is VERY tempting!

On the other hand, I think it's cool to have a really limited edition model guitar...

hmm.

Mike

[Tomo]

Thanks for reviews on John's sig guitar.
I got a few emails that people are asking
whether I tried it or not.

I owned my SRV strat since 93'. I didn't like the original
pickups. It was too dark for me. I changed them
right away.


Tomo

[Mike Duncan]

Tomo, I really like the Big Dipper pickups on the JM. I too have a '93 SRV that I bought new, but really have enjoyed the Texas Specials. What did you replace them with?

Mike

[jlf2960]

Correct me if I am wrong but didn't the Charcoal Frost JM Strat that sold for $2400 command that price because it was #1 of 100?

[Mike Duncan]

No, it was one of one hundred...the seller, was asked that question and clarified that it was one of the hundred made - as they are not individually numbered.

[MikeP]

Man I just dont see why it would get 2400 unless it was special. Even #1 of 100 does not seem so special?
Here buy one new for under 1400 right now & go make a grand then :D

Here is One (http://www.gbase.com/Powered/GearDetails.aspx?Dealer=6db8a458-a165-4add-9847-7da43608278c&Item=839958)

I know it is showing a shorline gold but the descrip reads charcoal frost. Maybe they have both?

[GM1]

Originally posted by Mike Duncan
Older post that I'm going to try and bring back to life...

John Mayer irritates the snot out of my wife, I will not listen to him play the radio tunes, we left a Counting Crows show before Mayer (the headliner) performed, but he's got great taste in what equipment he likes...I did enjoy his Crossroads performance, but he still irritates me.

Anyway, I went to Melodee Music in Leesburg, VA yesterday and played SEVERAL guitars (Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, '62 AV, Highway 1, 50's RI, 60's RI, '56 Relic Limited, John English Masterbuilt '59, and a John Mayer model). The John English Masterbuilt is incredible, but I couldn't justify the $3,200.00 price tag. I don't really care for the faded Sonic Blue either. The EC model was Candy Green - the greatest color ever! but the vintage frets really just didn't grab me - same with the Ice Blue '62 - nice neck shapes on each. The Desert Sand '56 Relic had jumbo frets, but again was a little pricy and not the greatest color. The Eric Johnson was pretty darn cool...something to think about in the future. The Mexican made two Strats both had floating trems and would not tune, at least while plunking around in the music store. And finally, the Highway 1 has an American Series neck, shallow and wide - not my favorite.

So I decide to try, what I later find out is a John Mayer Sig model. They had two, one in sunburst and one in Charcoal with a racing stripe. Since I hold all Stratocasters to try and equal my beloved '93 SRV model, the sunburst was out, but the vintage vibe and neck girth made the JM easy choice. I really thought the p/us sounded exactly like a Strat's should and the satin finish on the back of the neck reminded me of the relics. I like the vintage hardware, the absence of a signature on the front of the headstock and the racing stripe. The In Case gigbag, is the coolest thing I've come across - gigbag is not the correct term. It's padded, solid, and has tons of storage/carrying options. The guitar has mint green vintage amp knobs as well. The frets are huge too! I have had a backplate on a strat and I always keep the trem flat on the body - easy fit for what I'm looking for.

I still don't think Mayer deserves a Signature model, but this Stratocaster has been done very well! It has every feature that I would ask for on a Custom Shop model and the price was right - $1360.00 out the door.

Mike

I played one this weekend and was surprised. To my ear this guitar has the best pickups for the SRV blues tone I have heard yet. I wish I could buy the pickups and drop them into one of my old Strats...they're that good. The guitar is OK. Its has a good feel medium weight. I don't like the dark pickguard and would change it to white but thats just me. I don't care about the case but in a way it does make sense. I would probably take some Micromesh and rub out the neck for a more broken in feeling. But, for 1,400 it's a pretty cool guitar mostly because of the pickups. I have long beleived that the SRV tone is molded around a more scooped mid eq as opposed to a mid hump. I try to get his tone by dialing back the mids on my amps. The pickups in this guitar are wound with scoop mids and you can hear the SRV vibe right away when you plug it in.

I will probably own one of these guitars and I don't like Fender production guitars at all. I own three Strats early 60's and a 50's hardtail and a Lentz Strat and I can't beleive how much I liked this guitar.

[Tomo]

Originally posted by Mike Duncan
Tomo, I really like the Big Dipper pickups on the JM. I too have a '93 SRV that I bought new, but really have enjoyed the Texas Specials. What did you replace them with?

Mike


Hi Mike,

Sorry for my late reply.

I should check it out. Thanks.

About my pick ups. please check this thread
for more detail.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102833&highlight=tomo

[saxophonist56]

why do they all come with high high action. the pickups are very weird even tinny to my ears. i guess the big dippers add spank? anyway it's pretty nice but why do i have to pull the neck off and reset the truss rod on a new guitar. NEXT

[dan7_69]

I got to play one of these Mayer strats yesterday and I'll say I was impressed. I played several others and tried not to look or guess it what model I was playing. I played through a few and then came to this gold with burgandy racing striped one. I played it for a few minutes and I was blown away to say the least. The action wasn't high at all. It was just as low as the others in the room (an EJ, clapton, SRV, 56RI). I loved the pickups and they sounded awesome. Sounded a little like the CS 69 pups i've played before. Very cool strat and I'll be getting one very soon. I'd love to have one of those charcoal ones if anyone has one. Props to Fender for making a cool one.

[JohnK24]

Originally posted by dan7_69
I got to play one of these Mayer strats yesterday and I'll say I was impressed. I played several others and tried not to look or guess it what model I was playing. I played through a few and then came to this gold with burgandy racing striped one. I played it for a few minutes and I was blown away to say the least. The action wasn't high at all. It was just as low as the others in the room (an EJ, clapton, SRV, 56RI). I loved the pickups and they sounded awesome. Sounded a little like the CS 69 pups i've played before. Very cool strat and I'll be getting one very soon. I'd love to have one of those charcoal ones if anyone has one. Props to Fender for making a cool one.

I'm guessing those "Big Dippers" pups are a combination of the output of the Texas Specials and the scooped mids of the CS '69s. Since the dippers are based on Mayer's SRV strat which had "mis-wound" Texas Specials.

JK

[ChrisP]

Originally posted by Calloway
I'm not a strat guy by any means, nor am I a huge fan of his either. I liked him on the Crossroads DVD, his playing was nice, his tone was even better. A girlfriend of mine saw him on Austin City Limits and said that he was "way better than Buddy Guy" I almost hit her in the throat, but you know, that wouldn't be right. As for his strat, it may very well be the coolest strat I have ever played. I love the tone knob for the bridge pickup, and the neck on that guitar is great, reminds me of an SG neck for some reason. It sounds amazing, plays great, and doesn't have his name written all over it. If my concious and pocket book would have allowed me to, that thing would have been going home with me!

"A girlfriend of mine saw him on Austin City Limits and said that he was "way better than Buddy Guy" I almost hit her in the throat, "

ROFL!

[Mike Duncan]

It's a neat guitar - at least the limited CFM one I bought in Leesburg. It did a great job selling itself on eBay for my Gretsch...

I just couldn't get by the fact that it was Mayer's signature model and it just couldn't out Strat my SRV Strat.

Mike

[jzucker]

I recently went to guitar center looking for a couple of strats. I played an American Deluxe Strat (maple neck), John Mayer, SRV and Eric Johnson.

They had a couple SRV's, several American Deluxes and one each of the Mayer and EJ.

The best two guitars were the SRV and the American Deluxe, maple neck.

The EJ was probably the worst sounding of the 4.

The Mayer guitar's pickups didn't sound right to me. To thin in the midrange. Also, that's a lot of dough for a poly-finished guitar IMO.

I love the SRV guitar and the left handed trem. I could live without the gold parts and I'll have to replace the pickguard but the guitar itself is great. I ended up swapping out the pickups for dimarzio virtual vintage and the guitar is fantastic.

Best strat I've ever owned.

[fractal]

I played one (yes, only one, so maybe not representative), because of the "thicker c shape neck" specification. I was excited because I prefer larger fatback type necks. However, this one seemed to be thinner front-to-back than most of the other strats on the wall. I was a bit disappointed only for that reason. I never got a chance to plug it in. Oh well...

(Again, it might have been a fluke.)

[Texas_Blues]

I love the guitar's neck, but I prefer my fralin pick-ups.

[telebuck]

Thought I'd revive this thread to say that I am digging an Oly White JM Strat I picked up recently. Very cool look with the mint guard.

I'm loving the Big Dippers so far. I prefer this guitar over previous AV'57 and EJ strats I've owned. Great in-between tones (especially position 2). I had been just playing that and the neck, but went to the bridge last night and thought it provided some very nice vintage tones... bright, but not too bright with the tone control.

My only potential concern is the set-up. Off the rack it was set up high, but a truss rod adjustment has it playing with what feels like medium action now. Would like it a bit lower... Gonna take it back to the shop for a complimentary tune-up.